Davis base, Antarctica

The Canadian vapor pressure data for the five short-term experimental locations are included in Table I with the artificial laboratory conditions of McCawley and others (57), as well as equivalent data from the dry natural conditions at Davis Base, Antarctica, for comparison. The data in Table I show that the potential drying eflSciency of the natural air, as indicated by VPD, is low compared with the experimental laboratory situation. None of the Canadian sites appear to be particularly good freeze-drying locations, even during the optimum conditions of a short 2-3 months per year. 

Figure 6. Mean monthly temperature for air and ice points, based on records for 22 years from Davis Base, Antarctica.

Figure 7. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and relative humidity (RH), based on monthly mean records for 1981-1985 for the Davis Base, Antarctica.

Meteorological data are available as readings taken every three hours at the Davis base in Antarctica covering 1981-1985, with less-detailed records for the previous 22 years. Computer reduction of the raw meteorological records has been applied to produce statistics on temperature, wind direction, wind velocity, vapor pressure, and the vapor pressure deficit. The mean monthly air temperature records (Figure 5) indicate that conditions are generally below the freezing point, but do not reach extremely low levels. 

Antarctica (Figure 4) is the world s driest continent. Davis is one of the driest bases, with the least number of days of blowing snow of all the record stations (64),... 

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