Of men and instruments: The Norwegian Aurora Expedition to the Arctic, 1902–1903

Polar Record ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Terje Brundtland
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Scientific Instrument ◽  
Scientific Instruments ◽  
Instrument Making ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Terrestrial Magnetism ◽  
Aurora Borealis ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
External Equipment ◽  
Kristian Birkeland

ABSTRACTIn 1902, the Norwegian Professor Kristian Birkeland organised an expedition to the Arctic for studies of the aurora borealis, terrestrial magnetism and cirrus clouds. He established four stations at different locations—northern Norway, Iceland, Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya—all equipped with a similar set of scientific instruments. Using an extended concept of a scientific instrument, it is shown here that not only the instruments themselves, but also the external equipment, buildings and camp-facilities, as well as the manual work performed by the expedition members all played a role in obtaining the final results. Further, it is shown that Birkeland's efforts in organising and funding the expedition can be seen as an instrument-making operation.

scholarly journals Northern Lights Tourism in Iceland, Norway and Finland

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Heimtun ◽  
Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson ◽  
Seija Tuulentie
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Outdoor Activities ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Winter Tourism ◽  
Aurora Borealis ◽  
Mass Tourism ◽  
Finnish Lapland

<p>This report is the result of fieldwork in Iceland, Northern Norway and Finnish Lapland, undertaken by tourism researchers from the three countries in 2014. One aim of the study was to establish comparative knowledge on Northern Lights tours. The research is part of the ‘Winter tourism’<a title="" href="file:///Y:/Septentrio_Academic_Publishing/Tidsskriftene/Septentrio%20Reports/2015-1/Report-ver2.docx">[1]</a> project at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.</p><p> </p><p>During the last decade Northern Lights tourism has boomed in the case study areas. Important destinations for Aurora tourism are: Reykjavik and Akureyri in Iceland, Tromsø and Alta in Norway, and Rovaniemi and the region around Muonio in Finland. A common feature of this type of tourism is the increased interest from international tourists, mainly from Europe, Northern America and Asia. Moreover, these tourists travel to both large scale and small scale destinations. In common are also the development of mass tourism in the bigger cities, in regards of the number of tour providers and number of tourists, and a more moderate development in the smaller cities. In spite of commonalities several factors also separate the tours and destinations. The Norwegian Northern Lights tours, for instance, tend to be more expensive and they often last longer. In Finland most of the tours are in combination with other outdoor activities and mass tourism is the most noticeable in Reykjavik. Thus, there the tours are the cheapest. Furthermore, in Iceland and Alta mostly local guides are employed, whereas in Finnish Lapland and Tromsø many workers are from other Europeans countries.</p><p> </p>The researchers participated in 17 tours in total. Consequently this report gives only a glimpse of various ways of guiding and how skills, knowledge, equipment, weather and so on affect Aurora Borealis performances in a toured setting. This report continues with a presentation of the Northern Lights tourism development and offers in each country. In the description of each country we also point to guiding practices that enhance and diminish the experiences with the tours. In the last section we discuss the Northern Lights tourism in the three countries, and reflect upon the importance of the guide, safety and infrastructure and some other aspects of the tours. 

Sealers in the service of science

Polar Record ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-484
Author(s):  
Kjell-G. Kjær
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Scientific Network ◽  
Scientific Institutions

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the co-operation, for the purpose of data collection, that was established between scientific institutions in Scandinavia and the sealing trade in northern Norway in the period 1865–1875. The paper describes the cartographic work carried out by sealing masters, notably the making of new charts of Nordaustlandet, Kong Karls Land and Novaya Zemlya. It also describes how a scientific network in Norway and Sweden saw the potential in the masters’ knowledge of the Arctic and encouraged them to record their observations and to gather scientific data. The reasons why sealing masters engaged in Arctic research are described. The paper includes charts of parts of Svalbard and of Novaya Zemlya based on sealers’ sketches, notes and ship's journals.

The Arctic ships Axel Thorsen and Skjøn Walborg

Polar Record ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell-G. Kjær
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Napoleonic Wars ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Far North

ABSTRACTThe two gun schooners Axel Thorsen and Skjøn Walborg were launched in 1810 and initially served as patrol ships with the task of protecting merchant vessels leaving Archangel from British attacks during the Napoleonic wars. Following the peace of 1815, the Norwegian authorities interpreted Russian activities in Finnmark, northern Norway, with considerable suspicion and, in 1816, Axel Thorsen was sent north to remove the Russian settlers from the area and to demolish their buildings. In 1817 and 1818, Skjøn Walborg replaced Axel Thorsen on the same mission. The two vessels also carried out a cartographic programme in the far north. In 1831 and 1832 there was an epidemic of cholera in Archangel, and the two ships acted to prevent vessels from that port docking in northern Norway. In 1864, Axel Thorsen was engaged by Adolf Nordenskiöld on his expedition to Svalbard while Skjøn Walborg was used by Graf Walburg-Ziel and Baron von Heuglin on their expedition to Svalbard in 1870. Both vessels were heavily engaged in sealing and hunting walrus at Novaya Zemlya from 1869 until both were crushed in the ice and lost in 1872.

CHASSIS DESIGN & PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS FOR THE EUROPEAN EXOMARS ROVER

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-517
Author(s):  
Alex Ellery ◽  
Lutz Richter ◽  
Reinhold Bertrand
Keyword(s):  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Weight Distribution ◽  
High Performance ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Scientific Instrument ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Scientific Instruments ◽  
Design Issues ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Considerable Size

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars rover has recently been subject to a Phase A study led by EADS Astrium, UK. This rover mission represents a highly ambitious venture in that the rover is of considerable size ~200+kg with high mobility carrying a highly complex scientific instrument suite (Pasteur) of up to 40 kg in mass devoted to exobiological investigation of the Martian surface and sub-surface. The chassis design has been a particular challenge given the inhospitable terrain on Mars and the need to traverse such terrain robustly in order to deliver the scientific instruments to science targets of exobiological interest, We present some of the results and design issues encountered during the Phase A study related to the chassis. In particular, we have focussed on the overall tractive performance of a number of candidate chassis designs and selected the RCL (Science & Technology Rover Company Ltd in Russian) concept C design as the baseline option in terms of high performance with minimal mechanical complexity overhead. This design is a six-wheeled double-rocker bogie design to provide springless suspension and maintain approximately equal weight distribution across each wheel.

What is a scientific instrument, now?

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liba Taub
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
Smithsonian Institution ◽  
Scientific Instrument ◽  
Scientific Instruments ◽  
Classic Article ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of

Abstract In 1990, Deborah Jean Warner, a curator at the Smithsonian Institution, published her now-classic article ‘What is a scientific instrument, when did it become one, and why?’. These questions were prompted by practical curatorial considerations: what was she supposed to collect for her museum? Today, we are still considering questions of what we collect for the future, why, and how. These questions have elicited some new and perhaps surprising answers since the publication of Warner’s article, sometimes – but not only – as a reflection of changing technologies and laboratory practices, and also as a result of changes in those disciplines that study science, including history of science and philosophy of science. In focusing attention on meanings associated with scientific instrument collections, and thinking about what objects are identified as scientific instruments, I consider how definitions of instruments influence what is collected and preserved.

scholarly journals Features of creating multi-time thematic animations of the Arctic environment pollution on the example of Novaya Zemlya

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Andrey Medvedev ◽  
Natalia Alekseenko ◽  
Maria Arsentyeva
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Radioactive Contamination ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Novaya Zemlya Archipelago ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Arctic Region

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The Arctic region is currently at the next stage of increased interest not only from the Arctic States, but also from the entire world community. The main pollutants in the region are oil and gas products, heavy metals, chemical and radioactive contamination. The Arctic region of the Russian Federation has experienced a strong anthropogenic impact of radionuclides due to the use of nuclear energy. The main source of pollution is nuclear testing. About 132 tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya, including 87 atmospheric, 3 underwater and 42 underground tests. Another source of radioactive contamination is the operation of the naval and civil nuclear fleet, as well as nuclear power plants (on the Kola Peninsula and in Bilibino). Until 1963, most of the tests were carried out in the atmosphere and under water, but after the signing of the Moscow Treaty on August 5, 1963, which prohibits the testing of nuclear weapons in three environments (under water, in the atmosphere and outer space), all tests were carried out underground, in tunnels and wells.</p><p>The object of research and mapping is the territory of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and the nuclear test site located on it. On the territory of the nuclear test site constantly there was an assessment of the radioecological situation. The scientific community is interested in the processes taking place on the New Earth. The territory of the archipelago is constantly involved in various Arctic programs aimed at monitoring the level of environmental pollution and reducing the number of sources of pollution.</p><p>The aim of this work is to create multi-time animations of nuclear tests and the results of radionuclide pollution. These animated cartographic images differ not only in their time scales, but also a large set of qualitative and quantitative characteristics that characterize the results of anthropogenic influence.</p><p>As sources for creation of cartographic animations were: field data, remote sensing data (RS), Open sources, marine navigation maps, DEM’s (AsterDem, ArcticDem, GEBCO), meteorological data, thematic maps (including atlases), topographic maps, literary sources. The main part of the information about Novaya Zemlya archipelago was taken from the works of the Arctic marine complex expedition, which are devoted to the nature, history, archeology and culture of the archipelago. To obtain complete information about the explosions and their energy release ranges, additional open sources were used, from which it is possible to learn about the type of explosion, its power and location (geographical coordinates).</p><p>Dynamic geo-imagery was developed and established by the following method: study of object mapping and the collection of primary spatial data – creation script dynamic geo-imagery – the creation of a geodatabase of research – the creation of the thematic maps and layout of geo-imagery in the graphic editor – create animations with different time scales.</p><p>During the creation of cartographic animations based on the collected data, a multi-time multi-scale cartographic animation was developed, which allowed using the original graphical solution to visualize three interconnected time scales, which allowed to visualize the processes of infiltration and propagation of radioactive inert gases.</p>

scholarly journals The Wage System of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen Trapping Artels in the 19th – Beginning of the 20th century

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-296
Author(s):  
Daniil S. Zaozerskiy
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
State Archive ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Main Form ◽  
Wage System ◽  
Fixed Wage ◽  
Arctic Exploration

Introduction. The Arkhangelsk North natural and climatic conditions promoted to develop shipbuilding, fishing, hunting and other activities, for which artels were organizing. The Pomors also united in artels for profitable trapping on Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. The usage of the artel principles of labour organization can be explained by the difficult circumstances of the hunting activities. It was impossible to work by oneself or by a small group of 2–7 trappers. The studying of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen trapping artels is necessary for further understanding of the process of the Arctic exploration by Russia in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the article is to study the wage system of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen trapping artels in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. Materials and Methods. The materials for this article were archive sources of the Arkhangelsk oblast State archive, published sources on the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen artels and articles in the local periodicals. The historical-systematic and historical-genetic methods were used in the article. Results. During the 19th – beginning of the 20th century the principle when trappers united in artels continued to exist. The main form of the payment was to divide the catch into shares. Discussion and Conclusions. The main difference between artel trapping of people from the Arkhangelsk province districts consisted in terms of sailing to the archipelagoes and the beginning of the hunt. The decrease of number of trappers in artels determined by economic opportunities of the sponsors (the masters). Also, it was determined by decrease of the number of industry animals. Both unfixed (by shares) and fixed wage systems existed in the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen artels. The quantity of shares exceeded the number of artel members. The master defined value of share before the beginning of the hunt. Also, he provided necessary provision and weapons for artel members with both unfixed and fixed wages. The most common way of sharing of catch meant that the master had been earning two thirds of it and the trappers had been earning the rest one third. This way of sharing was used before the beginning of the 20th century.

scholarly journals Assessment of initial seismic impacts on the northern part of the Barents Sea shelf (Novaya Zemlya region) for the purpose of seismic microzoning in the areas of prospective hydrocarbon mining

2019 ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
I. G. Mindel ◽  
B. A. Trifonov ◽  
M. D. Kaurkin ◽  
V. V. Nesynov
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Arctic Shelf ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Russian Arctic ◽  
Seismic Microzoning ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
National Task ◽  
Seismic Impacts

In recent years, in connection with the national task of developing the Arctic territories of Russia and the perspective increase in the hydrocarbon mining on the Arctic shelf, more attention is being paid to the study of seismicity in the Barents Sea shelf. The development of the Russian Arctic shelf with the prospect of increasing hydrocarbon mining is a strategically important issue. Research by B.A. Assinovskaya (1990, 1994) and Ya.V. Konechnaya (2015) allowed the authors to estimate the seismic effects for the northern part of the Barents Sea shelf (Novaya Zemlya region). The paper presents the assessment results of the initial seismic impacts that can be used to solve seismic microzoning problems in the areas of oil and gas infrastructure during the economic development of the Arctic territory.

scholarly journals Complete mitochondrial genome of an Arctic Collared Lemming subspecies endemic to the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, Russia

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 133-139
Author(s):  
Vitaly M. Spitsyn ◽  
Alexander V. Kondakov ◽  
Elsa Froufe ◽  
Mikhail Y. Gofarov ◽  
André Gomes-Dos-Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complete Mitochondrial Genome ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Novaya Zemlya Archipelago ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Mtdna Sequence ◽  
Cold Tolerant ◽  
Complete Mitogenome ◽  
Dicrostonyx Torquatus

In this study, we present an announcement of Novaya Zemlya Collared Lemming Dicrostonyx torquatus ungulatus (von Baer, 1841) complete mitogenome. This rodent was described historically as an Arctic Collared Lemming subspecies endemic to Novaya Zemlya (Arctic Russia) but its taxonomic status was unclear due to the lack of available molecular data. Based on a comprehensive mitogenomic phylogeny of the Arctic Collared Lemming, we show that this insular population shares a highly divergent mtDNA sequence (total length 16,341 bp). Hence, it should be considered a valid subspecies of the Arctic Collared Lemming. Our findings support the hypothesis that the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago had served as a cryptic polar refugium for cold-tolerant terrestrial and freshwater taxa since the mid-Pleistocene or even earlier.

Great Soviet Atlas of the World. Moscow, 1937

Polar Record ◽  
1939 ◽  
Vol 3 (17) ◽  
pp. 91-91
Author(s):  
F.D.
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Large Section ◽  
Arctic Circle ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Arctic Regions ◽  
Usual Convention ◽  
Ice Drift ◽  
The World ◽  
Severnaya Zemlya

This Atlas is of interest to polar travellers since Soviet territory covers such a large section of the Arctic regions. We accordingly find that nearly every map of the territory goes well into the Arctic Circle. The two special pages of circumpolar maps are well printed and follow the usual convention for showing routes of expeditions. Insets on the Arctic sheet give a valuable map of Severnaya Zemlya with relief and soundings; there are also insets of parts of Novaya Zemlya, while weather charts and ice-drift charts complete the page.

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