New Delhi, July 24
To commemorate the centenary of Norwegian explorer Ronald Amundsen’s December 14, 1911 feat, this November India will launch its first scientific expedition to the South Pole. This was stated by Earth Sciences Secretary Shailesh Nayak yesterday.

India is also on the threshold of a unique project, almost the first in the world, which will make the scientific world understand and predict earthquakes. Geographical statistics of India show that almost 54 per cent of the land is vulnerable to earthquakes.

Talking about the project, ahead of the Foundation Day of on July 27, Nayak told The Tribune that an eight-member team of scientists would undertake the 3,000-km long treacherous terrain from India’s research station Maitri in the Antarctic region to the South Pole. The route, he said, was a fairly new one and had been charted with the aim to understand climate change over the past years. These studies are expected to add to the knowledge of how the ancient landmass, once fused with other continents in a super-continent before being separated 200 million years ago, has evolved.

Nayak says apart from very low temperatures ranging below minus 20 degree centigrade, the scientists the presence of ice crevices may make the journey more difficult. The challenging effort will be simplified to some extend with the help of navigational equipment and four modern ice-traversing vehicles that the ministry is planning to acquire for the trip.

While one SUV will be acquired at an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh, three will be hired. “Wheels with spikes may make life in Antarctica somewhat simpler,” Nayak said. In order to understand and predict earthquakes, India is undertaking a unique project at Koyna, a place where earthquakes are known to occur quite frequently. With the help of International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, the ministry will dig a deep bore well at Koyna to study changes in physical qualities of rock during an earthquake.

The country is also in the advanced stages of building its third research station “Bharti” in the Larsemann Hills region. Apart from studying climate change, the station will play a key role in oceanographic research. Construction material has been transported to the site and work is expected to begin once winter conditions in Antarctica ease. The station, expected to be functional by 2012, will undertake experiments on how life forms like lichens and algae adopt and survive, which will be helpful in developing new drugs.