Scott Base
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Scott Base may also refer to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Scott Base is a base located at in Antarctica, operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. Located on Ross Island near Mount Erebus in the Ross Dependency, it is New Zealand's main base in Antarctica. It was set up as support to field research and the centre for research into earth sciences, but now conducts research in many fields.
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[edit] Base history
Scott Base was constructed as part of the New Zealand Government’s contribution to the International Geophysical Year (IGY) project of 1957. New Zealand observers with the task of selecting the site for a base went to McMurdo Sound with the United States “Operation Deep Freeze I” in the summer of 1955. After evaluating many possible sites, Butter Point was chosen. This was later changed to Pram Point as it had better overland access.
During the IGY the United States facility at Hut Point did not operate as a scientific base. It was the New Zealand expedition’s responsibility to furnish the important scientific data (auroral, ionospheric, seismic, etc.), linking the McMurdo area research activities with those of the United States Pole Station and the joint United States-New Zealand station at Cape Hallett, Victoria Land.
Although the base was only intended to last several years, New Zealand has continued to operate Scott Base for scientific research, much of which depends upon the continuity of recorded data over a period of years. In order to maintain operations, a base rebuilding programme began in 1976. As of 2005, the only original building is the TAE hut, which contains material recording New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica since 1957. In 2005 the two-story high Hillary Field Centre was commissioned, increasing the floor area of Scott Base by 1800 square metres and providing work areas to support field parties as well as additional office space. The building was officially opened by Foreign Minister Phil Goff and Sir Edmund Hillary.
From 1957 until 1994, dogs played a part in base operations. Initially they were an essential means of transport, but with better technology their importance dwindled until they were removed in line with environmental treaties.
[edit] The base today
The base is made up of a neat collection of lime-green buildings which are linked by all-weather corridors. These buildings can accommodate 85 people over summer, with a skeleton staff of between 10 and 14 people remaining over the winter.
Along with several other bases, it is operated by Antarctica New Zealand. It has an extensive scientific research program, focusing on the fields of Antarctic physical environments, the Southern Ocean and Antarctic ecosystems. [1]
The base has fairly typical weather conditions for Antarctica, with minimum temperatures around -45 degrees Celsius and summer maximums only occasionally above freezing point. It is exposed to the full strength of southerly blizzards, although overall it is less windy than nearby McMurdo Station. The maximum wind velocities experienced have been gusts up to 185 km/h with steady velocities under blizzard conditions of 95–115 km/h.
