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Overview of research stations in the Arctic From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A number of governments maintain permanent research stations in the Arctic. Also known as Arctic bases, polar stations or ice stations, these bases are widely distributed across the northern polar region of Earth.
Historically few research stations have been permanent. Most of them were temporary, being abandoned after the completion of the project or owing to lack of funding to continue the research. Some of these were military or intelligence stations (listening posts) created as a result of the proximity of the U.S. and Soviet Union to each other's landmass across the polar region.
Ice stations are constructed on land or on ice that rests on land, while others are drifting ice stations built on the sea ice of the high latitudes of the Arctic Ocean.[1]
Station name | Location | Operating country | Year established | Summer population | Winter population |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abisko Scientific Research Station | Abisko, Sápmi | ![]() |
1903 | 12 | 12 |
Adam Mickiewicz University Polar Station | Petuniabukta, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
2011 | ||
Alomar Observatory[2] | Andøya Space, Andøya, Svalbard | ![]() |
1994 | ||
Arctic Yellow River Station | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
2003 | 25 | 2 |
AWIPEV Arctic Research Station (Jean Corbel Station) | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() ![]() |
2003 | 40 | |
Barrow Observatory[3] | Point Barrow, Alaska | ![]() |
1973 | 2 | 2 |
Canadian High Arctic Research Station[4] (CHARS) campus | Cambridge Bay, Nunavut | ![]() |
2019 | 26 | 26 |
E. K. Fyodorov Hydrometeorological Observatory (ex Chelyuskin Polar Station)[5] | Cape Chelyuskin, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1932 | ||
Chetyrokhstolbovoy Polar Station[6] | Medvezhyi Islands, Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
1933 | ||
China-Iceland Arctic Science Observatory(CIAO)[7][8] | Kárhóll, Iceland | ![]() ![]() |
2018 | ||
Churchill Northern Studies Centre[9] (CNSC) | Churchill, Manitoba | ![]() |
1976 | 88 | |
Czech Arctic Research Station[10] | Longyearbyen and Petuniabukta, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
2014 | 4 | 2 |
Daneborg | Wollaston Foreland, Greenland | ![]() |
1944 | 12 | |
Danmarkshavn | Dove Bay, Greenland | ![]() |
1906 | 6 | |
Dirigibile Italia Arctic Station | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1997 | 7 | |
Dr. Neil Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory | Alert, Nunavut | ![]() |
1986 | ||
Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station | Devon Island, Nunavut | ![]() |
2001 | 9 | 9 |
Himadri[11] | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
2008 | 8 | |
Igloolik Research Centre[12] | Igloolik, Nunavut | ![]() |
1975 | 22 | 10 |
IndARC[13] | Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
2014 | ||
International Biological Station Lena-Nordenskiöld[14] | Tiksi, Sakha | ![]() |
1995 | ||
Iqaluit Research Centre[15][16] | Iqaluit, Nunavut | ![]() |
1978 | 20 | 10 |
Kevo Research Station[17] | Kevo | ![]() |
1958 | 12 | 7 |
Kilpisjärvi Biological Station[18][19] | Kilpisjärvi | ![]() |
1964 | ||
Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory[20] [21] | Kiruna | ![]() |
1957 | ||
Kluane Lake Research Station[22] | Kluane Lake, Yukon | ![]() |
1961 | 35 | |
Koldewey Station | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1991 | ||
Labytnangi Ecological Research Station[23] | Labytnangi, Yamalo-Nenets | ![]() ![]() |
1954 | 25 | |
McGill Arctic Research Station[24] | Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut | ![]() |
1960 | 12 | 0 |
Mestersvig | Scoresby Land, Greenland | ![]() |
1956 | 40 | 2 |
Mývatn Research Station | Mývatn | ![]() |
1975 | ||
Netherlands Arctic Station, Univ Groningen[25] | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1995 | ||
Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station | Kaffiøyra, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1975 | 2 | 0 |
Station Nord | Princess Ingeborg Peninsula, Greenland | ![]() |
1952 | 25 | 5 |
Northeast Science Station[26] | Chersky, Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
1977 | 65 | 5 |
Ny-Ålesund[27] | Spitsbergen, Svalbard | ![]() |
1967 | 117 | 35 |
Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory[28][29] (PEARL) | Eureka, Nunavut | ![]() |
1993 | ||
Polish Polar Station | Hornsund, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1957 | 10 | |
Prima Polar Station[30] | Cape Baranov, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya Zemlya | ![]() ![]() |
1986 | ||
Samoylov Station[31] | Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve, Sakha | ![]() |
1998 | 16 | 8 |
Sermilik Station | Ammassalik Island, Greenland | ![]() ![]() |
1970, 2023 | 30 | 6 |
Sodankylä Arctic Research Centre[32] | Sodankylä | ![]() |
1949 | 30 | 20 |
Stanisław Baranowski Spitsbergen Polar Station | Werenskioldbreen, Svalbard, Norway | ![]() |
1971 | ||
Summit Station | Near summit of the Greenland ice sheet, Greenland | ![]() |
1989 | 50 | 5 |
Thule Research Station[33] | Pituffik, Greenland | ![]() |
1995 | 10 | |
Toolik Field Station[34] | Toolik Lake, Alaska | ![]() |
1975 | 175 | |
Troynoy Island Polar Station[35] | Izvestiy TSIK Islands, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1953 | 5 | 0 |
Tundra Ecosystem Research Station[36][37] (TERS) | Daring Lake, Northwest Territories | ![]() |
1994 | 30 | 0 |
University of Copenhagen Arctic Station | Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland | ![]() |
1906 | 39 | |
Ward Hunt Island Observatory Research Station[38] | Ward Hunt Island, Nunavut | ![]() |
1957 | 9 | 0 |
Western Arctic Research Centre[39] | Inuvik, Northwest Territories | ![]() |
1964 | 34 | |
Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik Research Complex[41] | Whapmagoostui, Quebec | ![]() |
1971 | 28 | |
White Sea Biological Station[42] (WSBS MSU) | Chupa, Republic of Karelia | ![]() ![]() |
1938 | 180 | 50 |
Villum Research Station[43] | Station Nord, North Greenland | ![]() |
1990 | 14 | |
Vize Island Arctic Research Station | Vize Island, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1945 | 0 | |
Zackenberg Station | Wollaston Foreland, Greenland | ![]() |
1997 | 25 | 0 |
Zeppelin | Zeppelinfjellet, Svalbard | ![]() |
1990 |
Station name | Location | Operating country | Year established | Year deactivated | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Begichev Polar Station | Maly Begichev Island, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Polar Station[44] | Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island. Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Borg wintering station | Off Borgjokel, Queen Louise Land, Greenland | ![]() |
1912 | 1913 | Abandoned |
Eismitte | Greenland ice sheet, Greenland | ![]() |
1930 | 1931 | Abandoned |
Britannia Sø Field Camp | Britannia Lake, Queen Louise Land, Greenland | ![]() |
1952 | 1954 | Abandoned |
Brønlundhus | Peary Land, Greenland | ![]() |
1947 | Transformed into a museum | |
Buor-Khaya Polar Station[45] | Buor-Khaya Gulf, Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Centrumsø Research Station | Centrum Lake, Greenland | ![]() |
1954 | Abandoned | |
Dye 3 | Four different locations in southern Greenland | ![]() |
1971 | 1991 | |
Ernst Krenkel Observatory | Heiss Island, Arkhangelsk Oblast | ![]() |
1956 | 1980 | |
Golomyanniy Island Polar Station[46][47] | Sredniy Island, off Severnaya Zemlya | ![]() ![]() |
1954 | ||
Heiberg Polar Station[48] | Heiberg Islands, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1940 | 1995 | |
Isachsen Station | Ellef Ringnes Island, Nunavut | ![]() |
1948 | 1978 | |
Izluchin Polar Station | Komsomolets Island, Severnaya Zemlya, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Kap Harald Moltke | Peary Land, Greenland | ![]() |
1972 | ||
Kigilyakh Research Station[49] | Kigilyakh Peninsula, Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island, New Siberian Islands | ![]() ![]() |
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Kolyuchin Polar Station | Kolyuchin Island, Chukotka | ![]() ![]() |
1990s | Abandoned | |
Lavrentiya Research Station | Lavrentiya, Chukotka | ![]() ![]() |
|||
NEEM Camp | Northern Greenland ice sheet, Greenland | ![]() |
2008 | 2015 | |
North Ice | Northern Greenland ice sheet, Greenland | ![]() |
1952 | 1954 | |
Peschanny Polar Station | Cape Unslicht, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya Zemlya | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Popov Polar Station[50] | Bely Island, Yamalo-Nenets | ![]() ![]() |
1933 | 2001 | |
Preobrazheniya Polar Station | Preobrazheniya Island, Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Provideniya Research Station | Provideniya, Chukotka | ![]() ![]() |
|||
Resolute Nunavut Station[51] | Resolute, Nunavut | ![]() |
1947 | ||
Russky Island Arctic Station[52] | Russky Island, Nordenskiöld Archipelago, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1935 | 1999 | |
Samuila Polar Station | Samuila Island, Komsomolskaya Pravda Islands, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Solnechny Polar Station[53] | Solnechny Bay, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya Zemlya | ![]() ![]() |
1952 | Abandoned | |
Stolbovoy Meteorological Station[54] | Stolbovoy Island, Sakha | ![]() ![]() |
Abandoned | ||
Tuktoyaktuk Station[55] | Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories | ![]() |
1997 | ||
Tyrtov Island Polar Station | Tyrtov Island, Nordenskiöld Archipelago, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1940 | 1975 | |
Uedineniya Polar Station | Uyedineniya Island, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1996 | ||
Ushakov Island Polar Station | Ushakov Island, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
1954 | 1980s | |
Vavilov Meteorological Station[56] | October Revolution Island, Severnaya Zemlya | ![]() ![]() |
1974 | 1988 | |
Willem Barents Biological Station[57] | Meduza Bay, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
|||
Wrangel Island Cape Blossom Station[58] | Cape Blossom, Wrangel Island, Chukotka | ![]() ![]() |
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Wrangel Island Ushakovskoye Station[59] | Ushakovskoye, Wrangel Island, Chukotka | ![]() ![]() |
|||
Yenisei Ecological Station[60] | Mirnoye, Turukhansky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai | ![]() ![]() |
Station name | Head of the first shift | Drift start date | Drift end date | Drift start coordinate | Drift end coordinate | Drift distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Pole-1 | I.D.Papanin | May 21, 1937 | February 19, 1938 | 89°25′N 78°40′W | 70°40′N 19°16′W | 2,850 |
North Pole-2 | M.M.Somov | April 2, 1950 | April 11, 1951 | 76°03′N 166°36′W | 81°44′N 163°48′W | 2,600 |
Fletcher's Ice Island | 1952 | 1978 | ||||
North Pole-3 | A.F.Trioshnikov | April 4, 1954 | April 20, 1955 | 85°58′N 175°00′W | 86°00′N 24°00′W | 1,865 |
North Pole-4 | E.I.Tolstikov | April 8, 1954 | April 19, 1957 | 75°48′N 178°25′W | 85°52′N 00°00′W | 6,970 |
North Pole-5 | N.A.Volkov | April 21, 1955 | October 8, 1956 | 82°10′N 156°51′E | 84°18′N 63°20′E | 3,630 |
North Pole-6 | K.A.Sychev | April 19, 1956 | September 14, 1959 | 74°24′N 177°04′W | 82°06′N 03°56′E | 8,650 |
North Pole-7 | V.A.Vedernikov | April 23, 1957 | April 11, 1959 | 82°06′N 164°11′W | 85°14′N 33°03′W | 3,520 |
North Pole-8 | V.M.Rogachyov | April 27, 1959 | March 19, 1962 | 76°11′N 164°24′W | 83°15′N 132°30′W | 6,090 |
North Pole-9 | V.A.Shamontyev | April 26, 1960 | March 28, 1961 | 77°23′N 163°00′E | 86°36′N 76°00′W | 2,660 |
North Pole-10 | N.A.Kornilov | October 17, 1961 | April 29, 1964 | 75°27′N 177°10′E | 88°32′N 90°30′E | 3,960 |
North Pole-11 | N.N.Bryazgin | April 16, 1962 | April 20, 1963 | 77°10′N 165°58′W | 81°10′N 139°34′W | 2,400 |
North Pole-12 | L.N.Belyakov | April 30, 1963 | April 25, 1965 | 76°50′N 165°34′W | 81°06′N 145°47′W | 1,595 |
North Pole-13 | A.Ya. Buzuyev | April 22, 1964 | April 20, 1967 | 73°55′N 161°19′W | 87°55′N 03°32′E | 3,545 |
North Pole-14 | Yu. B.Konstantinov | May 1, 1965 | February 12, 1966 | 72°42′N 175°25′W | 76°59′N 154°49′E | 1,040 |
North Pole-15 | V.V.Panov | April 15, 1966 | March 25, 1968 | 78°49′N 168°08′E | 85°45′N 10°30′W | 2,330 |
North Pole-16 | Yu. B.Konstantinov | April 10, 1968 | March 22, 1972 | 75°31′N 172°00′W | 86°00′N 85°27′W | 5,850 |
North Pole-17 | N.I.Blinov | April 18, 1968 | October 16, 1969 | 80°30′N 165°26′E | 86°48′N 25°20′E | 1,750 |
North Pole-18 | N.N.Ovchinnikov | October 9, 1969 | October 24, 1971 | 75°10′N 165°02′W | 86°06′N 153°51′E | 5,240 |
North Pole-19 | A.N.Chilingarov | November 7, 1969 | April 16, 1973 | 74°54′N 160°13′E | 83°08′N 16°17′E | 6,705 |
North Pole-20 | Yu. P.Tikhonov | April 22, 1970 | May 17, 1972 | 75°56′N 175°22′E | 81°44′N 166°47′W | 3,780 |
North Pole-21 | G.I.Kizino | April 30, 1972 | May 17, 1974 | 74°06′N 178°15′E | 86°16′N 143°35′E | 3,605 |
North Pole-22 | V.G.Moroz | September 13, 1973 | April 8, 1982 | 76°16′N 168°31′W | 86°10′N 00°00′W | 17,069 |
North Pole-23 | V.M.Piguzov | December 5, 1975 | November 1, 1978 | 73°51′N 178°25′W | 87°40′N 22°31′W | 5,786 |
North Pole-24 | I.K.Popov | June 23, 1978 | November 19, 1980 | 76°45′N 163°00′E | 86°03′N 29°40′E | 5,652 |
North Pole-25 | V.S.Sidorov | May 16, 1981 | April 20, 1984 | 75°01′N 168°35′E | 85°50′N 122°15′W | 5,754 |
North Pole-26 | V.S.Sidorov | May 21, 1983 | April 9, 1986 | 78°30′N 174°46′E | 82°46′N 170°31′W | 5,380 |
North Pole-27 | Yu. P.Tikhonov | June 2, 1984 | May 20, 1987 | 78°31′N 160°30′E | 86°28′N 09°02′W | 5,655 |
North Pole-28 | A.F.Chernyshov | May 21, 1986 | January 23, 1989 | 80°40′N 168°29′E | 79°40′N 03°09′E | 7,634 |
North Pole-29 | V.V.Lukin | June 10, 1987 | August 19, 1988 | 80°22.8′N 112°59′E | 84°42.8′N 56°34.3′W | 2,686 |
North Pole-30 | V.M.Piguzov | October 9, 1987 | April 4, 1991 | 74°18′N 171°24′W | 82°31′N 126°26′W | 7,675 |
North Pole-31 | V.S.Sidorov | October 22, 1988 | July 25, 1991 | 76°35′N 153°10′W | 73°33′N 161°04′W | 5,475 |
North Pole-32 | V.S.Koshelev | April 25, 2003 | March 6, 2004 | 87°52.5′N 148°03′E | 84°41′N 03°33′W | 2,418 |
North Pole-33 | A.A.Vishnevsky | September 9, 2004 | October 5, 2005 | 85°05′N 156°31′E | 86°14′N 95°54′E | 3,156 |
North Pole-34 | T.V.Petrovsky | September 19, 2005 | May 25, 2006 | 85°39′N 115°19′E | 87°26′N 07°39′E | 2,032 |
North Pole-35 | Vladimir Chupun[61] | September 21, 2007 | July 22, 2008 | 81°30′N 103°54′E | 81°00′N 31°18′E | 3,614 |
North Pole-36 | Yuri Katrayev | September 7, 2008 | August 24, 2009 | 82°32′N 144°56′E | 85°53′N 26°41′W | 2,905 |
North Pole-37 | Sergey Lesenkov | September 7, 2009 | May 31, 2010 | 81°28′N 164°35′W | 80°04′N 140°40′W | 2,076 |
North Pole-38 | Tomash Petrovskiy | October 14, 2010 | September 20, 2011 | 76°07′N 176°32′W | 83°53′N 154°18′W | 3,024 |
North Pole-39 | Alexander Ipatov | October 2, 2011 | September 15, 2012 | 84°10′N 148°49′W | 83°57′N 96°44′W | 1,885 |
North Pole-40 | Nikolai Fomichev | October 1, 2012 | June 7, 2013 | 85°21′N 142°53′W | 82°25′N 130°25′W | 1,736 |
North Pole-2015 | Dmitrij Mamadaliev | April 11, 2015 | August 9, 2015 | 89°34′N 17°08′W | 86°15′N 07°52′W | 714 |
Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC Expedition) | Markus Rex | October 4, 2019 | July 30, 2020 | 85°00′N 137°00′E[62] | N/A | 1,700 |