Captain Arturo Prat Base
The Captain Arturo Prat Base is a science station in Antarctica. It is the oldest research station from Chile and is managed by the Chilean Navy.
Prat Station | |
|---|---|
| Arturo Prat Station | |
Captain Arturo Prat Base | |
Prat Station Location of Prat Station in Antarctica | |
| Coordinates: 62°28′44″S 59°39′52″W / 62.478889°S 59.664444°W | |
| Established | 6 February 1947 |
| Named for | Arturo Prat |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • Summer | 30 |
| • Winter | 8 |
| UN/LOCODE | AQ APT |
| Website | Base Arturo Prat INACH |
History
The base was started on February 6, 1947. This makes it the oldest Chilean station in Antarctica.
The station is named after Captain Arturo Prat. He was a hero in the Chilean Navy. He died in a famous battle in 1879. A bust of him stands at the base.
The base was closed for a few years in the 2000s but was opened again in 2006. In 2018, a fire damaged some of its buildings.
Geography
The station is on an island called Greenwich Island. This island is part of the South Shetland Islands. It is in a small bay named Iquique Cove.
The area around the base has some rocks and is a good place for ships to land.
Climate
The climate at the base is a tundra climate. This means it is very cold but not as cold as other parts of Antarctica.[1][2]
The temperature in July, the coldest month, can drop to -29°C (-20.2°F). The warmest temperature ever recorded there was 19°C (66.2°F). The climate is also very wet. It gets a good amount of rain and snow all year.[3]
Research
Scientists at the base study many things, including:
- The atmosphere
- The weather
- How the ionosphere works (the part of the atmosphere with electric charge)
The station is open all year. It can have up to 30 people in the summer and around 8 people in the winter.
- ↑ "World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classification". koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
- ↑ "What happens to Steig et al's warming when you divide Antarctica into two distinct climate zones?". Watts Up With That?. 2009-04-18. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
- ↑ "Base Arturo Prat Climate History". Weather2. Retrieved July 22, 2019.