| Antarctic expeditions |
|---|
| International agreements |
| 1932–33 International Polar Year 1957–58 International Geophysical Year 1959 Antarctic Treaty System |
| British Empire / Commonwealth |
| 1901–04 Scott's first expedition 1907–09 Shackleton's first expedition 1910–13 Scott's second expedition 1911–14 Mawson's first expedition 1914–17 Shackleton's second expedition 1921–22 Shackleton's third expedition 1929–31 Mawson's second expedition 1934–37 Graham Land expedition 1943–45 Operation Tabarin 1955–58 Trans-Antarctic Expedition |
| France |
| 1903–05 Charcot's first expedition 1908–10 Charcot's second expedition |
| Germany |
| 1901–03 Drygalski (Gauss) expedition 1911–12 Filchner expedition 1938–39 New Swabia expedition |
| Japan |
| 1910–12 Japanese Antarctic Expedition |
| Norway |
| 1910–12 Amundsen expedition |
| Sweden |
| 1901–04 Swedish Antarctic Expedition |
| United States |
| 1928–30 Byrd's first expedition 1946–47 Operation Highjump 1947–48 Operation Windmill 1947–48 Ronne expedition 1955–56 Operation Deep Freeze |
Norwegian–British–Swedish Antarctic Expedition (also known as NBSX or NBSAE) (1949 – 1952) the first Antarctica expedition involving an international team of scientists. The team members came from Norway, Sweden and the British Commonwealth of Nations.
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The Norwegian–British–Swedish Antarctic Expedition was the first expedition to Antarctica involving an international team of scientists. The expedition was led by John Schjelderup Giæver, a Norwegian scientist. The expedition had the goal of establishing whether climatic fluctuations observered in the Arctic were also occurring in the Antarctic. A base known as Maudheim was established on the Quar Ice Shelf in February 1950. This expedition laid the groundwork for the following Australian expeditions to Antarctic from 1954 to the early 60s.[1]
The expedition was transported aboard a 600-ton sealer named Norsel that was powered by a German U-boat diesel engine. This ship was used in conjunction with a 24,000 ton whaling factory ship named Thorshovdi. The larger ship was needed because the Norsel was too small to carry all the needed equipment and supplies for the Antarctic expedition.[2]
In addition to both ships, two light Auster aircraft intended for reconnaissance were included on the expedition. These were piloted by a five man RAF team from Britain. The Norsel made three round-trips to the Antarctic, with subsequent visits accompanied by a Norwegian and a Swedish flying unit to assist with aerial photography.[2]
The information obtained from the expedition helped with the further study of glaciology, meteorology, and geology. It found that the world's "sea-level was principally controlled by the state of the Antarctic ice-sheet." It also improved the understanding of the impact of the Antarctic ice-sheets on the regulation of the world's climate. It also found evidence that suggest a portion of Antarctica (Dronning Maud Land) was once joined to southern Africa.[2] Further scientific studies have also found strong evidence that eastern Antarctica was adjacent to southern Africa until the late Jurassic period.[3]
Additional members that joined at a later date: