The northernmost point of the earth is one of the least studied places on our planet. The harsh climate has become a major obstacle in exploring this region. For several centuries, various expeditions went to conquer the North Pole, but the journey did not always end successfully. Permafrost research for some people cost health, and even life. In this article, we will try to figure out what secrets are kept by the most northern point of our planet.
Where is the North Pole actually located?
If you approach this issue from a scientific point of view, it is worth noting that there are 4 types of poles:
- Geomagnetic. It is located where the magnetic earth axis passes.
- Pole of inaccessibility. This point is located in the coldest, ice-covered ocean, and in all directions is as far from the earth as possible.
- Magnetic. The one pointed to by the compass needle.
- Geographical. Its location is focused on the geographical axis of the planet.
The north pole has coordinates - 90 ° N, but there is no longitude, since all lines converge in the center of the pole.
The South Pole is located on the mainland of Antarctica, 98% of the area of which is ice bound. The northernmost point of our planets is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. This region is also known as the Arctic, and in addition to ocean waters, it includes the mainland of Russia, Canada and the United States. The Arctic zone also includes countries such as Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Average annual temperature
The northernmost point of our planet is not the coldest. The average annual temperature in this region in winter is -43 o , and in the summer it is kept at 0 o Celsius.
The coldest place on Earth is the South Pole. In winter, the temperature indicator averages 58 degrees below zero. The warmest day was recorded 6 years ago, in 2011, while the thermometer readings were at -12 o .
Explaining the reason why the South Pole is colder than the North is quite simple. The fact is that Antarctica is a continent that rises above sea level by more than 2 km. The air masses are colder here than at the North Pole, and the oceanic waters washing the continent are not able to heat such a vast territory.
In the Arctic, air temperature is mitigated by the Arctic Ocean, so the ice in these places is thinner than at the South Pole.
Cape Chelyuskin and Cape Wing
The northernmost point of Russia - Cape Chelyuskin, which is located on the Taimyr Peninsula, has the following coordinates: 77 about 43 \ N
In 1742, for the first time, these places were visited by an expedition, the head of which was S.I. Chelyuskin. Initially, the cape was called East North. Its renaming took place in 1842. The reason for this was a significant date - the 100th anniversary of the expedition. The cape was named after the great Russian explorer of the Arctic and navigator Semen Chelyuskin.
Climatic conditions on the Taimyr Peninsula are quite severe. All year round, winter reigns here. Even in such hot months as July and August, the temperature indicator does not rise above +1 o C.
However, Cape Chelyuskin is only the extreme northern point of mainland Russia. There is the island of Rudolph, owned by the Russian Federation, which is located only 900 km from the North Pole. He then claims to be the most northern point of Russia. The island is part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago . It is completely ice bound and its area is 297 km 2 . The northernmost tip of the island - Cape Fligely, has coordinates 81 about 49 \ N
People Conquering the North Pole
Since the beginning of the XVIII century, the northernmost point of our planet has caused great interest among sailors. It was during this period that many expeditions were organized aimed at exploring the Arctic. The first to reach the North Pole was Robert Peary (American traveler). Another researcher from the USA, Frederick Cook, claimed this title, but Robert completely refuted his statements.
In 1926 the first flight was made. Travelers from Norway Amundsen and Nobile crossed the permafrost on an airship.
In April 1978, a Japanese citizen, Naomi Uemura, made a solitary journey to the North Pole. He covered 725 km, moving with the help of dog teams. The journey lasted 57 days.
The ski expedition led by Dmitry Shparo took place in May 1979. In 77 days, its participants covered about 1,500 km.