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The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has completed the move of its Halley research station. The base is sited on the floating - and moving - Brunt Ice Shelf, and had to be relocated or face being dumped in the ocean. Tractors were used to tow the eight modules that make up the futuristic-looking Halley 23km further "inland".
Last month, BAS announced it would "mothball" the station for the duration of the coming Antarctic winter. The decision was made after a new crack opened in the ice shelf. This fissure is a long way (17km) from Halley's new position but it has prompted some concern about the stability of the whole area.
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UK Completes Antarctic Halley Base Relocation
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 04 2017, @05:01PM
Just move the whole base over somewhere they know land exists? Then work on excavating down to solid ground?
Maybe there are logistical limitations to this, but the possibility of losing the whole base due to ice shelf collapse seems like a far worse situation to have.
(Score: 3, Informative) by kazzie on Saturday February 04 2017, @07:01PM
They're researching the ice shelf itself. Sure, they could place it on a portion of ice shelf that's above solid land, but the ice behaves like a glacier: it flows out to sea, so they have to drag the research station “upstream” every now and then.