China conducts airborne gravimetry in Antarctica for first time

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online
Editor: Li Wei

2020-03-13 22:22:59

ZHONGSHAN STATION, Mar. 13 -- A team from the College of Intelligence Science and Technology under the PLA National University of Defense Technology（NUTD）has successfully carried out airborne gravimetry in high latitudes of Antarctica from December 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020, with their self-developed high-level strap-down gravimeter.

The test is conducted in the areas near Princess Elizabeth land, Amery Ice Shelf and Grove Mountains around China's Zhongshan Station in Antarctica. The fixed-wing aircraft Snow Eagle 601 attached to the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) of Ministry of Natural Resources serves as the test platform.

Airborne gravimetry facilitates the analysis of gravity field changes in the Antarctic region and helps obtain the mass balance of Antarctic ice sheet. Such an experiment will provide important basis for the Antarctic glaciers research, and support the study of geological structure and resource exploration in the Antarctic region.

It is learnt that Researcher Cao Juliang and his team had left NUTD in Central China's Changsha city on November 17, 2019, carrying their independently-developed strap-down gravimeters. They have travelled a long way through Shanghai, Melbourne, Hobart, Wilkins Airport and Casey Station, and finally arrived at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica on November 21, 2019, participating in the fixed-wing aircraft team of China's 36th Antarctic Scientific Expedition Team.

This is China's first scientific research experiment of this kind in the Antarctic region, which will provide the first-hand gravitational field data for better understanding, protection, and development of Antarctica.