Scott Base
Scott Base is a New Zealand Antarctic Station on Ross Island. It is named after the naval captain of the Royal Navy, Robert Falcon Scott, named, who led two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. It is New Zealand's main station to support field research and Centre for Geosciences.
- 3.1 Description of base
- 3.2 crew
- 3.3 Dogs
- 3.4 climate
- 4.1 Vanda Station
Summary of the travels of Scott to the Antarctic
In the years 1902 and 1903 Scott made his first expedition to the Antarctic continent. His base camp was at Hut Point and he reached the mainland on the Ross Ice Shelf. Scott returned in 1910 with a further expedition to Antarctica back. He had the goal of being the first people to enter the South Pole. Although he reached and four companions (Wilson, Oates, Bowers and Evans ) on 17 January 1912 pole, but had to find that Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian group had already been five weeks before them there. From the very adverse weather conditions, weak from lack of food and scurvy, the group died on the return from the Pole.
On the observation hill of Hut Point, the survivors of the expedition established a 2.7 m high jarrah cross as a memorial for the polar expedition. The cross - inscription they chose from the Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson: pursuit, search, find, and do not give (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, designed to combine the global research of Geophysics and Meteorology. Scott Base was a contribution 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 selection of the site
New Zealand scientists had first task is to select the best location for the station. They drove with the U.S. expedition " Operation Deep Freeze" in the summer of 1955-56 to McMurdo Sound. Scott Base should be built in the following summer.
One of the most important considerations for choosing this location was the location of the base to the Polar Plateau in the western coastal mountains of the Sound, as supply depots were to be put on the high plateau between pole and McMurdo Sound. After a thorough investigation - often with miles far from carrying the sled over the glacier - Butter Point was selected. This area at the end of the Ferrar Glacier and directly across from 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, New Zealand Government acquired the John Biscoe, a supply ship of the surveying service of the Falkland Islands.
As the existing wooden HMNZS Endeavour to McMurdo Sound reached in the summer of 1956/57, their motor force unfortunately proved to be too weak to penetrate the massive drift on the western Sound. The rough surface of the ice between the ship and prevented 's proposed location in the time available, the transport of building materials across the ice - making butter Point no longer out of the question.
But Admiral Dufek, commander of Operation Deep Freeze II, leaving the New Zealand expedition a helicopter in which its director Sir Edmund Hillary for further explorations eventually Pram Point chose. Scott's expedition of 1902 had here a Norwegian pram ( a dinghy ) stationed in order to get from Ross Iceland to the east side of Hut Point Peninsula can.
The Endeavour transported parts of the New Zealand personnel and supplies; residual construction materials and operating supplies were brought by American ships of Operation Deep Freeze 11 to the south. Despite the lost time, the station was completed in time for the beginning of the scientific program.
Geophysics and depots to the South Pole
During the International Geophysical Year in 1957/58, the U.S. station Hut Point was not for scientific operations and was the New Zealand expedition (?) Serve. She had the task to provide important geophysical data, especially at the northern lights ( Aurora), to the ionosphere and seismology. The research activities at McMurdo area were compared with those of the U.S. station and the station Cape Hallet in Victoria Land, which operated both countries jointly coordinated.
With rebuilt Fergusson farm tractors Sir Edmund Hillary and his group built a chain of supply depots of the Scott Base over the Skelton Glacier and the Polar Plateau across to the South Pole in support of the main expedition, led by (Sir) Vivian Fuchs been. Hillary should not go to the pole actually, but saw the opportunity to outdo the Brits there and did. He drove back to the main expedition to show them the way.
Like most countries, who in 1957/58 Antarctic stations since the Geophysics years, continued the operation of the New Zealand Scott Base for the purposes of scientific research continues. The benefit of the station increased in the season 1962/63 noticeably by a few huts have been enhanced built a new garage and a second hut was built for seismic surveys.
Towards the end of the season 1960/61, retired from the Endeavour for Antarctic operations; Her successor is called as: a small tanker, the U.S. has the New Zealand Navy have borrowed. Currently, the supplied " new Endeavour" Scott Base, transported fuel for the Deep Freeze operations of the USA, leading oceanographic and similar studies.
Planning and operation of the station
The New Zealand Antarctic Research Program is formulated by the Committee for the sub- area of the Ross Shelf ( Ross Dependency Research Committee ). It consists of representatives of governmental and semi-governmental institutions such as New Zealand the New Zealand universities and the Dominion Museum, the State Department and the Royal Society of New Zealand. It is representative of all scientific disciplines with interests in Antarctica.
The Antarctic Division ( DSIR ) provides for the detailed planning and implementation of the program. You concerned staff, equipment and facilities for all government projects. The Antarctic Division monitors and operates all projects with the Scott Base line.
Description of the basic
The building of the Scott Base were prefabricated according to the plans of the architects of the New Zealand Ministry of Labour of companies from New Zealand and Australia. To speed up the construction at Pram Point, they built the entire building with all facilities fully in New Zealand, numbered all the parts and shipped them to the south. The reconstruction at Pram Point needed only the preparation of the site and securing the fasteners.
Extensions and improvements to the station increased its number of buildings in the following years from 7 to 10; all of which are now connected by covered walkways. Away from the main group of buildings is a large warehouse that formerly housed the Antarctic flight of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. On the edge of the station area more cabins were built with scientific instruments. The Scott Base later took over the auroral measurements of the discontinued U.S. station at Little America.
Nearby Whistler and other aircraft are stationed. In Arrival Heights and Second Crater on the Hut Point Peninsula are the radar station for the Northern Lights and the Quiet experimental station that can operate with noise-free radio reception physics of the upper atmosphere.
1966-67 were installed because of the increase in electricity demand via urged the two 5 year old 48 kVA generators, two new 65 kW generators. The decor is not luxurious, but practical and appropriate. In winter, each crew member has a space for themselves. The Mass is the center of the small community.
The corrugated iron tunnels and covered walkways between the main buildings allow free movement within the station. It must be because of the weather not constantly moving (more) and saves a lot of time.
The heating of the huts is done with kerosene (air heaters with thermostats ); Eisschmelzgeräte are installed in those huts that need water. This icing tubes is avoided, which would occur in a distribution network.
Transport of the season 1968-69 were: a Nodwell Carrier for personnel and cargo, 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 built in Sweden Sno -Trac. Snowmobiling, snowmobiles and dogs are used by the field work groups.
Depreciation and wireless connections are made daily to New Zealand with 1 kW radios for SSB radio and Morse code. The outside groups on shortwave radio devices. Within the station miniature VHF radios are used.
Crew
Although usually overwinter only eleven people in the Scott Base every year, there is accommodation for 30 people to the science summer programs to support. 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. Currently, a member will always recruited from the field research team of the previous summer. Its mission is to carry out specific functions in the evaluation of the field data, and prepare the material for the next field research season.
In summer, however, it may lead to overcrowding, since the summer crew can rise up to four times the winter crew. Such situation there during the replacement of the Winter Group, on return from field research groups when construction crews are present and when scientific or supervisory staff comes to visit. Due to the vagaries of traffic between Antarctica and New Zealand, it may happen that plans for pickup of personnel from becoming entangled. The current total number of persons in Antarctica are actively working for New Zealand, is approximately 80
Canine
In January 1957 dogs accompanied the New Zealand part of the Trans - Antarctic Expedition of the Commonwealth and since dogs are part of all field research groups.
The original pack of 60 dogs came from four sources, the most and the best ones of Australia's Mawson station. The breeding line of Mawson dogs goes back to the dogs in the French station in Adelie Land ( 1950 ), which in turn come from the Hope Bay station of the surveying service, the Falkland Islands, which in turn came from the west coast of Greenland.
The Auckland Zoo yielded 16 more dogs that come from Admiral Richard E. Byrd United States Service Expedition of 1939-40. 13 more dogs were purchased directly from the Danish government and came directly from Greenland aboard the HMNZS Endeavour in New Zealand to.
To prevent inbreeding and age imbalances, 1960 new breeding lines with 12 dogs have been introduced which have been selected by W. Herbert in Greenland and directly to New Zealand with the U.S. MATS were flown. Now takes place the entire breeding at Scott Base.
The effective working life of a dog is rarely more than eight years. Breeding and performance records of all Scott Base dogs of 1960 are always kept up to date and include names like Draco, Leo, Uglen, Akortok, Kakiwa, Ardluk.
After the completion of the geological and topographical Enlightenment project of the Ross Dependency 1963-64 are long trips by dogsled no longer necessary. Since now no longer so many dogs are needed, the number of dogs kept at 20. This is enough for two of nine teams and a few spare dogs.
Climate
The American station on the other side of the Gap at McMurdo enjoys a warmer climate than the Scott Base at Pram Point. Pram Point is exposed to the full force of the southern occasional snowstorms. On the whole, the Scott Base but less wind than the McMurdo Station has. Lowest temperatures at Scott Base are located at -45 ° C and summer temperatures sometimes reach just above freezing.
Maximum wind speeds of 190 kilometers per hour have occurred. In snowstorms uniform speeds 100-115 kilometers per hour can be measured.
Scientific Program 1969
The station and its staff now exist for only one purpose: to expand the boundaries of science. To this end, scientific data are collected by the scientists and engineers in the mobile and stationary field research groups. The amounts of transportation, fuel and other materials that are needed to support aircraft, ships and personnel in their duties, bear witness to an impressive logistical effort.
The mobile field research groups were mainly concerned with geological and topographical exploration. For this type of work, it is common to travel by dogsled, although some groups of people also use drawn carriage. Polaris motor - sledge, introduced since the 1962-63 season, fast and better suited for most tasks: Larger areas can be covered in the time available, heavier loads can be transported, and require less attention than dogs groups. Nevertheless, two groups of dogs at Scott Base were kept for emergencies and rescue.
By 1960, the air transport connection of the station was concerned by the Antarctic flights of the New Zealand Air Force. Since then, the supply takes place by air, by the VXE -6 Squadron of the U.S. Navy. In return, New Zealand has made investments in Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand are available.
The first flight from New Zealand to Antarctica takes place on 28 October 1965 with the RNZAF C130 Hercules. Two additional round-trip flights followed immediately. These flights were repeated in 1966-67. 1967-68 was the first Antarctic domestic flight to dropping of material during Vandasee in the Wright Valley, which was used for construction of the Vanda Station.
Such support from the New Zealand Air Force represents an important contribution to New Zealand's role in Antarctica
The relatively stationary field groups working on different locations on projects ranging from glaciology on soil surveys to bird and animal biology.
The work of the station includes observation disciplines in seismology, geomagnetism and ionospheric research, as well as particular aspects of the upper atmosphere with special attention to the polar region and the region above 50 km. Radio, radar and optical techniques. Most scientific activities take place in the main laboratory. Ancillary equipment are the auroral hut, the seismic hut and two magnetic huts.
In Second Crater, there is a satellite receiving station, the information on the ionosphere from signals of the satellite collects S66 that runs every 105 minutes over the pole. This signal passes through the ionosphere and complement the signals that are highly transmitted by the station, so that a test pattern results in this sphere.
The New Zealand Oceanographic Institute participates in the Antarctic research program with ongoing projects in physical oceanography, geology, and marine biology using the HMNZS Endeavour in the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean. The distribution of benthic animals on the Macquarie Ridge, sediment and soil samples in certain areas of the Ross Sea, soundings, surface temperature recordings and magnetometry are tasks that are carried out at sea.
Scientists at Victoria University in Wellington crossing the sea between New Zealand and McMurdo Sound on the HMNZS Endeavour while using a proton magnetometer.
The nuclear research are collections of air, snow and water samples. For meteorology, the readings themselves writing protocols of standard climate data, ie Air pressure, air temperature and humidity, wind speed, cloud cover and solar radiation.
All scientific data that are received from different instruments at Scott Base and its surrounding buildings, continuously rotating on to paper cards, magnetic tapes, 35mm film or photosensitive paper are recorded. This has to do service not constantly a scientist in the laboratory.
Vanda station
The main project for NZARP68/69 was the continuation of work on the construction of the Vanda Station on the banks of Vandasees at Wright Island in Victoria Land. It was successful and the station was occupied from January to October 1969 5 man.
Gallery
Oblique aerial view of the station with views of the Observation Hill