Background
Cap Prud'homme | |
http://www.institut-polaire.fr/ipev-en/support-for-science/antarctica/dumont-durville/ | |
Antarctic | |
Open | |
Camp | |
France | |
None | |
1994 | |
January; February; November; December |
Introduction
Cap Prudhomme Station is a French-Italian station managed by the (French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV) and the Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide (PNRA) | |
The station was established in the early 1990’s on the Antarctic continent, close to the sea and at about 5 km far from Dumont d’Urville station. It is the point of departure of the traverses to Concordia station. There is no ice free area around the station. There is no protected area in the immediate vicinity. | |
The station is built on a rock near the coast but its surroundings are entirely covered by ice or snow. There is no fauna or flora. | |
The joint French-Italian station Cape Prud'homme forms an integral part of the Concordia project. It offers a gateway to Concordia for the transport of heavy tools and equipment, following delivery by the resupply vessel L’Astrolabe to Dumont d'Urville station. In this context, and because Dumont d’Urville station is not on the continent itself, Cap Prudhomme was established for the development and maintenance of the traverse equipment (tractors, trailers, accommodation caravans), its winter storage, and preparation of transport convoys. The site was selected because it was used from 1955 as Antarctica Gateway for French expeditions. | |
Few scientific activities are conducted at Cap Prudhomme station, except some glaciological studies of the Astrolabe Glacier. Since 2012, scientific traverses have been developed for pure scientific purposes. | |
The station is open in summer only. The staff is mainly composed of technicians working on the maintenance of the traverse equipment, as well as drivers in charge of the 3 convoys per year. | |
Access to Cap Prudhomme station is mainly by ship (L’Astrolabe) via Dumont d’Urville Station. A runway on snow allows landing of small aircrafts (Twin Otter or Basler) for the links between Concordia and the Italian station Mario Zucchelli. |
Operator
Institut Polaire Francais (IPEV) | |
Government | |
Institut Polaire Francais (IPEV) | |
Data Source
Partner Institution
Yes | |
ENEA / PNRA | |
Italy |
Location
CO1104 | |
66° 41' 25.6'' S | |
139° 54' 43'' E | |
Continental Antarctica | |
L - Continental coastal-zone ice sheet | |
13 Adelie Land | |
10 | |
0 | |
2700 | |
2700 | |
10 | |
10 | |
Ice-free ground |
Climate
None | |
Coastal Antarctica | |
Snow | |
43 | |
SE | |
-12 | |
-6 | |
-18 | |
January; February; March; December | |
January; February |
Features
Crevasse; Ice cap or glacier; Ice tongue |
Disciplines
Glaciology |
Human Activities
No | |
No | |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Yes |
Infrastructure
CO1104 | |
830 | |
20 | |
None | |
810 | |
22 | |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Fossil fuel; Renewable | |
230 | |
24 | |
No |
Staff Capacity
22 | |
8 | |
0 | |
0 | |
30 | |
0 |
Scientific Equipment
Glacier mass balance |
Medical Facilities
Yes | |
15 | |
Medical doctor | |
2 | |
Basic | |
Other | |
None | |
10 | |
1 | |
0 | |
1500 | |
2700 | |
No | |
Yes |
Vehicles
Dumont d'Urville boats are also available in Cap Prudhomme: 1 barge 13 m x 280 HP, 1 pontoon 50 T, 2 dinghys 80 HP, 2 dinghys 10 HP | |
2 Kassbohrer Flexmobile, 2 Bull Cat D4, 1 excavator Cat 330, Kassbohrer grading machines, 7 Cat Challenger 65x, 6 Cat Challenger MT 865x |
Workshop facilities
Mechanical; Metal workshop |
Communications
E-mail; Internet; Satellite phone; Telephone; VHF |
Access
Air; Sea |
Aircraft landing facilities
1 | |
1300 | |
50 | |
NW - SE, Landing with skis Airstrip at 15 km from the station, on the Continent, at D10 (close to Cap Prudhomme station) | |
Snow | |
Yes |
Transport and freight
Airplane; Helicopter; Ship; Other | |
barge | |
5 | |
January; February; November; December | |
Floating dock/Pontoon; Pier/Jetty | |
15 | |
January; February; October; November; December |
Access To The Facility
Pictures
Prud'Homme Base (Credits: Bruno et Marie Cusa |
Prud'homme Base (Credits: Eduardo Daforno) |
Prud'homme Base (Credits: Pierre Katell) |
Prud'homme Base (Credits: Pierre Katelle) |
Prud'homme Base (Credits: Pierre Katelle) |
Prud'Homme Base (Credits: Bruno et Marie Cusa) |
Prud'homme Base (Credits: Pierre Katell) |
Prud'homme traverse (Credits: Pierre Katell) |
Prud'homme Open workshop (Credits: Yves Frenot) |
Prud'homme Twin Otter landing (Credits: Pierre Katell) |
Prud'homme Weather station (Credits: Vincent Favier) |
Prud'Homme Workshop (Credits: Bruno et Marie Cusa) |