Alfred Faure

Alfred Faure
Antarctic base
Alfred Faure station
Alfred Faure station
Location on Possession Island
Location on Possession Island
Location in the Indian Ocean
Location in the Indian Ocean
Alfred Faure
Location in the Indian Ocean
Coordinates: 46°25′57″S 51°51′28″E / 46.4325°S 51.857639°E / -46.4325; 51.857639
Country France
TerritoryTAAF
ArchipelagoCrozet Islands
IslandÎle de la Possession
OperatorFrench Polar Institute
Established1963 (1963)
Elevation
[1]
143 m (469 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Summer
35
 • Winter
24
Time zoneUTC+5
UN/LOCODETF
Active timesAll year-round
StatusOperational
Activities
List
  • Meteorology
  • Seismology
  • Biology
Facilities[1]
List
  • Basic lab equipment
  • Surgery room
Websiteinstitut-polaire.fr

Alfred-Faure or Port Alfred is a permanent French scientific station on Île de la Possession (Possession Island) of the subantarctic Crozet Archipelago in the South Indian Ocean.

Research station

The station is located at the eastern end of the island on a plateau 143 m (460 ft) above sea level. Depending on the season, there are 15 to 60 personnel living and working at the base. Their scientific work includes meteorological, seismic, biological and geological research. It was first established during the austral summer of 1963–1964, replacing a temporary scientific base built in 1961. The new station was named after Alfred Faure, the site's leader in the early 1960s. Alfred-Faure is visited a few times a year by the Marion Dufresne, an oceanographic research vessel which delivers supplies and rotating crews of scientists. There is a 1.6 km road that connects the research station to the coast.[1]

Climate

Alfred Faure Station has a very mild tundra climate (Koppen ET) with cool to cold summers and cold (but still averaging above freezing) winters. Due to its oceanic location near the subpolar low, it has a very cloudy and rainy climate with just 600 hours of bright sunshine per year (one of the lowest in the world) and over 70 inches (1750 mm) of rain a year. Similar to other subpolar oceanic islands in the southern hemisphere it is also very windy (especially because of the ocean being effectively flat terrain).

Climate data for Alfred Faure (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 22.4
(72.3) 		21.7
(71.1) 		21.2
(70.2) 		19.7
(67.5) 		16.5
(61.7) 		16.0
(60.8) 		14.9
(58.8) 		16.4
(61.5) 		15.4
(59.7) 		17.5
(63.5) 		19.7
(67.5) 		20.7
(69.3) 		22.4
(72.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.4
(50.7) 		11.0
(51.8) 		10.1
(50.2) 		9.1
(48.4) 		7.2
(45.0) 		6.1
(43.0) 		6.0
(42.8) 		5.4
(41.7) 		5.8
(42.4) 		6.8
(44.2) 		7.8
(46.0) 		9.2
(48.6) 		7.9
(46.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 7.5
(45.5) 		8.1
(46.6) 		7.4
(45.3) 		6.5
(43.7) 		4.9
(40.8) 		3.8
(38.8) 		3.7
(38.7) 		3.2
(37.8) 		3.3
(37.9) 		4.1
(39.4) 		5.0
(41.0) 		6.3
(43.3) 		5.3
(41.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.5
(40.1) 		5.2
(41.4) 		4.8
(40.6) 		3.9
(39.0) 		2.5
(36.5) 		1.5
(34.7) 		1.4
(34.5) 		0.9
(33.6) 		0.8
(33.4) 		1.3
(34.3) 		2.3
(36.1) 		3.3
(37.9) 		2.7
(36.9)
Record low °C (°F) 0.0
(32.0) 		0.7
(33.3) 		−0.4
(31.3) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		−3.7
(25.3) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−6.6
(20.1) 		−3.9
(25.0) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−1.9
(28.6) 		−6.6
(20.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 127.8
(5.03) 		129.1
(5.08) 		146.2
(5.76) 		160.2
(6.31) 		186.2
(7.33) 		131.7
(5.19) 		139.2
(5.48) 		157.3
(6.19) 		163.6
(6.44) 		156.2
(6.15) 		147.9
(5.82) 		142.0
(5.59) 		1,782.5
(70.18)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.97 11.64 13.37 15.89 16.54 14.85 15.81 16.04 14.75 13.86 12.92 14.88 172.91
Mean monthly sunshine hours 96.6 74.7 65.4 10.9 17.1 14.8 30.8 41.9 46.1 62.1 80.1 63.2 600.4
Source: Meteo climat[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Alfred Faure Station". EPB - Stations. European Polar Board. 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  2. ^ "Moyennes 1981/2010: France (Terres Australes)" (in French). Météoclimat. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  3. ^ "STATION Alfred Faure" (in French). Météoclimat. Retrieved June 14, 2015.


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