Mirny Station
The Mirny Station (Russian: Мирный, literally Peaceful) is a Russian (formerly Soviet) first Antarctic science station[2] located in Queen Mary Land, Antarctica, on the Antarctic coast of the Davis Sea.
Mirny Station
Мирный | |
|---|---|
 Mirny Station in 2007 | |
  Mirny Station Location of Mirny Station in Antarctica | |
| Coordinates: 66°33′11″S 93°00′35″E | |
| Country |  Russia |
| Location in Antarctica | Australian Antarctic Territory |
| Administered by | Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute |
| Operational | 13 February 1956 |
| Named for | Mirny |
| Elevation | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Population (2017)[1] | |
| • Summer | 50 |
| • Winter | 25 |
| Type | All-year round |
| Period | Annual |
| Status | Operational |
| Activities | List
|
| Website | www.aari.nw.ru |
The station is managed by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and was named after the support vessel Mirny captained by Mikhail Lazarev during the First Russian Antarctic Expedition, led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on Vostok.
Mirny Station was damaged by a fire on Sunday 21 June 2020.[3]
Purpose and facilities
The station was opened on February 13, 1956, by the 1st Soviet Antarctic Expedition. It was originally used as main base for the Vostok Station located 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) from the coast, this function is now served by Progress Station.[4] In summer, it hosts up to 50 people in 30 buildings,[1] in winter about 40-50 scientists and technicians. The average temperature at the location is −11 °C (12 °F), and on more than 200 days per year the wind is stronger than 15 metres per second (49 ft/s), with occasional cyclones.
Main areas of research are glaciology, seismology, meteorology, observation of polar lights, cosmic radiation, and marine biology.
Historic monuments
Some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the station stands a metal stele with an inscribed plaque. It was erected on a sledge on the land transport route between coastal Mirny and inland Vostok Station. It commemorates Anatoly Shcheglov, a driver-mechanic who died while performing his duties. It has been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 8) following a proposal by Russia to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. Other similarly designated historic sites in the vicinity of Mirny are Ivan Khmara's Stone (HSM 7) and the Buromskiy Island Cemetery (HSM 9), both on Buromskiy Island 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) north of the station.[5]
Climate
Mirny Station has an ice cap climate, since all months are below 0 °C (32 °F). Although, it is heavily influenced by the glacial nature of Antarctica's interior, it retains a strong maritime influence, resulting in high annual snowfall. Summers however, are sunny and dry, reflecting a mediterranean precipitation pattern, in spite of its poleward latitude and cold temperatures. Summer see highs approaching 2 °C (36 °F) on average, whereas winters are stable just below −15 °C (5 °F) means for several months. Due to its coastal location and the fact that summer temperatures sometimes rise above freezing, limited plant and animal life flourishes during summer (December, January, February).
| Climate data for Mirny Station | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−10.8 (12.6) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−13.8 (7.2) |
−13.2 (8.2) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.8 (28.8) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−10.2 (13.6) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
−15.4 (4.3) |
−16.6 (2.1) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −4.6 (23.7) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−18.5 (−1.3) |
−18.3 (−0.9) |
−19.6 (−3.3) |
−20.2 (−4.4) |
−19.3 (−2.7) |
−16.6 (2.1) |
−10.3 (13.5) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−14.2 (6.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 14.8 (0.58) |
17.1 (0.67) |
31.2 (1.23) |
43.5 (1.71) |
57.3 (2.26) |
70.3 (2.77) |
71.7 (2.82) |
62.1 (2.44) |
57.9 (2.28) |
43.5 (1.71) |
34.0 (1.34) |
23.7 (0.93) |
527.1 (20.74) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72.5 | 70.5 | 71.6 | 73.9 | 74.7 | 76.0 | 75.1 | 74.2 | 72.8 | 70.1 | 70.4 | 72.4 | 72.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 278.7 | 214.4 | 153.2 | 95.4 | 32.3 | 1.7 | 11.1 | 66.9 | 125.8 | 234.6 | 290.7 | 354.2 | 1,859 |
| Source: Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute[6] | |||||||||||||
References
- Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 22, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- "ANTARCTICA: Mirny Station". Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- "Fire guts Russia's Antarctic research station, no one hurt". Associated Press. June 22, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- "Geographical review - Mirny Observatory". Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2006.
- "List of Historic Sites and Monuments approved by the ATCM (2012)" (PDF). Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
- "Mirny observatory (89592)". Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
External links
- AARI Mirny Station page
- Official website Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
- COMNAP Antarctic Facilities (Archived April 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine)
- COMNAP Antarctic Facilities Map (Archived September 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine)
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