Weather delays Antarctic station construction

Sunday, January 19, 2014, 1:25 PM -

Heavy snowstorm hit the construction site of China's Taishan station at Antarctica since Friday, forcing the construction to be suspended. The snowstorm came with a gale. The heavy snow cut the visibility around the Taishan station to less than 100 meters.

The snow on the ground at the construction site is more than 1.5 meters deep. All construction both indoor and outdoor has been suspended due to bad weather The Taishan Station is to be located between the existing stations of Zhongshan and Kunlun. Its 410-square-meter main structure is scheduled to be completed by February, 2014.

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It is a summer station to be used to study geology, glaciers, geomagnetism and the atmosphere in Antarctica, The newest station will also provide logistical support to future missions. 

China launched its first expedition to Antarctica in 1984 and has already built three stations there: Changcheng, Zhongshan and Kunlun

The Stations of Antartica

More than 70 research stations have opened in Antarctica by countries from all around the world. While the majority of the stations are permanent many are seasonal. The first base was settled in the early 1900s but not much else was done until after the second World War. The population on Antarctica varies from 4,000 during the summer down to 1,000 during winter with scientific teams coming from roughly 30 different countries.