Third Norwegian Antarctic Expedition

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The Norwegian Antarctic Expedition 1956–1960 (NorAE 1956–1960) was a research trip to the Antarctic funded by the Norwegian Polar Institute . It was directed by the Norwegian topographer and polar explorer Sigurd Helle (1920–2013). In particular, it served the exploration and geodetic survey of the target area in Queen Maud Land .

course

The expedition consisted of four part expeditions. In the first phase, which is sometimes referred to as the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition 1956–1957 (NorAE 1956–1957), the participants drove with the two research vessels Polarsirkel and Polarbjørn from Oslo via the intermediate stations Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Montevideo and South Georgia to the Antarctic target area and established their base camp, the so-called Norway station , on the Fimbul ice shelf at 70 ° 30 '  S , 2 ° 30'  W . Another camp was built on the mainland coast.

In the following years, the crews at these stations were partly replaced by new staff every year (NorAE 1957–1958, research vessel Tottan ; NorAE 1958–1959, research vessel Polarbjørn ; NorAE 1959–60, research vessel Polarbjørn ). During this period, numerous geographical objects in Maudheimvidda and Fimbulheimen were identified, measured and named. An important sub-project was Operation Pingvin between 1958 and 1959, during which numerous aerial photographs were taken for cartographic purposes . The expedition ended in January 1960 with the handover of the Norway station to the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) as part of the South African National Antarctic Program .

See also

literature

  • John Stewart: Antarctica - An Encyclopedia . Vol. 2, McFarland & Co., Jefferson and London 2011, ISBN 978-0-7864-3590-6 , pp. 1122–1123 (English)

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