Warming by one degree will not be noticed much during our summer. But if the increase occurs in Antarctica and the temperatures rise from half a degree below zero to half a degree above zero, everything will start to melt.
“As soon as the warmer period starts to prevail, the changes in the polar environment will be really fast,” says geomorphologist Filip Hrbáček, who led the expedition to the polar station this year. Members of the expedition were investigating glaciers or temperature changes.
At the beginning of April, you returned from a research expedition to Antarctica. What is it like to be back from the coldest continent in the Czech Republic, where spring is awakening?
Pretty cool actually, two months in Antarctica is usually enough. It is good to return to our climate. Also because winter is coming in Antarctica, the days are getting shorter. Here, the days are longer again, one can at least enjoy the sun, if it’s shining. Personally, I always look forward to the moment when we are done and we will go back.
What does it mean to lead an expedition to Antarctica?
It is primarily logistically demanding work. Keeping the group together, arranging accommodation and transport. We have contracted these matters with the Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping company, which further communicates with the local agency in Chile. The company has helped us since the beginning of the expeditions, importing material in 2005, when the Johann Gregor Mendel station was being built.
At the station itself, my task is to keep the daily routine, the routine. People have to take turns in services. We cook ourselves, clean ourselves, apart from technicians we have no staff, scientists are directly involved. From the position of leader, I correct who, where, what and how they do.
How many people and with what focus did they participate in the expedition?
When we talk about the Johann Gregor Mendel station expedition, there were fourteen of us. We were accompanied by three technicians, a doctor, one volunteer involved in technical work, one journalist, eight scientists and then I in the position of leader.
In addition to the fourteen of you, another group of scientists was leaving the Czech Republic. Where did they go if not to the station?
The group of nine people were on Nelson Island, which is right next to King George Island in the South Shetland area. We traveled together as far as King George Island and further by army ship for about fifteen kilometers. Due to the bad weather, we had to stay at the island overnight and did not disembark until the next morning.
This smaller group on Nelson Island lived in tents. Did they at least get to your station then?
Not at all. Already