Draft:Czech Arctic Research Station

Josef Svoboda's Czech Arctic Research Station is a research station in the Arctic in the Svalbard archipelago. The station, owned by the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, was named after the Czech-Canadian polar ecologist Josef Svoboda. It was built with the help of the CzechPolar project of the Ministry of Education and Science. The station is used by Czech and foreign scientists and provides support and scientific facilities for research in Svalbard.

Payer house in Longyearbyen
The main part of the Czech Arctic Research Station is located in the administrative center of Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen, and is named after the polar explorer Julius Payer. The family house was acquired in 2013 and the conversion to a research station was completed in 2014. The capacity of this house is 8 scientists. There are two laboratories equipped with microscopes and basic equipment for sample processing. The house also has all the safety equipment needed for work in Svalbard, as well as two snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.

Field station Nostoc in Petunia bay
The field station is located on a coastal terrace about 60 km northeast of Longyearbyen, near the Russian mining town of Pyramiden. The name of the station refers to the cyanobacteria genus Nostoc, which is the subject of study of scientists from the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, who use the station for their work. The station consists of 4 wooden containers (kitchen, laboratory, and two bedrooms) connected by a central heated tent, which serves as a lounge and dining room. The crew can consist of up to 12 scientists who use rubber boats for their fieldwork. The station is used in the summer season.

R/V Clione
The Clione, named after the Opistobranchia (Clione limacina), is 15 metres long and serves as expedition and logistical support for research in the Svalbard area. The interior of the ship consists of 3 cabins, a fully equipped kitchen, and a comfortable saloon connected to the wheelhouse. The capacity of the ship is a maximum of 6 people - including two crew members. The average cruising speed is 6 knots.

Landing ashore during field research is made possible by an inflatable boat with a capacity of 6 persons. Many scientific measuring devices can be installed on the boat. The ship is equipped with a hydraulic crane as well as a platform for placing and connecting sonars for studying the seabed relief.

Research
The research activities of the scientists using the station include the following disciplines:


 * botany
 * ecology
 * geology
 * climatology
 * microbiology
 * parasitology


 * zoology
 * hydrobiology

The station is used by scientists from the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, the Czech Academy of Sciences, as well as scientists from foreign institutions.