13. The fifth-quarter? Difficulty in acclimatising

Each December, the icebreaker arrives at Syowa Station for the first time in a year. The ship brings the next wintering-over participants wearing brand-new coldweather gear and bearing fresh vegetables, fruits, and consigned items from the families of wintering-over members.

After finishing the handover to the new participants, the previous participants withdraw sequentially.

The helicopter circles the station before heading to the ship. The departing members recognise later that they had just taken their very last step in Antarctica.

How do wintering-over members adapt to the environment and life in Antarctica on their first visit? One-fourth of participants reported that they were able to live without feeling discomfort from the beginning. Although they are embarrassed at their lack of experience, they soon adapt. Many members have indicated that they get used to Antarctic life gradually (Figure 22). Regarding human relations and lifestyle, all surveyed participants answered that they got acclimatised by July when the polar night ends.

Meanwhile, full physical adaptation takes time, usually not occurring until November. Dramatic changes in this wholly novel environment appear one after another. Therefore, adaptation is a continuous process that lasts until the end of the overwintering experience.

#### Figure 23.

Reintegration after living in Antarctica for a year. This graph shows the percentage of crew members who feel accustomed to Japan after returning home. Family relationships (orange) recover as if there was no absence. Half of participants perceive difficulties at work (blue) and with social relationships (red) upon returning. Many members recover in about 3 months, whereas some members need more than 1 year to reintegrate. Most people face difficulty at the beginning, and it takes 1 year to regain their intuition and skill at work (black). It takes time for many members to regain motivation (light blue).

Reintegration after living in Antarctica for a year is also a process of interest? Data show that family relationships recover as if there was no absence (Figure 23). However, half of participants reported perceiving difficulties in the workplace and with social relationships back home. Many members recover in about 3 months; those who do not recover by that point tend to remain in that tenuous state for a year. It seems to take much more time to adapt to workplace changes after returning home, being absent for a year means re-entering a workplace that may have changed procedures or staff. Most people face difficulty in the beginning, and it takes around 1 year to regain one's contextual intuition and catch up technologically. In addition, it takes time for many members to regain their motivation.

Interestingly, it seems that the strongest group—those who most easily became accustomed to the harsh Antarctic life—struggles the most to return to their lives in Japan. Human society may be harder to adapt to than the Antarctic.

### 14. Conclusion: departure from Antarctica

Research on Antarctica has been continuing for more than a century. The first expedition started as a challenge to survive in an unknown area. Then, the context of excursions changed to an investigation of Antarctica. At present, the purpose of research is to gain a better understanding of both earth and space.

It is still difficult to live in the extreme Antarctic climate, although expeditions have made great progress in improving the available accommodations. Expeditioners are exposed to a harsh natural environment and live in extreme conditions. The role of doctors going to Antarctica is to ensure the safe return of all overwintering members.

To this end, the effects of this dramatically different environment on the human body and mind need to be understood. Medical treatment itself in Antarctica is a subject of research, as in the case of extreme remote medicine.

Elucidation of these mechanisms and techniques is indispensable for providing medical care that protects local health regardless of environmental conditions. Furthermore, this area of medical research offers a treasure trove of interesting and varied themes for further exploration.

Author details

Human Beings in Antarctica

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81974

Tottori, Japan

123

Giichiro Ohno1,2\*, Shinji Otani3 and Atsushi Ikeda<sup>4</sup>

1 Department of Surgery, Tokatsu Hospital, Nagareyama, Japan

4 Department of Urology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

3 International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University,

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

2 National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Japan

\*Address all correspondence to: oonog@mb.infoweb.ne.jp

provided the original work is properly cited.

Antarctica has come to be studied as a simulation of space. The Antarctic environment is said to be similar to that of Mars, and an Antarctic station may be compared to a Mars station or a spaceship. Antarctic medicine is also being connected to space medicine. Thus, the value of continuing research in this environment cannot be understated.

Phenomena in Antarctica are extraordinary. What happening on human being may be emphasized and becoming noticeable, and they share commonalities with those in Japan. Experiences and breakthroughs in Antarctica will hopefully help provide both a platform for expanding the human experience in to space and further more a better understanding of our daily living conditions.

### Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Tetsuya Kawabe and Madam Tomoko Kuwabara for knowledge about psychological issues. We also thank Tatsuhisa Hasegawa, Mahamadou Tandia, Prof. Kentaro Watanabe, and Prof. Satoshi Imura for helpful discussions.

Last but not the least, we are grateful to all our family members for sending us to Antarctica.

Human Beings in Antarctica DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81974

Reintegration after living in Antarctica for a year is also a process of interest? Data show that family relationships recover as if there was no absence (Figure 23). However, half of participants reported perceiving difficulties in the workplace and with social relationships back home. Many members recover in about 3 months; those who do not recover by that point tend to remain in that tenuous state for a year. It seems to take much more time to adapt to workplace changes after returning home, being absent for a year means re-entering a workplace that may have changed procedures or staff. Most people face difficulty in the beginning, and it takes around 1 year to regain one's contextual intuition and catch up technologically. In addition, it takes time for many members to regain their motivation.

Interestingly, it seems that the strongest group—those who most easily became accustomed to the harsh Antarctic life—struggles the most to return to their lives in

Research on Antarctica has been continuing for more than a century. The first expedition started as a challenge to survive in an unknown area. Then, the context of excursions changed to an investigation of Antarctica. At present, the purpose of

It is still difficult to live in the extreme Antarctic climate, although expeditions

To this end, the effects of this dramatically different environment on the human body and mind need to be understood. Medical treatment itself in Antarctica is a

Elucidation of these mechanisms and techniques is indispensable for providing medical care that protects local health regardless of environmental conditions. Furthermore, this area of medical research offers a treasure trove of interesting and

Antarctica has come to be studied as a simulation of space. The Antarctic envi-

Phenomena in Antarctica are extraordinary. What happening on human being may be emphasized and becoming noticeable, and they share commonalities with those in Japan. Experiences and breakthroughs in Antarctica will hopefully help provide both a platform for expanding the human experience in to space and

We would like to thank Tetsuya Kawabe and Madam Tomoko Kuwabara for

Last but not the least, we are grateful to all our family members for sending us to

knowledge about psychological issues. We also thank Tatsuhisa Hasegawa, Mahamadou Tandia, Prof. Kentaro Watanabe, and Prof. Satoshi Imura for helpful

ronment is said to be similar to that of Mars, and an Antarctic station may be compared to a Mars station or a spaceship. Antarctic medicine is also being connected to space medicine. Thus, the value of continuing research in this envi-

Japan. Human society may be harder to adapt to than the Antarctic.

research is to gain a better understanding of both earth and space.

subject of research, as in the case of extreme remote medicine.

further more a better understanding of our daily living conditions.

have made great progress in improving the available accommodations.

Expeditioners are exposed to a harsh natural environment and live in extreme conditions. The role of doctors going to Antarctica is to ensure the safe return of all

14. Conclusion: departure from Antarctica

Antarctica - A Key to Global Change

overwintering members.

varied themes for further exploration.

ronment cannot be understated.

Acknowledgements

discussions.

Antarctica.

122
