A team of Bulgarian scientists is leaving for Antarctica for Bulgaria’s first astronomical project.

• The Bulgarian Antarctic base "St. Kliment Ohridski" reopens for the new polar research season
• Antarctica is the engine of climate change
• A Bulgarian polar expedition will explore the Ice Continent for the 33rd time

The researchers are from the Institute of Astronomy, the Technical University in Sofia and the Naval Academy, and are headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamen Kozarev. The Bulgarian team will conduct radio observation of the sun on the territory of the Bulgarian Antarctic base on Livingstyon Island which is close to the South Pole and offers exceptional observation conditions.

The solar cycle is expected to peak in 2025 and there will be solar flares practically every day. The weather near Antarctica does not allow for regular optical observations of the universe and of space phenomena, though radio observation is possible within the 50-500 MHz range by radio telescope, Assoc. Prof. Kozarev says. It is like an antenna, scanning the spectrum constantly and observing the sun throughout the day, he adds. The data from the experiments will be streamed in real time with the help of an internet system donated with the help of the Bulgarian Memory foundation. The observations of the change of the ionospheric layer will take place simultaneously from Livingston Island, from Bulgaria and from Ireland, and the scientific results will be made public in 2025.

Photos: Dobromir Videv, Bulgarian Antarctic Institute