Turkey to set up scientific research base in Antarctica

By Dilara Zengin

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish team departed for Antarctica to set up a temporary scientific research base there.

A group of journalists associated with Anadolu Agency also joined the journey to cover Turkey's scientific studies.

Turkey holds an observer status and it desires to have consultative status on the continent during the 3rd National Antarctic Science Expedition.

Piri Reis, admiral of Ottoman-Egyptian fleet and writer on the science of navigation, produced the earliest world map showing the borders of Antarctica in 1513, while Atok Karaali is reportedly the first Turkish to carry out research in the U.S. base Plateau Station in 1967.

More than 50 Turkish scientists landed on the continent since then, and carried out various scientific research.

Turkey's first Istanbul Technical University Polar Research Center was founded in Antarctica in 2015. The mission of the center is to carry out research on Antarctica and raise Turkey's profile in the international scientific community.

In April 2016, the first ever Turkish team of researchers -- 13 medics, botanists, geologists and oceanographers from seven universities -- traveled to Antarctica to study the impact of climate change.

Turkey participated in the first National Antarctic Science Expedition with nine researchers from various fields in 2017. In 2018, 28 Turkish researchers built the country’s first campsite in Robert Island.

This year’s project -- supported by the Turkish Presidency, Ministry of Industry and Technology, and Istanbul Technical University Polar Research Center as well as eight other Turkish universities -- will carry out scientific studies for 30 days.

Two automatic meteorological monitoring stations produced in Turkey will also be set up by the country’s directorate general of meteorology to receive data for two years.