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The polar expedition that harmed Russia
The North Pole (msco.ru)
The researcher stresses that the mission had no scientific effects and that it has only sparked new Arctic claims from other countries, also countries without borders towards the Arctic. He maintains that countries like China, Australia and Ireland now demand that the Arctic should remain undelineated, with all countries being able to exploit the resources of the area.
Deputy Head of Russian Institute of Oceanology, Leonid Lobkovskii, says to newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that the expedition might have given a long-term blow to Russian positions in the Arctic no-man’s land.
The researcher argues that Russia, with Chilingarov’s mission, brought no new evidence which can support Russian claims in the area. –In order to show the world that the Lomonosov Ridge is part of a continental and not a ocean shelf […] one must have a picture of the deep structures, not even 5-7 thousand kilometres, but rather 10 kilometres, Mr Lobkovskii says. –To take samples of the upper layers of the sea bed does not prove anything, he adds.
During Chilingarov’s expedition, two mini-subs descended to 4200 meters at the North Pole point and took soil samples of the ground.
Mr. Lobkovskii says however that Russia already has the samples it needs from the upper layers of the polar sea bed. He also says that Russia several years ago drilled 400 meters down in the Lomonosov Ridge in order to get a picture of the geology. –Then, however, nobody did write about it, the researcher says.
In order to map the geology of the Arctic, Russia needs expensive hi-tech equipment, which the country does not yet possess, Mr. Lobkovskii says.
Deputy Head of Russian Institute of Oceanology, Leonid Lobkovskii, says to newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that the expedition might have given a long-term blow to Russian positions in the Arctic no-man’s land.
The researcher argues that Russia, with Chilingarov’s mission, brought no new evidence which can support Russian claims in the area. –In order to show the world that the Lomonosov Ridge is part of a continental and not a ocean shelf […] one must have a picture of the deep structures, not even 5-7 thousand kilometres, but rather 10 kilometres, Mr Lobkovskii says. –To take samples of the upper layers of the sea bed does not prove anything, he adds.
During Chilingarov’s expedition, two mini-subs descended to 4200 meters at the North Pole point and took soil samples of the ground.
Mr. Lobkovskii says however that Russia already has the samples it needs from the upper layers of the polar sea bed. He also says that Russia several years ago drilled 400 meters down in the Lomonosov Ridge in order to get a picture of the geology. –Then, however, nobody did write about it, the researcher says.
In order to map the geology of the Arctic, Russia needs expensive hi-tech equipment, which the country does not yet possess, Mr. Lobkovskii says.
