The Way to Siberia

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR (1882—1883)

A. O. Andreev*, M. V. Dukalskaja*, S. V. Frolov**

By the end of the 70’s of the XIXth century the central part of the Arctic and the Antarctic represented blank spots on the world map. Expeditions from many countries headed for polar areas to make geographical discoveries. Research work if any was of secondary importance.

Famous Austrian polar researcher Karl Weiprecht (1838-1881) was the first to talk of integrated research programme of polar regions. He considered that integrated studies in the Arctic and the Antarctic were possible only with participation of scientists of world leading countries and with financial support of their governments. In 1875 Karl Weyprecht made a report “Basic principles of Arctic studies”, and mentioned that “the immediate task of polar countries studies is to encircle the northern polar area with research stations making simultaneous observations during one year using similar devices and methods. To increase the value of studies it is necessary to set up at least several research stations in the Antarctic as well”.

International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), created in 1872, supported the ideas of Weyprecht. The Second International Meteorological Congress took place in Rome in 1879. The Congress recommended the IMO member states to accept Weyprecht’s plan and to put it to practice. In the same year International Polar Commission (IPC) was founded. The task of the first IPC conference organised in Hamburg was to develop a research programme named International Polar Year.

G.I. Vild (1833-1903), an outstanding scientist and organiser, academician of St-Petersburg Academy of Sciences and Director of the Principal Physical Observatory in St-Petersburg, was elected the Chairman of IPC at the second conference in Bern in 1880. G.I. Vild co-ordinated all studies in the framework of the International Polar Year Programme.

The third IPC conference took place in St-Petersburg in 1881. The term of research programme (August 1882-September 1883) was fixed at the conference, as well as the scope of research activity. Compulsory investigations included hourly meteorological watch and magnetic observations. Every first and the fifteenth day of the month all monitoring devices readings had to be done every five minutes. During one hour readings had to be done every 20 seconds. Astronomical observations and observations of the northern lights were considered compulsory. Recommended additional research included hydrographical, hydrological, botanical, zoological and geological observations.

Pavlovsk Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory made an important contribution into preparation of the First International Polar Year. The Observatory was opened on the 21st of May 1878. It was a model of a meteorological establishment of that time equipped with all modern devices. Participants of several national expeditions were trained in this Observatory and in the Principal Physical Observatory. The observatories were also in charge of verification of devices used in polar stations.

According to the Programme of the First International Polar Year 12 scientific research stations were set up in the Arctic. Russia and the USA opened 2 polar stations each; Finland (being part of Russia at that time), Germany, Dual Monarchy of Austria and Hungary, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Holland opened 1 station each.

Russian Polar Stations
Navigation officer N.D. Jurgens was elected the Head of Sagastyr Polar Station located in the estuary of the Lena River. Apart from N.D. Jurgens, the Doctor of Medicine and naturalist A.A. Bunge, later famous as explorer of the Novosibirsk Islands, the Candidate of Mathematics A.G. Eigner and five other researchers of lower rank were members of the expedition.

On the 16th of December 1881 the expedition left St-Petersburg and almost 8 months later it reached the estuary of the Lena River on the 7th of August 1882. A meteorological station was set up on the south coast of the Sagastyr Island. The first meteorological watch was performed on the 19th of August (the 31st of August according to New Style) and within the following 22 months the observations were made every hour. Systematic magnetic observations started on the 19th of October 1882. The expedition also investigated the estuary of the Lena River. A.A. Bunge managed to collect a lot of minerals and plants during his long-duration tours.

Upon request of the Russian Geographical Society it was decided to prolong observation programme of the station for one year. On the 26th of June 1884 the expedition left the Island of Sagastyr on boats.

The second Russian station (Malye Karmakuly) was set up on the west coast of the Novaya Zemlya Island. Lieutenant K.P. Andreyev managed operation of the station. Other members of the expedition were midshipman D.A. Volodkovsky, director of Kronshtadt Astronomical Observatory V.E. Fuss, doctor L.F. Grinevetsky, student of Petersburg University N.V. Krivosheya and five other participants of lower rank.

On the 4th of August 1882 the steamship “Chizhov” with expedition participants onboard arrived to the Malokarmakulsky Bay of the Novaya Zemlya Island. In 1877 the Russian authorities founded a life-boat station there. From the 20th of August 1882 (the 1st of September according to New Style) regular meteorological and magnetic observations were organized at the station. During wintering doctor Grinevetsky accompanies by two nenets crossed the island from the west to the Kara Sea on dog-sledge. Grinevetsky made the first description of the island inside part.

In June 1883 catcher boats of the coast-dwellers delivered mail to the Malokarmakulsky Bay. The expedition participants took one boat to make a tour to the Matochkin Shar Strait. During the tour the explorers gathered geological, botanical and zoological collections and sent them to St-Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

On the 1st of September 1883 the last observations were made at the station.

In accordance with the research programme of the First International Polar Year and by authority of the Russian government a Dutch polar research station was supposed to be founded on Dickson Island. In July 1882 the crew of sailing-and-motor vessel “Varna” headed by Doctor M. Snellen left Amsterdam. Near the Karskiye Vorota Strait “Varna” found itself in the ice field. The vessel was carried away to the Kara Sea with drifting ice. Danish schooner “Dimphna” was lying to at the same time and in the same area. The vessels managed to approximate each other and during some time they were lying to together. In December the crew and expedition participants got over aboard “Dimphna” due to “Varna” hull leakage. On the 24th of July “Varna” was jammed by the ice, violently damaged, and it sunk.

In August 1883 the expedition crew left “Dimphna” and managed to reach the coast of the Vaigach Island on dog-sledge and boats. Soon after that the people were picked up in the Yugorsky Shar Strait by passing vessels and carried to Norway. In September 1883 “Dimphna” freed from the ice and left to Norway.

Meteorological observations performed on drifting vessels during all the year using precise tools made an important contribution into realization of the First IPY Programme. Data on vessels drifting was also valuable for the science. It provided the chart of currents and ice movements in the area. Experience obtained during investigations on drifting ice was used in preparation of expedition on “Fram” and in setting up Soviet research stations SP.

Results of the First IPY
14 polar research stations, 32 observatories and several meteorological stations from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South America participated in the works in accordance with the First International Polar Year Programme. All results of research activity were summarized and published in 36 volumes. In 1884 the final IPY Conference took place in Vienna. The research results were announced and considered as favourable.

Unfortunately upon completion of IPY Programme all research stations were closed, thus the results obtained within relatively short period of time were not valuable for climatology. However, acquired data was important for that time. Many scientists used this data for development of meteorology. IPY was the first global research project. Subsequently valuable experience of scientific programme organization was repeatedly used for implementation of bigger research programmes.

* Russian state museum of Arctic and Antarctic

** Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI)