Large-scale scientific study of the Antarctic commenced in the period between the two World Wars. Aircraft played a large part in this development. The Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins, was the first to fly over parts of the Antarctic. The American aviator, Richard E. Byrd was the first to fly over the South Pole on 29 November 1929 (after having flown over the North Pole in 1926). His fourth expedition, called "Operation High Jump," in the summer of 1946-47 was a massive sea and air exercise and involved 13 ships, including an aircraft carrier and a total of 25 aircraft. 49,000 aerial photographs were taken, covering about 60% of the Antarctic coast. The first International Geophysical Year (IGY), 1957-58, was initiated by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). Coastal Antarctic bases were established in the summer of 1955-56 and inland stations during the next summer for the official opening of the IGY on 1 July 1957. The IGY saw a frenzy of activity not only in Antarctica, but all over the world and in space, and resulted in scientific discoveries that revolutionised concepts of the Earth and its oceans, lands, glaciers, atmosphere, and gravitational and geomagnetic fields. In order to continue and coordinate the international Antarctic scientific effort in the post-lGY period, ICSU in September 1957 organised the Special Committee on Antarctic Research, or SCAR. (In 1961 the word Scientific was substituted for Special.) The political success of the Antarctic Treaty can be credited in part to SCAR and to the scientific teams in the field and the laboratory. Scientific knowledge of Antarctica has increased steadily. Many important problems relating to knowledge of the entire Earth can be resolved only in the polar region.

Scar logo
          The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is a committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). It initiates, promotes, and coordinates international scientific activity in the Antarctic. The members of SCAR are drawn from the national bodies affiliated to ICSU. In Australia, the delegate to SCAR is the Chair of the Australian National Committee on Antarctic Research (ANCAR) of the Australian Academy of Science. These are all, strictly speaking, non-government bodies with memberships of individual scientists being held on a personal basis. However, the activities of the national bodies, like the Academy of Science, and international bodies, like SCAR, are strongly supported by governments. SCAR is not involved in political and legal matters but provides scientific advice when requested to the diplomatic forum, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. In particular, SCAR's advice is sought on environmental issues, and on the proper management of the region. One of its most important roles is to encourage and assist in the publication of scientific knowledge derived from research in Antarctica. SCAR has a small secretariat based at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, UK.

Stations and Bases

          There are 35 scientific stations in Antarctica where people live all year round. These are called "wintering" stations. There are a similar number of smaller, "summer" stations or field bases which are used when the weather is milder, usually to support scientific field programs. The greatest concentration of stations and bases is in the Antarctic Peninsula which is the easiest part of Antarctica to get to and the climate is not so harsh. In fact, there is an overcrowding problem on King George Island in the Peninsula where there are eight stations, belonging to China, Chile, Russia, Uruguay, Korea, Argentina, Poland and Brazil, all in close proximity. There are fewer stations in East Antarctica where Australia's facilities are located, partly because it is more remote and difficult to operate there. The wintering stations are like small, very isolated townships. Everything to support the expeditioners over the winter must be at hand, because the Antarctic closes up to ships and planes in winter. The number of people who "winter-over" at each station varies from about 6 to more than 30, depending on the scientific program and the work that needs to be done. In summer, the population usually more than doubles, with scientists and field assistants taking the opportunity provided by the better weather to conduct their studies. The categories of staff usually include doctors, chefs, mechanics, maintenance people, technicians and scientists.

A typical station has:

living quarters where people eat, sleep and relax
a powerhouse where all the heat and electricity is produced
satellite communications facilities
storage buildings for food and equipment
science laboratories.
most stations also have a small hospital.

          The water in Antarctica is mostly ice and snow so running water has to be produced, mainly by melting ice. Once it is melted the water needs to be kept from refreezing in the pipes, usually with electric heating elements. Even sewage has to be pumped through heated pipes to the treatment plant. Buildings in Antarctica must be designed to withstand the severe conditions such as strong and gusty winds up to 300 kph, carrying fine drift snow, and temperatures down to -90_C inland. Early buildings, from the 1900s to the 1950s, were simple, prefabricated timber huts. The buildings of today's Australian stations are sophisticated structures which provide a high-level of motel-style comfort, as well as efficient laboratories and workshops for scientists and other expeditioners. They are built like large refrigerators, but in reverse, with thick, foam insulation panels on the outside to protect you from the wind and cold. Construction is carried out mainly during summer from precut and prepared components which are sent down by ship. In some cases large modules, such as whole rooms, are transported in one piece and put together in Antarctica to form a building. This saves time and effort in Antarctica, but the large modules are more difficult to transport to such a remote location. The architectural design of the new Antarctic stations includes features to improve the quality of life for expeditioners by paying special attention to aspects such as safety, physical comfort, access to privacy, provision of sensory stimulation (use of different colours), and spatial variation.

Politics

Next Chapter: Life on Antarctic