China's First Overseas Atmospheric Station Opens in Antarctica, Bolstering Climate Change Efforts

China's First Overseas Atmospheric Background Station Begins Operations in Antarctica

China has taken a significant step in its polar research endeavors with the launch of its first overseas atmospheric background station in Antarctica. This milestone marks the culmination of four decades of Chinese presence in the region and underscores the country's commitment to understanding and addressing global climate change.

The Zhongshan National Atmospheric Background Station, officially inaugurated on World Antarctic Day, represents a major achievement in China's 40-year history of polar expeditions. It is the first overseas station of its kind for China and the ninth operational atmospheric background station nationwide.

This state-of-the-art facility, a product of 16 years of scientific research and innovation, will play a crucial role in monitoring atmospheric composition and concentration changes in Antarctica. The data collected will be invaluable for global efforts to combat climate change.

"The Antarctic region serves as a critical background for global atmospheric observation," said Ding Minghu, director of the Institute of Global Change and Polar Meteorology at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences.

Polar regions are particularly sensitive to climate change, acting as "amplifiers" of its effects. The data from Zhongshan Station will be crucial for understanding long-term atmospheric changes, stratosphere-troposphere interactions, and the impact of human activities on the planet.

The foundation for this atmospheric observation station was laid during the fourth International Polar Year (2007-2008), a large scientific program focused on the Arctic and Antarctic. An atmospheric chemistry shelter equipped with ozone spectrometers and radiation monitors was installed at that time.

By 2010, China had established a high-precision greenhouse gas monitoring system at the station, enabling the continuous measurement of carbon dioxide and methane. This made China the third country globally capable of conducting such operations in Antarctica.

The station has since developed a comprehensive observing system, encompassing seven meteorological categories such as ozone, atmospheric chemistry, total radiation, and aerosols.

The data collected at Zhongshan Station has been integral to global research, featuring in the WMO's Antarctic Ozone Bulletin and CMA's State of Polar Climate reports. It has also been cited extensively by scientists studying polar weather and climate changes.

China's national atmospheric observation network currently comprises nine operational background stations, including the Waliguan Baseline Observatory in Qinghai province. Ten additional stations are undergoing one-year observation trials, initiated in July.