Background
Sky Blu | |
Antarctic | |
Open | |
Camp | |
United Kingdom | |
None | |
1997 | |
January; February; March; October; November; December |
Introduction
Sky Blu, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) | |
Sky Blu is located in an area of snow free /blue ice near Lanzarote Peak, Ski Hi Nunataks in the southern Antarctic Peninsula. | |
Apart from a few lichens flora is very sparse and not very diverse. | |
The facilities were intitially established in 1997 to operate as a forward air hub for deep field operations form Rothera Research Station. Taking fuel deployment one Twin Otter step further into the deepfield. The initial infrastructure was pyramid tents, a melon hut and a tracked gator with a blade. A considerably larger infrastructure with a range of snow clearing equipment is now available on site, which is staffed by three staff summer long. Considerable numbers of field scientific staff transit through Ski Blu into deep field locations. This transit hub stores considerable quantities of drummed aviation fuel for support to science operations. | |
This is a logistics transit hub, very little science activitiy is carried out on site. | |
Occassional visits by aircraft and science teams through 1970s and 80s until establishing an ice runway in 1997. Staff run this logsitics hub in support of UK research science in west Antarctica. | |
It is accessible by aircraft from deepfield locations using ski equippped aircraft or from smaller wheel only aircraft transittign from Rothera Research Station. Also accessible byoverland tractor traverse from distant coastal access sites. The nearest such access site is about 900 kms to the west, on the Abbott Ice Shelf. |
Operator
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) | |
Government | |
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) | |
Data Source
Partner Institution
No |
Location
CO2807 | |
74° 51' 38.1'' S | |
71° 35' 11.2'' W | |
Continental Antarctica | |
C - Antarctic Peninsula southern geologic | |
4 Central south Antarctic Peninsula | |
1400 | |
1370 | |
1500 | |
2500 | |
2500 | |
815 | |
815 | |
Ice-sheet |
Climate
Continuous | |
Inland Antarctica | |
Snow | |
N | |
None |
Features
Disciplines
None |
Human Activities
Yes | |
Occassional visits by aircraft and science teams through 1970s and 80s until establishing an ice runway in 1997 | |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Yes |
Infrastructure
CO2807 | |
45 | |
0 | |
None | |
120 | |
12 | |
No | |
No | |
Fossil fuel; Renewable | |
230 | |
6 | |
No |
Staff Capacity
3 | |
0 | |
0 | |
0 | |
6 | |
0 |
Scientific Equipment
Automatic weather station transferring data to WMO | |
This is a logistics transit hub, very little science activitiy is carried out on site. |
Medical Facilities
No | |
0 | |
2500 | |
0 | |
0 | |
815 | |
2500 | |
No | |
No |
Vehicles
Workshop facilities
Mechanical |
Communications
Computer; E-mail; Satellite phone; VHF |
Access
Air |
Aircraft landing facilities
1 | |
900 | |
30 | |
Wheel | |
Other | |
Blue ice | |
Yes |
Transport and freight
Airplane; Skidoo; Other | |
Snow grooming/clearing equipment for air field | |
0 | |
104 | |
January; February; November; December |
Access To The Facility
Pictures
Sky Blu Field Station |