Research stations in Antarctica

The number of people performing and supporting scientific research on the continent and nearby islands varies from approximately 4,800 during the summer to around 1,200 during the winter (June).

The 10 members of this expedition explored Robertson Bay to the west of Cape Adare by dog teams, and later, after being picked up by the ship at the base, went ashore on the Ross Ice Shelf for brief journeys.

The hut was later occupied by Scott's Northern Party under the command of Victor Campbell for a year in 1911, after its attempt to explore the eastern end of the ice shelf discovered Roald Amundsen already ashore preparing for his assault on the South Pole.

[5] Bruce instituted a comprehensive program of work, involving meteorological readings, trawling for marine samples, botanical excursions, and the collection of biological and geological specimens.

I should think it will be standing a century hence ..."[7] Bruce later offered to transfer the station and instruments to Argentina on the condition that the government committed itself to the continuation of the scientific mission.

The United States starting under the leadership of Admiral Richard E. Byrd constructed a series of five bases near the Bay of Whales named Little America between 1929 and 1958.

Before the start of the Second World War, German aircraft had dropped markers with swastikas across Queen Maud Land in an attempt to create a territorial claim (New Swabia).

The chief reason was to establish solid British claims to various uninhabited islands and parts of Antarctica, reinforced by Argentine sympathies toward Germany.

Among other accomplishments, it brought the Chilean president Gabriel González Videla to personally inaugurate one of its bases, thereby becoming the first head of state to set foot on the continent.

The Antarctic Treaty, first signed on 1 December 1959 by 12 countries, stated that scientific investigations in research stations in Antarctica can continue, but all observations must be shared.

Map of the country with research stations in Antarctica
Countries with research stations in Antarctica. Countries with permanent stations (Orange), Countries with summer-only stations (Blue).
The first base on Antarctica of Carstens Borchgrevink 's Southern Cross Expedition (1899). The hut (HSM 22) still stands and is located on Cape Adare , the cape where in 1895 Borchgrevnik participated in the first documented landing on Antarctica.
"Omond House", the oldest permanent base on an Antarctic island, constructed in 1903 by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition , which is today Orcadas Base
Orcadas Base, c. 1927
Discovery Hut (1902) at Hut Point Peninsula of Ross Island , Antarctica, one of the earliest repeatedly temporarily used dwellings on Antarctica. In the background McMurdo Station , the largest on Antarctica today, with cargo operations of the supply ship MV American Tern of Operation Deep Freeze 2007.
A C-130 airplane landing onto a ice runway at Union Glacier (upper-left), which causes black carbon concentrations to increase in the surrounding snow (right), as observed through sample collection (lower-left). [ 47 ]