Spanish Antarctic research

Research projects

Since 1988 the Spanish Antarctic Research is founded by means of public calls for research projects in the framework of the National R+D Plans. The research includes different disciplines, mainly related to: Atmosphere studies, Biology, Geology, Geophysics, Glaciology, Mapping and Geodesy, and Physical Oceanography.

Calls for projects and grants and for Antarctic research are instruments of the National Program of Polar Research. See last call for projects in News.

A summary of the Spanish Antarctic research projects is included in the Spanish annual reports to SCAR.

Facilities

Spain has two stations in Antarctica: Juan Carlos I Station in Livingston Island, and Gabriel de Castilla station in Deception Island, both of them located in the South Shetland Islands. Research vessel Hesperides participates in the Antarctic campaigns. In the past Las Palmas vessel provided logistic support.

Data and Publications

Data from the Spanish Antarctic research projects and publications about Antarctica are compiled in the National Antarctic Data Centre and Polar Archive (CNDP), where they can be consulted. This centre was promoted by the National SCAR Committee and is presently connected to Spanish Polar Committee and is hosted by the Spanish Geological Survey.

The CNDA is connected with the SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SC-ADM) of SCAR. Antarctic data and metadata are maintained by means of the Antarctic Data Management System (ADMS), that includes the Antarctic Master Directory (AMD).