National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

17.10.2024

On October 17, President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka holds a meeting with scientists and participants of Belarusian Antarctic expeditions

On October 17, President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka held a meeting with scientists and participants of Belarusian Antarctic expeditions. At the very beginning of the meeting with scientists and polar explorers, Aliaksandr Lukashenka set a practice-oriented tone regarding scientific research and work in Antarctica. The Head of State was also interested in the possibility of commercialization of the presented technical developments. Aliaksandr Lukashenka stressed at the meeting that it is desirable that the result of work in Antarctica be not only fundamental research, but also practical results. "There should be concrete results," he said. "A lot of money is spent on this, we divert human resources. There must be dynamics. I will tell you in a popular way: we must feel your result with our hands."

At a meeting with scientists and participants of the Belarusian Antarctic expeditions, Head of State Aliaksandr Lukashenka supported the proposal to determine the status of a polar explorer in Belarus.

Chairman of the Presidium of the NAS of Belarus Uladzimir Gusakow reported on the expedition activities in the region, international cooperation and the results of scientific research. Belarus began its journey to study Antarctica in 2006, Uladzimir Gusakow recalled. That year, the country joined the Antarctic Treaty (along with 57 countries, of which 29 have consultative status with the right to vote in decision-making). "Our country is still an associate member of the treaty. We hope that in the near future we will also receive the status of an advisory party," he said. To do this, according to him, the country has already submitted an application, which will be considered in 2025 in Italy at a meeting of the countries participating in the treaty. Uladzimir Gusakow drew attention to the practical focus of the research: "For example, due to the transparent atmosphere, this region is suitable for pre-flight calibration of the optical equipment of our spacecraft, and therefore a reference area has been created near the station." Uladzimir Gusakow thanked the Head of State for the comprehensive support of activities in the Antarctic region and asked to consider the possibility of renaming the domestic Vechernaya Mountain Antarctic station into the Belaruskaja station. Currently, about 70 scientific stations of 30 countries, including Belarusian one, are located in Antarctica. It includes office and residential, technological, environmental facilities, instrument complexes and scientific hospitals. This makes it possible to ensure safe working conditions for polar explorers (up to 15 people) and organize research in the field of biology, atmospheric physics, climatology, geophysics and geoecology.

Aliaksiej Gajdashow, deputy head of the Republican Centre for Polar Research and head of all Belarusian Antarctic expeditions, reported that complex instruments are being tested in the unique conditions of Antarctica, many of which are better than foreign analogues, and some have no analogues in the world at all. The Head of State was presented with a complex for recording geophysical signals, a MARS-B spectrometer, an immersion photometer, a solar spectral albedometer, a complex of mobile meteorological stations, an immersion bathyscaphe, a lidar component base and other equipment. Aliaksandr Lukashenka was also presented minerals and components of the Antarctic natural environment, samples of flora and fauna and other exhibits on the subject of polar research.

Participants of the 16th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition presented the Head of State Aliaksandr Lukashenka with the national flag of Belarus, deployed in a remote area of Antarctica, as well as the mineral enderbite. The age of this mineral is about 4 billion years. It is the basis of the crystalline foundation of the Earth.

Photo: president.gov.by

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