The new temporary exhibition at the Arktikum Science Centre introduces research and daily life in the Finnish research station Aboa in Antarctica. The opening of the new exhibition is also celebrated with the premiere of documentary film “Sounding Far South” on Thursday 15.9.2022 at 6 pm.

Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. The coldest
temperatures in winter can reach close to -90°C and there’s less precipitation than
in the Sahara Desert. Fierce storms can have wind speeds of 60 meters per
second.

Antarctica is one of the most unpolluted places on Earth.
Even the slightest changes can be observed in the air, snow, ice, water – and even
rock. Finnish climate research in Antarctica is concentrated on the interaction of
the atmosphere with snow, sea ice and the sea. Oceanography and geology are also
important fields of research in Antarctica.

The
Finnish research station Aboa opened in 1989 and is located in Queen Maud Land, 130
kilometres from the shore. It is built 480 meters above sea level on Basen nunatak
(a mountain peak reaching above the ice sheet) in Vestfjella mountain range. The
Swedish research station Wasa is located close by, and the stations are co-operating
in logistics and research.

The exhibition
Antarctica – Science in Extreme Conditions tells about the
careful preparations before going to Aboa, how to travel there and how is
researcher’s daily life in extreme conditions. 

During the 30 years of research in Aboa, a huge amount of research data has
been collected about the state and changes of the Earth. The station is maintained
and the fieldwork coordinated by the Finland Antarctic Operations FINNARP.
Researchers are working in the station during the southern hemisphere summer season,
usually from November to February. 

Documentary film about Finnish researchers in
Antarctica

Sounding Far South (81 mins) is a
documentary film about Finnish climate researchers’ work in Antarctica shot and
directed by Niko Nurminen. 
The 8-member expedition studied the
albedo of snow and ice from December 2018 to February 2019 based at the Finnish
Antarctic research station Aboa. During their mission the researchers face
isolation, storms, monotonous routines and beauty. Finnish and English audio with
English subtitles.

Sounding Far
South Documentary premiere on Thursday 15.9.2022 at 18:00 in Polarium hall,
Arktikum. Free entrance. 

Antarctica – Science in Extreme
Conditions is open for visitors 16.9.2022–23.4.2023 in Arktikum Science
Centre.
The exhibition has been made possible by the
Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of the Environment, the Finnish
Meteorological Institute/FINNARP and the Finnish Museum of Natural History
Luomus.

Arktikum opening hours and ticket prices:
www.arktikum.fi

More information about
the document:

Niko Nurminen
niko.nurminen@gmail.com 
040 5760 157

More information about the exhibition:

Leena Rantamaula
Exhibition designer
leena.rantamaula(at)ulapland.fi
0406598062