Chapter 342 Aurora City
Chapter 342 Aurora City
September in the northern hemisphere is still the end of summer, and autumn seems shy, with no sign of coming.
At this moment in the southern hemisphere, it is the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Especially in Antarctica, although the size of the ice sheet this year has decreased slightly compared with the same period in previous years, it is still about 23% smaller than the average decrease in the past two decades.
In areas where the Asian Consortium has deployed photovoltaic films and photovoltaic airships, the ice is thicker and the temperature is lower than in previous years.
Even though it is almost spring in the southern hemisphere, there is still no sign of large-scale melting.
At this time, the Australian scientific research station at the junction of Queen Mary Coast and Banzare Coast: Casey Station.
Researcher Clark Shakespeare, who was drinking hot coffee out of boredom, said: "Huh..."
"Oh my god..." Jed James on the second floor exclaimed.
Clark Shakespeare drank the hot coffee in his hand and climbed up to the second floor: "What's the matter?"
Jed, who was holding a telescope, turned his head and pointed to the ice cap in the north: "Look there!"
"Huh?" Clark looked closely and then subconsciously raised his glasses: "What the hell, a mirage?"
At this moment, they saw a huge black dot floating on the sea about 50 kilometers away from them.
Researcher Clark, who has been working at Casey Station for three years, is very familiar with the situation here. Since their scientific research station is built at a high altitude, large ships can be seen seventy or eighty kilometers away in weather with good visibility.
Based on visual observation, Researcher Clark could roughly estimate that the object floating on the sea must be very large, otherwise it would not have been possible to see such a clear outline when he was looking at it from more than 50 kilometers away.
Taking the telescope, Researcher Clark began to observe carefully.
"Not like a mirage..."
Zedd suggested, "By the way, Clark, can we turn on the radio station and try to contact them?"
Clark had no objection to this: "OK, give it a try!"
Using the international maritime public calling channel, Jed tried to call.
After more than ten minutes, there was a response from the other side.
But the voice is in Chinese.
"This is the Asian Union, Aurora City, Antarctica. May I ask what the Casey Station wants to talk to us about?"
Then, there was another burst of repetitive content in English.
Clark suddenly realized: "It turns out that they are from the Asian Union!"
After the two sides communicated for more than ten minutes, Clark and Zeed finally figured out the whole story. At the same time, they were shocked by the strength of the Asian Federation.
After Zedd ended the call, he looked at Clark with sharp eyes and said, "Should we inform the stationmaster about this?"
"Of course I'll go get the stationmaster."
Clark hurried downstairs, and after a while, came back with a fat man with Mediterranean hair.
Jed greeted casually, "Good afternoon, Stationmaster Brown."
Stationmaster Brown said nothing, just nodded slightly, picked up the telescope beside him, and carefully observed the city in the north.
Ten minutes later, Station Chief Brown sighed and said, "Well... I will report this matter to the mainland. You guys take turns to keep an eye on this city."
"OK."
"Mr. Webmaster, I don't think the mainland will hold the Asian Union accountable for this matter." Clark said helplessly.
Stationmaster Brown shrugged and replied: "I know, but we have to report it. It's our responsibility."
"All right!"
Everyone knows that although Australia claims that the areas around Queen Mary Coast and Banzare Coast in Antarctica belong to Australia's exclusive area, this claim has not received widespread support from the international community.
What's more, the Asian Union is now at its peak of strength, and Australia can't afford to offend the Asian Union. If this matter is reported, there is a high probability that Australia will choose to swallow its anger.
...
Aurora City, more than fifty kilometers away.
This floating island platform was transported from a special shipyard in the Pearl River Delta half a year ago, and was towed by ocean-going tugboats along the way.
It took more than half a year to transport it from the Pearl River Delta to the Antarctic waters more than 7,000 kilometers away.
Just dropped anchor today.
This offshore floating island platform, with a total weight of 60 tons, is designed differently from the floating island platform used for bridges. Its main purpose is for living and living, and it can also carry out some scientific research work.
In fact, this floating island platform on the sea is not the complete Aurora City.
Three months later, another offshore floating island platform will arrive here. Subsequently, there will be about 12 to 15 similar offshore floating island platforms deployed in the sea area. This is the complete Aurora City.
Therefore, this offshore floating island platform is also numbered: Aurora Area 1.
Inside Aurora Area 1, Base Director Qi Zhugang, Security Team Leader Lin Guobin, Logistics Director Ma Feiyun, and Production Director Xiao Rong gathered together.
Qi Zhugang immediately asked the most important question: "Old Ma, how is the operation of the nuclear device?"
Ma Feiyun replied calmly: "Don't worry, there is no problem with the equipment. It is only using about 20% of the power generation capacity now."
However, Qi Zhugang once again instructed: "You should pay more attention to those two nuclear devices. Our base relies on these two nuclear devices for power supply. We cannot let anything go wrong."
"I will definitely maintain the equipment." Ma Feiyun naturally knew the importance of the two nuclear devices.
They are now in the Antarctic Sea. Without these two nuclear fusion devices, Aurora City’s energy supply will easily be problematic.
Although a large number of photovoltaic films and photovoltaic airships have been deployed over Aurora City, these photovoltaic power generation systems are only effective in the summer in the southern hemisphere. Due to the high latitude, the daily sunshine time is relatively long, which can fully guarantee the scale of power generation.
However, once winter arrives in the southern hemisphere, the power generation capacity of these photovoltaic power generation systems will drop sharply. By then, not to mention the pressure to output electricity to the outside, even the power supply of Aurora City will be in trouble.
In winter, electricity consumption in Aurora City is at its peak.
In order to ensure the safety of electricity use in Aurora City, nuclear power is the only option.
After all, there are too many floating ice and icebergs in the waters near Antarctica in winter, so if we want to supply Aurora City, we can only use transport airships.
The risks for transport airships are also very high when facing the westerly howling belt of winds surrounding Antarctica.
Therefore, various difficulties were taken into consideration from the very beginning of the design of Aurora City. In order to solve the problem of winter supply difficulties, equipping Aurora City with a nuclear fusion device was an inevitable choice.
This is also the reason why Qi Zhugang repeatedly emphasized nuclear devices.
They knew very well that if there was a problem with the nuclear fusion device in the winter, it would be a serious problem. You know, Aurora City has a total of 12 to 15 districts, with an estimated total population of about 8000. In order to solve the winter supply problem for so many people locally, in addition to increasing transportation and strengthening reserves in the summer, local production is also crucial.
Electricity is an indispensable energy source for producing various materials locally.
In order to ensure the safety of electricity use in Aurora City, in addition to the two nuclear fusion devices equipped in Aurora Area 1, Aurora Area 4, Aurora Area 7, and Aurora Area 11 will all be equipped with nuclear fusion devices.
With so many nuclear fusion devices, even if one or two of them fail, it will not have much impact on the electricity safety of the base.
Qi Zhugang looked at Xiao Rong, the director of the production department, and said, "Director Xiao, what arrangements do you have for the production department?"
Hearing the question, Xiao Rong replied helplessly: "Base Commander, our indoor farm is still in Aurora Area 2, and the seabed mining is in Aurora Area 3. At present, Area 1 only has seawater potassium extraction and fishing boats."
"Then start producing it! It will be needed in a few months anyway."
"I'll arrange it as soon as possible."
"Old Ma, you need to pay more attention to the fertilizer and other supplies. Don't let them run out. Especially before March next year, you need to prepare winter supplies in advance."
"Okay, Base Commander."
Everyone was having a meeting.
After adjusting the position of the stratospheric photovoltaic airships suspended in the sky, one of them finally aimed at the Aurora Zone 1.
After Qi Zhugang and others finished the meeting, they received this good news.
Listening to the report from Li Shigu, deputy director of the production department, Qi Zhugang nodded: "Very good, let's start connecting the cables!"
However, Li Shigu did not rush to take it all in, but reminded: "Base Commander, we need to connect the cable of the airship. There is no technical difficulty in itself, but there is one thing I need you to communicate with, otherwise I am worried that something will go wrong."
"whats the matter?"
"It's about setting up a no-fly zone. After all, there are more than just us nearby. There are also scientific research stations of other forces. If they send helicopters to transport supplies, they may pass over our airspace."
Qi Zhugang suddenly woke up: "Yes, yes, luckily you reminded me of this. I will meet with the heads of the nearby scientific research stations later and ask them to stop their aircraft from passing over our base."
"Then I'll trouble you, base commander."
"It's okay. This is what I should do. You go ahead and do your work!"
"it is good."
When Li Shigu and a dozen employees connected the cables lowered from the airship to the power supply station at the base.
Qi Zhugang was also not idle.
Soon, Brown, the stationmaster of the nearest Casey Station, received a notice from Aurora City.
Looking at the email he had just printed out, Stationmaster Brown looked depressed and speechless: "They are actually going to set up a no-fly zone there? Then won't we have to take a detour to get our supplies?"
Clark also felt very aggrieved: "How can they do this? This is not in compliance with international law!"
"..." Stationmaster Brown cursed inwardly, but after a while, he sat back on the sofa dejectedly: "Well, let's leave this matter to the mainland to deal with! It's useless for us to curse here, after all, Aurora City has already pulled up the cables."
However, Zed, who was drinking Coke, shook his head and advised: "Actually, if we think on the bright side of this matter, it will be a good thing for us."
"Good thing? What about our supplies?" Clark was furious.
"They have such a large base, they must have a large amount of supplies. We can buy supplies from them when the time comes. If we encounter an emergency, we can also ask them for help."
After listening to what Zed said.
Clark and Stationmaster Brown looked at each other, and at the same time thought about some possibilities in this direction. The more they thought about it, the more they felt that this was not a bad idea.
Although the Seres have become domineering, given their behavior habits, if Casey Station really asks them for help, there is a high probability that he can get help.
This also provided Casey with an invisible protection while standing in the invisible.
Especially in winter, if you really encounter an emergency and want to rely on rescue from Australia, it may be too late or the cost may be too high.
After thinking about it, Stationmaster Brown also felt that it made sense, so he said, "I think this idea is worth considering. I will specifically mention this matter in my report email to the mainland later."
"I'm very happy that you agree with this." Jed smiled and took a sip of Coke, but he didn't really think so.
The reason why Jed came up with this idea was that, on the one hand, he wanted to find a way out for Australia; on the other hand, he was worried about the moral level of the local guys.
A few years ago, NASA left two astronauts on the International Space Station for more than half a year, and it took a long time before bringing them back to Earth.
Their research stations in Antarctica also face considerable risks, especially in winter.
If something goes wrong, and if Australia ends up being like NASA, not to mention wrangling for half a year, even a few days of wrangling could cost them their lives.
Zed doesn't want to gamble his life on other people's moral standards.
As a smart man, he has already left himself a way out.
After all, Australia has not had a good time in recent years. To support the stable operation of Casey Station, a considerable amount of funds is needed every year. He is worried that one day the local government will cancel this scientific research station due to funding problems.
If they could cooperate with the Seres, their annual supply costs might be reduced, allowing the homeland to survive.
Stationmaster Brown was unaware of Jed's little tricks. He returned to his office and reported the matter to his homeland.
Other nearby scientific research stations also received notifications from Aurora City, and they also reported the relevant situation to their homeland via satellite communications.
There was not much strong reaction from other global forces to the Asian Commonwealth's big move in Antarctica, mainly because other forces were too busy to bother with the Asian Commonwealth in Antarctica.
In the first nine months of this year, global sea levels rose by about 1.1 to 1.3 meters.
This incident caused great distress to many low-lying coastal areas, and many ports and coastal cities experienced seawater backflow and upwelling.
Faced with this kind of disaster, many forces could only transfer industries and population to higher places while raising the height of some coastal embankments.
Now other forces are hoping that the Asian Union can preserve the Antarctic ice sheet, otherwise the global sea level will rise faster and they really can't bear it.
Therefore, the forces behind the scientific research stations chose to swallow their anger and acquiesced to the request to set up a no-fly zone over Aurora City.
As for cooperation proposals similar to that of Casey Station, all parties actually thought it was worth considering, so they sent people to Seris to discuss the matter.
The work in Aurora City is still proceeding step by step.
As the cables of the photovoltaic airship were connected to the base, the sponge batteries in the base's power storage room began to charge.
However, the base certainly cannot consume the power generated by the Antarctic photovoltaic system. In the spring, summer and autumn seasons, the power generation scale of the Antarctic photovoltaic system must be in surplus, and at this time it is necessary to transmit electricity.
However, only half of the Ceylon submarine cable has been laid so far, and the remaining half of the line will take at least another year to complete.
Therefore, in a short period of time, the electricity generated by the Antarctic photovoltaic system will be wasted.
(End of this chapter)