A blue ice runway is a runway constructed in
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
areas with no net annual snow accumulation. The density of the ice increases as air bubbles are forced out, strengthening the resultant ice surface so that aircraft landings using wheels instead of skis can be supported. Such runways simplify the transfer of materials to
research stations, since wheeled
aircraft can carry much heavier loads than ski-equipped aircraft.
runways are created as a way of streamlining transport to the interior. Without them, most heavy materials must be brought by ship, then ferried inland by ski-equipped smaller aircraft. Large, wheeled aircraft can fly directly into the interior, saving time and money. In particular, they allow for rare medical evacuations to take place year round. The
United States Antarctic Program uses them to support its substantial science activities.
Because of ice's low coefficient of
friction, planes tend to decelerate with
reverse thrust, as opposed to traditional means of braking the wheels, and so runways are often several miles long.
List of blue ice runways
Blue ice runways in Antarctica include:
*
Pegasus Field,
Ross Dependency, serving
McMurdo Station
McMurdo Station is a United States Antarctic research station on the south tip of Ross Island, which is in the New Zealand-claimed Ross Dependency on the shore of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. It is operated by the United States through the Unit ...
, and operated by the
United States Antarctic Program (closed since 2016
)
*
Troll Airfield,
Queen Maud Land, serving
Troll Station, and operated by the
Norwegian Polar Institute
The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI; no, Norsk Polarinstitutt) is Norway's central governmental institution for scientific research, mapping and environmental monitoring in the Arctic and the Antarctic. The NPI is a directorate under Norway's Min ...
*
Union Glacier Blue-Ice Runway
Union Glacier Blue-Ice Runway is the blue ice runway for Union Glacier Camp in Antarctica. It is located in the Heritage Range
The Heritage Range is a major mountain range, long and wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier and forming ...
,
Ellsworth Land, serving
Union Glacier Camp
The Union Glacier Camp is the only private seasonally occupied camp site located in Ellsworth Land in Antarctica. The camp is located in the Heritage Range, below the Ellsworth Mountains, on Union Glacier, that gives the camp its name.
Loca ...
, and operated by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions LLC
*
Wilkins Runway,
Wilkes Land, serving
Casey Station, and operated by the
Australian Antarctic Division
*
Novo Runway
Novolazarevskaya Station (russian: Станция Новолазаревская) is a Russian, formerly Soviet, Antarctic research station. The station is located at Schirmacher Oasis, Queen Maud Land, from the Antarctic coast, from which it is ...
,
Schirmacher Oasis
The Schirmacher Oasis (or Schirmacher Lake Plateau) is a long and up to wide ice-free plateau with more than 100 freshwater lakes. It is situated in the Schirmacher Hills on the Princess Astrid Coast in Queen Maud Land in East Antarctica and is ...
, serving Novolazarevskaya and Maitri stations, operated by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions LLC
See also
*
List of airports in Antarctica
References
External links
Nation Science Foundation environmental review of blue ice and snow runways
Airports in Antarctica
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