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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Presidente Eduardo Frei Base
Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva is the most important Antarctic base of Chile. It is located at Fildes Peninsula, an ice-free area, in front of Fildes Bay, at the west end of King George Island, South Shetland Islands. Situated alongside the Escudero Station in Villa Las Estrellas and only 200 metres (660 ft) from the Russian Bellingshausen Station, it is at an altitude of 10 metres (33 ft) above sea-level. The base is located in the Chilean commune of Antártica, which is the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile (Antártica Chilena Province, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region).

Also nearby are the bases of Great Wall (China), General Artigas Station (Uruguay), King Sejong Station (Republic of Korea), Carlini Base (Argentina), Commandante Ferraz (Brazil), Henryk Arctowski (Poland) and Machu Picchu Base (Peru). Further away is Captain Arturo Prat Base, also Chilean, 50 km to the west.

Description

It has a 1,300-metre (4,300 ft)-long airstrip (Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Aerodrome, ICAO Code SCRM), with 50 intercontinental and 150 intracontinental flights each season, serving as a means of transport to many nearby bases. It also includes the Villa Las Estrellas residential area that has a hospital, a school, a bank, a small supermarket, etc. The maximum population during summer is of 150 people, and the average during winter is about 80 people.

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.

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, which makes it unusual on the Antarctic continent, as the continent is significantly drier than the islands are to the north.

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
Source 2: NOAA (precipitation days 1991–2020)

See also

Ardley Cove lighthouse
Map
LocationArdley Island, King George Island, Chile Edit this at Wikidata
Coordinates62°12′03″S 58°57′37″W / 62.200778°S 58.960167°W / -62.200778; -58.960167
Tower
Foundationconcrete base
Constructionfiberglass tower
Height3 metres (9.8 ft)
Shapecylindrical tower with side panels
Markingswhite tower and panels with red horizontal band
Power sourcesolar power Edit this on Wikidata
Light
Focal height5 metres (16 ft)
Range6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi)
CharacteristicFl W 5s.

References

  1. ^ Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  2. ^ Antarctica
  3. ^ Great Circle Mapper. "SCRM - Airport". Gc.kls2.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  4. ^ Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Chilean "EDUARDO FREI" Antarctic Base". Shades Stamp Shop Ltd. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
  6. ^ Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva - permanent station of Chile, Antarctica - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma
  7. ^ Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva - permanent station of Chile, Antarctica - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ List of Lights, Pub. 111: The West Coasts of North and South America (Excluding Continental U.S.A. and Hawaii), Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Islands of the North and South Pacific Oceans (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017.
  15. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Antarctica". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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