Belgrano II Base

In 1955, then Brigade General Hernán Pujato founded the first Belgrano Base (Belgrano I), which remained for years as Argentina's southernmost settlement.

After 25 years of continuous activity, Belgrano I was closed due to the fast deterioration of the ice barrier it was sitting on; new, often hidden cracks and crevices endangered the on-duty personnel and material. In order to continue the scientific programs and keep Argentine presence in the area, and after careful studies on alternative locations done by the Argentine Army, it was decided to lay the new facilities on solid land. Amid the vast expanse of ice that covers the region, only two small masses of granite emerge: the Moltke and Bertrab nunataks, both first sighted and named by Filchner's expedition in 1912.

Belgrano II was founded on 5 February 1979 over the latter, a hectare of permanently ice-free land. Also and despite being farther south and higher than Belgrano I, the climate was significantly milder.

The unloading of the materials—equipment, tools and instruments, food and fuel—was conducted from the icebreaker ARA General San Martín.

The new housing facilities were a vast improvement over the previous base ones: since 1955, the men who wintered in the old Belgrano I Base were living inside tunnels dug in the ice, ice that was always moving slowly towards the sea and, as finally happened, would become a tabular iceberg drifting through the Southern Ocean.

In its area of influence two Argentine-built refuges existed since long before: the Sargento Ayudante Cisterna y el Aviso ARA Comandante Zapiola shelters had been set up in January 1976.

In addition to new instruments brought from the mainland, Belgrano II received all its scientific equipment transferred from Belgrano I. The LABEL laboratory (LAboratory BELgrano) was rebuilt demanding considerable effort. A new facility, the José Luis Sersic polar astronomical observatory and a satellite dish antenna for data transmission were also set up.

On the morning of 10 September 2005 the main house was completely destroyed as a result of a fire caused by a heater malfunction.{{cite web|url=http://www.infobae.com/2005/09/10/209774-insolito-incendio-la-antartida|title=Insólito incendio en la Antártida|work=Infobae|date=10 September 2005|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307181226/http://www.infobae.com/2005/09/10/209774-insolito-incendio-la-antartida|archive-date=7 March 2014}} Personnel had to be distributed to other buildings and new food and clothes had to be brought from the mainland and airdropped as the fire had destroyed all the wintering elements. The construction of emergency facilities to solve the housing problem started in early 2006, This new building was planned in two stages with the first one (bathrooms, kitchen and bedrooms) being finished in 2006–07 and the second one (living room), in 2007–08. During the 2008–09 campaign the construction of a new main house began. It was completed during the 2009–10 campaign and was inaugurated on 25 May 2010. The new house has a covered area of about {{convert|500|m2|abbr=on}} with more comfort and space for recreation: it is located on what was once the former home destroyed by fire.

During the repairs of the Argentine Navy icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar which is normally used to supply the base, the Argentine Air Force took over the task with airdrops by KC-130 Hercules aircraft in a non-stop flight from Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.

A cross was erected in 1955 some {{convert|1300|m|abbr=on}} north-east of Belgrano I and subsequently moved to Belgrano II in 1979. This has been designated a Historic Site or Monument, following a proposal by Argentina to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.{{cite web|url=http://www.ats.aq/documents/ATCM35/WW/atcm35_ww003_e.pdf|title=List of Historic Sites and Monuments approved by the ATCM (2012)|access-date=1 January 2014|publisher=Antarctic Treaty Secretariat|year=2012}}

Belgrano II is about {{convert|1300|km|abbr=on}} from the South Pole and {{convert|2500|km|abbr=on}} from Ushuaia, the nearest port city. {{As of|2014}} it is Argentina's southernmost permanent base, and the third further south permanent base in the planet.

It is also the world's southmost base built on solid rock, which gives it unique advantages for seismological and geological research.

As a result of its latitude, the summer day and winter night are four months long and the night sky often displays the aurora australis.

{{As of|2014}} Belgrano II is composed of a dozen buildings stationed on the nunatak rock,{{cite web|url=http://www.dna.gov.ar/INTINFO/ARGPERES.HTM|title=Intercambio de información – Información Permanente|publisher=Dirección Nacional del Antártico|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517141559/http://www.dna.gov.ar/INTINFO/ARGPERES.HTM|archive-date=17 May 2013}} spanning a total area of {{convert|6|ha|m2 sqft|abbr=on}}.

Structures are mostly of composite panels covered by metal or fiberglass filled with polyurethane foam to provide adequate thermal insulation to resist low temperatures. Some of the facilities at the base are: main and personnel houses; emergency house/infirmary; airstrip; heliport; chapel; museum; radio station; meteorological station; power plant; vehicle fleet (several Tucker Sno-Cats and Yamaha VK-541 ski-doos); atmospheric research station; mechanical, carpentry and electricity workshop; general equipment and spare parts warehouses; and foodstuff deposits (also called GUM).

The all-year capable airstrip is located on a glacier {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}} southwest of the base.

The one-bed infirmary is {{convert|21|m2|abbr=on}}, attended by a doctor and a nurse. It has x-ray and odontological facilities.

Dug in the nearby ice, Belgrano II's Catholic Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows is the world's southernmost Christian church—in fact, it's the southernmost worship place of any religion.

The general tasks of the base personnel are primarily of scientific research, survey and exploration, also providing support for foreign scientific efforts.

Other common duties are shelter maintenance, search and rescue, medical, communications and weather forecast support to expeditions, bases, ships and aircraft, both local and foreign.

The following research programs are run at LABEL:

• Meteorology forecast
• Atmospheric ozone research with high altitude probes and a Brewer spectrophotometer from the World Meteorological Organization, a joint program with Italy; and EVA IFAR spectrophotometer, a joint program with INTA in Spain
• Astrolabel, through optical telescope, an agreement with the Astronomical Observatory of Córdoba)
• Solar radiation and energy resources study through the local satellite station transmitting data in real time; since February 1998 a geodetic GPS receiver and seismological recording station have been installed through a joint program with the Alfred Wegener Institute of Germany;
• Seismography, operating the world's southernmost seismograph over firm rock
• Analysis of Earth's magnetic field variations
• Ionospheric and aurorae sounding research in cooperation with Italy
• Riometry, cosmic noise analysis
• Bird monitoring and nesting patterns
• Geodesy, through GPS and a Doris beacon

Although maintained by the Argentine Armed Forces, as all Argentine bases on Antarctica, it is operated by the civilian agency Argentine Antarctic Institute.

{{As of|2010}}, the base has a 19 men crew two of whom are Air Force meteorologists, three are Argentine National Antarctic Directorate civilian researchers and the rest is Argentine Army personnel in charge of operating the base.

The Belgrano II base has a coastal-influenced ice cap climate.

The area is a passage of weather fronts directed towards the north: although they do not precipitate, they do produce strong winds exceeding {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}} which radically increase the chill factor.

Mean monthly temperatures range from {{convert|-20.4|C|F|1}} in July, the coldest month to {{convert|-2.4|C|F|1}} in January, the warmest month.{{cite web |url= http://www3.smn.gob.ar/serviciosclimaticos/?mod=elclima&id=66 |language = es |title= Base Belgrano II |publisher= Servicio Meteorológico Nacional |access-date= 13 November 2016}} During summer, the average high is {{convert|-1.2|C|F|1}} while the average low is {{convert|-7.7|C|F|1}}. In winter, the average high and low are {{convert|-15.9|C|F|1}} and {{convert|-23.6|C|F|1}} respectively. During the polar night, a lot of aurorae can be observed.

Snowfall occurs throughout the year; on average, there are 143 days with snow. January to April are the snowiest periods of the year with each month receiving 13 to 14 days with snow.

{{Weather box

|location = Belgrano II (1991–2020, extremes 1956–present)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|temperature colour =

|Jan record high C = 11.4

|Feb record high C = 10.1

|Mar record high C = 7.9

|Apr record high C = 1.5

|May record high C = -1.0

|Jun record high C = 1.0

|Jul record high C = -2.9

|Aug record high C = -2.5

|Sep record high C = -1.4

|Oct record high C = 4.4

|Nov record high C = 7.0

|Dec record high C = 12.1

|year record high C = 12.1

|Jan high C = 0.7

|Feb high C = -3.5

|Mar high C = -9.1

|Apr high C = -13.2

|May high C = -14.1

|Jun high C = -15.7

|Jul high C = -17.5

|Aug high C = -17.1

|Sep high C = -14.9

|Oct high C = -10.2

|Nov high C = -3.2

|Dec high C = 0.8

|year high C = -9.8

|Jan mean C = -2.6

|Feb mean C = -7.1

|Mar mean C = -12.3

|Apr mean C = -16.4

|May mean C = -17.5

|Jun mean C = -18.9

|Jul mean C = -20.9

|Aug mean C = -20.7

|Sep mean C = -18.4

|Oct mean C = -14.1

|Nov mean C = -7.0

|Dec mean C = -2.7

|year mean C = -13.2

|Jan low C = -6.1

|Feb low C = -11.1

|Mar low C = -16.5

|Apr low C = -20.5

|May low C = -21.6

|Jun low C = -23.0

|Jul low C = -25.0

|Aug low C = -24.9

|Sep low C = -22.8

|Oct low C = -18.8

|Nov low C = -11.5

|Dec low C = -6.8

|year low C = -17.4

|Jan record low C = -20.0

|Feb record low C = -29.5

|Mar record low C = -37.8

|Apr record low C = -40.2

|May record low C = -58.9

|Jun record low C = -46.1

|Jul record low C = -52.8

|Aug record low C = -51.1

|Sep record low C = -52.2

|Oct record low C = -38.9

|Nov record low C = -36.1

|Dec record low C = -19.0

|year record low C = -58.9

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 26.2

|Feb precipitation mm = 27.4

|Mar precipitation mm = 32.5

|Apr precipitation mm = 16.8

|May precipitation mm = 22.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 25.0

|Jul precipitation mm = 27.8

|Aug precipitation mm = 26.9

|Sep precipitation mm = 39.0

|Oct precipitation mm = 20.2

|Nov precipitation mm = 18.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 17.0

|year precipitation mm = 299.5

|Jan snow days = 12.8

|Feb snow days = 11.0

|Mar snow days = 12.8

|Apr snow days = 10.6

|May snow days = 10.5

|Jun snow days = 9.8

|Jul snow days = 10.5

|Aug snow days = 9.2

|Sep snow days = 10.7

|Oct snow days = 9.6

|Nov snow days = 10.0

|Dec snow days = 10.7

|year snow days = 127.9

|Jan humidity = 70

|Feb humidity = 69

|Mar humidity = 68

|Apr humidity = 63

|May humidity = 60

|Jun humidity = 56

|Jul humidity = 55

|Aug humidity = 56

|Sep humidity = 57

|Oct humidity = 62

|Nov humidity = 67

|Dec humidity = 70

|year humidity = 65

|Jan sun = 229.4

|Feb sun = 172.3

|Mar sun = 114.7

|Apr sun = 30.0

|May sun = 0.0

|Jun sun = 0.0

|Jul sun = 0.0

|Aug sun = 3.1

|Sep sun = 66.0

|Oct sun = 173.6

|Nov sun = 252.0

|Dec sun = 282.1

|year sun =

|Jand sun = 7.4

|Febd sun = 6.1

|Mard sun = 3.7

|Aprd sun = 1.0

|Mayd sun = 0.0

|Jund sun = 0.0

|Juld sun = 0.0

|Augd sun = 0.1

|Sepd sun = 2.2

|Octd sun = 5.6

|Novd sun = 8.4

|Decd sun = 9.1

|yeard sun =

|source 1 = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (precipitation 2001–2010){{cite web

| url = https://ssl.smn.gob.ar/dpd/observaciones/estadisticas_normales_9120.zip

| title = Estadísticas Climatológicas Normales - período 1991-2020

| publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

| language = es

| access-date = 16 May 2023}}{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230708235600/http://repositorio.smn.gob.ar/bitstream/handle/20.500.12160/2506/estad%C3%ADsticas_climatol%C3%B3gicas_normales_1991-2020.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y

| archive-date = 8 July 2023

| url = http://repositorio.smn.gob.ar/handle/20.500.12160/2506

| title = Estadísticas Climatológicas Normales – período 1991–2020

| publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

| language = es

| access-date = 8 July 2023

| year = 2023}}{{cite web

| url = http://www3.smn.gob.ar/serviciosclimaticos/?mod=turismo&id=7&provincia=Ant%E1rtida&ciudad=Base%20Belgrano

| language = es

| title = Servicios Climáticos – Información de Turismo – Base Belgrano – Datos estadísticos (1981–1990)

| publisher = National Meteorological Service of Argentina

| access-date = 22 October 2012}}{{cite web

| url = https://www2.smn.gob.ar/caracterizaci%C3%B3n-estad%C3%ADsticas-de-largo-plazo

| title = Clima en la Argentina: Guia Climática por Base Base Belgrano II

| work = Caracterización: Estadísticas de largo plazo

| publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

| language = es

| access-date = 4 November 2017

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904022616/https://www2.smn.gob.ar/caracterizaci%C3%B3n-estad%C3%ADsticas-de-largo-plazo

| archive-date = 4 September 2017

| url-status = dead

}}

|source 2 = Deutscher Wetterdienst (humidity 1982–1995),

{{cite web

| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_890340_kt.pdf

| title = Klimatafel von Belgrano II (Argentinien) / Antarktis

| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world

| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst

| language = de

| access-date = 29 January 2016}} Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)

{{cite web

| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1481

| title = Station Belgrano

| publisher = Meteo Climat

|language = fr

| access-date = 11 June 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=89034&ano=2022&mes=1&day=8&hora=12&min=0&ndays=30|title= 89034: Base Belgrano Ii (Antarctica)|author= |date= 7 January 2022|website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET |access-date= 8 January 2022|quote=}}

|date=October 2012

}}

• Argentine Antarctica
• List of Antarctic research stations
• List of Antarctic field camps

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Belgrano II Station|Belgrano II Base}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120602002045/http://www.marambio.aq/basebelgranoii.html Fundaciòn Marambio – Base Belgrano II] {{in lang|es}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110303004340/http://www.dna.gov.ar/INGLES/INDEX.HTM Dirección Nacional del Antártico]
• {{official|https://cancilleria.gob.ar/es/iniciativas/dna/antartida-argentina/bases/belgrano-ii}}

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{{Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica}}

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Belgrano II

Category:Populated places established in 1979

Category:Historic Sites and Monuments of Antarctica

Category:Coats Land

Category:1979 establishments in Antarctica