Northeast Science Station
Северо-Восточная научная станция
РАН | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 68°44′24″N 161°24′00″E / 68.73987°N 161.3999°E | |
Country | Russia |
Territory | Sakha Republic |
Region | Siberia |
Founded | 1977 [1] |
Director | Nikita Zimov |
Time zone | UTC+11 ( Magadan Time) |
The Northeast Science Station of the RAS ( Russian: Северо-Восточная научная станция РАН) is an Arctic research station located in Chersky, Sakha Republic in Northeast Siberia. It is one of the world's three largest Arctic stations. [2]
The Northeast Science Station is used as a year-round base for international research in arctic biology, geophysics, and atmospheric physics. The station also houses the administration of the Pleistocene Park, a local experimental wildlife preserve of 160 km2.
Named after Russian explorer Jan Czerski, Chersky is sited on frozen Pleistocene carbon. The sediments here are made up of 50% ice, and 50% loess, which is a windblown sediment - the carbon content of loess deposits is five times that of a rainforest floor. During each annual melt between 2 and 5% of the stored carbon in the loess deposits is lost. [3]
Far Eastern Federal University is planning to open an Arctic campus at the research station. “At the station, students and young scientists will study permafrost melting; greenhouse gas emissions; hydrates conservation; biodiversity; land, atmosphere and surrounding seas pollution; and other climatic, biological and environmental issues,” according to a press release. [2]
Resident staff consists of Nikita Zimov (director), Sergey Davydov, Galina Zimova, Sergey Zimov, Anastasija Zimova (bookkeeper). [4] Additionally, around sixty international researchers visit the institute annually. [4]
Salary of the resident staff is paid by the parent organisation, the Russian Academy of Sciences. The station itself is funded by the Max Planck Society. [4]