Country Russia Named for Mirny | Website www.aari.nw.ru | |
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Location in Antarctica Australian Antarctic Territory, Queen Mary Land Administered by Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute Operational 2 January 1956 (1956-13-02) Address Indischer Ozean, Antarctica | ||
1 penoplex advertising mirny station 1
The Mirny Station (Russian: Мирный, literally Peaceful) is a Russian (formerly Soviet) science station located in Queen Mary Land, Antarctica, on the Antarctic coast of the Davis Sea in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Contents
- 1 penoplex advertising mirny station 1
- 2 penoplex advertising mirny station 2
- Purpose and facilities
- Historic monuments
- References
The station is managed by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and was named after the support vessel Mirny captained by Mikhail Lazarev during the First Russian Antarctic Expedition, led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on Vostok.
2 penoplex advertising mirny station 2
Purpose and facilities
The station was opened on February 13, 1956 by the 1st Soviet Antarctic Expedition. It was originally used as main base for the Vostok Station located 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) from the coast, this function is now served by Progress Station. In summer, it hosts up to 169 people in 30 buildings, in winter about 60 scientists and technicians. The average temperature at the location is −11 °C (12 °F), and on more than 200 days per year the wind is stronger than 15 metres per second (49 ft/s), with occasional cyclones.
Main areas of research are glaciology, seismology, meteorology, observation of polar lights, cosmic radiation, and marine biology.
Historic monuments
Some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the station stands a metal stele with an inscribed plaque. It was erected on a sledge on the land transport route between coastal Mirny and inland Vostok Station. It commemorates Anatoly Shcheglov, a driver-mechanic who died while performing his duties. It has been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 8) following a proposal by Russia to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. Other similarly designated historic sites in the vicinity of Mirny are Ivan Khmara’s Stone (HSM 7) and the Buromskiy Island Cemetery (HSM 9), both on Buromskiy Island 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) north of the station.