The Argentine Antarctic Sector It covers more than 1,461,000 square kilometers. The country claims sovereignty over the entirety of this space, which extends 66% over the mainland, the approximate equivalent to what three provinces of Buenos Aires would occupy.
The national claim is sustained on the basis of arguments such as the historical heritage of Spain, geological continuity, the long-standing development of scientific activity and, among the most important, the location of bases and their permanent occupation.
Argentina manages seven of these stations continuously and another six temporarily, that is, only during the summer. Of the 13, two operate under the orbit of the Foreign Ministry, while the Ministry of Defense leads the rest.
The first two are the permanent Carlini base and the temporary Brown. The remaining eleven include the permanent Orcadas, Marambio, Esperanza, San Martín, Belgrano II, Petrel as well as the temporary Melchior, Deception, Cámara, Primavera and Matienzo.
Bases, laboratories and camps
Around the permanent stations operate the Antarctic Multidisciplinary Laboratories (LAMs)where professionals from different areas obtain and submit data from the different scientific projects directed by the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA).
Among other tasks, the LAMs record seismological data that contribute to global monitoring networks, as well as geomagnetic and Upper Atmosphere data that make it possible to predict solar phenomenasuch as those that harm global positioning systems or “GPS”.
Every year, a call is opened to add personnel to the laboratories. Interested persons must go through a series of rigorous examinations that determine if they will be able to participate in a stay of about thirteen months in Antarctic territory.
During the summer, the research teams also assemble camps within a radius of up to 100 km from Base Marambio, from where they depart on board a plane or helicopter. For security reasons, each group must have a minimum of three members.
The work carried out in the camps is associated with the geology, paleontology and glaciology. For its performance, in addition to the tents, electrical generators, scientific instruments, communication equipment and, above all, food are key.
While all this is taking place, the food supply of the bases, LAMs and Antarctic camps is in charge of Nutrire, one of the companies of Grupo L, which will mobilize a total of 106,600 tons of food as part of its ration distribution plan for the summer 2023 campaign in the Antarctic Sector Argentinian.
The success of the activities on the white continent depends both on the correct provision of food and on the capacity of the means of transport, which must circulate in a hostile environment. For this, Argentina has a joint Antarctic force that is currently headed by the Joint Antarctic Command.
