José María Sobral
Encyclopedia
Alférez de Navío José María Sobral (Navy Sub-Lieutenant
- born on April 14, 1880 in Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos
, died on April 14, 1961 in Buenos Aires
) was an Argentine
military scientist and Antarctic explorer.
Sobral joined the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
on the ship Antarctic
in Buenos Aires
at the end of 1901, when the group headed by Otto Nordenskjöld asked the Argentine Government
for supplies, to perform a series of meteorological, biological geological and geodesical studies.
The expedition arrived to Snow Hill Island
at the Weddell Sea
in 1902, where they were to spend one winter.
But the ship that was to return to pick them up, the Antarctic, under command of Captain Carl Larsen
, was crushed by the ice and sank, leaving the expedition to spend a second winter on Snow Hill Island, with no communication with the mainland or the Antarctic party, which was stranded and spent the winter in rough shelter on Paulet Island
. A year later the Argentine corvette Uruguay
rescued the survivors, including the Argentine officer.
Upon return to Argentina Sobral left the army and went to Sweden
to study geology at the Uppsala University
, where he doctored in 1913. In 1906 he married Swedish Elna W. Klingström, with whom he would have 9 children.
In 1914 he returned to Argentina, working as National Director of Mining and Hydrology until 1924. In 1930 he was named Argentine consul in Norway
, but returned to Argentina a year later to work for Argentine national oil company YPF
. He retired in 1935, but continued travelling around Argentina and giving geology lectures until his death in 1961, coincidentally on his birthday.
Sobral wrote a number of books on the Army, Argentina-Chile relations
, Geology, and his Antarctic adventure. He is considered the father of the Argentine Antarctica
, a national hero and the first Argentine geologist.
The Argentine summer Base Alférez de Navío Sobral was built in 1965 and is located at 81°05' S, 40°00' W, in Edith Ronne Land
facing the Filchner Ice Shelf. It supported the Argentine Army's overland expedition to the South Pole in 1965. A stamp bearing Sobral's image and Snow Hill Island is Argentina Scott #1070, 1975.
The Argentine Navy
patrol boat ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9)
was named after him.
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
- born on April 14, 1880 in Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
, died on April 14, 1961 in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
) was an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
military scientist and Antarctic explorer.
Sobral joined the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Swedish Antarctic Expedition
The Swedish Antarctic Expedition was led by Otto Nordenskjöld and Carl Anton Larsen.-Background:Otto Nordenskjöld, a Swedish geologist and geographer, organized and lead a scientific expedition of the Antarctic Peninsula...
on the ship Antarctic
Antarctic (ship)
The Antarctic was a Swedish steamship built in Drammen, Norway in 1871. She was used on several research expeditions to the Arctic region and to Antarctica through 1898-1903. In 1895 the first confirmed landing on the mainland of Antarctica was made from this ship.-The ship:Antarctic was a barque...
in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
at the end of 1901, when the group headed by Otto Nordenskjöld asked the Argentine Government
Government of Argentina
The government of Argentina, functioning within the framework of a federal system, is a presidential representative democratic republic. The President of Argentina is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in both the...
for supplies, to perform a series of meteorological, biological geological and geodesical studies.
Snow Hill Island
Snow Hill Island is an almost completely snowcapped island, long and wide, lying off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is separated from James Ross Island to the northeast by Admiralty Sound...
at the Weddell Sea
Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norvegia is...
in 1902, where they were to spend one winter.
But the ship that was to return to pick them up, the Antarctic, under command of Captain Carl Larsen
Carl Larsen
Carl Otto Lauritz Larsen was a Danish gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He was part of the Danish team, which won the silver medal in the gymnastics men's team, Swedish system event.-External links:*...
, was crushed by the ice and sank, leaving the expedition to spend a second winter on Snow Hill Island, with no communication with the mainland or the Antarctic party, which was stranded and spent the winter in rough shelter on Paulet Island
Paulet Island
Paulet Island is a circular island about in diameter, lying southeast of Dundee Island, off the northeastern end of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is composed of lava flows capped by a cinder cone with a small summit crater. Geothermal heat keeps parts of the island ice-free, and the youthful...
. A year later the Argentine corvette Uruguay
ARA Uruguay
The corbeta ARA Uruguay, built in England, is the largest ship afloat of its age in the Armada de la República Argentina , with more than 135 years passed since its official incorporation in September 1874...
rescued the survivors, including the Argentine officer.
Upon return to Argentina Sobral left the army and went to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to study geology at the Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
, where he doctored in 1913. In 1906 he married Swedish Elna W. Klingström, with whom he would have 9 children.
In 1914 he returned to Argentina, working as National Director of Mining and Hydrology until 1924. In 1930 he was named Argentine consul in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, but returned to Argentina a year later to work for Argentine national oil company YPF
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales is an Argentine oil company.Founded in 1922 under President Hipólito Yrigoyen's administration, it was privatized in 1993 by Carlos Menem, and bought by the Spanish firm Repsol; the resulting merger in 1999 produced Repsol YPF...
. He retired in 1935, but continued travelling around Argentina and giving geology lectures until his death in 1961, coincidentally on his birthday.
Sobral wrote a number of books on the Army, Argentina-Chile relations
Argentina-Chile relations
Argentina–Chile relations refers to interstate relations between the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic. Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border, which is long and runs from north to the south along the Andes mountains...
, Geology, and his Antarctic adventure. He is considered the father of the Argentine Antarctica
Argentine Antarctica
Argentine Antarctica is a sector of Antarctica claimed by Argentina as part of its national territory. The Argentine Antarctic region, consisting of the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section extending to the South Pole, is delimited by the 25° West and 74° West meridians and the 60° South...
, a national hero and the first Argentine geologist.
The Argentine summer Base Alférez de Navío Sobral was built in 1965 and is located at 81°05' S, 40°00' W, in Edith Ronne Land
Edith Ronne Land
Edith Ronne Land is the name sometimes applied to the sector of Antarctica lying between 36° W and 80° W to the south of the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf...
facing the Filchner Ice Shelf. It supported the Argentine Army's overland expedition to the South Pole in 1965. A stamp bearing Sobral's image and Snow Hill Island is Argentina Scott #1070, 1975.
The Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
patrol boat ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9)
ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9)
ARA Alferez Sobral is an aviso in Argentine Navy service since 1972. She had previously served in the US Navy as .-US Navy service:...
was named after him.
External links
- Sobral's Biography - Marambio BaseMarambio BasePrior to the base's foundation a team led by Vice-Commodore Mario Luis Olezza built the 1200 m long, 40 m wide landing track, the first one in the continent. Nowadays, the track, oriented 05/23, is equipped with VOR, DME and NDB electronic landing systems. It also has a radio beacon,...
site - Centenary
- "Dos años en el hielo" - extract of Sobral's book and other texts
- "Corbeta Uruguay" Argentine Army site
- "Rumbo a la Antártida" Teína Magazine