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Research | Polar research | Antarctic Research
Antarctic research
Photo: FINNARP/Mika Kalakoski
Finland started active research in the Antarctic by founding the research station Aboa in 1988. Before this Finnish scientists had participated in Antarctic investigations by joining the research programs of other countries. After Aboa was built, the station has been continuously occupied by Antarctic expeditions. The research has been done mainly in Queen Maud Land in the vicinity of Aboa, and by excursions to more distant locations. Some expeditions have operated only in the sea areas surrounding the continent, mainly in the Weddell Sea.
Finland has co-operated in Antarctic research with other countries, especially with Sweden and Norway. Nordic co-operation has been implemented particularly in transportation arrangements. A number of Finnish projects have contributed to large-scale international programmes. Finnish researchers have also worked in the surroundings of the Australian research station Davis. The Institutes of Meteorology of Finland and Argentina started co-operation in ozone research in 1987. This includes ozone measurements made in the Argentinean research station Marambio.
The first Finnish Antarctic expedition was accomplished during the southern summer of 1989/90. Throughout the 1990s research activity expanded and became more diversified. When funding responsibility was transferred to the Ministry of Education in 1998, the Academy of Finland took over the financing of Antarctic research projects, initially for the period 1999-2001.
Antarctic research is a natural extension of Finnish research into the cold areas. Finnish Antarctic research has focused on marine and structural technology, oceanography and marine biology, meteorological studies, geology and geophysics.
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