report of russia–us joint antarctic inspection

45 Pages·2013·2.01 MB·English

REPORT OF RUSSIA–US JOINT
ANTARCTIC INSPECTION
UNDER ARTICLE VII OF THE ANTARCTIC TREATY
AND ARTICLE 14 OF THE PROTOCOL ON ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION TO THE ANTARCTIC TREATY
India – Maitri
China – Zhongshan
India – Bharati
Japan – Syowa
Belgium – Princess Elisabeth
Norway – Troll
NOVEMBER 29 – DECEMBER 6, 2012
Table Part I – Introduction ............................................................... 2
Part II – Inspection Overview .............................................. 5
of Contents
Part III – General Conclusions ............................................. 7
Part IV – Antarctic Station Inspection Reports
India – Maitri ........................................................................... 8
China – Zhongshan .............................................................. 14
India – Bharati ....................................................................... 21
Japan – Syowa ........................................................................ 27
Belgium – Princess Elisabeth .............................................. 33
Norway – Troll ...................................................................... 40
List of Acronyms ................................................................... 45
Part I – INTRODUCTION
The U.S.-Russia Joint Antarctic Inspection Susannah Cooper
was conducted from November 29 – Senior Advisor for Antarctica
December 6, 2012. This is the second Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs
phase of our joint inspection, which began United States Department of State
in January 2012 based out of the United
States’ McMurdo Station. This is the first Valery Lukin
joint inspection by either country, the Director, Russian Antarctic Expedition
first inspection conducted by the Russian Russian Federation
Federation and the fourteenth inspection
conducted by the United States since the Robert Nelson
signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. This Senior Science Advisor
report summarizes the observations and Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and
conclusions of the joint inspection team. Compliance
United States Department of State
The inspection was conducted pursuant
to Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty of Polly Penhale
1959 and Article 14 of the Protocol on Environmental Officer, Office of Polar
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Programs
Treaty. The purpose of the inspection U.S. National Science Foundation
is to promote the objectives and ensure
the observation of the provisions of the Victor Pomelov
Antarctic Treaty. The U.S.-Russian team Environmental Officer
reviewed adherence by Treaty Parties to Russian Antarctic Expedition
their obligations, including with respect to Russian Federation
limiting environmental impacts, ensuring
that Antarctica is used only for peaceful The joint inspection team arrived in the
purposes and that Parties honor the Antarctic Treaty Area from Cape Town,
prohibition on measures of military nature. South Africa on November 30. The team
inspected the following stations: Maitri
The joint inspection team members came (India), Zhongshan (China), Bharati
from the following U.S. and Russian (India), Syowa (Japan), Princess Elisabeth
federal agencies and institutions: the U.S.
(Belgium), and Troll (Norway). The
Department of State, the Russian Ministry
inspection concluded on December 6, 2012.
of Foreign Affairs, the United States

National Science Foundation (NSF) and
The Antarctic Treaty, signed in Washington
the Russian Antarctic Expedition. The team
in 1959, reserves the continent of Antarctica
members were:
exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Moreover, it places science at the heart of
Evan T. Bloom
international cooperation on the continent
Director, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs
by guaranteeing freedom of scientific
United States Department of State
research, including the sharing of research
Joint Team Leader
and scientific information. It prohibits all
military measures, including the testing
Dmitry Gonchar
of weapons, the explosion of nuclear
Deputy Director, Legal Department
materials, and the disposal of radioactive
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian
Federation waste material. The Treaty also provides
a mutually agreeable arrangement for the
Joint Team Leader
issue of territorial claims in Antarctica. The
Anna Antonova United States and Russia were architects
Counselor, Legal Department of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and today
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian conduct some of the most extensive and
Federation diverse scientific activities in Antarctica.

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Today, the Treaty has 50 parties, 28 of which to Antarctica from South Africa and
are conducting significant research on the back were made using the resources of
continent, thus entitling them to the status the Dronning Maud Land Air Network
of Consultative Party with the right to name (DROMLAN),of which RAE is an active
observers. participant. DROMLAN unites the efforts
of eleven national Antarctic programs
The Environmental Protocol to the (Belgium, Finland, Germany, India, Japan,
Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in 1991 the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, South
and came into force in 1998, designates Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom).
Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted The operator of the aircraft was the Cape
to peace and science.” It supplements Town-based Antarctic Logistics Centre
the Antarctic Treaty’s basic provisions International (ALCI), the air operator of
applicable to human activity in Antarctica the DROMLAN program. The aircraft was
and prohibits all activities related to operated by a Russian aircrew from the
Antarctic mineral resources, with the Ilyushin Test Center.
exception of scientific research.
Flights of the inspection team between
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Antarctic bases were made using a BT-67
Russian Federation by legal and political Turbo Basler aircraft (a modification of
means ensures implementation of the the venerable DC-3) with the following
obligations of the Russian Federation schedule:
arising from the legally binding instruments
of the Antarctic Treaty. The Russian December 1
Antarctic Expedition, as a specialized – NOVO – S17 – Progress Station (Russia);
body within the Russian Federal Service
on Hydrometeorology and Environmental December 4 – Progress – S17;
Monitoring, manages national
governmental activities in Antarctica. December 5 – S17 – Princess Elisabeth
Station (Belgium) – NOVO;
The U.S. Department of State coordinates
U.S. policy on Antarctica in cooperation December 6 – Novo – Troll station
with the National Science Foundation, (Norway) – NOVO.
the federal agency that administers the
U.S. Antarctic Program, and other federal S17 is a field ice airstrip located
agencies. It leads diplomatic efforts within approximately 35 km south of Japan’s
the framework established by the Antarctic Syowa station and operated by the Japanese
Treaty. Antarctic Expedition (JARE).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Total BT-67 flight hours for the support of
the inspection were 20 hours 25 minutes,
The inspection team greatly appreciates and the distance covered was 5789 km.
the support of the Russian Antarctic
Expedition and the Russian Federal Service Ground transportation for the inspection
for Hydrometeorology and Environmental team was provided by RAE and JARE.
Monitoring, particularly the staff of Russia’s A Kamov-32 helicopter operated by the
Novolazarevskaya and Progress Stations, Indian Antarctic Expedition and piloted
who provided essential support for phase by a Russian aircrew (Avialift-Vladivostok)
two of the inspection. provided transportation of the team from
Progress Station to the Indian Bharati
The inspection team flew to the Russian Station.
station Novolazarevskaya (NOVO) on an
Ilyushin-76 from Cape Town on November
29 and returned to Cape Town on the same
aircraft on December 6. Flights

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Part II – INSPECTION OVERVIEW
The six stations inspected were of All stations inspected with the exception
different age and design philosophies and of Princess Elisabeth operate year-round.
demonstrated different approaches to Scientists usually are present for the
logistics support and scientific research. The summer period, while scientific data
team benefitted from this opportunity to gathering in wintertime is carried out by a
understand the extent of different nations’ small number of technicians or automatic
Antarctic activities and observance of the devices. Over-wintering personnel are
relevant provisions of the Antarctic Treaty generally engaged in maintenance of station
and its Environmental Protocol. equipment, environmental monitoring
and servicing various scientific equipment.
All of the stations inspected, with the Automatic data gathering devices are
exception of China’s Zhongshan, are active widely used throughout the stations visited.
participants in DROMLAN. The Belgian Typically, data are transmitted to national
and Norwegian stations also participate science centers in real-time or near real-
in Dronning Maud Land Shipments time, although in some cases physical
(DROMSHIP, a shipping network that samples (e.g. air or ice-core samples) must
includes Belgium, Finland, Germany, be transported to national laboratories for
Norway, South Africa and Sweden) and rely further analysis.
on those programs for logistical support.
The Indian program also charters a Russian Most station personnel undergo training in
icebreaker and an ice enhanced cargo emergency response, fire fighting and first
vessel as well as helicopters for its logistical aid prior to their deployment to Antarctica.
operations, while the Chinese station is While the time and organization of the
wholly supplied by the Chinese Antarctic training varied from station to station,
Program. most stations appeared well-prepared for
a fire emergency. All stations also have
All six stations inspected were constructed detailed emergency response plans and/
on outcroppings of rock. Some auxiliary or manuals. All personnel also undergo
structures are placed on ice. Troll, Syowa medical screening, including psychological
and Princess Elisabeth operate compacted evaluations for overwintering personnel.
snow or ice runways. Syowa has two
runways: one located on the sea ice near At all stations visited the main focus of
the station and the S17 compacted snow research carried out during the summer
runway some 35 km inland. Maitri, season was concentrated on meteorology,
Zhongshang and Bharati use runways upper atmospheric and ionospheric physics,
located at Russia’s NOVO and Progress geophysics, polar biology, glaciology,
Stations. Zhongshang and Bharati stations geology and GPS-aided geotectonics.
also have permanent concrete helipads. Coastal stations carry out oceanographic
and sea ice research. At Zhongshan, Maitri
The Bharati, Syowa and Zhongshang and Troll, summer intra-continental
stations are located very close to the scientific traverses were carried out. The
coastline which greatly simplifies the Chinese and Japanese Antarctic programs
transfer of cargo from support vessels to the also utilize traverses to supply their interior
stations, while Maitri, Princess Elisabeth stations Kunlun (Dome A) and Dome Fuji
and Troll stations are located 100-150 respectively.
km from the coast which necessitates the
organization of tractor traverses for cargo Syowa and Maitri were the oldest stations
delivery from vessels. inspected, the former being founded for

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research under the First International LPG gas. Fuel storage and handling facilities
Geophysical Year in 1957-58, while the at the stations inspected were generally
latter was inaugurated in 1988. Troll adequate and compliant with the provisions
entered year-round service in 2005, of the Environmental Protocol. The capacity
Zhongshang’s station overwintering facility of storage tanks is dictated by the needs
was completely rebuilt in 2009-2010, of station operation, power generation,
Princess Elisabeth was constructed from transportation, etc. Fuel is transferred to
2005 to 2008 and Bharati is expected to the coastal stations directly from ships
be completed in early 2013, though used and to the inland stations using tractor
since last season for year-round operation. traverses. Fuel is being fed to generating
Syowa has been extensively modernized and plants from storage either by fixed pipelines
expanded, both to bring the station facilities or using ground transport. Most station
to modern standards and to accommodate personnel were trained to deal with fuel
new scientific projects. spill emergencies.
All stations have modern satellite All stations inspected utilize up-to-
communications facilities providing, date waste management facilities which
inter alia, Internet access, as well as HF that correspond to the provisions of the
and VHF radio for communications with Environmental Protocol. The inspection
national Antarctic program headquarters, has noted, however, that the general
aircraft, ships, field camps and between knowledge and understanding of the role of
stations. DROMLAN publishes an updated environmental impact assessments (EIAs)
communications list for member stations in station operations and management
and programs at the start of each summer differ from station to station.
season.
At stations located near Antarctic Specially
All stations had qualified medical staff, Protected Areas (ASPAs) or Antarctic
as well as medical facilities and supplies. Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs), station
Princess Elisabeth, Syowa and Troll utilize leaders informed the team that personnel
telemedicine. were aware of the relevant codes of conduct.
Some printed material was also available.
The six stations operate a wide range of
ground vehicles for transportation and The personnel at all six inspected stations
construction purposes, including tracked visited stated that there are no tourist
vehicles, wheeled vehicles and snowmobiles. visits or activities currently undertaken
All visited stations have improved roads, at their stations. All station leaders stated
including for airfield access, although the specifically that they did not encourage
remoteness of airfields or vessels’ anchorage tourist or NGO activities.
points vary from station to station.
Temporary sea ice and snow tracks are also The station personnel informed the
widely used. inspection team that no armaments or
military equipment were present. There was
Power generation is mainly provided no research for military purposes reported.
by diesel-generating plants and some There was no military logistical support or
alternative energy sources. The most military personnel reported at the stations
progress in utilizing renewable energy has with the exception of Syowa, which on
been achieved at Princess Elisabeth Station, occasion utilizes naval personnel from
which uses solar power and wind turbines the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force
for the majority of its power needs. icebreaker SHIRASE during its annual
resupply mission.
The main types of fuel used at the stations
include winter diesel, Jet A-1, gasoline and

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Part III – GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
The inspection team had an opportunity The inspection team notes that there are
to visit a broad cross section of different non-governmental entities active at some
stations, including newly constructed and stations, notably the non-profit entity
long-established, small and large, and the International Polar Foundation that
station with various levels of government operates Princess Elisabeth and the for-
funding. All were found to be very highly profit quasi-governmental Kongsberg
functioning and generally compliant with Satellite Services’ (KSAT) which has
Parties’ obligations under the Antarctic operations at Troll. These examples
Treaty and its Environmental Protocol. present somewhat new variations on non-
governmental activities at science stations,
The inspection team found that some and the latter presents a type of large-scale
station personnel lacked familiarity with commercial activity that some may choose
the Annex 1 of the Protocol regarding to replicate in other contexts in the future.
Environmental Impact Assessment The interrelationship between government
procedures. While personnel generally and non-government actors at government-
understood the EIA requirement, stating owned Antarctic research stations presents
that the EIAs are being done by the involved a policy issue worth considering.
government and they are directly involved
in the process, some individuals were The team was grateful for the cooperation
unfamiliar with past conducted or future provided by all six inspected stations.
plans for EIAs for station or expedition
activities. This included at stations that
were currently undergoing construction
works. In some cases, station leaders in
particular would benefit from a more in-
depth understanding of this Annex of the
Protocol given its direct connection to
station operations and Parties’ obligations
to comply with this Annex.
Most of the stations inspected currently
conduct or have plans to conduct
environmental monitoring to investigate
the impact of station activities on
its surroundings. Monitoring of key
environmental indicators is required
by Article 5 of Annex 1 of the Protocol
following completion of a Comprehensive
Environmental Evaluation (CEE), but
more broadly environmental monitoring
of potential impacts station activities, such
as wastewater discharge, emissions, physical
disturbance, impacts on local fauna and
flora, etc. are a best practice that more
stations should consider adopting as part
of their scientific activities.

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Part IV – ANTARCTIC STATION INSPECTION REPORTS
India – Maitri
and provided 36-hours advance notification
70°45.56’S, 11°44.8’E of the inspection. Uttam Chand, the
outgoing 2011-12 Expedition Leader, and
November 30, 2012
P.S. Negi, the incoming 2012-13 Expedition
Leader, briefed the team on the station’s
Maitri is one of two year-round stations activities and provided a comprehensive
operated by India in the Antarctic Treaty tour.
area. It was opened in 1989 near the site
of India’s now-abandoned first station, PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Dakshin Gangotri, in the eastern part
of the Schirmacher Oasis. The National Maitri consists of one main year-round
Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research station building, which includes offices,
(NCAOR) manages the station, which is operations equipment, staff lodging, dining
staffed by employees of a number of Indian area, and medical and social facilities.
government science agencies, including the A nearby summer camp area is home
Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment, to additional scientific laboratories and
Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, the lodging for summer season staff. The
Indian Meteorological Department, among station’s power generators, fuel storage
others. NCAOR is an agency working under plant, wastewater treatment facilities,
the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences. garage/workshop, an earth station, and
additional storage containers are located
The joint team conducted a three-hour on the grounds around the main station
inspection on Friday, November 30, 2012, building.

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Maitri Station is located approximately staff. Personnel then receive two days cold
two km from Russia’s Novolazarevskaya weather training in the Indian Himalayas
Station, and a four km marked vehicle route before attending a final NCAOR training
connects the two stations and the centrally session that includes an introduction to
located Novo Runway. The main station the Antarctic Treaty and Environmental
building is constructed on a slight hill Protocol and safety and emergency training,
near the margin of the continental ice and including fire fighting and first aid.
overlooks the rest of the station’s facilities,
a large freshwater lake and other smaller NCAOR has issued a manual of Antarctic
lakes. operations guidelines for station staff.
Overwintering personnel also receive on-
The wastewater treatment plant was the-job training from their predecessors
undergoing significant improvements during the several weeks’ overlap period
during the inspection (see the waste each summer.
management section below), but no other
construction was planned or underway. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
PERSONNEL Maitri has research programs in a variety
of atmospheric and earth sciences,
There were 59 personnel on station at the including Antarctic surface geomagnetism,
time of the inspection. The station can magnetospheric-ionospheric studies,
accomodate a maximum of 80 people seismotectonics, glaciology, meteorology,
during the summer season, and personnel studies of atmospheric ozone, and a
were beginning to arrive for the 2012-13 program to search for meteorites on the
season. According to station management, East Antarctic ice sheet. There are also
logistical staff members outnumber studies of Antarctic ecology, botany and
scientific personnel by an approximately 2:1 human biology and medicine.
ratio. Indian annual expedition staff average
13-15 month deployments, with summer The main station building houses most
season personnel staying 3-4 months from of the research facilities and office space.
November to February. At the time of the The station is also equipped with several
inspection, 65% of the personnel were laboratories and separate buildings housing
engaged in logistics and 35% in science. environmental monitoring observatories.
One Swiss scientist affiliated with an The inspection team saw scientific stations
American museum had recently arrived that monitor local geomagnetic fields,
to collaborate on the meteorite collection atmospheric currents, regional and tele-
program. seismic signals, atmospheric dust, upper
atmospheric ozone measurements via radio
The station is staffed with two doctors – one sonde, and an CADI-made ionosonde
of whom is always a surgeon. The station’s for measuring day to day behavior of
medical room is equipped with x-ray ionospheric parameters.
capabilities, EKG, anesthetic equipment,
medications, and other equipment. The The station also conducts long term
inspection team was advised that the station monitoring of atmospheric aerosols and
also has a dental suite. Doctors receive ozone using a solar photometer. All of
basic dental training to supplement their the data collected is sent via Internet to
extensive medical training. the National Centre for Atmospheric and
Oceanic Research, which is an agency
All personnel undergo a three-part working under the Indian Ministry of Earth
pre-deployment process that begins Sciences.
with a medical qualification, including
psychological evaluations for overwintering

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At the time of the inspection,
most of the personnel operating
the monitoring stations were
technicians, not scientists with
advanced degrees. They were
part of the crew who had stayed
overwinter. The inspection team
was told that other more senior
scientists would be arriving
within a few weeks as the station
turned over for the summer
season.
Of the 59 personnel at the
station at the time of the
inspection, roughly 35% were
scientists or technicians.
Roughly 25 personnel are
present over the winter, and 80
will be there during the summer.
The inspection team met with
a PhD glaciologist, who also
had experience working in the
Arctic and India Himalayas. The
scientists represented a number
of Indian agencies, which all
fall under the auspices of the
NCAOR: GSI, SASE, NGRI,

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