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The contribution of the Russian polar expedition (1900 – 1903) in oceanographic investigation of the Arctic Seas of Russia

 
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AtlantNIRO

V. Sinyukov (S. I. Vavilov Institute of the History of Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia)

The Russian polar expedition was organized by the Imperial Russian Academy of Sciences. It was the first complex expedition at the special prepared vessel "Zarya". The scientific laboratories were equipped with the most modern facilities of that time- for carrying out hydrological, magnetic, astronomical, meteorological and other investigations.

The overall objective of expedition – to find Sannicov Land, which excites minds of scientists and statesmen and remains imperceptible for a century. In the beginning of the 20th century the existence of the big islands, which were not put on a geographical map of Russia was supposed. It's nonsense of the 20th century! The mind boggles!

The expedition was headed by the well-known polar geologist Baron E.V. Toll. Sci­entific structure: the captain of the vessel – lieutenant Kolomijtsev N.N.; the geodesist, the meteorologist and the photographer – the Navy lieutenant Matisen F.A; the hy­drologist, the hydrochemist, the second magnetologist and topographer – lieutenant Koltchak A.V.; the senior zoologist of the Zoological museum – zoologist, orni­thologist, photographer – Balnitsky-Birulja A A, the astronomer and magnetologist – the doctor of physics Zeeberg F.G.; the doctor- bacteriologist and the second zo­ologist – doctor of medicine Valter G.E.

During the navigation the hydrological researches were carried out, the density of sea water with the help areometer was measured for the subsequent calculation of its salinity The tests of water were carried out and then its were preserved and se­lected for realiza­tion of the full chemical analyses in stationary conditions. During the winter stands mag­netics and meteorological supervision were carried out and collected geological samples The sciences collected the geodetic shootings of the Western part of Taimyrsky penin­sula. During the expedition the scientist photo­graphed more than 500 kilometers of a route and defined 9 astronomical items. Ex­tensive collections of spines animals were gathered, monitoring over the life of animals was carried out: white bears, polar birds. The ornithological collection, in which there were unknown earlier kinds of birds, was collected. During the voyage of the vessel dragging and netting were carried out. The drag was pulled down and moving on a bottom, grasping all on the way: cockleshells, star­fishes, all of inhabi­tants of a benthonic layer. The scientists located all exhibits in the glass jars with formalin for preservation and then they described, packed them for the further transportation to Zoological museum of Saint-Peterburg.

The Russian polar expedition executed a huge complex of oceanographic investiga­tions, and studying of materials were continued till 1917 and remained uncompleted. The Expedition plotted about 200 new geographical names on a map of the Arctic region. There were the islands named in honour of a greats workers and faithful friends of the persons, main assistants in the Northern latitudes – dogs. There were such is­lands as Tugut, Korsar, Grozny in the archipelago of the Kara sea.

There were the results of heroic activity of the Russian polar expedition!


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