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Dome F


Valkyrie Dome, also known as Dome Fuji (ドームふじ Dōmu Fuji), Dome F, or Valkyrjedomen, is located in the eastern part of Queen Maud Land at 77°30′S 37°30′E / 77.500°S 37.500°E / -77.500; 37.500. With an altitude of 3,810 m or 12,500 ft above sea level, it is the second-highest summit or ice dome of the East Antarctic ice sheet and represents an ice divide. Dome F is the site of Dome Fuji Station, a research station operated by Japan.

Valkyrie Dome is an ice dome rising to about 3,700 m in the eastern part of Queen Maud Land. In 1963-64, a Soviet Antarctic Expedition oversnow traverse crossed the north part of the dome at an elevation of over 3,600 meters. The feature was delineated by the SPRI-NSF-TUD airborne radio-echo sounding program, 1967-79. It was named Valkyrie Dome after the three Valkyrie of Norse mythology, who carried those that had fallen in battle to Valhalla.

Owing to its location on the Antarctic plateau and the high elevation, Valkyrie Dome is one of the coldest places on Earth. Temperatures rarely rise above -30 °C in summer and can drop to -80 °C in winter. The annual average air temperature is -54.3 °C. The climate is that of a cold desert, with very dry conditions and an annual precipitation of about 25 millimeters of water equivalent, which falls entirely as ice crystals.

Dome Fuji Station (ドームふじ基地 Dōmu Fuji Kichi) was established as "Dome Fuji observation base" (ドームふじ観測拠点 Dōmu Fuji Kansoku Kyoten) in January 1995. Its name was changed to "Dome Fuji Station " on April 1, 2004. Located at 77°19′S 39°42′E / 77.317°S 39.700°E / -77.317; 39.700, it is separated from Showa Station by about 1,000 km.


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