Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva
Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva | |
---|---|
UTC−3 (CLST) | |
UN/LOCODE | AQ ESC |
Active times | All year-round |
Status | Operational |
Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva is the most important Antarctic base of
Also nearby are the bases of
Description
It has a 1,300-metre (4,300 ft)-long airstrip (
It began to operate in 1969 as Centro Meteorológico Eduardo Frei. When the installations were expanded, it was renamed as Base Teniente Rodolfo Marsh, with the meteorology center keeping its original name. During the 1990s, all of the installations came to be named Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva, with the airstrip retaining the name Teniente Rodolfo Marsh.[5]
Climate
Like the coastal areas of Antarctic Peninsula and the subantarctic islands south of the 60º parallel, the area has a tundra climate, that could be considerably borderline "maritime-influenced polar climate", thanks to temperatures that rarely drop below −15 °C (5 °F) in winter (which is commonplace in most of Antarctica), and temperatures that could soar a few digits above freezing for most parts of the year. The base's area and its vicinity (the entire island, actually) experiences a rather heavy precipitation, with an average precipitation rate of 405 millimetres (15.9 in) yearly,[6] which makes it unusual on the Antarctic continent, as the continent is significantly drier than the islands are to the north.[7]
Climate data for Base Frei (1991–2020, extremes 1970–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
9.2 (48.6) |
8.4 (47.1) |
6.5 (43.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
4.2 (39.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
5.1 (41.2) |
3.9 (39.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
8.2 (46.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.6 (36.7) |
2.6 (36.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
1.4 (34.5) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−7.7 (18.1) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
Record low °C (°F) | −5.1 (22.8) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−15.7 (3.7) |
−23.6 (−10.5) |
−24.2 (−11.6) |
−28.5 (−19.3) |
−28.7 (−19.7) |
−23.0 (−9.4) |
−16.0 (3.2) |
−10.7 (12.7) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−28.7 (−19.7) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 43.6 (1.72) |
48.9 (1.93) |
54.2 (2.13) |
44.8 (1.76) |
42.5 (1.67) |
49.2 (1.94) |
47.3 (1.86) |
51.4 (2.02) |
57.0 (2.24) |
61.2 (2.41) |
42.5 (1.67) |
31.9 (1.26) |
574.5 (22.62) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 11.4 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 11.3 | 11.7 | 13.0 | 12.4 | 9.9 | 139.1 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
90.2 | 89.7 | 89.3 | 89.1 | 89.0 | 88.5 | 89.1 | 89.1 | 89.7 | 89.8 | 89.9 | 89.1 | 89.4 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 76.9 | 62.1 | 48.2 | 24.3 | 10.3 | 3.6 | 7.8 | 20.1 | 38.3 | 74.1 | 84.7 | 91.0 | 522.6 |
Source 1: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile[8][9][10][11][12] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: NOAA (precipitation days 1991–2020)[13]
|
See also
Location | Ardley Island, King George Island, Chile |
---|---|
Coordinates | 62°12′03″S 58°57′37″W / 62.200778°S 58.960167°W |
Tower | |
Foundation | concrete base |
Construction | fiberglass tower |
Height | 3 metres (9.8 ft)[14] |
Shape | cylindrical tower with side panels[15] |
Markings | white tower and panels with red horizontal band |
Power source | solar power |
Light | |
Focal height | 5 metres (16 ft)[14] |
Range | 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi)[14] |
Characteristic | Fl W 5s.[14] |
References
- ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ Antarctica
- ^ Great Circle Mapper. "SCRM - Airport". Gc.kls2.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Chilean "EDUARDO FREI" Antarctic Base". Shades Stamp Shop Ltd. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
- ^ Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva - permanent station of Chile, Antarctica - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma
- ^ Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva - permanent station of Chile, Antarctica - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma
- ^ "Datos Normales y Promedios Históricos Promedios de 30 años o menos" (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "Climatología de Estaciones Chilenas de la Península Antártica" (PDF) (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ "Temperaturas Medias y Extremas en 30 Años-Entre los años: 1991 al 2020-Nombre estación: C.M.A. Eduardo Frei Montalva, Antártica" (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ Cerda, Jorge; Zamora, Monica (2007). "CLIMATOLOGÍA DE LA PENINSULA ANTARTICA Y DE LA BASE PRESIDENTE EDUARDO FREI MONTALVA" (PDF). Climatologica Antartica (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- ^ "Temperatura Histórica de la estación C.M.A. Eduardo Frei Montalva, Antártica (950001)" (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ "Eduardo Frei Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Antarctica". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
External links
- Official website Chilean Antarctic Institute
- (in Spanish) Webcam Teniente Martin airport Archived 2011-05-28 at the Wayback Machine