existence of the North geographic pole of the Earth at high latitudes for centuries attracted the attention of researchers and travelers.Those who discovered the North Pole, his name would be glorified no less of Columbus, Magellan and other great pioneers.Expeditions in the high northern latitudes fitted out in Russia, UK, USA, Norway, and Italy.Many travelers have died before reaching the goal.Their names recall with gratitude descendants.
discovery of the North Pole.Background
Russian explorers from Novgorod in the XI-XII centuries reached the coast of the White Sea.
In the years 1595-1597 V. Barents and his crew left for the winter in the Arctic on the west coast of Novaya Zemlya, before discovering the island of Spitsbergen.
British explorer G. Hudson in 1607 reached the eastern edge of Greenland, but the expedition was halted by ice.The team managed to reach Spitsbergen, but above 80,23 ° could not move.
V. Bering in the years 1725-1734 went to the First Kamchatka expedition to explore the polar latitudes.
Why pioneers sought to the North Pole?
One after another, are loaded with new expedition, their goal - the discovery of the North Pole.Many people from different countries sent to the far north.Moves travelers not only a purely academic interest.New ways could reduce the distance traveled by commercial and military ships from Europe to Asia.The question of who discovered the North Pole, in those years was not discussed.Researchers and travelers for a long time could penetrate above 80 ° north latitude.
Ideas marine expeditions to the North Pole
In the XVII century there was a theory of melting ice in the summer months near the North geographic pole.Some researchers believe that there may be a sea, not covered with ice.This legend was founded many attempts to reach high latitudes by ocean waters on ships.The great Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov spent calculations confirm this possibility.Empress Catherine the Great ordered an expedition.She Decree Admiral V. Chichagov in 1765-m and 1766-m twice went in search of a free water space, where you can get to the North Pole.Admiral failed to move above 80,30 °.I do not get the discoverer of the North Pole from the head of the British naval expedition K. Phipps.He managed to achieve in 1773 only latitude 80,48 °.Unsuccessful attempts to overcome the remaining few degrees to the North Pole pushed into the background the idea of water traveling at high latitudes.
new polar expedition on the sea ice and
In 1827, Englishman William Parry decided to go to the North Pole over the ice of the Arctic.He could be one of those who first reached the North Pole.The expedition was funded by the British Admiralty Parry.Polar explorers set out from England in March 1827 on the ship and reached the island of Spitsbergen.The head of the expedition, and his companions boarded a boat equipped with special runners.Moving on the ice, they reached 82,45 °.This record was set July 23, 1827, and remained for almost 50 years.Among the participants of the expedition was D. Ross, who is credited with the discovery of the North Magnetic Pole.Even further advanced the Briton D. Nares, who went north in 1875.On two ships, then on a sled, which people dragged manually squad managed to get in May 1876 to the latitude of 83,20 °.At that time it was a new record in the polar latitudes, but are not listed as members of the expedition to those who discovered the North Pole.
in the Arctic ice
The failure of the North American expedition suffered D. De Long, who July 8, 1879 sailed on a sailboat "Jeannette" from San Francisco.The ship passed through the Bering Strait and came to Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean.There vmerz sailing in ice and in this state began to drift towards the North Pole.But after 21 months, "Jeannette" sank, saved only a small part of the team.
Experience De Long helped to organize an expedition to the Norwegian polar explorer F. Nansen.He fitted out a special ship "Fram", adapted to the drift in the ice.The adventurer decided to take over the Arctic Ocean and become the first to discover the North Pole."Fram" was the Northern Sea Route, hove to, and March 14, 1895 reached parallels 84,4 °.Nansen ski and dogsled reached 86,14 °, but was stopped by ice hummocks.In 1899, participants in the Italian squad Arctic Prince Luigi Amedeo of Savoy were able to get on the ice sled dog up to 86,34 °.
Excitement around the discoverer of the North Pole
many years, there is a dispute about who first discovered the North Pole.A number of travelers claim to this role.One of them - the American F. Cook, who claimed that sled dog he got to the two conductors, the Eskimos at the North Pole 21 April 1908.The scientific community has demanded proof, but Cook could not provide them.Worldwide known dispute between two Americans, each of which claims that it was he - the discoverer of the North Pole.One of them - the cook, and the second - engineer Robert Peary.He claimed that he had been at a latitude of 90 ° April 6, 1909.Polar satellite was compatriot M. Henson, as well as guides, he hired four Eskimos.Adoption Piri replete with inaccuracies, and was questioned.
Russian expedition to the North Pole
not interfering in the dispute who first conquered the North Pole, Russian researchers have continued to systematically explore and develop the Arctic.In the years 1912-1914 G. Sedov expedition spent two polar winter on board the ship.In the Soviet years it has been carried out with the help of scientists landing aircraft 30 kilometers from the North Pole.From May 21, 1937 began the first in the world on an ice floe drifting research station SP-1.
Expedition members:
- Ivan Papanin (head);
- Pyotr Shirshov (oceanographer);
- Evgeny Fedorov (meteorology);
- Ernst Ernst (radio operator).
lasted nine months drifting during which polar explorers were observing.The ice floe was in the 2850 km of the original landing site on her people.Off the coast of Greenland, researchers boarded the Soviet icebreakers.
Studying the Arctic continues in the new millennium.Found and developed reserves of mineral resources on the continental shelf of the Arctic Ocean, is fishing.In countries with access to the Arctic, there are many interests.The new expedition, prepared by scientists, industrialists, military, go to the North Pole.There are also international sport tournaments to mark the onset of the polar summer.Followers Nansen Cook, Peary, Sedov, papanintsev re-directed to the north of the planet to the point of having a latitude of 90 °, in order to prove the triumph of willpower and spirit over the harsh polar ice.
