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The 23rd Indian Antarctic Expedition (IAE) that sailed from Cape Town on December 19, 2003 was led by Shri S. Jayaram, the Director, Airborne Mining Survey & Exploration Wing of the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Shri R. Ravindra, Director, Antarctica Division was the head of a Special Task Force.
GSI while continuing with its ongoing geological mapping and glaciological studies has also endured into globally relevant aspects of each science related research. For the 23rd IAE, a theme based geological study has been taken up to understand the widespread magmatism associated with Pan African tectonic event. Understanding the ice dynamics and associated neotectonic activity through broad GPS network and limnological studies for palaeo-climate will also be taken up during the expedition.
A six-member contingent under the leadership of the Station Commander, Shri Jayaram will be wintering over in Antarctica. Others have come back in April 2004. The Special Task Force is slated to zero on an area in vicinity of Amery Ice shelf - Lambert Glacier region. The Second Indian Base in this region would offer an opportunity to evaluate the two sides of the pre-breakup Gondwanaland link between Lambert glacier and Mahanadi graben. Shri R. Ravindra, the leader of the Task Force - in his effort to pick up a suitable site will visit the Raur Group of Islands, Vestfold Hill area and Larsemann Hills between E long. 74 to 78 about 2000 km. away from Maitri apart from visiting the Australian, Chinese, Russian and Japanese research stations in Antarctica.
GSI will also lead the 24th Antarctic expedition scheduled to leave in December 2004. The organization has been taking a leading role in all expeditions and made widespread surveys.
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