National Antarctic Scientific Centre

Director - Valeriy Litvinov

Research activities at "Academician Vernadsky" research station:
- Ionosphere sounding. Ionosphere sounding is carried out by semiautomatic station ISP-42. It is a radar for impulse radio-sounding of ionosphere in altitude intervals of 0-800 km in frequency ratio of 1.0-22.6 MH.
- Studies of radio-signals in VLF and SLF range. Studies are complex, as besides VLF-receivers data, magnetometric measurements and ionosphere sounding are used for the analysis of near-earth space conditions.
- Studies of magnetic field.
- Sea expedition. The marine antarctic expeditions carries out complex tasks such as polar explorers, life-support materials and necessary apparatus delivery on station, fulfilment of scientific researches in cruise and in Antarctic Seas.
- Meteorological and glaciological studies. Synoptic meteorological observations began in 1947 in Great Britain. Ukrainian meteorologists continue with these observations, that are part longstanding international program on global monitoring of atmosphere and ocean. They include registration of precipitation and snow-meter recording, observation of temperature, sea level, ebbs and flows, ice condition.

Every year the station is visited the hundreds of guests from tourist ships and yachts. It is stipulated first of all by location of station in climate region which is favourable to sea journeys. From December to April, when a winter ice cover gets off in straits around station, most intensive motion of sea transport (tourist yachts and steamers, scientific, fishing and military vessels) takes place. As station guests not only tourists, but scientіsts, sea officers, sailors and sportsmen become. For visitors excursions are organized round the station, scientific laboratories and Galindez Ilsand, sometimes boarding snow-tractor, or even with rising on mountains.

In 1997-2000 three issues of "Bulletin of Ukrainian Antarctic Centre" were published. They are devoted to scientific researches in the 1st -3rd expeditions to station Academician Vernadsky and marine studies in research vessel cruises.