Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme

Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, also Base Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, or shortly Bernardo O'Higgins, named after Bernardo O'Higgins, is a permanently staffed Chilean research station in Antarctica and the capital of Antártica Commune. It lies at an elevation of 13 m, about 30 km south-west of Prime Head, the northernmost point of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Cape Legoupil.

O'Higgins Station
Antarctic base
Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme
The Chilean base Bernardo O'Higgins Station
O'Higgins Station Location of O'Higgins Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 63°19′15″S 57°53′59″W
Country	Chile
Location in Antarctica	Cape Legoupil Trinity Peninsula
Administered by	Chilean Army
Established	18 February 1948 (1948-02-18)
Named for	Bernardo O'Higgins
Elevation [1]	12 m (39 ft)
Population  (2017)[1]
• Summer	52
• Winter	24
UN/LOCODE	AQ OHG
Type	All-year round
Period	Annual
Status	Operational
Activities	List Geology Glaciology Marine biology

Map with station at location marked "C"

History

The base was established on 18 February 1948 by the Chilean Antarctic Expedition, and is one of the Antarctic bases with the longest times of continuous operation. The winter population is 24, and the peak population in the Antarctic summer is usually 52, although up to 60 persons can be accommodated.^[1] The base is operated by the Chilean Army. It is also known as Puerto Covadonga after the port on which it is located.^[2]

The German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) was established at O'Higgins in 1991 by the DLR. It is a satellite ground station sited in Antarctica to enable reception of data from satellite-based sensors within the south polar region that might otherwise be lost. High bandwidth sensors such as SAR generate too much data to be stored on board the satellite for transmission to ground stations elsewhere. GARS was sited at O'Higgins because of the geology, infrastructure and accessibility of the base.

Three dozen COVID-19 cases were reported on the research base on December 22, 2020. These are the first reported cases on the continent.^[3]

Historic site

The O’Higgins Historic Site on Cape Legoupil comprises structures of historical significance:

• The original base was established on 18 February 1948 by the President of the Republic of Chile, Gabriel González Videla, the first head of state in the world to visit Antarctica.
• The Capitán General Bernardo O ́Higgins Riquelme Bust was erected in 1948 opposite the base.
• A plaque was erected on 12 August 1957 in memory of Lieutenants Oscar Inostroza Contreras and Sergio Ponce Torrealba.
• The Virgen del Carmen Grotto, near the base, was built in the early 1970s to serve as a place of spiritual withdrawal for the staff of various Antarctic stations and expeditions.

It was designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 37), following a proposal by Chile to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.^[4]

Climate

Bernardo O'Higgins Base experiences a borderline polar tundra climate (Köppen ET) that is extremely close to a polar ice cap climate (Köppen EF). Average annual precipitation amounts to 771 mm (30.35 in), and is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, typically peaking marginally during the austral spring. Temperatures are frigid all year round; the warmest month is January with an average monthly temperature of 1 °C (34 °F), while the coldest month is July with an average monthly temperature of −9 °C (16 °F).

Climate data for Bernardo O'Higgins Base, elevation: 10 m or 33 ft, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1953–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	10.9 (51.6)	8.5 (47.3)	8.3 (46.9)	6.2 (43.2)	7.2 (45.0)	5.9 (42.6)	3.8 (38.8)	3.5 (38.3)	4.4 (39.9)	6.6 (43.9)	9.2 (48.6)	9.0 (48.2)	10.9 (51.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	2.3 (36.1)	1.7 (35.1)	0.5 (32.9)	−1.5 (29.3)	−2.7 (27.1)	−4.8 (23.4)	−5.3 (22.5)	−4.9 (23.2)	−3.4 (25.9)	−1.9 (28.6)	−0.2 (31.6)	1.3 (34.3)	−1.6 (29.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.9 (33.6)	0.5 (32.9)	−1.2 (29.8)	−3.3 (26.1)	−4.8 (23.4)	−7.1 (19.2)	−7.9 (17.8)	−7.4 (18.7)	−5.7 (21.7)	−3.7 (25.3)	−1.7 (28.9)	0.0 (32.0)	−3.5 (25.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−0.6 (30.9)	−1.0 (30.2)	−2.9 (26.8)	−5.1 (22.8)	−6.9 (19.6)	−9.4 (15.1)	−10.3 (13.5)	−10.0 (14.0)	−7.9 (17.8)	−5.5 (22.1)	−3.1 (26.4)	−1.4 (29.5)	−5.4 (22.3)
Record low °C (°F)	−10.1 (13.8)	−14.0 (6.8)	−20.0 (−4.0)	−25.0 (−13.0)	−30.0 (−22.0)	−34.2 (−29.6)	−34.4 (−29.9)	−33.2 (−27.8)	−29.2 (−20.6)	−26.0 (−14.8)	−15.0 (5.0)	−10.6 (12.9)	−34.4 (−29.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	41.4 (1.63)	51.4 (2.02)	62.4 (2.46)	52.0 (2.05)	43.0 (1.69)	40.0 (1.57)	42.0 (1.65)	42.7 (1.68)	47.2 (1.86)	54.6 (2.15)	44.7 (1.76)	37.0 (1.46)	558.3 (21.98)
Average relative humidity (%)	83.3	85.8	86.2	84.6	86.2	85.8	86.3	85.6	86.2	84.8	83.5	83.2	85.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours	84.0	72.5	58.3	36.1	16.0	5.7	10.2	35.9	46.8	82.6	101.1	105.4	601.1
Source: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile[5][6][7]

See also

O'Higgins Skiway
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Private
Location	General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme Station
Elevation AMSL	648 ft / 198 m
Coordinates	63°20′34″S 57°49′23″W
Map
O'Higgins Skiway Location of airfield in Antarctica
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 2,625 800 Ice

• List of Antarctic research stations
• List of Antarctic field camps
• Airports in Antarctica

Notes

References

1. Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
2. "Base General Bernardo O'Higgins" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
3. Lardieri, Alexa (December 22, 2020). "Coronavirus Cases on Chilean Research Base Are First Reported in Antarctica". msn.com. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
4. "List of Historic Sites and Monuments approved by the ATCM (2012)" (PDF). Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. 2012. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
5. "Climatología de Estaciones Chilenas de la Península Antártica" (PDF) (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
6. "Temperaturas Medias y Extremas en 30 Años-Entre los años: 1991 al 2020-Nombre estación: Bernardo O'Higgins, Base Antártica" (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
7. "Temperatura Histórica de la Estación Bernardo O'Higgins, Base Antártica (950003)" (in Spanish). Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.

External links

• (in Spanish) Official website
• (in Spanish) Base General Bernardo O'Higgins
• (in Spanish) Official website Instituto Antartico Chileno
• The O'Higgins Penguin Webcam (gentoo penguins; seasonal)
• (in German) Antarktis Station, a personal website about life at GARS O'Higgins.
• COMNAP Antarctic Facilities
• COMNAP Antarctic Facilities Map

Base General Bernardo O'Higgins inauguration by the President of the Republic of Chile, Gabriel González Videla, the first head of state in the world to visit Antarctica (1948).

GARS