Ukraine's Academician Vernadsky research base in Antarctica see changeover of expeditions

MOSCOW. April 4 (Interfax) - The 28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition has completed its yearlong mission at the Academician Vernadsky research base in Antarctica and is returning home, while the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition is taking over its functions, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the National Antarctic Scientific Center.

The official handover/takeover ceremony was held on Tuesday, April 2. Head of the 28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition Bogdan Gavrilyuk handed a symbolic key from the Vernadsky base to Yury Otruba, who leads the 29th expedition, and the two signed an acceptance certificate.

The members of the 28th expedition left the station on Wednesday, April 3. The Noosfera research icebreaker is to deliver them, as well as seasonal expedition participants, to Chile, from where they would travel to Ukraine by planes and by land transport.

The 28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition has 14 members. Over the past year, they have done meteorological, biological, and geophysical research and maintained the station's functions. In particular, they monitored the Earth's magnetic field, the ionosphere, global thunderstorm activity, the ozone layer, weather indicators, the living world of Antarctica, etc. The expedition was able to expand the geographic scope of research in the sea and conduct more detailed observations of local birds and mammals.

The 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition, also comprising 14 members, will continue performing the abovementioned functions.