Vernadsky Research Base
Encyclopedia
Vernadsky Research Base is a Ukrainian
Antarctic Station at Marina Point on Galindez Island
in the Argentine Islands
, Antarctica.
Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey as Base F or "Argentine Islands" on Winter Island
in 1947.
The main hut, built on the site of an earlier British Graham Land Expedition
hut, was named "Wordie House" after Sir James Wordie
, a member of Shackleton's
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
who visited during its construction.
Wordie House has been restored and is designated as Historic Site and Monument No. 62.
The base moved to the present site on adjacent Galindez Island in May 1954 where the main building was named "Coronation House".
The base was renamed Faraday Station in August 1977 in honour of British scientist Michael Faraday
.
took over the operation of the base in February 1996 , which was sold by the UK for a symbolic one pound. The cost of disassembling the base with good environmental practices and standards would be too costly. The Ukrainian Antarctic Center continues a programme of meteorology
, upper atmospheric physics
, geomagnetism, ozone
, seismology
, glaciology
, ecology
, biology
and physiology
research.
A 1961 extension at the east end of the hut provided living quarters for 15 people.
Major alterations in 1980 updated the living and working accommodation.
A two-storey extension provides sleeping accommodation for 24 people, a clothing store, boiler room and reverse osmosis
plant on the ground floor. Upstairs are a lounge, library, dining room, gift store and kitchen. The lounge is considered the southernmost public bar in the world, where visitors can purchase $3 shots of vodka (made on the premises).
The old part of the building is now mostly laboratories and work rooms, together with the surgery and washrooms.
The generator shed was erected in 1978-79, with the old one now used as a frozen food store and a carpenter's workshop.
Other buildings include two non-magnetic buildings, a balloon launching shed (now skidoo garage), and a general store.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Antarctic Station at Marina Point on Galindez Island
Galindez Island
Galindez Island is an island long, lying immediately east of Winter Island in the Argentine Islands, Wilhelm Archipelago.Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903-05, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, who named it for Commander Ismael F. Galíndez, Argentine Navy, who was dispatched in the...
in the Argentine Islands
Argentine Islands
The Argentine Islands are a group of islands southwest of Petermann Island and northwest of Cape Tuxen, in the Wilhelm Archipelago off the Antarctic Peninsula. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, and named by him for the Argentine Republic in...
, Antarctica.
United Kingdom
The station was established by the BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey as Base F or "Argentine Islands" on Winter Island
Winter Island (Antarctica)
Winter Island is an island 0.5 nautical miles long, lying 0.1 nautical miles north of Skua Island in the Argentine Islands, Wilhelm Archipelago. Winter Island was named by the British Graham Land Expedition , 1934–37, which made this island the site of its winter base during 1935.- See...
in 1947.
The main hut, built on the site of an earlier British Graham Land Expedition
British Graham Land Expedition
A British expedition to Graham Land led by John Lachlan Cope took place between 1920 and 1922. The British Graham Land Expedition was a geophysical and exploration expedition to Graham Land in Antarctica between 1934 to 1937. Under the leadership of John Riddoch Rymill, the expedition spent two...
hut, was named "Wordie House" after Sir James Wordie
James Wordie
Sir James Mann Wordie, CBE was a Scottish polar explorer and geologist.Wordie was born at Partick, Glasgow, in the former county of Lanarkshire in Scotland. He studied at The Glasgow Academy and obtained a BSc in geology from University of Glasgow. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge...
, a member of Shackleton's
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition , also known as the Endurance Expedition, is considered the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Conceived by Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition was an attempt to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent...
who visited during its construction.
Wordie House has been restored and is designated as Historic Site and Monument No. 62.
The base moved to the present site on adjacent Galindez Island in May 1954 where the main building was named "Coronation House".
The base was renamed Faraday Station in August 1977 in honour of British scientist Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....
.
Ukraine
UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
took over the operation of the base in February 1996 , which was sold by the UK for a symbolic one pound. The cost of disassembling the base with good environmental practices and standards would be too costly. The Ukrainian Antarctic Center continues a programme of meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
, upper atmospheric physics
Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
, geomagnetism, ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
, seismology
Seismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
, glaciology
Glaciology
Glaciology Glaciology Glaciology (from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal): glace, "ice"; or Latin: glacies, "frost, ice"; and Greek: λόγος, logos, "speech" lit...
, ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
research.
The building
The station consists of nine buildings standing on rock foundations.A 1961 extension at the east end of the hut provided living quarters for 15 people.
Major alterations in 1980 updated the living and working accommodation.
A two-storey extension provides sleeping accommodation for 24 people, a clothing store, boiler room and reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a membrane technical filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and...
plant on the ground floor. Upstairs are a lounge, library, dining room, gift store and kitchen. The lounge is considered the southernmost public bar in the world, where visitors can purchase $3 shots of vodka (made on the premises).
The old part of the building is now mostly laboratories and work rooms, together with the surgery and washrooms.
The generator shed was erected in 1978-79, with the old one now used as a frozen food store and a carpenter's workshop.
Other buildings include two non-magnetic buildings, a balloon launching shed (now skidoo garage), and a general store.