BELARE 2011-2012: A New Season Begins
The dawn of a new season is a bit of a ritual at Princess Elisabeth: removing accumulated snow, checking the air strip, running a few tests before restarting the systems and getting settled for four months in Antarctica.
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The Basler DC-3 just after its landing at the Utsteinen air strip
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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Right after landing, the team start unloading the air plane
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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With the Balser unloaded, the teams heads to the station, 2.5km away from the airstrip
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The Princess Elisabeth Station at the arrival of the team
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The snow accumulation hides the entrance to the technical areas
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The team now has access to the technical areas under the station
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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Vehicles and scientific containers aligned in front of the station
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The Prinoth starting its 48-hour shift to clear 720 tons of snow
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The team at work, clearing the snow
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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Snow accumulation around the photovoltaic solar panels to the North
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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Kristof Soete, Electro-mechanic
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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François Tilmans, General Construction
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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The satellite connection at the station allows the team to have access to broadband Internet
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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850m³ of snow to go
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
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Thanks to its shape and position, the station itself remained free of snow
© International Polar Foundation - Alain Hubert
