Deception Station Explained

Deception Station
Settlement Type:Antarctic base
Flag Size:110px
Flag Border:no
Mapsize:350px
Pushpin Map:Antarctica
Pushpin Map Alt:Location of Deception Station in Antarctica
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Deception Station in Antarctica
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Relief:yes
Coordinates:-62.9753°N -60.6978°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Type1:Location in Antarctica
Subdivision Name1:Deception Island
South Shetland Islands
Subdivision Type3:Administered by
Subdivision Name3:Instituto Antártico Argentino
Established Title:Established
Elevation M:7
Population As Of:2017
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Blank1 Title:Summer
Population Blank1:18
Population Blank2 Title:Winter
Population Blank2:3
Blank Name Sec1:Type
Blank Info Sec1:Seasonal
Blank1 Name Sec1:Period
Blank1 Info Sec1:Summer
Blank2 Name Sec1:Status
Blank2 Info Sec1:Operational
Blank Name Sec2:Activities
Website:Dirección Nacional del Antártico

Deception Station (Spanish; Castilian: Base Decepción) is an Argentine antarctic base located at Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.

History

The station was founded on January 25, 1948 by Argentina.In 1950 a seismograph was installed in the base, and in 1951 it also received ionospheric equipment. In 1993 a volcano observatory was opened.

Initially, it operated year-round, serving as a hub for scientific research and exploration. However, in December 1967, violent volcanic eruptions forced the evacuation of the base. Since then, Deception Station has been inhabited only during the summer months. The island experienced severe volcanic activity in 1967, 1969, and 1970.

Like a polar Pompeii, Deception Station’s buildings remain frozen in a bygone era. Abandoned overnight, the station’s rusted ruins and scattered debris tell tales of explorers, whalers, and scientists. It is a time capsule of Antarctica’s human history, with remnants of its days as a processing center for Antarctic wildlife

Gabriel de Castilla Base, a Spanish research station, was constructed on Deception Island in the late 1980s. Deception Island has also been home to scientific stations run by Argentina, Chile, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. catalogue . Antarctic Station Catalogue . August 2017 . . 978-0-473-40409-3 . 11 . 16 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221022102847/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61073506e9b0073c7eaaf464/t/611497cc1ece1b43f0eeca8a/1628739608968/COMNAP_Antarctic_Station_Catalogue.pdf . 22 October 2022 . live.
  2. https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/british-research-stations-and-refuges/deception-island-b/