I ran across the Army's Camp Century which was set up in the arctic to do research. One such investigation dealt with global warming. The article was very enlightening. The earth has had rapid temperature changes over its history for reasons that were not very clear.
The camp was set up as noted below:
So named because it was 100 trail miles out on the ice cap, or 138-150 miles from Thule, and an entire city built beneath the snow for 85-200 residents.
It was located in a 6200 feet high area where winds up to 125 mph and temperatures as low as minus 70F had been recorded.
The camp was opened in 1959 and was officially operated by the Army Polar Research and Development Center from Fort Belvoir.
The Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research Establishment (SIPRE) played an important part in its construction and operation until the experiment was discontinued in 1966. (in 1960 SIPRE became part of the Army's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory or CRREL)
From Thule Air Base, via Camp Tuto, persons took a 3 mile road up the ramps to the ice cap and then went by light (pole cats) or heavy "swings" down the "tractor trail, past Blue Ice Valley and Camp Fist Clench (or Site 2).
These 10-20 ton sleds crept along at 2 miles an hour for the 70 hour travel.
The light swings carried 6 men and took less time to travel to the camp.
The Arctic Engineer Task Force conducted experiments in storage and living conditions and the Army's Transportation Corps conducted frequent experiments with transportation and special Arctic vehicles.
Camp Century was housed in a network of 21 cut and cover trenches that were constructed with Swiss snow millers (called Peter Plows.)
Within the tunnels were placed 30 prefabricated plywood buildings that contained
- Research labs
- Dormitories (60-125 sq. ft./person)
- Mess hall (3200 sq. ft.)
- Food storage (700 sq. ft. warm, 1920 sq. ft. cold)
- Shop space of 4080 sq. ft. for vehicles, utilities and communications
- Nuclear reactor for heat and power (400 tons of piping was used to support the reactor.)
- Dispensary
- Chapel (in the theater)
- Barber shop
- Exchange (500 sq. ft.)
- Library (672 sq. ft.)
- Theater (608 sq. ft.)
- Clubs (2272 sq. ft.)
- Laundry (450 sq. ft.)
- Miscellaneous space (144 sq. ft.)
