Ukrainian polar explorers show 'white nights' in Antarctica

The National Antarctic Science Center reports. 

It is noted that in the Antarctic, daylight hours are now 19 hours and 32 minutes, and its duration is increasing.

According to the scientists, the longest day at Vernadsky base will be December 21, which is the day of the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. It will last 22 hours 24 minutes and 42 seconds (December 22 will be only 1 second shorter). Instead of night, there will be dusk for 1.5 hours.

Photo: National Antarctic Science Center

"Since our station is located north of the Arctic Circle, the phenomenon of the polar day, a period when the sun does not set over the horizon for more than 24 hours, is not observed here. For comparison, at the South Pole, the duration of the polar day is as long as 184 days," the polar explorers write.

They also described how the station staff responds to such conditions.

"Yes, we have to close the windows at night and celebrate the New Year in the daylight. But after the Antarctic winter, the sun and bright daytime landscapes definitely improve the mood. The long daylight hours also increase the work of meteorologists, especially when the sky is clear. Then scientists use a special device - the Microtops aerosol solar photometer - to measure the concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere every hour," the researchers say.

Photo: National Antarctic Science Center

Thanks to this, they find out how the amount of suspended particles in the atmosphere changes over a day, week, or month. This is important because these seemingly small aerosols play a huge role in shaping the weather and climate. Based on these measurements, climate models are then created not only for the polar regions but also for the entire Earth.

Photo: National Antarctic Science Center

When the weather is good, "hot season" begins in summer for the ozone scientist. 

"When the sky is clear, there are so many ozone measurements to be made that the scientist hardly ever leaves the ozone office located in the attic.  And if there are no clouds at sunset and sunrise, the researcher will not sleep. Then the ozone scientist makes special Umkehr measurements, which make it possible to build a vertical profile of ozone distribution in the atmosphere," the polar explorers said.

Sunny weather and long days bring both joy and a lot of work to the polar explorers.

Photo: National Antarctic Science Center