Faraday base was established in 1956 as part of the UK's contribution to the
International Geophysical Year. From 1962 to 1996 the base was run by the
British Antarctic Survey.
Scientific research continued uninterrupted throughout this time. In February
1996 the base was renamed Vernadsky and subsequently has been run by the
Antarctic Research Centre of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Faraday is situated in the picturesque Argentine islands group off the Antarctic peninsula. As temperatures fall to -30 C in winter the surrounding sea freezes over for up to 4 months of the year, helped by the relatively light winds in this part of Antarctica. UK scientific observations continued whatever the weather. Measurements were taken of the air in the troposphere above, and of the plasma in geospace above that. |
The cluster of small buildings provided workshops, laboratories and a home to about 10 BAS scientists and support staff. Radio masts transmitted signals to remotely sense geospace.
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