SHANGHAI — China's research icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, set off from Shanghai on Oct 26, marking the start of the country's 39th Antarctic expedition.

A total of 255 researchers will carry out investigations in the fields of atmospheric composition, water environment, sedimentary environment and ecosystem at the South Pole, and will arrive in two batches, with the second batch setting out on Oct 31, 2022.

The expedition team is expected to return to China in early April next year.

With a total length of about 122 meters, a width of about 22 meters, a designed displacement of nearly 14,000 tons and an endurance of 20,000 nautical miles, Xuelong 2 is China's first domestically built icebreaker for polar research.