|
Page header photo above courtesy of:
NASA Visible Earth
|
| Location | ||||
| Description: | Thule Air Base (Pitiffuk) is about 800 miles from the North Pole. It is located near Dundas, a former trading station founded in 1910 by Knud Rasmussen. The base initially provided a refueling point for long-range bombers. Pitiffuk is translated as “Place where they tie their boats.” The 12th Space Warning Squadron, Thule AB, Greenland, is one of five ground–based radar systems providing space warning for the 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colorado. | |||
| Phonetic pronunciation: | too-lee | |||
| Country: | Greenland | |||
| State/Province/Region: | ||||
| Altitude in feet: | 122 | |||
| Altitude in meters: | 37.3 | |||
| Latitude (Decimal, Degreesºmm'ss") : | 76.53724 N 76º32'14" N | |||
| Longitude (Decimal, Degreesºmm'ss") : | 68.82387º W 68º49'26" W | |||
| Environment Types Accessible at this Location | ||||
| Marine, Sea ice, Glacier, Coastal, Riparian | ||||
| Local History and Culture | ||||
| Description: | Various scientific ventures were launched from Thule, one of the most ambitious being Camp Century. It was a city built in the Greenland Ice Cap in 1959 and located about 150 miles from Thule. It even possessed its own nuclear power plant. Both Camp Century and Camp Tuto, the supply point at the base of the ice, have been closed. | |||
| Permits and Legal Issues | ||||
| Permit(s) required: | All research groups must have proper permits from the Danish Polar Center, Greenland Home Rule Government, and clearance to access Thule Air Base. | |||
| Permitting agency web page: | http://www.dpc.dk/Res&Log/ProjectPlanner/Start.html | |||
| Radio permit information: | Carrying Personal Locator Beacons and other radio equipment in Greenland requires a special licence. Complete the Radio Licence application form (available at: http://www.dpc.dk/Res&Log/ProjectPlanner/Papers/Forms/Start.html ) and send it to the issuing authority: TELE Greenland Radio Administration P.O. Box 504, DK-3920 Qaqortoq, Greenland Tel.: +299 64 31 22 Fax: +299 64 31 23 Email: rfv@tele.gl no later than 3 months prior to the start of your project or expedition. Upon issuing the licence TELE Greenland will send a copy to DPC. | |||
| Insurance required: | If you plan activities in North Greenland around Thule you are not required to take out a Search and Rescue (SAR) insurance nor an evacuation insurance. Please email DPC ( ha@dpc.dk ) for detailed information on insurance. ( http://www.dpc.dk/Res&Log/ProjectPlanner/Safety/Start.html#insurance ) | |||
| Courtesy contacts: | Authorization for work in Greenland is provided by The Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland, Greenland Home Rule Government, and by the United States Air Force. We cooperate with Thule Air Base, the U.S. Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land Management, Conservation Research Foundation, VECO, National Science Foundation, New York Air National Guard, 109 th TAF, Boise State University, Bent Brodersen/Kangerlussuaq International Science Support (KISS), and Danish scientists Knud Falk and Kaj Kampp, among others. | |||
| Physical Access | ||||
| Air service, Airstrip, Seaport | ||||
| Accessibility: | Getting to Thule is not an easy feat. Unless you have travel orders cleared by the Air Force, you cannot fly on any of the Military flights there. And no civililan flights originating in the U.S. go there. There is a weekly flight into Thule from Denmark and in the summer, there is normally more than one. The flight has to be cleared through the Danish embassy. | |||
| Air service description: | Thule can be reached by weekly Air Mobility Command flights, scheduled 109 th Air Wing flights, or weekly commercial flights through Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq. Passengers traveling on any of these flights require clearance from the United States Air Force. | |||
| Commercial air services: | -Air Greenland, Box 1012, DK-3900, Nuuk, Greenland (Tel.: +299 34 34 34, Fax: +299 32 72 88, Email: info@airgreenland.gl , Web: http://www.greenland-guide.gl/gla/default.htm ) -First Air, 3257 Carp Road, Carp, On, Canada K0A 1L0 (Tel: 613-839-3340, Fax: 613-839-5690, Reservations: 800-267-1247, Fax: 613-738-2133, E-mail: reservat@firstair.ca , Web: http://www.firstair.ca/ ) | |||
| Road: | The base taxi (Tel.: 2022) runs 24 hrs/day with the exception of 1700-2000, Monday - Friday. During this time the base taxi service runs a shuttle bus, which stops at almost all locations on the main base every 15 minutes. Access to a vehicle is not a problem. However, as there is only 1 road once you leave the base, to go anywhere else requires a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Basically, you point the car in the direction you want to go, and go that way. | |||
| Other Local Resources | ||||
| Resource: | VECO Polar Resources | |||
| Contact information: | Logistic services to NSF funded projects at Thule: logistics support (transportation, air support, cargo movement, facilities), field camp management and staffing, military travel and base/area clearances, lodging and arrangements, and coordinating support requests with the appropriate agencies and support contractors in Greenland and Denmark. Email: susan@polarfield.com or contact Tom Quinn, PFS International Logistics Manager (Cell: 303-883-8152, Tel.: 303-984-1450, Email: tom@polarfield.com ) | |||
| Resource: | High Arctic Institute | |||
| Contact information: | The Peregrine Fund (TPF) established the High Arctic Institute (HAI) in 1997. The HAI program includes all TPF activities in Greenland. The HAI facility is at Thule Air Base (Pituffik), Greenland. TPF/HAI has exclusive use of a 54 m by 8 m building (Bldg. 452), shared use of other buildings and services at Thule Air Base, and transportation on military aircraft. Building 452 provides a self-contained living and working area for researchers. Routine maintenance on the building is provided by HAI staff and Air Force contractors. -The building contains communal kitchen, dining, and living rooms. -Building 452 houses two showers, four sinks, and three toilets. -There are equipment storage and set-up areas for researchers to stage their field work from. -High Arctic Institute has two workshops available for researchers. -The High Arctic Institute has dry and wet laboratories; office, computer, and meeting rooms and a library. -Equipment includes assorted environmental suits and safety and communication apparatus, basic research equipment, technical rock climbing gear and ropes, tools, and enough camping and cooking equipment to supply several two- to 12-person camps simultaneously. -At Thule, the HAI maintains three project vehicles which are serviced by Air Force contractors, two trailered ATVs, and two trailered boats (16' and 25') with dual outboard motors (30 and 130 hp) on each. Kurt K. Burnham, Greenland Projects Director kurt@peregrinefund.org http://www.peregrinefund.org/conserv_grnld_researchspace.html | |||
| Resource: | Accommodation and Dining | |||
| Contact information: | -North Star Inn, Building #100 (Tel.:3276) -Dundas Dining Hall, Building #107 (Tel.: 2614, Web: http://www.thule.af.mil/diningha ll.htm ) -Igloo Inn / Den danske klub, Building #367 (Tel.: 2894) -Top of the World club, Building #236 (Tel.: 2418, Web: http://www.thule.af.mil/towclub. htm ) | |||
| Infrastructure | ||||
| Roads, Running water, Electricity, Heat, Mail service | ||||
| Mail service: | Since there is only one weekly flight carrying mail from the "outside" to the Thule Air Base, this of course allows mail delivery only once a week. However in winter, when the weather "grounds" helicopter flights, mail delivery may be delayed for a week or more. | |||
| Comments on infrastructure: | Electricity, heat, water, and sewer are provided by the Air Force for a monthly fee. | |||
| Communications and Data Systems | ||||
| Internet access, Telephone system, Fax send/receive | ||||
| Comments: | Because of the unstable mail deliveries, high tech communications are well developed and very used. Telephone, fax and Internet are fully functional at any time. | |||
| Buildings | ||||
| Lodging, Food service, Sanitation, Storage, Indoor staging space, Workshop and garage | ||||
| Buildings: | TPF/HAI has exclusive use of a 54 m by 8 m building (Bldg. 452), shared use of other buildings and services at Thule Air Base, and transportation on military aircraft. Building 452 provides a self-contained living and working area for researchers. Routine maintenance on the building is provided by HAI staff and Air Force contractors. | |||
| Lodging: | There are five sleeping/living rooms (one to three beds per room). | |||
| Food service: | The building contains communal kitchen, dining, and living rooms. | |||
| Sanitation: | Building 452 houses two showers, four sinks, and three toilets. | |||
| Storage: | There are equipment storage areas available to researchers. | |||
| Workshop and garage: | High Arctic Institute has two workshops available for researchers. | |||
| Laboratory Space | ||||
| Electricity in lab space, General use computers / printers in lab space, Desk/office space, Library, Wet lab, Dry lab | ||||
| Lab space: | The High Arctic Institute has dry and wet laboratories; office, computer, and meeting rooms and a library. | |||
| Science Support Equipment | ||||
| Science support equipment: | Equipment includes assorted environmental suits and safety and communication apparatus, basic research equipment, technical rock climbing gear and ropes, tools, and enough camping and cooking equipment to supply several two- to 12-person camps simultaneously. | |||
| Vehicles available: | At Thule, the HAI maintains three project vehicles which are serviced by Air Force contractors, two trailered ATVs, and two trailered boats (16' and 25') with dual outboard motors (30 and 1 30 hp) on each. | |||
| Supplies Available at or Near the Facility | ||||
| Comments: | AAFES Base Exchange (BX) Department Store, Building #251 (Tel.:3200, Web: http://www.thule.af.mil/bx.htm ) | |||
| Personal Safety | ||||
| Informational handout sheets: | 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle is very cold. Even in August, there is the possibility of extreme winter weather. Always be aware of where you are and if you are away from the base, know where the nearest shelters are. Along the road to the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System there are shelters every 500 yards or so in the event a blizzard happens and you are incabable of driving further, you have a shelter with phone, power and food. Polar bears are also free roaming there and travel through the Thule region. Remember to always travel with a companion. | |||
| Health and safety information sources: | http://www.dpc.dk/Res&Log/ProjectPlanner/Safety/Start.html | |||
| Medical Facilities/Services Available | ||||
| Hospital: | Qaanaaq hospital (Tel.: +299 971024) | |||
| Weather Information and Statistics | ||||
| Weather information source for the research area: | The NOAA/National Weather Service/Telecommunication Operations Center has current weather information for Thule AFB at http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/BGTL.html The Weather Underground has 5 day forcasts for Thule at http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/04202.html | |||
| Annual average temperature (*C): | -12 | |||
| Annual average temperature (*F): | 11 | |||
| Annual average high temperature (*C): | 5 | |||
| Annual average high temperature (*F): | 41 | |||
| Annual average low temperature (*C): | -26 | |||
| Annual average low temperature (*F): | -14 | |||
| Maps | ||||
| Online maps: | http://www.turistqaanaaq.gl/eng/index.html | |||
| Current Projects and Research History | ||||
| Research sources: | Click here for information on research in the vicinity of Thule from the database of Veco Polar Resources. | |||