Upgrade boosts million-year mission
ANTARCTIC explorers could soon capture a million-year ice core after the Australian Antarctic Program announced a new fleet of heavy-tracked vehicles to support deep field operations.
The heavy-duty upgrade to ground transport is set to support Australia’s scientific and operational needs in Antarctica for the next 20 years.
In 2016 the Federal Government committed $45 million to develop overland traverse capability to drill for the million-year ice core as part of the Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20-Year Action Plan.
Project lead Anthony Hull said the new equipment would take explorers to places never accessed before. The system will deploy five heavy tractors and two snow groomers to tow sled trains for food supplies, accommodation needs, scientific facilities and up to 160,000 litres of fuel.
“The first expedition is planned to depart Australia’s Casey re- search station in early 2021 and set up a mobile research station 1200km inland,” Mr Hull said.
Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist Tas van Ommen said the new transport capability would create ambitious future science projects. “The million-year ice core will be a window into a time when a major shift in the Earth’s climate limate systemystem took place, and when the regular pacing ice ages gradually slowed,” Dr van Ommen said.
“We are working … to understand what caused this shift, because we believe it can help us better understand present day climate change.”