Belgian Polar Platform - Polar Science

Belgian polar science history

Belgian research in Antarctica relies on a strong history. The first over wintering and expedition of scientific nature under the leadership of Adrien de Gerlache (1897 to 1899), onboard the « Belgica » made it possible to collect several scientific results that were internationally recognised.

Sixty years later, at the occasion of the International Geophysical year, a new Belgian expedition under the leadership of G. de Gerlache, son of Adrien, set foot on the Antarctic continent (1957-1959). The team constructed the Belgian research station Roi Baudouin (70º26'S 024º18'E) at Prinsesse Ragnhild Kyst. The Belgian station was integrated in a synoptic network of geophysical observations, carried out at more than 50 stations and contributing to our knowledge of surface weather and climate, and to our understanding of the upper atmosphere. The station also served as a base of operations for field work and geographical reconnaissance further inland. At that time most of the Antarctic territory was unknown. Surface travelling over crevassed terrain was - and still is - not evident, while air operations were hampered by unpredictable weather and drifting snow. It is not surprising then that Antarctic activities benefited from the international framework set up, especially in the case of emergency and rescue.

Thanks to this initiative Belgium was one of the twelve nations to negotiate and sign the Antarctic Treaty (Washington, 1959).

During ten years, three Belgian and three Belgo-Dutch expeditions were carried out at the Roi Baudouin base in a nearly uninterrupted way. These expeditions, using sea, land and air transport, were carried out during the summer seasons by teams of approximately twenty people, who from time to time and for short periods were joined by other scientists.
In 1967 the Roi Baudouin base was closed for safety and budgetary reasons, buried under meters of snow.

After that Belgium still participated to a research programme with South-Africa, but the activities would slowly decrease until 1985, when the Belgian Science Policy started up the first multi annual Antarctic science programme (see “Belgian polar science today”).

Chronological overview (info website ‘the last continent’)

1897-1899	First Belgica-expedition under the leadership of Adrien de Gerlache, over wintering in the Antarctic pack ice and collecting scientific data.
1957-1959	First Belgian expedition on the Antarctic continent under the leadership of Gaston de Gerlache, son of Adrien. Construction of the scientific station Roi Baudouin.
1959-1960	Second Belgian expedition to the Roi Baudouin base.
1960-1961	Third Belgian expedition under the leadership of Guido Derom; discovery of the Queen Fabiola mountains.
1963-1965	First Belgo-Dutch South Pole expedition; construction of a new Roi Baudouin base.
1964-1966	Second Belgo-Dutch South Pole expedition.
1965-1967	Third Belgo-Dutch South Pole expedition under the leadership of the Belgian geologist Tony Van Autenboer. Closure of the Roi Baudouin base.
1968-1970	Three summer expeditions in cooperation with South-Africa.
1985-now	Start-up of the first multi annual Antarctic science programme by the Belgian Science Policy Office
2004	The Belgian government decides to construct a new scientific summer station in Antarctica by 2007, at the occasion of the International Polar Year.
2006	The Federal government in Belgium has assigned 3 million euro to the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO) for the management and research programme at the a new scientific summer station in Antarctica.