Juan Carlos I Antarctic Station, ES

Juan Carlos I Antarctic Station is a seasonal coastal Antarctic station located 200 m from shore in a small bay on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. The research at JC I covers glaciology, lichen physiology, permafrost, geomagnetism, ionosphere, and meteorology.

Contribution to POLARIN key research challenges:4,5, 6

Contact:cpe[at]ciencia.gob.es

Website:Âwww.utm.csic.es/es/instalaciones/jci/

Facilities

The station consists of a set of buildings with two main modules, living/services, including infirmary, kitchen rooms and living room, with capacity for fifty people, and a laboratory module able to cover different scientific disciplines. There are other 6 modules dedicated to station services: workshop, waste treatment, energy generation, storage, fuel. One important aspect of the station is the importance given to energetic efficiency in order to avoid the energy waste and focus on decrease the consumption.It has 51 berths (maximum occupation) and an area of 350 m2 for laboratories which include fully equipped wet, chemical, and biological laboratories.

Observatories: JC I has a magnetic earthfield observatory.

Services offered

TA users will be supported by technicians to investigate the terrestrial (glacier included) or marine (coastal) environment. For RA data transmissions or equipment installations near the base buildings can be supported. During the last 5 seasons JC I station has received on average 5 to 7 foreign researchers per season.

What is included in the Access

Unit of access: User/day

Modalities of access offered: In-person access, remote access.

Preparatory work and specific training courses, all services at the station. The typical duration of work is 15 days. Researchers accessing the infrastructure will be considered as part of the Spanish Antarctic campaign so they will be integrated in the schedule as any other national scientific project depending on the logistics constraints.

Availability for access in the 2024 call

1st January 2026 to 25th March 2026.

Time frame for access preparations

Every year, from 1st January to 15th May, the Spanish Polar Committee (CPE) opens an access call to national, European and international projects intending to access the Spanish Antarctic Stations Juan Carlos I and Gabriel de Castilla. 
Logistics arrangements for the Spanish Polar Program are based in Cartagena, Spain. This is the RV Hespérides port base and where the Antarctic logistics responsible (CSIC), has a warehouse. Cargo must be sent to the warehouse indicated below 1 month prior the departure of the vessel.

The usual date of the vessel departure is between 1st and 15th November.

Permits, licenses and training

After the access request is approved, the applicant will need to apply to his/her national polar authority for:Â

• Environmental Impact Assessment certificate.
• Permit for sampling (if needed).
• Permit to restricted areas (if needed).Â
• Training course on the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty before going to Antarctica.
• Risk assessments according to the RI requirements and user’s employer.

Medical guidelines

Medical certificate for Antarctic activities issued by a competent polar authority.