70th Anniversary of the Russian Antarctic Station Mirny

by Heiner Kubny

02/14/2026

**The main research areas of Mirny Station include glaciology, seismology, meteorology, observation of auroras, cosmic radiation, and marine biology. (Photo: AARI / Dmitriy Rezov)**

On February 13, 1956, the flag of the USSR was raised at the first Soviet Antarctic station, Mirny. This historic date marks the beginning of systematic Soviet research on the southern continent, which has now continued uninterrupted for seven decades.

The founding of the station took place under the auspices of the International Geophysical Year, which provided decisive impetus to the scientific exploration of the polar regions. As early as June 13, 1955, the Soviet government decided to organize the First Integrated Antarctic Expedition under the leadership of the renowned polar explorer Mikhail Somov. The station was named after the legendary expedition sloop Mirny (1819–1821), whose crew contributed to the discovery of Antarctica.

**At Mirny Station, average summer high temperatures reach nearly 2°C, while winter temperatures remain consistently just below −15°C for several months. (Photo: AARI / Aleksey Nagaev)**

To this day, Mirny remains in operation and is one of the most important centers of Russian Antarctic research. One of the world’s longest continuous data series on the Antarctic environment has been established here. Data are collected in the fields of meteorology, actinometry, aerology, geomagnetism, ionospheric structure, coastal oceanography, glaciology, total ozone content, and trace gases.

For many years, Mirny served as the logistical and scientific headquarters of Soviet, and later Russian, Antarctic expeditions. From here, ventures into the interior of the continent were launched, providing fundamental insights into the thickness of the ice sheet, the topography of the glacier bed, and the climatic conditions in the continent’s interior.

On the night of August 2–3, 1960, a fire broke out at the station, killing eight polar researchers. A cemetery was subsequently established on Buromsky Island, located two kilometers offshore, where by 2010 more than 60 deceased station members had been buried. (Photo: AARI / Dmitriy Rezov)

“The Mirny Station has been a central hub of Russian Antarctic research for decades. The data collected here form an indispensable foundation for understanding the natural processes that influence our planet’s climate,” said Alexander Makarov, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.

Today, as part of the program of the Russian Antarctic Expedition, year-round meteorological, aerosol-optical, ozonometric, magnetospheric, and ionospheric studies continue to be conducted. Satellite data on sea ice conditions are also received and analyzed. The 70th anniversary of Mirny Station honors a unique tradition of scientific continuity and its contribution to international climate research.

Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal