Belgian Antarctic Program
Encyclopedia
Belgium was one of the 12 countries that initially negotiated and signed the Antarctic Treaty (Washington, 1959).
of scientific nature was led by Adrien de Gerlache
aboard the La Belgica. The expedition involved over wintering and spanned from 1897 to 1899. The findings of the expedition was put down as series of ‘Re´sultats de voyage de la Belgica’ (sixty-five volumes) which was commissioned and published by the Commission de la Belgica under the aegis of the Royal Academy.
The International Geophysical Year
of 1957-58, required the establishment of a geophysical network throughout Antarctica. Belgium, along with ten other countries agreed to take part in this scientific exercise and established a research station named Base Roi Baudouin, on a floating ice shelf
off the coast of Dronning Maud Land, a virtually unexplored part of Antarctica at that time. The station was set up on the first Belgian expedition (1957-59) to Antarctica led by Gaston de Gerlache.
In the following two years, two more expeditions were sent to the Antarctic, i.e. 2nd and 3rd expeditions. The Belgian polar base was permanently manned for the three expeditions, until late 1961 when the National Centre for Polar Research could not raise the funds needed to continue the Belgian Antarctic program.
In partnership with Netherlands
, the first Belgo-Dutch expedition (1963-65) not only reached the South Pole
but also established a new Roi Baudoin Base, less than 100 meters from the old one which had been buried in snow.
Twice for 3-year periods (1958–1961 and 1964–1966) the Roi Baudoin Base fulfilled its role as a geophysical observatory and as an operating base for geographical
, glaciological
, and geological
mapping of the neighboring coastal and mountain areas. After the closure of the base in 1967, three further summer expeditions were sent in cooperation with South Africa
, but in 1971 all governmental support for Antarctic research was temporarily halted.
1985 marked the start-up of the first multi-annual Belgian Antarctic science program, managed and financed by the Belgian Science Policy Office. It has continued till date.
The themes covered by Belgian scientists can be brought under in four major disciplines:
Before the construction of Princess Elisabeth Base
which was fully completed in 2009, Belgium had no logistics support of its own for Antarctica. All necessary fieldwork was carried out by participation of the Belgian researchers in campaigns organised by other countries based on the availability of vacant space on research vessels and in bases.
The new Belgian base will be open to scientists from all other Antarctic Treaty partner countries willing to perform research activities in the area.
History
The first Belgian expeditionBelgian Antarctic Expedition
The Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 to 1899, named after its expedition vessel Belgica, was the first expedition to winter in the Antarctic region.- Preparation and Surveying :...
of scientific nature was led by Adrien de Gerlache
Adrien de Gerlache
Baron Adrien Victor Joseph de Gerlache de Gomery was an officer in the Belgian Royal Navy who led the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 to 1899.-His early years:...
aboard the La Belgica. The expedition involved over wintering and spanned from 1897 to 1899. The findings of the expedition was put down as series of ‘Re´sultats de voyage de la Belgica’ (sixty-five volumes) which was commissioned and published by the Commission de la Belgica under the aegis of the Royal Academy.
The International Geophysical Year
International Geophysical Year
The International Geophysical Year was an international scientific project that lasted from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between East and West was seriously interrupted...
of 1957-58, required the establishment of a geophysical network throughout Antarctica. Belgium, along with ten other countries agreed to take part in this scientific exercise and established a research station named Base Roi Baudouin, on a floating ice shelf
Ice shelf
An ice shelf is a thick, floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice sheet flows down to a coastline and onto the ocean surface. Ice shelves are only found in Antarctica, Greenland and Canada. The boundary between the floating ice shelf and the grounded ice that feeds it is called...
off the coast of Dronning Maud Land, a virtually unexplored part of Antarctica at that time. The station was set up on the first Belgian expedition (1957-59) to Antarctica led by Gaston de Gerlache.
In the following two years, two more expeditions were sent to the Antarctic, i.e. 2nd and 3rd expeditions. The Belgian polar base was permanently manned for the three expeditions, until late 1961 when the National Centre for Polar Research could not raise the funds needed to continue the Belgian Antarctic program.
In partnership with Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the first Belgo-Dutch expedition (1963-65) not only reached the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
but also established a new Roi Baudoin Base, less than 100 meters from the old one which had been buried in snow.
Twice for 3-year periods (1958–1961 and 1964–1966) the Roi Baudoin Base fulfilled its role as a geophysical observatory and as an operating base for geographical
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, glaciological
Glaciology
Glaciology Glaciology Glaciology (from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal): glace, "ice"; or Latin: glacies, "frost, ice"; and Greek: λόγος, logos, "speech" lit...
, and geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
mapping of the neighboring coastal and mountain areas. After the closure of the base in 1967, three further summer expeditions were sent in cooperation with South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but in 1971 all governmental support for Antarctic research was temporarily halted.
1985 marked the start-up of the first multi-annual Belgian Antarctic science program, managed and financed by the Belgian Science Policy Office. It has continued till date.
Mission, Research and Logistics
The broad objectives of the Belgian Antarctic Program financed by the Federal Science Policy since 1985 are:- Maintain and strengthen the Belgian expertise, particularly in those areas of science where Belgian teams were known to be strong
- Increase the visibility of Belgium in the Antarctic Treaty System
- Contribute to the rational management of Antarctica’s environment and natural resources
- Assess the consequences at the world scale of major natural processes occurring in the Antarctic and surrounding ocean
The themes covered by Belgian scientists can be brought under in four major disciplines:
- Marine biologyMarine biologyMarine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
and biogeochemistryBiogeochemistryBiogeochemistry is the scientific discipline that involves the study of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment... - GlaciologyGlaciologyGlaciology Glaciology Glaciology (from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal): glace, "ice"; or Latin: glacies, "frost, ice"; and Greek: λόγος, logos, "speech" lit...
and climatologyClimatologyClimatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time, and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences... - Hydrodynamics and sea-ice
- Marine geophysicsGeophysicsGeophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
Before the construction of Princess Elisabeth Base
Princess Elisabeth Base
Princess Elisabeth Base, located on Utsteinen Nunatak in Dronning Maud Land is a Belgian polar station, taken into use on February 15, 2009. The station is the first polar base that combines eco-friendly construction materials, clean and efficient energy use, optimization of the station's energy...
which was fully completed in 2009, Belgium had no logistics support of its own for Antarctica. All necessary fieldwork was carried out by participation of the Belgian researchers in campaigns organised by other countries based on the availability of vacant space on research vessels and in bases.
The new Belgian base will be open to scientists from all other Antarctic Treaty partner countries willing to perform research activities in the area.