Research stations in Antarctica

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Map shows the location of permanent Antarctic research stations
Countries that have one or more stations in Antarctica

A number of governments maintain permanent research stations in Antarctica and these bases are widely distributed. Unlike the bases set up in the Arctic (see Drifting ice station), the research stations of the Antarctic are constructed either on rock or on ice that is (for practical purposes) fixed in place.

Many of the stations are staffed around the year. A total of 30 countries (as of October 2006), all signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, operate seasonal (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent. The population of people performing and supporting scientific research on the continent and nearby islands varies from approximately 4,000 during the summer season to 1,000 during winter (June).[1] In addition to these permanent stations, approximately 30 field camps are established each summer to support specific projects.[2][dubious ]

History

First base

"Omond House", the first permanent base, built in 1903 by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition

During the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration in the early 20th century, the first bases on the continent were established. In 1903, Dr William S. Bruce's Scottish National Antarctic Expedition set off to Antarctica, with one of its aims to establish a meteorological station in the area.

After the expedition failed to find land, Bruce decided to head back to the South Orkneys and find an anchorage there.[3] The islands were well-situated as a site for a meteorological station, and their relative proximity to the South American mainland allowed a permanent station to be established.[4] Bruce instituted a comprehensive programme of work, involving meteorological readings, trawling for marine samples, botanical excursions, and the collection of biological and geological specimens.[3]

The major task completed during this time was the construction of a stone building, christened "Omond House".[5] This was to act as living accommodation for the parties that would remain on Laurie Island to operate the proposed meteorological laboratory. The building was constructed from local materials using the dry stone method, with a roof improvised from wood and canvas sheeting. The completed house was 20 feet by 20 feet square (6m × 6m), with two windows, fitted as quarters for six people. Rudmose Brown wrote: "Considering that we had no mortar and no masons' tools it is a wonderfully fine house and very lasting. I should think it will be standing a century hence ..."[6]

Bruce later offered to Argentina the transfer of the station and instruments on the condition that the government committed itself to the continuation of the scientific mission.[7] Bruce informed the British officer William Haggard of his intentions in December 1903, and Haggard ratified the terms of Bruce proposition.[8]

The Scotia sailed back for Laurie Island on 14 January 1904 carrying on board Argentinean officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, National Meteorological Office, Ministry of Livestock and National Postal and Telegraphs Office. In 1906, Argentina communicated to the international community the establishment of a permanent base on South Orkney Islands.

WWII and postwar expansion

Little happened for the following forty years until the Second World War, when the British launched Operation Tabarin in 1943, to establish a presence on the continent. The chief reason was to establish solid British claims to various uninhabited islands and parts of Antarctica, reinforced by Argentine sympathies toward Germany.

View of Chile's Captain Arturo Prat Base, established in 1947

Prior to the start of the war, German aircraft had dropped markers with swastikas across Queen Maud Land in an attempt to create a territorial claim, see New Swabia.[9] Led by Lieutenant James Marr, the 14-strong team left the Falkland Islands in two ships, HMS William Scoresby (a minesweeping trawler) and Fitzroy, on Saturday January 29, 1944. Marr had accompanied the British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton on his final Antarctic expedition in 1921 - 1922.

Bases were established during February near the abandoned Norwegian whaling station on Deception Island, where the Union Flag was hoisted in place of Argentine flags, and at Port Lockroy (on February 11) on the coast of Graham Land. A further base was founded at Hope Bay on February 13, 1945, after a failed attempt to unload stores on February 7, 1944. These bases were the first ever to be constructed on the mainland Antarctica.[10]

The Operation provoked a massive expansion in international activity after the war. Chile organized its First Chilean Antarctic Expedition in 1947–48. Among other accomplishments, it brought the Chilean president Gabriel González Videla to personally inaugurate one of its bases, thereby becoming the first head of state to set foot on the continent.[11] Signy Research Station (UK) was established in 1947, Australia's Mawson Station in 1954, Dumont d'Urville Station was the first French station in 1956. In the same year McMurdo Station was built by the United States and the Mirny Station was established by the Soviet Union.

Research stations

Base Open Countries Established Operator Situation Coordinates Time zone
Aboa Summer Finland Finland 1989 Finnish Antarctic Research Program Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Almirante Brown Antarctic Base Summer Argentina Argentina 1951 Argentine Antarctic Institute Antarctic Peninsula Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station Permanent United States United States 1957 United States Antarctic Program Geographical South Pole Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+12*
Artigas Base Permanent Uruguay Uruguay 1984 Uruguayan Antarctic Institute King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Asuka Station Summer Japan Japan 1985 National Institute of Polar Research
unmanned observation
Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Belgrano II Permanent Argentina Argentina 1979 Argentine Antarctic Institute Coats Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Bellingshausen Station Permanent Russia Russia 1968 Russian Antarctic Expedition King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Bernardo O'Higgins Station Permanent Chile Chile
Germany Germany
1948
1991
Chilean Army Logistics
German Aerospace Center
Antarctic Peninsula Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Bharati Permanent India India 2012 Indian Antarctic Program Larsemann Hills Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Byrd Station Summer United States United States 1957 United States Antarctic Program Marie Byrd Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Captain Arturo Prat Base Permanent Chile Chile 1947 Chilean Navy Greenwich Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Casey Station Permanent Australia Australia 1957 Australian Antarctic Division Vincennes Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+8
Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station Permanent Brazil Brazil 1984 Brazilian Antarctic Program King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Concordia Station Permanent Italy Italy
France France
2005 Concordia Station is a joint French-Italian research facility, managed by PNRA (National Antarctic Research Program of Italy) and IPEV (Institut Polaire Français Paul Émile Victor)

research topics: human biology, geomagnetic observations, geodesy, glaciology, meteorological observations, astronomy, seismology and environmental monitoring [12][13][14][15]
Dome C, Antarctic Plateau Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+10
Dakshin Gangotri Permanent India India 1983 Indian Antarctic Program Dakshin Gangotri Glacier near Schirmacher Oasis Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Davis Station Permanent Australia Australia 1957 Australian Antarctic Division Princess Elizabeth Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+7
Dome Fuji Station Summer Japan Japan 1995 National Institute of Polar Research Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Druzhnaya 4 Summer Russia Russia 1987-1991
(re-opening in 1995)
Russian Antarctic Expedition Princess Elizabeth Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Dumont d'Urville Station Permanent France France 1956 IPEV (Institut Polaire Français Paul Émile Victor) Adélie Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+10
Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva and Villa Las Estrellas Permanent Chile Chile 1969 Chilean Air Force King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Esperanza Base Permanent Argentina Argentina 1975 Argentine Antarctic Institute Hope Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Gabriel de Castilla Station Summer Spain Spain 1989 CSIC
Marine biology [16]
Deception Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Gonzalez Videla Station Summer Chile Chile 1951 Chilean Air Force Paradise Bay, Water Boat Point. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Great Wall Station Permanent China China 1985 Polar Research Institute of China King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Halley Research Station Permanent United Kingdom United Kingdom 1956 British Antarctic Survey [17] Brunt Ice Shelf Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station Permanent Poland Poland 1977 Polish Academy of Sciences King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Jang Bogo Station Permanent South Korea South Korea 2014 Korea Antarctic Research Program Terra Nova Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+11
Jinnah Antarctic Station Summer Pakistan Pakistan 1991 Pakistan Antarctic Programme Sør Rondane Mountains, Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Juan Carlos I Station Summer Spain Spain 1988 CSIC
Laboratory, investigation and meteorogical station.[18]
South Bay, Livingston Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Jubany Permanent Argentina Argentina 1953 Argentine Antarctic Institute King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
King Sejong Station Permanent South Korea South Korea 1988 Korea Antarctic Research Program King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Kohnen Station Summer Germany Germany 2001 Alfred Wegener Institute Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Kunlun Station Summer China China 2009 Polar Research Institute of China Dome A Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Law-Racoviță Station Permanent Romania Romania 1986 Romanian Polar Research Institute Larsemann Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Leningradskaya Station Summer Russia Russia 1971-1991
(re-opening in 2007-2008)
Russian Antarctic Expedition Oates Coast, Victoria Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Machu Picchu Research Station Summer Peru Peru 1989 Peruvian Antarctic Institute (INANPE) [19] Admiralty Bay, King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Maitri Station Permanent India India 1989 Indian Antarctic Program Schirmacher Oasis Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Maldonado Base Summer Ecuador Ecuador 1990 Ecuadorian Antarctic Institute Greenwich Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Marambio Base Permanent Argentina Argentina 1969 Argentine Antarctic Institute Seymour-Marambio Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Mario Zucchelli Station Permanent Italy Italy 1986 National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA)
with the collaboration of ENEA and CNR

research topics: offshore marine biology, terrestrial biology, oceanography, geomagnetic observations, geodesy, onshore geology, glaciology, meteorological observations, ionospheric/auroral observations, cosmic ray observations, seismology and environmental monitoring [20][21][22]
Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+12
Mawson Station Permanent Australia Australia 1954 Australian Antarctic Division Mac Robertson Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+6
McMurdo Station Permanent United States United States 1956 United States Antarctic Program Ross Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+12*
Mendel Polar Station Summer Czech Republic Czech Republic 2006 Masaryk University
biological, geological and climate research
James Ross Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Mirny Station Permanent Russia Russia 1956 Russian Antarctic Expedition
glaciology, seismology, meteorology, polar lights, cosmic radiation, and marine biology
Davis Sea Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Mizuho Station Summer Japan Japan 1970 National Institute of Polar Research
Transshipment station
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Molodyozhnaya Station Summer Russia Russia
Belarus Belarus
1962-1990
(re-opening in 2007-2008)
Russian Antarctic Expedition
Meteorology [23]
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Neumayer-Station III Permanent Germany Germany 2009 Alfred Wegener Institute Atka Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC
Novolazarevskaya Station Permanent Russia Russia 1961 Russian Antarctic Expedition Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Orcadas Base Permanent Argentina Argentina 1904 Argentine Antarctic Institute, Argentine Navy Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Palmer Station Permanent United States United States 1968 United States Antarctic Program
Science labs, a dock and a helicopter pad.
Anvers Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Princess Elisabeth Base Permanent Belgium Belgium 2007 Belgium Polar Secretariat
Energy-passive research station.
Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Professor Julio Escudero Base Permanent Chile Chile 1994 Chilean Antarctic Institute King George Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Progress Station Summer Russia Russia 1988 Russian Antarctic Expedition Prydz Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Rothera Research Station Permanent United Kingdom United Kingdom 1975 British Antarctic Survey Adelaide Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Russkaya Station Summer Russia Russia 1980-1990
(re-opening in 2007-2008)
Russian Antarctic Expedition Marie Byrd Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−6[24]
San Martín Base Permanent Argentina Argentina 1951 Argentine Antarctic Institute Barry Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
SANAE IV (South African National Antarctic Expedition) Permanent South Africa South Africa 1962
(SANAE I)
South African National Antarctic Programme Vesleskarvet in Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+2
St. Kliment Ohridski Base Permanent Bulgaria Bulgaria 1988 Bulgarian Antarctic Institute
Biological research, laboratorial and meteorological measurements. First Eastern Orthodox chapel, St. Ivan Rilski
Emona Anchorage, Livingston Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Scott Base Permanent New Zealand New Zealand 1957 Antarctica New Zealand
Antarctic physical environments, Southern Ocean and Antarctic ecosystems.
Ross Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+12
Showa Station Permanent Japan Japan 1957 National Institute of Polar Research East Ongul Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+3
Signy Research Station Summer (Permanent 1947-1995) United Kingdom United Kingdom 1947 British Antarctic Survey Signy Island, South Orkney Islands Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Svea Research Station Summer Sweden Sweden 1988 Swedish Polar Research Secretariat Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Taishan Station[25] Summer China China 2014 Polar Research Institute of China Princess Elizabeth Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Tor Station Summer Norway Norway 1993 Norwegian Polar Institute Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Troll Station Permanent Norway Norway 1990 Norwegian Polar Institute Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
WAIS Divide Camp Summer United States United States 2005 United States Antarctic Program
Collect a deep ice core
West Antarctic Ice Sheet Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Wasa Research Station Summer Sweden Sweden 1989 Swedish Polar Research Secretariat Queen Maud Land Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Vernadsky Research Base Permanent Ukraine Ukraine 1994 National Antarctic Scientific Center Galindez Island Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC−3
Vostok Station Permanent Russia Russia 1957 Russian Antarctic Expedition Antarctic Ice Sheet Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. UTC+6
Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) Station Permanent China China 1989 Polar Research Institute of China Larsemann Hills in Prydz Bay Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
* Observes daylight saving time.

See also

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 4.0 Antarctica - Past and Present
  3. 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Rudmose Brown, p. 57.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Antarctica and the Arctic: the complete encyclopedia, Volume 1, by David McGonigal, Lynn Woodworth, page 98
  12. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. Concordia Station (English Text pdf - PNRA)
  14. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. Concordia Station structure (IPEV)
  16. BAE Gabriel de Castilla
  17. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. SAS Juan Carlos I
  19. [1]
  20. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. A window on Antarctica (Italiantartide)
  22. Mario Zucchelli Station on National Antarctic Programs
  23. http://www.tvr.by/eng/news.asp?id=15751&date=17.03.2006%2019:31:00#1
  24. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links