The Importance of Antarctica. The Exploration of Antarctica by Soviet Scientists

     The Importance of Antarctica.   There are no permanent inhabi­tants in Antarctica. Ships from various countries come here in summer

to hunt whales and seals. Antarctica is the chief whale-fishing grounds in the world. Each year Soviet flotillas make their way through the floes and, in spite of blizzards and fogs, bring home great quantities of whale oil and seal skins.
Large deposits of coal have been found in Antarctica, which points to the fact that there used to be a warm climate and a rich vegetation there in the remote past. There are also ore deposits. Airlines con­necting neighbouring continents could be set up via Antarctica.
All this has roused the interest of many countries. At the proposal of the Soviet Government an agreement was made as to the peaceful use of Antarctica. According to this agreement all countries are free to do research work there on equal ground.
Soviet Exploration. Recent years have witnessed the exploration of Antarctica by scientific expeditions from a number of countries, including the Soviet Union. In the Antarctic summer of 1955—1956 a Soviet expedition on specially equipped ships made its way through the ice, storms and fogs to the shores of Antarctica, where it set up the coastal base of Mirny at latitude 66°33'S, longitude 93° E. From here was begun the advance on the interior. Several more scien­tific stations were set up. Hundreds of kilometres from the shore, on ice where the foot of man has never stepped, work Soviet scientists today. Braving the terrible frosts and the darkness of the long polar night, they persistently study the nature of these hitherto Unknown regions. They are well provided with fuel and food and live in warm houses. Against the frost they are equipped with protective masks for the face and electric warmers for the feet, hands and chest. Con­tact with Mirny is maintained by radio, aircraft and tractor-drawn sledge trains.
In 1959 a Soviet tractor-drawn sledge party accomplished an unexampled march across the snow and ice. In spite of the 50° frost, it succeeded in reaching the South Pole, covering a distance of over 2,600 kilometres from Mirny.
In the stern and rigorous surroundings of Antarctica Soviet scien­tists carry on extensive work. They make weather observations, study the nature of the ice and coastal waters of Antarctica and map its surface and coastlines. The mystery of this unknown continent is thus being gradually solved.
Questions and Assignments.

• Mark on the outline map of Antractica the South Geographic
  and Magnetic Poles, Mount Erebus and the Soviet scientific stations
  shown in the Atlas.
• Sum up your weather observations for this year. Compare the
  summer and winter temperature of your neighbourhood with those
  of Antarctica (at the corresponding seasons).