SANAE II base construction

Abstract

Construction of the SANAE II base in 1971, replaced a decade later by SANAE III. The SANAE II base was a wooden structure built directly on top of the ice. Recurring snowstorms covered the base in snow and the base was almost completely buried beneath the ice after the first year. The snow formed an insulating layer around the base, trapping heat and keeping the wind out. The weight of the culminating snow eventually crushed this wooden base.