Protect communications in Antarctica! What is the job of the Antarctic expedition to fight blizzards?

A local report by a KDDI employee working in Antarctica, 14,000km away from Japan. His mission in Antarctica is to "protect the communication environment at Syowa Station." We will deliver the pattern of the work on the ground!

Hello TIME&SPACE readers! My name is Kouki Abe. I have been seconded from KDDI to the National Institute of Polar Research, and have come to Showa Station, Antarctica, as a member of the 62nd Antarctic Research Expedition.

KDDI dispatches one employee to Antarctica every year to operate and maintain the network and satellite communication lines at Syowa Station. After about four and a half months of training and training in Japan, I left Japan in November 2020 and arrived in Antarctica in December.

Syowa Station, Antarctica, from the Antarctic research ship "Shirase" heading for Antarctica. This day is Children's Day, and carp streamers are hung in front

I have been involved in the operation and maintenance of KDDI's domestic mobile phone network and work quality improvement for more than 20 years. After that, I experienced work related to the telecommunications business in Myanmar, where KDDI newly entered the country, for more than four years.

Why did I want to join the Antarctic expedition? This is because we want children to have dreams of various occupations and an interest in science. As I approached the age of 50, I vaguely thought, "From now on, I must do something to give back to society."

Under such circumstances, I heard that Syowa Station relays images of the Antarctic nature and the expedition to Japanese educational institutions such as elementary, junior high and high schools via satellite lines, so I have been working on the operation and maintenance of communication infrastructure. I thought I could make use of my work experience.

Let me introduce you to my work in Antarctica. At Syowa Station, satellite lines are used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to send various observation data to domestic servers, distribute images to schools and science museums, and access the Internet to obtain information. I'm here. My primary role is to maintain the satellite communications system and the network in general on the base.

Syowa Station's satellite communication facilities are located about a 10-minute walk from the main part of the base, and because the surrounding area is unleveled bedrock, it cannot be approached by vehicle. I regularly go there to replace equipment parts, maintain and inspect the moving parts of the parabolic antenna.

The spherical building is a satellite communication facility called a "radome." Inside the radome is a parabolic antenna with a diameter of 7.6m. consists of a number of buildings. Most buildings are wired with a LAN so that you can send and receive data and access the Internet. I will also carry out the repair and alteration work with the cooperation of other members. Regarding outdoor cable laying, we may consult with a member of the mechanical department (in charge of electricity) and ask them to do the work.

For network equipment such as routers and switching hubs, we manage spare parts for each model so that we can quickly replace them in the event of equipment failure. When team members complain that the Wi-Fi is weak, we investigate the strength of the radio waves and, if necessary, adjust the location of access points or install new access points.

Multiple network cameras are installed around the base, and they are used to check the snow cover and the status of the heliport in real time. When one of these cameras malfunctions, we investigate the cause and, if necessary, replace it with a spare camera.

I also operate and maintain equipment for the so-called "Antarctic Classroom," which broadcasts live broadcasts from Syowa Station to Japanese schools and affiliated science museums.

Until a few years ago, video conferencing and video switching processing required expensive dedicated equipment, but now, using an online conference service using the Internet, video can be easily distributed even from Antarctica. Now

The above is my main work content, but it is not enough to just do my own work. When I have free time, I actively assist other members in their work, and all the members cooperate in carrying out winter supplies.

Antarctica is occasionally hit by blizzards of levels unimaginable in Japan. It's called a "Blizzard".

Once a blizzard blows, visibility drops to zero, so you can't go out. Blizzards can last for days and can fill your base with snow if left unchecked.

This photo shows Syowa Station right after a particularly intense blizzard passed. A lot of snow piles up like a mountain.

This is the snow that has piled up at the entrance to the outdoors. When this piles up, it's hard to go outside.

There is a division in the observation team that communicates on time every day. Communication must never be interrupted during business hours, and maintenance work must proceed while carefully coordinating plans. A blizzard is a natural phenomenon, so it can't be helped, but it's one of the most difficult things in my work in Antarctica.

Antarctica is often difficult, but it is also rewarding and fun. A typical example is the Antarctic Classroom mentioned above. When Japanese children respond well to the images of Antarctica and the stories of the expedition members, I feel that they are having fun. Getting children interested is one of the reasons why I chose to join the Antarctic expedition, and I am very happy about that.

The Antarctic expedition team is a small group, and in order to carry out necessary observations while maintaining and managing Syowa Station, we support each other beyond the boundaries of our own work. At the base, there are people who conduct regular observations as part of their duties, people who collect research data, and people who specialize in various fields related to construction. By helping out with the work of other departments, I have been exposed to fields that I had no connection with before, and I am inspired.

What are the motivations of other expedition members to come to Antarctica and what kind of work do they do? We asked Rei Niimi of the Meteorological Department.

Tsutomu Niimi／Major in physics at university. He is involved in planetary science research in graduate school. After experiencing space-related work, joined the Japan Meteorological Agency. Participated as a member of the 62nd Wintering Expedition after gaining work experience necessary for observation in Antarctica

Abe: Please tell us about your work in Antarctica, Mr. Niimi.

Araimi: While performing regular observations such as ground and sky meteorological observations, solar radiation/radiation observations, and ozone observations, we also perform instrument maintenance. In short, it measures the atmosphere and the light of the sun.

Mr. Niimi conducting an ozone observation

Abe: What kind of work did you do at the Japan Meteorological Agency before you came to Antarctica?

Araimi: I did observations at a local meteorological observatory and also worked on disaster prevention. In Japan, I experienced the same observation work that I do at Syowa Station. There are many people who have experienced Antarctica in the workplaces I have worked so far, and I have had many opportunities to learn about Antarctica. Actually, I was once in Japan's easternmost island, Minamitorishima.

Abe: What was life like in Minamitorishima?

Araimi: I was observing the weather while managing the island with people from the Japan Meteorological Agency and people from the Maritime Self-Defense Force. On my days off, I often got up early in the morning and went fishing. I studied the habits of fish, made my own tricks, caught and handled them, made sashimi and made sushi. The island is warm all year round, so it was hot in the summer but comfortable in the winter.

Abe: It was an interesting experience. Then, please tell us what motivated you to apply for the Antarctic Research Expedition.

Araimi: A few years ago, I learned about meteorological observations in remote areas such as the Mt. Fuji weather station and Torishima (Tokyo), and became interested in them. However, with the progress of unmanned weather observation, there are fewer opportunities to actually put oneself in such a harsh place. Antarctic research is still unmanned, so it is one of the few places left that I admire.

Abe: Are there any difficulties unique to Antarctica?

Araimi: It's hard to maintain equipment in strong winds and cold weather. Equipment may not work well in the cold.

Abe: We often see people launching balloons, but what are they measuring?

Araimi: Twice a day, I measure the wind, temperature, and humidity in the sky. We also measure the amount of ozone in the upper atmosphere about once a week. The measurement results are sent to the Japan Meteorological Agency through the Intelsat satellite line and distributed worldwide.

Abe: That's a very important job. By the way, Syowa Station is always connected to the Internet using the Intelsat satellite circuit. How do you use the Internet in your meteorological work?

Araimi: In addition to distributing measurement results, we also disseminate ground-based meteorological observation results once every three hours. In addition, data such as ozone and solar radiation/radiation are also uplinked to the Japan Meteorological Agency. In addition, we are acquiring weather forecast data around Syowa Station. Weather information is essential for activities in the Antarctic region. Furthermore, I also use the Internet when communicating with the person in charge in Japan for equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.

Abe: Do you use the Internet outside of work?

Araimi: Yes, I keep in touch with my family, do research, and upload the photos I take to SNS. I also interact with people at Antarctic bases in other countries through SNS. The Internet is a very important infrastructure in Antarctica. I would like you to continue using it in a stable manner.

Abe: Yes, I will do my best as the person in charge! Thank you for your time today.

About 7 months left in the Antarctic life that started in December 2020. I want to cherish each day while fulfilling my duties properly. Next time around November, I would like to report on the daily life and meals here, and the scenery unique to Antarctica, such as the aurora and penguins. Next time we look forward to!