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

Deception Station
Base Decepción in 2016
Base Decepción in 2016
Location of Deception Station in Antarctica
Location of Deception Station in Antarctica
Deception Station
Location of Deception Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 62°58′31″S 60°41′52″W / 62.975284°S 60.697771°W / -62.975284; -60.697771
Country Argentina
Location in AntarcticaDeception Island
South Shetland Islands
Administered byInstituto Antártico Argentino
Established25 January 1948 (1948-01-25)
Elevation7 m (23 ft)
Population
 (2017)[1]
 • Summer
18
 • Winter
3
TypeSeasonal
PeriodSummer
StatusOperational
Activities
List
  • Seismology
  • Volcanogy
  • Geomorphology
WebsiteDirección Nacional del Antártico

History

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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.

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.







Climate

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Climate data for Deception Island
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 3
(37)
3
(37)
2
(35)
−1
(31)
−3
(27)
−5
(23)
−6
(21)
−6
(22)
−3
(26)
−1
(31)
0
(32)
2
(36)
−1
(30)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1
(31)
−1
(31)
−2
(29)
−4
(24)
−7
(19)
−10
(14)
−12
(11)
−11
(12)
−8
(17)
−5
(23)
−4
(25)
−1
(30)
−6
(22)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 58
(2.3)
53
(2.1)
69
(2.7)
51
(2)
5.1
(0.2)
7.6
(0.3)
15
(0.6)
25
(1)
23
(0.9)
110
(4.3)
97
(3.8)
51
(2)
560
(22.2)
Source: Weatherbase [2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Deception Island, Antarctica". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
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