New US South Pole Station Facility
08.02.2008 - Other
The United States have dedicated a brand new station at the geographic South Pole, the third on the spot since 1957. The new elevated station is larger and much more sophisticated than any previous structure built at the Pole - a reflection of the logistical support needed for the ever-increasing range and diversity of the research taking place there. This new facility will be able to support large-scale experiments in disciplines ranging from astrophysics to environmental chemistry and seismology. A video tour of the station is available on the dedicated NSF website.
Astronomy
Sitting at a fixed point while the Earth rotates, telescopes at the pole can track any celestial object for long periods of time from the same elevation.
The extremely dry, cold air is also perfectly suited for observing the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation-the faint light signature left by the Big Bang.
Another astronomy project at the pole is IceCube, a one-cubic-kilometer international high-energy neutrino observatory being built and installed in the clear ice below the South Pole station.
Environmental chemistry
The pristine quality of the air at the pole makes it an ideal benchmark for changes in the quality and composition of the atmosphere elsewhere. Atmospheric research at the pole includes releasing balloons to monitor the condition of the Earth's protective ozone layer.
Seismology
Seismographs have been operating at the pole since the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year (IGY). Data from high-latitude seismograph stations has helped to prove that the Earth's solid inner core spins at a slightly faster rate than the rest of the planet.
