NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station

Office of Polar Programs (GEO/OPP)

NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost year-round research station in the world, serving as a critical center for cutting-edge scientific research and a logistical hub for access to East Antarctica.

On this page

Location

  • Positioned at 90°S, the geographic South Pole.
  • Sits atop the Antarctic ice sheet at an elevation of approximately 2,835 meters (9,301 feet) above sea level.
  • Located in the interior of Antarctica, one of the most remote and extreme environments on Earth.
  • Due to ice movement, the station drifts approximately 10 meters (33 feet) each year.
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Biodiversity, natural environment and climate

  • The station is surrounded by a polar desert, characterized by ice and snow. It is one of the harshest climates on Earth.
  • Due to the extreme cold and isolation, there is very limited biodiversity. No native plant or animal life exists at the South Pole itself.
  • Annual average temperature is around -49°C (-56°F), temperatures can drop below -80°C (-112°F) during winter.
  • Precipitation is minimal, averaging about 2.5 cm (1 inch) per year, primarily as ice crystals.
Aerial view of an icy scene with a large building in the foreground and clustered smaller buildings beyond.

History

  • Opened in 1956 as part of Operation Deep Freeze to support scientific exploration during the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958).
  • Named after Roald Amundsen, the first to reach the South Pole in December 1911, and Robert F. Scott, who arrived shortly after in January 1912.
  • The original station, the “Old Pole,” was built by an 18-man U.S. Navy crew, the first group to winterover at the South Pole.
  • In 1975, the central area of the station was rebuilt as a geodesic dome 50 meters wide and 16 meters high that covered modular buildings, fuel bladders, and equipment. Several science and berthing structures were added in the 1990s.
Rear Admiral David M. Tyree, Commander of Operation Deep Freeze and other Navy men step from the LC-130 aircraft. This plane was the first to fly into Amundsen-Scott Station for the summer support season of Deep Freeze in 1962.

Facilities

  • The current elevated station was completed in 2008 to improve resistance to snow accumulation and harsh conditions.
  • Infrastructure includes approximately 47 buildings of varying sizes, including housing, offices, science laboratories, a store, a food growth chamber and dining, recreation and medical services.
  • South Pole hosts the Martin A. Pomerantz Observatory, Atmospheric Research Observatory, South Pole Telescope, seismic instruments and a massive in-ice neutrino detector, the IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory.
  • Resupply operations during the austral summer (November to mid-February) bring up to 450,000 gallons of fuel, personnel and cargo.
  • Most personnel travel from NSF McMurdo Station on ski-equipped aircraft, while cargo and fuel often arrive via surface traverse from McMurdo Station.
NSF's South Pole Telescope and Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization telescopes at twilight in the Dark Sector at South Pole Station

Population

  • Up to 150 people during a week in the summer season.
  • Up to 42 people during a week in the winter season.
  • 640 people move through the station annually.
  • 24,354 meals are served a year.
People in red jackets carrying backpacks and duffel bags towards a building in the snow.

Scientific research and activities

  • The station supports scientific studies in astronomy, astrophysics, aeronomy, auroral studies, geospace research, meteorology, geomagnetism, seismology, earth-tide measurements and glaciology.
  • The station's geographic location allows unique astronomical observations, benefiting from clear, dry air and the absence of light pollution.
Cyndia Yu works on a component of the Keck Array, a telescope designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background.

Additional resources

Top