Orcadas Base

- 60.738888888889 - 44.738055555556Koordinaten: 60 ° 44 ' 20 " S, 44 ° 44' 17 " W

The station Orcadas, Spanish Base Orcadas, is an Argentine research station in Antarctica. It is located on the island of Laurie Iceland belonging to the South Orkney Islands and Tierra del Fuego 1501 km from the nearest port of Ushuaia, the nearest station is the British Antarctic Signy station 51 km away.

History

Beginning of the 20th century broke the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, led by William Speirs Bruce in order to penetrate into the Wedellsee. When this venture failed, she devoted herself to exploring the South Orkney Islands. Basis for their exploratory trips formed a stone hut erected in 1903 on Laurie Iceland. The hut was passed in 1904 to Argentine researchers who she has since operated under the name Orcadas. Until 1927 there was no Argentine station manager. These came from Scandinavia, England, Germany or Russia. On September 25, 1905, died here of the German station manager Otto Diebel ( 1858-1905 ).

Since 22 February 1904, the station has been continuously inhabited, making it the oldest continuously inhabited Antarctic station. Orcadas is also the first permanent station, which was mentioned in the Antarctic Treaty system and now one of six Argentine Antarctic stations. On Orcadas the first radio station in Antarctica in 1927 put into operation.

Infrastructure

Orcadas situated at a height of four meters above sea level on rocky ground and is 170 meters from the coast. The station housed in a total of 11 buildings in summer to 45 in winter average of 14 persons.

The total area of ​​the station comprises 4800 m² space in the buildings in 2101 m² of which 423 m² for the accommodation of the inhabitants are expected. Per year, the station consumes 192,000 liters of fuel, which also serves the power generation with four generators; the total water consumption is 1,080,000 liters, wherein the water is derived from the melting of ice, and the waste water is discharged into the sea. A doctor is on site, which are 20 m² surface with four beds for care of patients. Two ship deliveries per year are used to secure the supply to the station, also the station from November to March is also accessible by air.

The research focuses on Orcadas are glaciology, seismology and meteorology.

Conservation

The oldest building of the station, the " Omond House " from 1903, which was built in 1905 Argentine magnetic observatory " Moneta House" and an Argentine meteorological hut are, today, together with a cemetery with graves of twelve, the oldest of which dates from 1903, when historic site HSM -42 under the protection of the Antarctic Treaty.