The Evolution of Research by Ukrainian Scientists in the Antarctic using remote sensing Methods

The article highlights some areas of research by Ukrainian scientists in the field of natural features of the southern polar region. The scientific communication and relationships of Ukrainian polar explorers with representatives of the international scientific Antarctic community, starting from 1996, were analyzed. Since then, the British Antarctic Station “Faraday” came under the jurisdiction of Ukraine and received the name “Akademik Vernadsky”. While studying the natural features of the Antarctic, our scientists have repeatedly used remote sensing methods. Based on the analysis of the annual reports of the Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions on the implementation of scientific research works, acts of international legislation and the works of V.G. Bakhmutov, G.P. Milenevskyi, V.F. Martazinova, Y. V. Artamonov and others, the research summarizes information on works on radio physics and radio wave propagation, relationships between the conditions of radio wave propagation and atmospheric parameters using data from magnetometers, riometers, results of vertical sounding of the ionosphere and information on the variation of the interplanetary magnetic field. With the help of remote sensing methods (aerial photography and terrestrial phototheodolite surveying), research was carried out on Antarctic glaciers, which play a significant role in the climatic, biological and geophysical phenomena of the Earth. The article, based on the generalizations of these data, shows that an important place in research is the study of the consequences of global climate change, and terrestrial plant coenoses of coastal Antarctica are extremely sensitive to minimal environmental changes, and are the most successful indicator of these changes. It was concluded that despite Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, in 2022, Ukrainian meteorologists for the first time in the history of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions began constant research of the atmosphere with the help of radiosondes. During the monitoring period, 63 radiosondes were launched at the “Akademik Vernadskyi” station, which makes it possible to obtain unique data that are now being studied by scientists from all over the world.