Antarctica

[Avatar28]

Well for starters Greenpeace would have to know the installation is there first. Antarctica is a very big, desolate place. We're not talking a small island here. It's bigger than both Europe and Australia, actually almost twice the size of Australia.

Even if they're just flying in on their own, the odds of them seeing the base are very small and they're just as likely to be coming in on a US or other country military transport so that would make it easier to make sure they didn't fly over that area.

[RealmOfX]

If the SGC has set up a station in Antarctica, that means according to the Antarctic Treaty, they have to allow other nations to inspect the station, exchange personell with other stations, and share scienific infomation. Also, they can only use military personell as support people. How will the SGC get around this?

In the make believe world - they'll make anything up to suit the plot.
In the real world - they wouldn't. There are 7 countries with actual claims to land down there - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, U.K. There's like 44 countries (the last I heard) that are signatories to the treaty, with various rights and obligations. Try to cut a small nation out of the equation and they make it public.

It is actually a fairly close knit community down there due to the hazardous conditions and research opportunities, hiding something is not possible. Lots of intelligent people down there (not bureaucrats) and it's hard to keep a secret from them, scientists TALK.

First let's take into consideration where the outpost is, somewhere around McMurdo station right?? Well that puts in on either the Kiwi's or the Aussie's Claim, any activity is noted and investigated. McMurdo is actually on the New Zealand Claim, really close to their own research station.

Actually, why try further explaination? 44 countries = no secret.

[RealmOfX]

Well to be fair, the military fortifications were already there and can't exactly be moved.

Very true.

At any rate, I'm sure they may keep it hidden from accidental observation with camoflage and it's not like Antarctica is densly populated anyways.

True it's not densely populated but seeing as how approximately 2/3 of the earth's popualtion has interests down there, it is suprisingly well monitored. There are lot's of scientists down there with access to a wide variety of high tech stuff, including sophisticated satellites from many different nations. McMurdo is on the New Zealand Claim and The NZ Scott Base is only about 2 miles away.

Most people who would be going to one of the bases would likely as not be on a military flight (the US Military runs a lot of those) anyways and they would be routed away.

I don't think this is true - where are you getting your info from? The US (I think) only has one base, McMurdo. The other coutries usually use their own military flights and/or civilian ones. I'm not sure how they handle air traffic control down there - but route them away??? I don't think so.

Oops sorry 2 bases - forgot the one on the peninsula, dunno it's name

[Endeavour]

Plus tourists are allowed to come to any station.

I'm confused. I thought the research station in Antartica (in real life) was American owned and run, and they controlled access absolutely. Scientists who want to perform research there have to apply and be vetted.

If anyone here has watched the Palin documentary "Pole To Pole", they have to get special clearance from the US Government to go into the Antarctic research station, and they're not allowed to stay there (they have to sleep outside!). So yes, whilst there's a treaty over the continent, I don't believe the US is under any obligation to allow anyone to just turn up there and poke around.

[xtremixt]

I thought antartica wasnt US soil, just like the middle of the atlantic isnt under us jurastiction. I thought Antartica being a wasteland and all was something like internationally owned, like international waters. Thus the US has no jurastiction and all the contries are allowed access to the site.

[Falcon Horus]

Antarctic Treaty

Here's the text if you wanna know how things are these days...

And for the record, i also found an indication that the US and Russia haven't claimed any territory on the continent but they will and they can when they have found a suitable piece of land (well, sorta).

[Cherriey]

I don't think they will 'get around it'. I'm sure most of the people that went to Atlantis were at least some of those already stationed at the Antarctica base.

[xtremixt]

Antarctic Treaty

Here's the text if you wanna know how things are these days...

And for the record, i also found an indication that the US and Russia haven't claimed any territory on the continent but they will and they can when they have found a suitable piece of land (well, sorta).

Thanx for this Good stuff

[Cherriey]

It's amazing the kind of information you can get from these forums. =0) Who would have thought!

[RealmOfX]

And for the record, i also found an indication that the US and Russia haven't claimed any territory on the continent but they will and they can when they have found a suitable piece of land (well, sorta).

Really? Where did you get that info?

[LORD MONK]

My guess is that that treaty was thrown away whn Anubis attacked Earth and we found an Ancient Weapons Platform. Then the US moved in and said MINE. Like I said before, there are to many countries involved to suspect anything. Think about it, Russia, US, Briton and China, not exactly a war issue, we aretheir studying global warming for all anyone knows.

[LORD MONK]

Yes, the US has laid claim in Antarctica although it is not recognizes by other countries. I got this info the 'CIA-The World FactBook--Antarctica.'

[RealmOfX]

Yes, the US has laid claim in Antarctica although it is not recognizes by other countries. I got this info the 'CIA-The World FactBook--Antarctica.'

Actually, no. Under the treaty of which they are signatories, no one can lay a claim or alter a claim while the treaty is in effect. What they have done is reserve the right to do so. Basically the treaty is a cop out in regards to claims, no one recognises existing claims and they reserve the right to make claims in the future. However, it does get everyone to stay hands off for the moment and allow free access to conduct and share scientific research.

On the series when they brought up the subject of the broken down talks - they actually understated the complicated real life political mess that is Antarctica. In the series this would have been a great point to make the Stargate public.

[SG-1ssm]

Since we have an alliance with a number of other nations to cooperate in the stargate program together and most being superpowers (Russia, China, France,UK ) I think they would keep it under wraps providing false info about the base and whats going on there. Besides there's not a lot of other nations that can operate bases in the antartic. Never heard of the Saudi Arabian Antartic team.

I concure.

[Puget Sound]

My guess is that that treaty was thrown away whn Anubis attacked Earth and we found an Ancient Weapons Platform. Then the US moved in and said MINE. Like I said before, there are to many countries involved to suspect anything. Think about it, Russia, US, Briton and China, not exactly a war issue, we aretheir studying global warming for all anyone knows.

A lot of countries would be angry. Argentina and Britain fought over the Falklands, a small island group near the coast of Argentina. They still want it, along with parts of Antarctica. and Greenpeace would be angry. They want Antarctica to become an international park.

I concure.

Plenty of small contries have bases in Antarctica.

I'm confused. I thought the research station in Antartica (in real life) was American owned and run, and they controlled access absolutely. Scientists who want to perform research there have to apply and be vetted.

If anyone here has watched the Palin documentary "Pole To Pole", they have to get special clearance from the US Government to go into the Antarctic research station, and they're not allowed to stay there (they have to sleep outside!). So yes, whilst there's a treaty over the continent, I don't believe the US is under any obligation to allow anyone to just turn up there and poke around.

The Antarctic Treaty allows inspections at any time.