Arctic Ocean is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.Nevertheless, the people were the first to be here even earlier than in the Pacific.What was the story of the development of the ocean and who is involved in its study?It is necessary to examine the information for each of the periods related to this area, from the Age of Discovery to the present day.
first explorers
the first time in these places, people were still in the tenth-eleventh centuries.Pomerania, who lived in what is now the Russian Federation, to come to the shore of the island of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya, and knew how to get to the Atlantic Ocean.By the end of the sixteenth century Russian sailors was known to the entire coastline to the mouth of the Ob River.The Age of Discovery was the time to search for new ways of communicating and undiscovered lands.In these times of British, Russian and Dutch sailors began to try to find the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific, sailing along the coast of Asia and North America.To carry out this many in the north hampered by a lack of equipment.So, the British Thorn and Hudson reach the Pole could not.Willoughby and the Barents failed to even swimming to the Kara Sea - preparation and inappropriate for such a way predetermined the outcome of the ship travel.
Opening new straits
In the early seventeenth century were made more successful attempts to explore the Arctic Ocean.Oceanic continued Baffin, repeated the journey in search of the Northwest Passage.He was sailing off the coast of Greenland, discovered the mouth of the Straits of Lancaster and Smith.To penetrate beyond them he was not allowed the ice, why Baffin decided that further passage is simply no.The failures of other expeditions that followed, led to the fact that contemporaries were not able to prove the opposite.
Russian sailors
great contribution to the study of the Arctic Ocean made by Russian scientists.Thoughts about the existence of the passage did not leave the people.This confidence was expressed Gerasimov in 1525.The shortest route across the ice coming from the straits of Novaya Zemlya to the port of Providence, is five thousand six hundred and ten kilometers, it is the road from Murmansk to Vladivostok.A study of the Arctic Ocean along this route was carried out at the beginning of the seventeenth century pioneer Rebrov.He reached the mouth of the Yana River, and in the middle of the same century Dezhnev managed to go on, round the north-east Asia and discover the Bering Strait.But the unexpected happened.The history of the study of the Arctic Ocean has developed a tragedy - report Dezhneva Lost in the eighty-eight years and found only after the death of the traveler.
Search Continues
Until the end of the nineteenth century were scattered studies of the Arctic Ocean.Summary of events does not include breakthroughs in this period.However, travel to the north are still of great interest.With these years of well-known names are linked - for example, or the Bering Kruzenshtern.The rivalry between Britain and Russia in the issue of finding new ways to become aggravated.The first was sent to the north for more than sixty expeditions.The results of some of them have not been published until now.In 1770 Herk traveler went to study the Arctic Ocean.Ocean Studies were sponsored by the Hudson River.As a result of sailing, he wrote that passage in the presence of doubt.There were only new hypotheses and assumptions, any reality in the cards did not appear.Russian researchers have taken the Great Northern Expedition, which is conceived by Peter the First.The names of participants are known, and now - is Chelyuskin, Laptev, Ponchischevy.But they did not complete the journey.However, the achievement was a thorough filling card and the opening of the northern point of Eurasia, which today bears the name of Cape Chelyuskin.
end of the nineteenth century in the history of the study of the ocean
Arctic remained incompletely understood for a long time.Nevertheless nineteenth century associated with many important names are markedly influenced research Arctic Ocean.Briefly worth mentioning Rumyantsev and Kruzenshtern, the creators of the project exploring the shores of America and reaching pole.As a result, numerous expeditions have found that the ocean uneven ice conditions throughout the year.It made an innovative proposal.Admiral Makarov adapted to move a special ship.The first icebreaker called "Ermak" went so far as anyone could not before.Foreign researchers have successfully managed to move during the trip of Fridtjof Nansen on the ship "Fram".During drift scientist received important information about the topography of the ocean, the composition of the water mass and ice, the climate of the central regions.
studies early twentieth century
Since the beginning of the new century, the working conditions have changed.Studies of the Arctic Ocean in the 20th century allowed to achieve more significant results with the other terms of equipment and training.Actively swam in the region as the English and Russian, Americans, Norwegians.In 1909, it was created by steel icebreakers with powerful engines that are able to create a unique depth maps and reached the mouth of the Lena River.However, undertaken in 1912 expedition to the North Pole and was not successful.People still did not manage to conquer the Arctic Ocean.Ocean Studies conducted in the western sector.In 1920 began the fifth expedition Rasmussen, who arrived from Greenland to Alaska.The first to reach the North Pole Peary.
Mastering pass
history studies of the Arctic Ocean has been directly related to the search path from Murmansk to Greenland.Breakthrough icebreaker managed to "Joseph Stalin", which was able to learn the legendary pass.The direction of the work has changed - the success of aviation made it possible to study the ice in the air that made Amundsen with Ellsworth.They found that the north of Greenland is not sushi.But Baird was able to get on a plane to the pole.Likewise, scientists have studied and Point Barrow, in Alaska.In 1937, the ice started the first hydro-meteorological station, examine the nature of the local waters.There was also studied in detail the relief, which is different Arctic Ocean.Oceanic moved to a modern level.
final stage of research
After World War II, when work was suspended, the new history of the north.Steel used laboratory methods, acquired the significance of the theory.Current studies of the Arctic Ocean led to the discovery of new ranges - Mendeleev and Lomonosov.Discovered at the bottom of the basin have transformed the former opinion about the relief.Since mid-century ice brought the team of travelers who can spend a lot of research in the short term.They found the Gakkel Ridge, an underwater volcanic formation of character.In 1963, a man was able to get under the ice to the North Pole on nuclear boat.In 1977 he was made an expedition on the icebreaker, which also ended successfully.Man conquered the Arctic Ocean.
Oceanic continued Canadian, American and Russian scientists.But the nature of their work is becoming more theoretical and experimental sense - on a map of the areas left white spots, and the journey to the North Pole does not seem a challenge that could cost the brave pilgrim life that was so important a few centuries ago, the era of the Greatgeographical discoveries to the end of the nineteenth century.
