Signy Research Station

Signy Research Station (originally Station H)[1] is an Antarctic research base on Signy Island, run by the British Antarctic Survey.

Signy Research Station
Antarctic base
Signy Research Station in 2006
Flag
Rothera Research Station location within the British Antarctic Territory in Antarctica
Signy Research Station
Location of Signy Research Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 60°42′29″S 45°35′42″W
Country United Kingdom
British Overseas TerritoryBritish Antarctic Territory
Location in AntarcticaSigny Island
Administered byBritish Antarctic Survey
Established1947 (1947)
Elevation
5 m (16 ft)
Population
 • Total
  • Up to 10
TypeSeasonal
PeriodSummer
StatusOperational
Websitewww.antarctica.ac.uk

History

Signy was first occupied in 1947 when a three-man meteorological station was established in Factory Cove above the old whaling station.[2][1] It was the second research base on the South Orkney Islands (after the Argentine Orcadas Base in 1903). In 1955, a new hut, Tønsberg House was built on the site of the whaling station. In 1963, it was turned into a laboratory for biological research. Initially operated year-round, since 1995/6 the station has been open from November to April each year (southern hemisphere summer).

Facilities

Today, the base has four buildings with capacity for 8 people.[2] The main building, Sørlle House (named after the whaling captain Petter Sørlle, who himself named Signy Island), provides living accommodation and laboratories. The other buildings are for storage and provision of power and water services. There are also four small huts around the island.

Research

Marine and terrestrial biology is carried out at Signy, particularly looking at the effects of climate change on the southern ocean ecosystems. Three species of penguin (Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo) are monitored at the base.[2]

To continue an original time series of visual sea ice observations after the station became summer-only, an automated sea ice camera now operates all year around,[3] providing a continuous record of sea ice extent near the station for over 50 years.

Climate
Climate data for Signy Research Station, 6 m asl (1971–2000 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.8
(67.6)		 16.2
(61.2)		 13.3
(55.9)		 4.6
(40.3)		 4.9
(40.8)		 3.9
(39.0)		 7.4
(45.3)		 3.3
(37.9)		 4.7
(40.5)		 6.6
(43.9)		 6.6
(43.9)		 3.6
(38.5)		 19.8
(67.6)
Average high °C (°F) 6.1
(43.0)		 6.4
(43.5)		 6.3
(43.3)		 0.7
(33.3)		 0.2
(32.4)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 −4.6
(23.7)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 0.9
(33.6)		 1.1
(34.0)		 2.0
(35.6)		 1.6
(34.9)		 1.1
(34.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2)		 3.9
(39.0)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 −6.9
(19.6)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 −2.9
(26.8)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 −2.1
(28.2)
Average low °C (°F) −0.7
(30.7)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 −4.3
(24.3)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 −10.1
(13.8)		 −15.6
(3.9)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −5.1
(22.7)
Record low °C (°F) −1.5
(29.3)		 1.0
(33.8)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 −8.8
(16.2)		 −11.8
(10.8)		 −27.8
(−18.0)		 −27.7
(−17.9)		 −25.4
(−13.7)		 −13.9
(7.0)		 −8.7
(16.3)		 −9.0
(15.8)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 −27.8
(−18.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 33.7
(1.33)		 — 72.6
(2.86)		 6.6
(0.26)		 10.3
(0.41)		 2.6
(0.10)		 5.7
(0.22)		 4.7
(0.19)		 140.0
(5.51)		 — — 14.1
(0.56)		 —
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 11.63 — 26.57 — 5.17 — — 1.82 10.00 — — 5.64 —
Source 1: Météo climat stats[4]
Source 2: Météo Climat [5]
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See also

References
  1. "History of Signy (Station H) - British Antarctic Survey". Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  2. "Signy Research Station". British Antarctic Survey. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  3. "Signy Sea Ice Camera". British Antarctic Survey. Archived from the original on 12 November 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. "Moyennes 1981-2010 Antarctique" (in French). Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  5. "Météo Climat stats for Ile Signy". Météo Climat. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
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