International Polar Year 2007 - Ottawa Philatelic Society / Société Philatélique d'Ottawa

Exhibit by Hank van der Linde

International research of the polar regions.

1882-83 was the first, motivated by Karl Weyprecht, an Austro-Hungarian naval officer:

• Observers making coordinated geophysical measurements at several locations during the same year:
• 12 expeditions to the Arctic and 3 to the Antarctic
• 12 countries participated – Austro-Hungarian Empire, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

The second was in 1932-33 – 50 years:

• Focused on observations to improve weather forecasting
• 44 countries participated
• A world data centre was created – International Meteorological Organization

2007-08 the Third International Polar Year:

• Focused on climate change
• Canada supported a $150-million research project called the Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study – central pack ice moves away from coastal ice leaving open water
• Led by Professor David Barber of the University of Manitoba
• 16 countries involved
• Canada issued a se-tenant pair of 52 cent stamps – Scott #2204-05

• Issued February 12, 2007;
• Full pane consisted of 8 se-tenant pairs in two rows with a “gutter” strip between them – a first!
• Gutter strip contains the colour bar in the form of a thermometer with the Tillis Russell paper code as a Celsius figure;
• Maple leaf perforation between the stamps – 2nd time – 2005 Canada/China big cats joint issue;
• Male King Eider – native to Canada, Alaska and Greenland;
• Crossota Millsaeare – brilliant-red recently discovered deep-sea subarctic jellyfish – size of the thumb;
• In addition to English and French languages, Inuktitut was also featured;
• Also issued as a souvenir sheet.

Sources:www.canadapost.ca and Wikipedia