The China Program for International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008
was officially launched in Beijing on Thursday.
While this is the fourth IPY, it is the first time China has
taken part.
Chen Lianzeng, vice chairman of the IPY Chinese Committee and
deputy director of the State Oceanic Administration, said the China
IPY Program includes an Antarctic expedition plan, known as PANDA,
a scientific expedition to the North Pole, international exchanges
and public education.
The PANDA plan, listed as one of the core research missions, is
a multi-goal research plan, including deep ice coring at Dome A,
the highest location on the Antarctic ice sheet, and a study of the
interactions of the ocean-ice shelf-ice sheet system from Pridz Bay
to Dome A via the Amery Ice Shelf.
The IPY is an international event during which scientists carry
out large-scale joint scientific activities.
During IPY, thousands of scientists, from more than 60 countries
and regions and a wide range of research disciplines, will carry
out 220 science and outreach projects.
China has launched 23 Antarctic expeditions since 1984 and built
two permanent exploration stations named Changcheng (Great Wall)
and Zhongshan.
China has almost 10,000 Antarctic aerolites, or meteorite
stones, including priceless Lunar and Martian aerolites, the third
largest collection in the world.
China has also launched two Arctic expeditions and built the
Huanghe (Yellow River) exploration station in the Arctic in July
2004.
(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2007)
