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Station
Camp
Shelter
Laboratory
Station
Camp
Shelter
Laboratory

Background

Martin-de-Viviès

http://www.institut-polaire.fr/ipev-en/infrastructures-2/stations/subantarctic-islands/

Sub-Antarctic

Open

Station

France

None

1950

Year-Round

Introduction

Martin de Viviès (Crozet Archipelago) is owned and managed by the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF). Scientific activities are supported and implemented by the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV).

Martin de Viviès is a permanent French scientific station on Amsterdam Island, in the South Indian Ocean. This island is entirely volcanic in origin and its shape, roughly circular, is a cone of 50 km² culminating at 881 m a.s.l. (Mont de la Dives). The station is located at the Northern part of the island, at few meters a.s.l. Several huts are distributed in the field as support facilities for scientists or visitors. In 2006, the island was listed as natural reserve. Access to some sites of Amsterdam Island is consequently submitted to permits.

Amsterdam Island is not a true subantarctic island beacause the climatic conditions at low altitude are subtropical. Only the peat bogs in high altitude exhibit the characteristics of the subantarctic environments, including wingless insects and high endemism of plants and invertebrate species. Numerous fur seal breed along the coasts, as well as a huge colony of Yellow Nose Albatross on the Western cliffs. Breeding Amsterdam Albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis) are endemic to Amsterdam Island, nesting only on the Plateau des Tourbières. The breeding population has reached 24 to 26 pairs annually and the total population is estimated to be approximately 140-150 birds (source: ACAP www.acap.aq). At low altitude, a tree species, Phylica nitida, is present.

On December 31, 1949, an expedition, consisting of 23 people and directed by the meteorologist Paul Martin de Viviès, were brought to Amsterdam Island to remain for eight months, after having installed the first French permanent scientific station in the Subantarctic province.

The research projects implemented at Martin de Viviès station cover a large range of scientific domains: bird and mammal ecology and physiology, atmosphere chemistry, plant and invertebrate ecology as well as long term Earth science observatories in seismology and magnetism. The island provides an ideal location to study the global impact of atmospheric contaminants, increases in CO2 concentration, sulphur, etc.. Following the eradication of part of cattle in 1988, then its total eradication in 2009 in the framework of the natural reserve, monitoring programs were established in order to document the ecosystems resilience. A Phylica planting program has been also implemented in the less degraded sites of the island.

There is no permanent population on Amsterdam Island and the number of staff and scientists vary from about 20 in winter up to 35 in summer.

Access to Martin de Viviès is only by ship. There are no natural ports or airstrips. The Marion Dufresne is the supply vessel operated by TAAF. It visits Kerguelen Islands 4 times per year, in April, August, November and December. The helicopter on board allows unloading equipment and disembarking passengers. The movement within the archipelago is ordinarily walk.

Operator

Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF)

Government

Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF)

http://www.taaf.fr/

Data Source

Partner Institution

Yes

Institut Polaire Francais (IPEV)

Location

CO1105

37° 47' 53'' S

77° 34' 18'' E

Sub-Antarctic islands

Crozet Islands

27

0

881

2850

2850

0

1400

Ice-free ground

Climate

None

Sub-Antarctic

Rain

1100

24.9

176.4

W

01/01/1951 to 31/12/2015

14

17.1

17.4

16.6

15.3

13.5

12

11.4

11.2

11.8

12.4

13.7

15.7

23/02/2015

26.2

22/12/1977

1.7

January; February; March; April; May; June; July; August; September; October; November; December

Features

Biological features; Bird colonies; Coast; Fauna; Seal colonies; Other

Peatlands in altitude

Disciplines

Atmospheric chemistry and physics; Ecology; Environmental sciences; Geophysics and seismology; Terrestrial biology

Human Activities

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Infrastructure

CO1105

4294

341

Biology; Chemistry; Geophysics

0

2260

55

Yes

Yes

Fossil fuel

220

24

No

Staff Capacity

21

14

13

7

55

48

Scientific Equipment

Basic equipments of laboratories (precision scales, microscopes, stove, distilled water etc..)

Earth magnetism (INTERMAGNET Network), Sismology (GEOSCOPE Network), Sea level (GLOSS Network), CO2 and tropospheric chemistry, Aerosols and atmospheric tracers, Birds and mammal population dynamics, Invertebrate fauna, Plant populations, Non-native species

Medical Facilities

Yes

95

Medical doctor

4

Basic; Dental; Surgery; Other

Anaesthesia; Biochemistry; Blood Transfusion Medicine; Diagnostic ultrasound; Diagnostic x-ray; Haematology; Telemedicine; Other

Echography

2880

1

1

0

2880

No

Yes

Vehicles

None

Tractors, farm trailer, mobile crane ; Walking is the most common moving mean.

Workshop facilities

Mechanical; Metal workshop; Wood workshop

Communications

E-mail; Fax; Internet; Satellite phone; Telephone; VHF

Access

Sea

Aircraft landing facilities

0

Yes

Transport and freight

Helicopter; Ship

4

April; August; November; December

None; Other

short concrete pier with hazardous access

0

None

Access To The Facility

Pictures