Scott Base
| Scott Base | |||
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| Coordinates | 77 ° 51 ′ S , 166 ° 45 ′ E | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | Antarctica | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | AQ | ||
| Residents | 10 (winter) | ||
| Website | www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/scott-base (English) | ||
| politics | |||
| mayor | David Washer (Lt Commander) |
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| Political party | appointed | ||
 Scott Base
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Scott Base is a New Zealand Antarctic station on Ross Island . It is named after the Marine Captain of the Royal Navy , Robert Falcon Scott , named the area of the Ross Sea , two British expeditions to Antarctica has led. New Zealand's main station is the field research and geosciences center .
Brief account of Scott's voyages to Antarctica
In 1902 and 1903 Scott undertook his first expedition to the Antarctic continent. His base camp was at Hut Point and he reached the mainland via the Ross Ice Shelf . Scott returned to Antarctica with another expedition in 1910. His goal was to be the first people to step onto the South Pole. Although he and four companions (Wilson, Oates, Bowers and Evans) reached the Pole on January 17, 1912 , they discovered that Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian group had been there five weeks before them. Weakened by very adverse weather conditions, a lack of food and scurvy , the group died on their return from the Pole.
On the observation hill at Hut Point , the survivors of the expedition erected a 2.7 m high Jarrah cross as a memorial for the polar expedition. They chose the cross inscription from Alfred Tennyson's Ulysses : Strive, seek, find and not give up ( To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield ).
History of Scott Base
The years 1957/58 had been proclaimed the International Geophysical Year in order to combine global research in geophysics and meteorology . Scott Base contributed to this and became the headquarters of Sir Edmund Hillary . From there Vivian Fuchs ' successful Trans-Antarctic Expedition was supported, the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent.
Difficult choice of location
New Zealand's scientists initially had the task of choosing the best location for the station. They drove to McMurdo Sound with the US expedition " Operation Deep Freeze " in the summer of 1955/56 . Scott Base was due to be built the following summer.
One of the most important considerations for the choice of location was the location of the base on the polar plateau in the western coastal mountains of the sound, since supply depots had to be set up on the high plateau between Pol and McMurdo Sound. After a thorough exploration - often carrying the sledge for miles across the glaciers - Butter Point was chosen. This area at the end of the Ferrar Glacier and directly opposite Hut Point on the other side of the sound offered the best accessibility by sea and good access to the plateau .
In order to transport the New Zealand expedition to the Antarctic, the New Zealand government acquired the John Biscoe , a supply ship for the surveying service of the Falkland Islands .
When the wooden HMNZS Endeavor reached McMurdo Sound in the summer of 1956/57, its engine power proved to be too weak to penetrate the massive drift ice on the western sound. The rough surface of the ice between the ship and the proposed location prevented the transport of building material over the ice in the time available, so Butter Point was no longer an option .
But Rear Admiral George J. Dufek , the commandant of Operation Deep Freeze II , gave the New Zealand expedition a helicopter in which their leader Sir Edmund Hillary finally chose Pram Point after further exploration. Scott's 1902 expedition had a Norwegian pram ( dinghy ) stationed here to travel from Ross Island to the east side of the Hut Point Peninsula.
The Endeavor carried parts of the New Zealand personnel and supplies; Remaining building materials and supplies were brought south on American ships from Operation Deep Freeze 11. Despite the lost time, the station was completed in time for the start of the scientific program.
Geophysics and depots to the South Pole
During the international geophysical year 1957/58 the US station Hut Point was not in scientific use and could serve the New Zealand expedition (?). Its task was to provide important geophysical data, especially on the polar lights (aurora), the ionosphere and seismics . Research activities in the McMurdo area were coordinated with those of the US station and Cape Hallet station in Victoria Land , which both countries operate jointly.
With converted Fergusson farm tractors Sir Edmund Hillary and his group built a chain of supply depots of the Scott Base on the Skelton Glacier and across the Polar Plateau away up to the South Pole in support of the main expedition of (Sir) Vivian Fuchs led has been. Hillary wasn't supposed to go to the Pole, but saw the chance to outdo the British there and did so. He went back on the main expedition to show them the way.
Like most countries that have had Antarctic stations since the geophysical years 1957/58, New Zealand continued to operate the Scott Base in terms of scientific research. The usefulness of the station increased noticeably in the 1962/63 season, when some huts were expanded, a new garage was built and a second hut was built for seismic surveys.
Towards the end of the 1960/61 season, the Endeavor retired for Antarctic missions; Their successor is also called: a small tanker that the USA lent to the New Zealand Navy. The “new Endeavor” is currently supplying Scott Base, transporting fuel for the US Deep Freeze operations, and conducting oceanographic and similar studies.
Planning and operation of the station
The New Zealand Antarctic Research Program is the Committee for the Ross Dependency ( Ross Dependency Research Committee formulated). It consists of representatives of state and semi-state institutions of New Zealand such as B. New Zealand Universities and the Dominion Museum , the Department of State and the Royal Society of New Zealand . It is representative of all scientific disciplines with interests in the Antarctic.
Scott Base was established in 1957 as part of the New Zealand Antarctic Research Program .
Description of the base
The Scott Base buildings were prefabricated by firms from New Zealand and Australia according to the plans of the New Zealand Ministry of Labor architects . To speed up construction at Pram Point , the entire building and facilities were built in New Zealand, all parts numbered and shipped south. The reconstruction at Pram Point only required the preparation of the site and the securing of the fortifications.
Extensions and improvements to the station increased the number of buildings in the following years from 7 to 10; all are now linked by covered paths. Away from the main group of buildings is a large warehouse that used to house the Royal New Zealand Air Force's Antarctic flight. Further huts with scientific instruments were built on the edge of the station area . Scott Base later took over the aurora measurements from the abandoned US station near Little America .
Whistler and other aircraft are stationed nearby . At the Arrival Heights and the Second Crater on the Hut Point Peninsula are the radar station for polar light research and the Quiet Experimental station, which can do the physics of the upper atmosphere with noise-free radio reception .
Two new 65 kW generators were installed between 1966 and 1967 as the increased demand for electricity overwhelmed the two five-year-old 48 kW generators. In winter each crew member has a room to himself. The fair is the center of the small community.
The corrugated iron tunnels and covered paths between the main buildings allow free movement within the station. You don't have to change (anymore) because of the weather, which saves a lot of time.
The huts are heated with kerosene (air heater with thermostats ); Ice melters are installed in those huts that need water. This prevents pipes from icing up, which would occur in a pipe network.
Means of transport for the 1968-69 season were: a Nodwell Carrier for personnel and freight, a Tucker Sno-Cat (Fuchs' lead vehicle 'A' of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition), Caterpillar D-4, tractors from International and Fergusson , Land Rover with long Wheelbase, and two snow tracs built in Sweden . Snowmobile , snowmobiles and dogs are used by the fieldwork groups.
Scheduled radio links are established daily to New Zealand with 1 kW radios for SSB - radiotelephony and Morse code telegraphy . The outside groups transmit via shortwave devices. Miniature VHF equipment is used within the station .
crew
Although only eleven people usually spend the winter at Scott Base each year, there is accommodation for 30 people to support the summer scientific programs. The winter crew consists of the station manager, the station engineer, a cook, a field research assistant, an electrician, a maintenance mechanic, a radio officer and usually four scientists or technicians. One member is currently being recruited from the previous summer's field research team. Its job is to take on special tasks in the evaluation of the field data and to prepare the material for the next field research season.
However, overcrowding can occur in the summer as the summer occupation can increase up to four times the winter occupation. Such a situation occurs during the replacement of winter groups, when field research groups return, when construction crews are present and when scientific or supervisory staff come to visit. Due to the unpredictability of traffic between Antarctica and New Zealand, plans to pick up personnel may be mixed up. The current total number of people actively serving in Antarctica for New Zealand is approximately 80.
dogs
In January 1957 dogs accompanied the New Zealand portion of the Commonwealth's Trans-Antarctic Expedition and dogs have been part of all field research groups ever since.
The original pack of 60 dogs came from four sources, most and the best of them from Australia's Mawson Station. The breeding line of Mawson dog goes back to the dogs in the French station in Adelie Land (around 1950), in turn, from the Hope Bay Station originate the surveying service of the Falkland Islands, which in turn came from the west coast of Greenland.
The Auckland Zoo delivered 16 more dogs that came from Admiral Richard E. Byrd's United States Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1941). 13 more dogs were purchased directly from the Danish government and arrived directly from Greenland on board the HMNZS Endeavor in New Zealand.
In order to prevent inbreeding and age imbalances, new breeding lines with 12 dogs were introduced in 1960, selected by W. Herbert in Greenland and flown directly to New Zealand with the US MATS . Now all breeding takes place at Scott Base .
A dog's effective working life is rarely more than eight years. Breeding and performance records of all Scott Base dogs from 1960 are always kept up to date and contain names such as Draco, Leo, Uglen, Akortok, Kakiwa, Ardluk.
After the completion of the geological and topographical reconnaissance project of the Ross Dependency in 1963/64, long trips with dog sleds are no longer necessary. Since not that many dogs are needed anymore, the number of dogs is kept at 20. This is enough for two teams of nine and a couple of replacement dogs.
climate
The American station on the other side of the Gap at McMurdo has a warmer climate than Scott Base at Pram Point. Pram Point is exposed to the full force of the occasional southern blizzard. Overall, however, Scott Base has less wind than McMurdo Station . The lowest temperatures at Scott Base are -45 ° C and in summer temperatures are occasionally just above freezing point.
Maximum wind speeds of 190 kilometers per hour have occurred. In snowstorms, uniform speeds of 100 to 115 kilometers per hour are measured.
SCOTT BASE post office
Ross Dependency is called the area claimed by New Zealand in Antarctica. The SCOTT BASE post office was opened in this area on January 11, 1957. Over the years 20 stamps were issued that were only valid in the area of the Ross Dependency. First-day letters were also issued on special occasions, such as when the Antarctic Meeting was held at Scott Base on January 20, 1958. A total of 8 first day cancellations have been used in the history of the post office. The SCOTT BASE post office was closed on October 1, 1987 for cost reasons and because the mail volume was too low. It was one of the most widely used post offices in Antarctica.
Scientific program 1969
The station and its staff now exist for one purpose only: to push the boundaries of science. For this purpose, scientific data is collected by the scientists and technicians in the mobile and stationary field research groups. The amounts of transport, fuel and other materials that are required to support aircraft, ships and personnel in their tasks are evidence of an impressive logistical effort.
The mobile field research groups were mainly occupied with geological and topographical explorations. Dog sledding is common for this type of work, although some groups also use human-drawn sleds. Polaris powered sleds, introduced in the 1962–63 season, are fast and better suited for most tasks: larger areas can be covered in the time available, heavier loads can be carried, and require less attention than groups of dogs. Even so, two groups of dogs were kept at Scott Base for emergencies and rescue operations.
Until 1960 the air traffic connection of the station was provided by the Antarctic flights of the New Zealand Air Force. Since then, the supply has been made by air by the VXE-6 squadron of the American Navy. In return, New Zealand has made facilities available in Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The first flight from New Zealand to Antarctica takes place on October 28, 1965 with the RNZAF C130 Hercules. Two more round-trip flights followed immediately. These flights were repeated in 1966-67. 1967-68 was the first Antarctic domestic flight to drop material at Lake Vanda in the Wright Valley , which was used to build the Vanda station.
Such support from the New Zealand Air Force is an important contribution to New Zealand's role in Antarctica.
The relatively stationary field groups work at various locations on projects that range from glaciology and soil exploration to bird and animal biology.
The work of the station includes observation disciplines in seismology , geomagnetism and ionospheric research , as well as special aspects of the upper atmosphere with special consideration of the aurora region and the region above 50 km. Radio, radar and optical techniques are used. Most of the scientific activities take place in the main laboratory. Additional facilities are the polar light hut, the seismic hut and two magnet huts.
At Second Crater there is a satellite receiving station that collects information about the ionosphere from signals from the S66 satellite, which passes over the pole every 105 minutes. These signals are sent through the ionosphere and complement the signals that are sent up by the station, so that an investigation pattern results in this sphere.
The New Zealand Oceanography Institute participates in the Antarctic research program with ongoing projects in physical oceanography, geology, and marine biology using the HMNZS Endeavor in the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean. The distribution of bottom animals on the Macquarie Ridge, sediment and soil samples in certain areas of the Ross Sea, soundings, surface temperature surveys and magnetometry are tasks that are performed at sea.
Scientists from Victoria University in Wellington cross the sea between New Zealand and McMurdo Sound on the HMNZS Endeavor using a proton magnetometer .
The nuclear research are collections of air, snow and water samples . Meteorology includes the readings of self-writing logs of standard climatic data, i.e. H. Air pressure , temperature and humidity, wind speed, cloud cover and solar radiation .
All scientific data received from various instruments at the Scott base and its surrounding buildings is continuously recorded on rotating paper cards, magnetic tapes, 35mm film or photosensitive photo paper. This means that a scientist does not have to be constantly on duty in the laboratory.
Vanda station
The main project for NZARP68 / 69 was to continue work on the construction of the Vanda station on the shores of Lake Vanda on Wright Island in Victoria Land. This succeeded and the station was manned by 5 men from January to October 1969.
Picture gallery
Oblique aerial view of Scott Base
Oblique aerial view of the station with a view of Observation Hill
Web links
- Homepage . Antarctica New Zealand,accessed December 2, 2015.
- Antarctic Facilities . Comnap - Nunatak Systems Pty Ltd, archived from the original onJanuary 1, 2011; accessed on September 10, 2014(English, original website no longer available).
- MAP: Antarctica and the Southern Ocean . (PDF (8.1 MB))Comnap - Nunatak Systems Pty Ltd, archived from the original on September15, 2009; accessed on September 10, 2014(English, original website no longer available).
Individual evidence
- ^ Antarktis.ch - Scott Base Post Office.Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ↑ Mark A. Jurisich: The postmarks of Ross Dependency. Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand 2012, ISBN 978-0-9876534-1-3