This is the very first “Chinese background atmospheric observation station established on the Antarctic continent”, as specified by the CMA.
Continuous operational observations in Antarctica
On Monday, December 3, 2024, China announced that the Zhongshan National Atmospheric Observation Station had started operation this week. As Reuters relays, this initiative “aims to support the global response to climate change” but also to observe climatic developments on the southern continent.
As explained by the Xinhua news agency attached to the State Council, citing the China Meteorological Administration, this station will operate “continuous, long-term operational observations of concentration changes in Antarctic atmospheric components”.
Categories of meteorological elements of the observing system
As Dr. DING Minghu, director of the Institute of Global Change and Polar Meteorology of the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) at the China Meteorological Administration, explained, this station has “geographical advantages and unique scientific value”.
This observation system, set up within the station, includes “seven categories of weather elements”:
- atmospheric chemistry
- ozone
- the aerosol…
China wants to explore polar resources
As Reuters points out, this national observation station is the seventh owned by China. Another is in the Ross Sea, Antarctica and was inaugurated in February. The other five were built between 1985 and 2014. The latter station is in the Larsmann Hills in East Antarctica.
The American press agency specifies that China's goal could be to expand its presence in Antarctica and the Arctic with the aim of “to explore its polar resources”. Dr CAO Xiaozhong, deputy administrator of the CMA, even declared: “ Antarctica is the new 'starting point' for China's meteorological effort”.
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