Seven-month mission will conduct first drilling into deep subglacial lakes

China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team set sail on a seven-month journey from Shanghai on Saturday.

The expedition, supported by the country's two polar icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon and Snow Dragon 2, consists of more than 500 members and researchers from over 10 countries and regions. The team will conduct scientific investigations in the polar region to enhance understanding, protection and utilization of Antarctica, according to Long Wei, deputy director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.

At a news briefing on Friday, Long said the research team will focus on several key tasks. Chief among them is to strengthen the construction and optimize the operation system of the Qinling Station in Antarctica — China's fifth Antarctic base which began operations in February 2024.

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Specifically, the team will advance construction of supporting infrastructure including research buildings, outdoor pipelines and communications networks. They will also continue verification of domestically developed facilities such as seawater desalination, wind power generation and photovoltaic systems to assess their adaptability and performance under extreme Antarctic conditions.

The station features the first multifunctional complementary new energy system for power generation. The hybrid system integrates wind, solar, hydrogen and diesel energy, and has been steadily operating for more than eight months. Renewable sources supply 60 percent of the station's power and have saved 150 metric tons of fuel, cutting carbon emissions by 350 tons, according to Wang Tao, head of the station and assistant team leader.

"We expect to complete the station's follow-up construction and optimization by next February. The Qinling Station is located in the Ross Sea region with frequent exchange of marine life and seawater, holding significant value for global climate change research. Thus, marine scientific research will be the primary focus of the Qinling Station in the future," Wang said.

During the expedition, scientists will conduct comprehensive multidisciplinary investigations across multiple Antarctic domains to deepen the understanding of Antarctica's role in global climate change. In key marine areas including the waters adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula, Amundsen Sea, Ross Sea and Prydz Bay, the team will study the impact of climate change on the Southern Ocean ecosystem through integrated marine, biological, chemical, atmospheric and glacial research.

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The team will also carry out major research and development projects and advance new applications of Chinese-made equipment and technologies. China will conduct its first scientific drilling experiment into deep inland Antarctic ice-covered lakes. Using domestically built hot-water and thermal-melting drilling systems, the team will perform clean drilling and sampling operations through more than 3,000 meters of ice to explore isolated subglacial lake environments and geological features. The results will support future research into life forms in extreme environments and global climate evolution.

In Antarctica, the team will also validate domestically developed equipment and test applications of multiple advanced technologies including automated observation and satellite remote sensing.

The expedition team is expected to return to China in May 2026.

Contact the writers at wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn