A Turkish research team launched field studies on Monday in Antarctica as part of Turkey's sixth National Antarctic Science Expedition.

The team arrived on Horseshoe Island, where a temporary Turkish science base is located on the world’s coldest continent, and will move on to Dismal Island where a Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) station operated by Turkey is located.

The 20-strong team reached the island following a 21-day journey, including a weeklong sail from Chile, as they left Istanbul late last month to conduct scientific research. The team carrying over 2 tons of logistics materials has already begun their fieldwork.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Hasan Hakan Yavaşoğlu, the assistant expedition leader, said the team was "ready and motivated to do research.” "Our team is currently completing research in the field. As of today, we will launch our scientific studies,” Yavaşoğlu said. "This year, 14 scientific projects will be carried out during the execution of our expedition.” Studies on life sciences, earth sciences and physical sciences will be conducted during the expedition, he added.

As part of a cooperation between Bulgaria’s Antarctic Institute and Turkey's Scientific and Technological Research Council Marmara Research Center (TÜBİTAK MAM) Institute of Arctic Research, Oleg Vassiliev, who served as the station leader of St. Kliment Ohridski, joined the Turkish team.

"The fact that our station is located on Dismal Island ... is important for the detection of the movement of the Antarctic plate,” Capt. Ilyas Akpınar, a military officer from Turkey's General Directorate of Mapping who is among members of the team, said. "It will also enable us to contribute to the Antarctic earth sciences literature.”

Akpınar also said that during Turkey’s third expedition in 2019, geodynamic points were established on both Dismal Island and Horseshoe Island and GNSS observations were carried out at these points for four to 12 hours. Turkey has three fixed GNSS stations in this region on the Antarctic continent, he said, adding that one of them is located on Dismal Island, while the other two are on Horseshoe Island.

The team is made up of researchers from Turkey’s TÜBITAK, Naval Forces Command, the mapping directorate, the meteorology directorate, Anadolu Agency, research institutes and universities.