Borga Base was a semipermanent
Antarctic research station
Multiple governments have set up permanent research stations in Antarctica and these bases are widely distributed. Unlike the drifting ice stations set up in the Arctic, the research stations of the Antarctic are constructed either on rock o ...
operated by South Africa named after
Borg Massif
Borg Massif is a mountain massif, about long and with summits above , situated along the northwest side of the Penck Trough in Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica. The tallest peak, at , is Hogsaetet Mountain. The parallel, ice-filled Raudberg V ...
where it was located. It was created to house 4-5 people year-round and was 350 kilometers (220 miles) south of the location of South Africa's primary Antarctic research station,
SANAE IV
SANAE IV is a current South African Antarctic research base located in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land. The base is part of the South African National Antarctic Program (SANAP) and is operated by the South African National Antarctic Expeditio ...
. Its main building was a Parcoll hut, a long hut with a semicircular frame resembling half a cylinder.
History
Borga Base was created with the support of Belgian aircraft during the
International Geophysical Year
The International Geophysical Year (IGY; french: Année géophysique internationale) was an international scientific project that lasted from 1 July 1957 to 31 December 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific ...
and was inaugurated in 1969. In the years of its operation, expedition teams would attempt the traverse from SANAE to Borga Base using specialized tractors, though they were not always successful. In 1969, mechanic Gordon Mackie was the first casualty of South African Antarctic research when he fell to his death on the traverse between the two bases. In 1970, mechanical and weather difficulties forced the team to abandon their attempt to reach Borga. In 1971, mechanical issues once again prevented the team from reaching Borga Base so they created
Grunehogna, another semi-permanent station, using a prefabricated hut.
Research
The main research activities of Borga Base were geological surveying and weather monitoring.
See also
*
List of Antarctic research stations
*
List of Antarctic field camps
Many Antarctic research stations support satellite field camps which are, in general, seasonal camps. The type of field camp can vary – some are permanent structures used during the annual Antarctic summer, whereas others are little more than te ...
References
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