Russia plans a major interdisciplinary Polar scientific expedition next summer, and to make transport of scientists and equipment between the islands easier, this abandoned airport on the Kotelny Island in the Laptev Sea is reconsidered restored. The airport has not been in use for 20 years, RIA Novosti reports.
Russia’s Association of Polar Explorers has received a grant from the Russian Geographical Society to finance the Polar scientific expedition. In September, the scientists visited the New Siberian Islands as part of the first preliminary stage of the mission. At the second stage in August 2012, glaciologists, paleontologists, permafrost geographers and hydro-meteorologists will conduct their specific exploration projects there.
The second stage will also include preparations for removing man-made waste and pollutants from the islands. The environmental situation is better on the New Siberian Islands than on Franz Josefs Land, where there were more military bases, but there is still a large number of empty fuel barrels, vehicles and abandoned machinery in the area. Next year’s expedition will make an estimate over the amount of pollution and plan for its removal.
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