October 14, 2013 | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Cost:
Free
Fort Collins Old Town Library
201 Peterson Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 United States
Contact:
Phone
9704917368
Email:
matt.knox@colostate.edu

Additional Information

Antarctica in general, and the South Pole in particular, was a major exploration goal in the early 20th century. Mostly abandoned for a number of years after the initial exploration exploits of Amundsen, Scott, and Mawson, the continent became a new focus for scientific research beginning with the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957-58. In preparation for this international effort, the United States developed plans to construct seven scientific research stations in Antarctica, including one at the geographic South Pole. The original station was replaced with a domed station in the early 1970's, and after that facility became obsolete and buried, the present elevated station was constructed and dedicated in January 2008. This presentation describes the construction and operation of these American stations, with an emphasis on the science projects that influenced their design and creation.