Heart of cold: What’s it like to be an Antarctican?

If you mention Sada to a frequent tourist in Goa, there’s a 99 per cent chance that (s)he has never heard of it. And (s)he is not at fault. There is nothing in Sada, nestled by the quaint town of Vasco that will attract a tourist. No stunning beaches, no party shacks. All it has is a rundown fort by the sea. Only the locals go there.

However, earlier this week, Sada was taken over by a tiny community that calls itself Antarcticans for the National Polar Science Seminar 2017 held at the National Centre for Antarctic and Oceanic Research (NCAOR). About a 100 of 5,000 Antarcticans (those who have visited the southern continent) got together to discuss their findings from expeditions. Though miniscule in numbers, the atmosphere was charged.

“There are Antarcticans and there are veterans of Antarctica. Going and working there is a unique experience,” says Dr Shailendra Saini who has been to Antarctica seven times since 2002 and led four expeditions. As he ushers me into his office, he apologizes “for any convenience since the cabin could be untidy”. It is not at all untidy (compared to mine), but is indicative of how organised one needs to be on expeditions to the ice continent.

India’s foray into the region was in 1981 and since then, we have been sending scientists every year. “Of the 53 countries engaged in research in polar regions, India ranks in the top 10,” says Dr M Ravichandran, director of NCAOR. India has two stations there — Maitri and Bharati — and research scientists make them their home during expeditions that range from three to four months, to a year.

Preparations begin in February when scientific proposals are invited. A National Coordination Committee on Polar Programme sifts and conducts interviews by July. Medical tests and snow acclimatisation training is usually held in August-September in Uttarakhand’s ski town, Auli.

The teams then fly in or travel by sea in November and December-January respectively.

“Physical tests are important, but more important is the mental strength of a candidate,” says Dr Mahesh, a paleoclimatologist who led the last expedition. “Weather is extreme, so is the ocean. Roaring 40s, Furious 50s and Shrieking 60s are the terms used to describe how rough the ocean as you progress. It takes about six hours to reach Maitri by air, but that’s not always an option. The ship takes 10-12 days to Maitri and up to 16 days to Bharati.”

Climate Change?

India spends 100s of crores of rupees to explore Antarctica. We are also in the process of acquiring a Polar Research Vessel that will cost more than Rs 1,000 crore and will take at least three to four years to build. Besides, India will also soon start building a fourth station Maitri-2. Why should the country spend so much on a continent that’s 1,000s of kilometers away? Do we need to worry about climate change this much?

“I would like to answer the question asking you another question,” says Dr Mahesh. “Do you feel the climate is much warmer today than in your childhood? This answers your question regardless of scientific data. By looking into the past, we could find answers to questions of the future. For instance, we have found that carbon dioxide levels have crossed 400 ppm (parts per million). This occurred a few lakh years ago too and gives us insight into how much sea level could rise in the coming years. Warmer climate may not have mattered then because there was no human population; but today, if sea levels rise, several coastal regions will vanish. We cannot reverse the effects, but we can certainly study and take steps accordingly.”

Of climates past

How do scientists know what happened millions of years ago on Earth? “There are so many methods and processes,” says Dr Mahesh. “We could look at books, epitaphs, records of conquests, historical events that describe the weather of that time. Then there are trees that are a few 1,000 years old. Tree rings are high definition records of an era. Or we could look at lake beds, ocean platforms, and the polar regions. Trapped in sea beds and ice shelves are traces of weather of millions of years.”

Antarctica is often referred to as the world’s best laboratory since the human intervention there has been minimal.

For Antarctica built

At the conference, all Antarcticans were described as sincere, calm and hardworking. Then came the candid admission by team leader Vilas Jogdand of the Indian Meteorological Department: If you’re not sincere, calm and hardworking, you have no place on Antarctica. Not just the weather, the alienation too can be distressing.

“This is like Bigg Boss but at a much larger scale,” says Dr Saini. “There are no cameras, there are no tasks assigned by the Big Boss, but the setup is almost similar — one has to adjust and work with strangers and remain sane throughout. The team’s lead role becomes very important.”

When Jogdand spoke about how every member of the expedition is  on Galley Duty regardless of seniority, the audience erupted in laughter. Galley duty is daily, menial chores such as cleaning of toilets, utensils, helping out in kitchen, etc. “The first training session sets the tone,” continues Dr Saini. “Would-be members are made to stay in barracks where they are assessed on their openness or reluctance to cope with others. The first few days at the station are uncomfortable for a few — ‘Why should I clean the toilet,’ they think. If you don’t do it, someone else is doing it for you. It’s humbling.”

Oneness in extremes

While the missions so far have been mostly all male, the number of female scientists has been steadily growing over the last few years. Gautami Samui, a research scientist at NCAOR, has been on two missions and was part of the mission that had as many as nine women. Ask her if she was treated any differently and she says no. “Of course, chivalry happens, but there is no male chauvinism. We are all scientists and we treat each other as one — not as a man or a woman,” she says.

The scientific community also goes beyond national boundaries. Antarctica Protocol stipulates that no mission by any country can deny a scientist from other country. That’s how an Indian scientist worked on Chinese station recently and Russian scientists often work at Bharati or Maitri. “There is no scope for this in science,” explains Dr Saini. “We exchange notes, data (research data sharing is restricted for two years), visit each other’s stations, celebrate national festivals. There, we are all one.”

INDIA’S ANTARCTICA PROJECT SO FAR

1981
First Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica

1983-84
The first Indian base, Dakshin Gangotri, is built in eight weeks with the help of the Indian army. It’s the first time an Indian team spends the winter in Antarctica and the unmanned station is powered by solar energy

1989-90
Maitri, India’s second permanent research centre, established at Schrimacher Oasis (an ice-less, rocky region) on the banks of Lake Priyadarshini. Maitri has the capacity to accommodate 25 people for winter, and it’s name was suggested by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, for whom the lake is named

1999
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research is established in Goa. It plans, promotes, co-ordinates and executes India’s Polar research programme

2010
First Indian expedition sets out for the South Pole: A contingent of eight scientists lead by Rasik Ravindra (head of India’s National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research) to research how environmental conditions Antarctica have changed over 1000 years. The take a nevber-travelled before route to the south Pole and study movements of the teutonic plates

DID YOU KNOW?

• Weather can be so rough in Antarctica that a blizzard can easily last for two-three days. In 2015, the mission experienced a blizzard that lasted 172 hours – that’s one week.
   
• Moving out of the station is extremely difficult during a blizzard and members must cling to the ropeways tied during summertime to ensure they aren’t blown away.
   
• Antarctica protocol demands that the impact of research activities on the environment are kept minimal and within limits. As a result, human excreta is treated and either incinerated (if on Maitri) and brought back in ash form, or in barrels after processing.
   
• Food supplies are always kept in abundance, but fuel is stored with care to ensure the pristine environment is not polluted.