Galindez Island facts for kids
Vernadsky Station on Galindez Island in January 2014
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 Galindez Island
Location in Antarctica
Location in Antarctica
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 65°15′S 64°15′W / 65.250°S 64.250°W |
| Archipelago | Wilhelm Archipelago |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Galindez Island (pronounced Gah-LIN-dez) is a small island in Antarctica. It is about 0.5 miles (1 kilometer) long. You can find it in the Argentine Islands, which are part of the Wilhelm Archipelago. This island is home to an important research station.
Contents
Discovering Galindez Island
Galindez Island was first found by a French expedition. This group was led by Jean-Baptiste Charcot between 1903 and 1905. Charcot named the island after Commander Ismael Galindez. Commander Galindez was from the Argentine Navy. He was sent to look for Charcot's expedition when people worried they were lost.
The island was mapped again later. This was done by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). John Riddoch Rymill led this expedition from 1934 to 1937. They made more detailed maps of the area.
Research Stations on the Island
Galindez Island and nearby Winter Island have a long history of scientific research. Scientists have studied the weather, Earth's magnetic field, and the upper atmosphere here.
Early Huts and Stations
The BGLE had a hut on Winter Island. This hut disappeared in 1946. No one knows exactly why, but it might have been caused by a giant wave called a tsunami.
A new hut was built on January 7, 1947. This was done by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). It was called "Station F" or "Wordie Hut."
Coronation Hut and British Antarctic Survey
On May 30, 1954, a bigger hut was built. This new hut was on Galindez Island itself. It was named "Coronation Hut" to honor Queen Elizabeth II. She had been crowned in 1953.
This station was very important during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957-1958. The IGY was a big international science project. FIDS later changed its name to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in the early 1960s.
For over 30 years, the station was always busy. Scientists studied geophysics, magnetism, and weather. In 1980, BAS rebuilt the station.
Vernadsky Research Base
On February 6, 1996, the station was given to Ukraine. It was then renamed the Vernadsky Research Base. This base is located at Marina Point on Galindez Island.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the base was known for being a very friendly place. Today, it continues to be an important center for scientific research in Antarctica.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Galíndez para niños
