SANAE IV

- 71.666666666667 - 2.85Koordinaten: 71 ° 40 '0 "S, 2 ° 51 ' 0 " W

South Africa maintains SANAE IV station as part of its Antarctic research program, South African National Antarctic Programs ( SANAP ) on the coast of Antarctica.

Like all the other built on ice stations had their predecessors to be replaced due to the ice movement at regular intervals. The first station ( SANAE I) was built in 1962 near the Norwegian station; it was a simple wooden hut and served as a supply base for the 350 km south to camp in the mountains of Borga - 1969 until 1976. 1971 it was replaced by SANAE II. In 1979 built SANAE III steel pipes were used to stabilize the first time. SANAE III served as a supply base for the expedition camp " Sarie Marais " in the 200 km away Grunehogna Mountains.

The current base SANAE IV was built in accordance with the Madrid Protocol of 1991, in four years of construction at a rock base ( Nunatak ) at Vesleskarvet and consists of three steel blocks with a total of 3300 m². Since its completion in 1997 overwinter here South African research team. In winter, the crew shrinks but on 9 people. Sanae IV is located about 225 km southeast of the Neumayer Station II

Research focuses on oceanography, astronomy, biology and geology, which are carried out mainly in the summer.

• The Southern Hemisphere Auroral Radar Experiment ( SHARE) in collaboration with the British Halley station and the Japanese Syowa station
• Antarctic Magnetosphere, Ionosphere Ground-based Observations ( AMIGO )
• Antarctic Research on Cosmic Rays ( ANOKS )

Beyond The station serves as a telemetry station for the Swedish satellite Astrid 2 and the collection of geological data, meteo and is part of the worldwide network of International GPS Service.

The supply to the station via the icebreaker SA Agulhas. Light goods and people are flown with Oryx helicopters from the ship to the station during heavy loads and diesel vehicles with caterpillar ( Caterpillar Challenger) are drawn in 14 hours on the 160- km route.