Halley Research Station
Halley Research Station is a research facility in Antarctica on the Brunt Ice Shelf operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The base was established in 1956 to study the Earth's atmosphere. Measurements from Halley led to the discovery of the ozone hole in 1985. The current base is the sixth in a line of structures and includes design elements intended to overcome the challenge of building on a floating ice shelf without being buried and crushed by snow. As of 2020, the base has been left unstaffed through winter since 2017, due to concerns over the propagation of an ice crack and how this might cut off the evacuation route in an emergency.
Halley Research Station | |
|---|---|
Antarctic base | |
Halley VI Station | |
Halley Research Station Location of Halley within Antarctica | |
| Coordinates: 75°34′05″S 25°30′30″W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| British Overseas Territory | British Antarctic Territory |
| Location in Antarctica | Brunt Ice Shelf Caird Coast |
| Administered by | British Antarctic Survey |
| Established | January 15, 1956 |
| Named for | Edmond Halley |
| Elevation | 37 m (121 ft) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • Summer | 70 |
| • Winter | 17 |
| UN/LOCODE | AQ HLY |
| Type | All-year round |
| Period | Annual |
| Status | Operational |
| Activities | List
|
| Website | Halley VI @ bas.ac.uk |
| Halley VI | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Modular |
| Opened | 5 February 2013 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Hugh Broughton Architects |
| Developer | British Antarctic Survey (BAS) |
| Engineer | AECOM |
| Main contractor | Galliford Try |
Halley Skiway | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Private | ||||||||||
| Location | Halley Research Station Brunt Ice Shelf | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 75°35′00″S 26°39′36″W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
Halley Skiway Location of airfield in Antarctica | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Halley Research Stations | |
|---|---|
| Halley I | 1956–1967 |
| Halley II | 1967–1973 |
| Halley III | 1973–1983 |
| Halley IV | 1983–1991 |
| Halley V | 1990–2011 |
| Halley VI | 2012–present |
The Halley Bay Important Bird Area with its emperor penguin colony lies in the vicinity of the base.