About us
Bulgaria started his polar activities in Antarctica as early as 1967- 1969, when Bulgarian meteorologists took part in the XIII Soviet Antarctic Expedition. In the austral summer season of 1987-1988 six Bulgarian scientists participated in joint projects with the British Antarctic Survey and the Soviet Institute for Antarctic and Arctic Research. This Bulgarian program was aimed at gathering valuable experience both in carrying out scientific research and the organization of the logistics in Antarctica. During this Antarctic season a refuge was established on Livingston Island (South Shetland Islands) on a spot located on the north-east side of the South Bay.
In the period between 1993 and the year 2022 Bulgaria organized 30 successive Antarctic campaigns. A summer base named “St. Kliment Ohridski” was established. The base accommodation capacity is 25 persons, providing normal work conditions and could be used permanently if necessary. Our base is functioning thanks to the logistic support and valuable help of the Spanish Polar Institutions. The Bulgarian and Spanish polar researchers are both working in close collaboration and having fun together.
The Bulgarian Antarctic Institute office is the headquarter during organization and co-ordination of the Antarctic campaigns.
The Bulgarian Government is represented at the Executive Board of the Institute by a Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. Antarctic activities are planned by the BAI Executive Board upon recommendation by the Scientific Board of the Institute. The National Antarctic Program is funded predominantly by the Ministry of Education and Science, and partly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment and Waters.
The main scientific topics cover: Earth sciences - such as geology, geophysics, physics, glaciology, meteorology, cartography, Life sciences - zoology, botanics and ecology and human medicine. Research work is project based – be it by research staff of thr University or the Academy of sciences. The emphasis is put on applying interdisciplinary approach towards understanding the pattern and processes in major polar nature systems and their evolution.
The activities under the Biological Research Program have focused so far on the study of the biological diversity of the main habitats on the Livingston Island. A number of plant and animal species and their communities have been described. The diversity of protozoan, diatoms and other algae, soil nematodes, freshwater and interstitial crustaceans has been studied. Eight new species for the world flora and fauna have been already described and a few more are still to be described and published. Communities of diatom algae, protozoan and nematode tropic groups have been studied and described together with the patterns of their distribution in Antarctic habitats. Penguin genetics and molecular biology are also studied as a tool for addressing issues of their systematization and adaptation. The results of the Bulgarian biological research program are published in the Series “Bulgarian Antarctic Research - Life Sciences”. The further development of Bulgarian biological studies in the Antarctic will include investigations on the structure and functioning of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems and environmental monitoring based on heavy metal contents in lichens and penguin feathers. A special project is carried on to study the role of UV-rays as a major factor for cell death and mutations, and carcinogenic effects together with their different protecting mechanisms including DNA-repair systems, formation of antioxidant enzymes and related proteins.
The main objective of the geological research projects is focused to provide explanation of the stratigraphy and tectonics of the Mesozoic turbidity successions, petrology of the subductional plutons, and to draw up a new model of tectonic-magmatic history of the South Shetland Islands. The first find of macrofossil, the age-diagnostic Upper Tithonian ammonite reported from the Myers Bluff Formation of the Bulgarian scientists will change the view on geological evolution of the South Shetland Islands and of the Antarctic Peninsula during the Mesozoic. The further development of the Bulgarian geological studies will include detailed geological mapping in scale 1: 5 000, paleontological search for macro and microfossils and paleoenvironmental interpretations.
The main subject of glaciological and meteorological studies are to design drills and equipment used in vertical and horizontal drilling, and to investigate the microclimate phenomena related to complex geography, glaciers and ocean proximity, as well as securing automatization of meteorological monitoring in order to collect data, necessary for the glaciological and biological observations. Dating the ice layers across the Hurd Peninsula glaciers and analyses of elements and isotopes in ice samples are among the anticipated results.
The National Antarctic Program is open to all Bulgarian scientists, who might present projects aimed at providing scientific contribution to the study of Polar Regions. In addition to present projects, the future scientific research activities will also be directed towards collaboration with international scientific teams, experienced in the investigation of Polar Regions.
The Republic of Bulgaria joined to the Antarctic Treaty in 1978, and afterwards - SCAR and COMNAP in 1994, became the twenty-seventh Consultative Party in 1998 and is Member of the European Polar Board. The development of a long-term National Antarctic Program is a result of the sustainable policy of the Republic of Bulgaria aimed at more active and more efficient scientific participation in the European cooperation in Polar Regions, as a worthy partner in all efforts exerted for the sake of both scientific progress and peacekeeping.
In the period between 1993 and the year 2022 Bulgaria organized 30 successive Antarctic campaigns. A summer base named “St. Kliment Ohridski” was established. The base accommodation capacity is 25 persons, providing normal work conditions and could be used permanently if necessary. Our base is functioning thanks to the logistic support and valuable help of the Spanish Polar Institutions. The Bulgarian and Spanish polar researchers are both working in close collaboration and having fun together.
The Bulgarian Antarctic Institute office is the headquarter during organization and co-ordination of the Antarctic campaigns.
The Bulgarian Government is represented at the Executive Board of the Institute by a Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. Antarctic activities are planned by the BAI Executive Board upon recommendation by the Scientific Board of the Institute. The National Antarctic Program is funded predominantly by the Ministry of Education and Science, and partly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment and Waters.
The main scientific topics cover: Earth sciences - such as geology, geophysics, physics, glaciology, meteorology, cartography, Life sciences - zoology, botanics and ecology and human medicine. Research work is project based – be it by research staff of thr University or the Academy of sciences. The emphasis is put on applying interdisciplinary approach towards understanding the pattern and processes in major polar nature systems and their evolution.
The activities under the Biological Research Program have focused so far on the study of the biological diversity of the main habitats on the Livingston Island. A number of plant and animal species and their communities have been described. The diversity of protozoan, diatoms and other algae, soil nematodes, freshwater and interstitial crustaceans has been studied. Eight new species for the world flora and fauna have been already described and a few more are still to be described and published. Communities of diatom algae, protozoan and nematode tropic groups have been studied and described together with the patterns of their distribution in Antarctic habitats. Penguin genetics and molecular biology are also studied as a tool for addressing issues of their systematization and adaptation. The results of the Bulgarian biological research program are published in the Series “Bulgarian Antarctic Research - Life Sciences”. The further development of Bulgarian biological studies in the Antarctic will include investigations on the structure and functioning of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems and environmental monitoring based on heavy metal contents in lichens and penguin feathers. A special project is carried on to study the role of UV-rays as a major factor for cell death and mutations, and carcinogenic effects together with their different protecting mechanisms including DNA-repair systems, formation of antioxidant enzymes and related proteins.
The main objective of the geological research projects is focused to provide explanation of the stratigraphy and tectonics of the Mesozoic turbidity successions, petrology of the subductional plutons, and to draw up a new model of tectonic-magmatic history of the South Shetland Islands. The first find of macrofossil, the age-diagnostic Upper Tithonian ammonite reported from the Myers Bluff Formation of the Bulgarian scientists will change the view on geological evolution of the South Shetland Islands and of the Antarctic Peninsula during the Mesozoic. The further development of the Bulgarian geological studies will include detailed geological mapping in scale 1: 5 000, paleontological search for macro and microfossils and paleoenvironmental interpretations.
The main subject of glaciological and meteorological studies are to design drills and equipment used in vertical and horizontal drilling, and to investigate the microclimate phenomena related to complex geography, glaciers and ocean proximity, as well as securing automatization of meteorological monitoring in order to collect data, necessary for the glaciological and biological observations. Dating the ice layers across the Hurd Peninsula glaciers and analyses of elements and isotopes in ice samples are among the anticipated results.
The National Antarctic Program is open to all Bulgarian scientists, who might present projects aimed at providing scientific contribution to the study of Polar Regions. In addition to present projects, the future scientific research activities will also be directed towards collaboration with international scientific teams, experienced in the investigation of Polar Regions.
The Republic of Bulgaria joined to the Antarctic Treaty in 1978, and afterwards - SCAR and COMNAP in 1994, became the twenty-seventh Consultative Party in 1998 and is Member of the European Polar Board. The development of a long-term National Antarctic Program is a result of the sustainable policy of the Republic of Bulgaria aimed at more active and more efficient scientific participation in the European cooperation in Polar Regions, as a worthy partner in all efforts exerted for the sake of both scientific progress and peacekeeping.
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