Activities of the summer season of the 50th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition in 2008-2009

• Main Authors: Tsuneo Odate, Kenji Ishizawa
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 2010
• Subjects: geo; Antarctic; Austral; Dronning Maud Land; Syowa Station; Antarc*; aurora australis; Australian Antarctic Division; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15094/00009523; https://doaj.org/article/970f21ce50c843f293fb5d4895a7da7f

The activities in the 2008-2009 austral summer of the 50th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-50) are reported. JARE-50 consisted of 46 personnel including 18 summer personnel and 28 wintering personnel. In addition, one observer joined the voyage to the Syowa Station. The voyage and summer operation arround Syowa Station were supported by staff from Australian Antarctic Division using the Icebreaker Aurora Australis. Expeditioners for Syowa Station (28 wintering personnel, 12 summer personnel and one observer) departed on 25 December and were on board Aurora Australis at Fremantle, Western Australia. She departed for Syowa Station on 30 December and arrived at the ice edge in Lu¨tzow-Holm Bay on 12 January. The first helicopter from Aurora Australis landed at Syowa Station on 13 January. Transport of cargo (91.8 tons) and exchange of wintering personnel were completed by 2 February. During the stay in Lu¨tzow-Holm Bay, oceanographic observation was conducted in the sea ice area from Aurora Australis as well as several summer construction plans for the new unloading system from JARE-52 performed by the new Icebreaker Shirase. The JARE-50 summer party and JARE-49 wintering party on board Aurora Australis left Syowa Station on 2 February. On the return voyage, oceanographic and marine biological observations were carried out. All personnel disembarked at the Port of Hobart, Tasmania, on 20 February, and returned to Narita Airport on 24 February. The Sour Rondane Mountains field research party (six summer personnel) departed from Narita Airport on 16 November, and arrived at Princess Elisabeth Station (Belgium) on 23 November using the Dronning Maud Land Air Network (DROMLAN). They carried out geological field work in the western part of the Sour Rondane Mountains and returned to Narita Airport on 17 February.