Huge crack forces early move for Antarctic base

摘要

Life on a floating ice shelf is precarious enough, but when a massive crack is heading your way, you know you're in trouble. This nightmare scenario is what's forcing the UK's newest research station in Antarctica to relocate. Halley Ⅵ opened in 2013 to much fanfare due to its space-age design. It's built as eight modules on skis so that it can be towed to a new location if the ice conditions change. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research station has been gathering atmospheric data since 1956 - measurements from Halley led to the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer in 1985. It is located on the Brunt ice shelf, a floating slab of ice some 150 to 250 metres thick attached to the Antarctic landmass and extending out into the sea.