First Indian Arctic expedition flagged off

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) India's first expedition to the Arctic was flagged off today, marking the beginning of long-term scientific research in the icy polar region.

Flagging off the expedition here, Earth Sciences Minister Kapil Sibal wished the five-member team success in their planned scientific endeavour.

To a question on Russian explorers planting their national flag on the North Pole seabed to stake a symbolic claim to the energy riches of the Arctic, Mr Sibal merely said: ''No problem''.

Asked about setting up a permanent station in the Arctic, he said it had not been decided yet as cost issues were involved.

Led by Mr Rasik Ravindra, Director, National Centre for Antartic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa, the team also consists of Dr S Shivaji, Deputy Director, CCMB, Hyderabad, Dr S M Singh, Scientist from NCAOR, Dr C G Deshpande, Scientist from IITM, Pune and Dr Dhruv Sen Singh, lecturer, University of Lucknow.

To begin with, the team will work at Ny-Alesund in collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Research Institute, from a period ranging from two weeks to four weeks during August and September.

It will initiate projects on Arctic microbes as work horses of biotechnology, measurement of atmospheric aerosols and ions in the Arctic region, and Earth Science studies at Svalbard.

In the second phase, beginning February 2008, the Indian scientists will start work on four projects.

These are: -- Snowpack production of carbon monoxide and its diurnal variability.

-- Sea ice microbial communities project.

-- Carbon-cycling in the near-shore environments of Kongsfjorden.

-- Understanding the link between the Arctic and tropical Indian Ocean climatic variations.

At present, eight countries-- Norway, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, the Republic of Korea and China-- have their research stations for Arctic research at Ny-Alesund.

India's first scientific expedition to Antarctica was launched in 1981.

UNI