A team of scientists from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) will venture to the remote Belgica Mountains in Antarctica this Sunday on a groundbreaking mission to collect meteorites and blue ice samples.
Their expedition, which will run until early January 2025, holds the promise of uncovering new insights into the solar system and planetary formation.
The Antarctic, known for its unparalleled ability to preserve meteorites, remains one of the most sought-after destinations for such research. “Antarctica is certainly the best place on Earth to collect meteorites,” ULB emphasized in a statement on Monday.
The continent accounts for over two-thirds of the world’s known meteorite discoveries, with around 45,000 specimens recovered to date, according to data from VRT.
What makes Antarctica particularly unique is the natural process by which meteorites are transported and concentrated in blue ice fields.
These ancient ice expanses, shaped by glacial movements, not only protect meteorites from rapid degradation but also act as a natural conveyor belt, preserving them in pristine condition.
Despite the wealth of findings, Belgian researchers estimate that over 300,000 meteorites may still lie beneath the Antarctic ice, offering immense scientific potential.
A Prominent Team Backed by Belgian Expertise
Led by Steven Goderis of VUB, the mission will include researchers Vinciane Debaille (ULB), Gabriel Pinto (ULB), and Hamed Pourkhorsandi (IRD-France).
Their efforts are supported by funding from the Belgian Federal Science Policy (Belspo) and the logistical expertise of the International Polar Foundation.
The team’s base of operations will be the Princess Elisabeth Antarctic Station, from which they have previously retrieved over 1,300 meteorites. Their work is part of a long-standing tradition of Belgian contributions to polar research and planetary science.
“Each new meteorite has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the solar system and the formation of planets,” ULB stated.
Beyond the meteorites themselves, blue ice samples collected during the expedition will be analyzed to provide further insights into Earth’s climate history and extraterrestrial materials embedded within.
A Race Against Extreme Conditions
The Belgica Mountains present a formidable environment for research, with temperatures plunging well below freezing and unpredictable weather patterns.
Despite these challenges, the team remains focused on their objectives, driven by the knowledge that Antarctic meteorites offer rare and valuable glimpses into the early solar system.
This expedition represents a continuation of Belgium’s storied history in polar exploration, named in part after the ship Belgica, which carried the first scientific mission to Antarctica in the late 19th century.
The researchers’ findings will be analyzed upon their return, contributing to ongoing efforts to piece together the mysteries of planetary evolution.
With the possibility of discovering previously unknown types of meteorites, this expedition could yield transformative results for astronomy, geology, and planetary science.
As the team prepares for their journey, the scientific community eagerly anticipates the potential breakthroughs from this mission, which underscores the importance of international collaboration and cutting-edge research in one of Earth’s most remote frontiers.
