Last Tasks of the Season
The 2022-23 austral sumemr resaerch season is coming to a close. Some of the last taks of the season include preparing the station for overwintering, packing up scientific equipment to be repatriated or shifting the equipment into winter mode, doing final maintenence of the vehicles, and tidying up the station.
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The Venturi Antarctica - the world's first fully electric polar exploration vehicle - seen here supporting field work for the EU Horizon 2020 HYPERNETS project. The Venturi Antarctica transported instruments the project used to collect data on solar radiation and albedo back to the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica.
© International Polar Foundation
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IPF engineers have been dismantling the equipment used in the EU Horizon 2020 HYPERNETS project. The equipment will be sent back to Belgium when the team leaves in mid-February.
© International Polar Foundation
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Tidying up the station before departure is important! Here the crew is cleaning out the station's ventilation system.
© International Polar Foundation
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PEA's ventilation system needs to be cleaned to ensure good air quality for the station's crew.
© International Polar Foundation
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Five members of the team head to the coast to complete the second of two traverses this season!
© International Polar Foundation
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IPF Chief Technical Officer Johnny Gaelens checks instruments on the roof of PEA.
© International Polar Foundation
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IPF Chief Technical Officer Johnny Gaelens checks the batteries that store renewable energy to run PEA.
© International Polar Foundation
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Engineer Johan De Muylder installs new solar panels on the north ridge next to PEA.
© International Polar Foundation
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Not a bad view when you're working outdoors installing solar panels to power the world's first zero-emission polar research station!
© International Polar Foundation
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The station looks even better with its new solar panels!
© International Polar Foundation
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The team has started to fit special wooden panels over PEA's solar panels to protect them during the harsh Antarctic winter.
© International Polar Foundation
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It's important to secure the station for overwintering.
© International Polar Foundation
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Final maintenance needs to be done on the vehicles used at the station.
© International Polar Foundation
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During the bi-annual raising of the station's annexes, an extra support beam was added.
© International Polar Foundation
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A daily meeting happens every morning to plan the activities for the day.
© International Polar Foundation
