Georgy Ushakov
Encyclopedia
Georgy Alexeyevich Ushakov (January 17(30), 1901 - December 3, 1963) was a Soviet explorer of the Arctic
, Doctor of Geographic Sciences (1950).
In 1926, Ushakov founded the first Soviet settlement on the Wrangel Island
(today called Ushakovsky) and was its head for three years. In 1930-1932, Ushakov headed the Severnaya Zemlya
expedition and established a polar station called Остров Домашний (Domashniy Island).
He and geologist
Nikolay Urvantsev
were the first ones to explore Severnaya Zemlya and established that it was an archipelago
. In 1932-1936, Georgy Ushakov was employed at the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route
(Главное Управление Северного Морского Пути).
In 1929 and 1930 the icebreaker Sedov
carried groups of scientists to Franz Josef Land
and also to Severnaya Zemlya
, the last major piece of unsurveyed territory in the Soviet Arctic. This archipelago was completely mapped under Ushakov between 1930 and 1932. This voyage allowed to obliterate enormous "white spaces" on the Arctic map.
In 1935, Ushakov led the first Soviet high-latitude expedition on an icebreaker Sadko
. The cruises of the Sadko went farther north than most; in 1935 and 1936 the last unexplored areas in the northern Kara Sea
were examined and the little Ushakov Island
was discovered. In 1937 the ship was caught in the ice with two others and forced to winter in the Laptev Sea
, adding valuable winter observations to the usual summer ones.
Ushakov then worked at the Chief Directorate of Hydrometeorological Service of the USSR (1936-1940) and Soviet Academy of Sciences (1940-1958).
Ushakov was awarded the Order of Lenin
, two other orders, and a number of medals. Mountains in the Antarctica, a spit and a cape on Wrangel Island, as well as a river on October Revolution Island
bear Ushakov's name. But perhaps the greatest honor was that Ushakov Island, which was the last piece of undiscovered territory in the Russian Arctic, was named after him.
Ushakov died in Moscow
, but was buried on Domashniy Island in Severnaya Zemlya.
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
, Doctor of Geographic Sciences (1950).
In 1926, Ushakov founded the first Soviet settlement on the Wrangel Island
Wrangel Island
Wrangel Island is an island in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. Wrangel Island lies astride the 180° meridian. The International Date Line is displaced eastwards at this latitude to avoid the island as well as the Chukchi Peninsula on the Russian mainland...
(today called Ushakovsky) and was its head for three years. In 1930-1932, Ushakov headed the Severnaya Zemlya
Severnaya Zemlya
Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait...
expedition and established a polar station called Остров Домашний (Domashniy Island).
He and geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
Nikolay Urvantsev
Nikolay Urvantsev
Nikolay Nikolayevich Urvantsev was a Soviet geologist and explorer. He was born in the town of Lukoyanov of Nizhny Novgorod Governorate, Russian Empire to the family of a merchant...
were the first ones to explore Severnaya Zemlya and established that it was an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
. In 1932-1936, Georgy Ushakov was employed at the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route
Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route
The Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route , also known as Glavsevmorput, was a Soviet government organization in charge of the naval Northern Sea Route, established in January 1932 and dissolved in 1964.-History:The organization traces its roots to AO Komseveroput, a shipping company...
(Главное Управление Северного Морского Пути).
In 1929 and 1930 the icebreaker Sedov
Icebreaker Sedov
The Sedov was a Soviet ice-breaker fitted with steam engines. She was originally the Newfoundland sealing steamer Beothic and was renamed after Russian Captain and Polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov....
carried groups of scientists to Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land is an archipelago located in the far north of Russia. It is found in the Arctic Ocean north of Novaya Zemlya and east of Svalbard, and is administered by Arkhangelsk Oblast. Franz Josef Land consists of 191 ice-covered islands with a...
and also to Severnaya Zemlya
Severnaya Zemlya
Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait...
, the last major piece of unsurveyed territory in the Soviet Arctic. This archipelago was completely mapped under Ushakov between 1930 and 1932. This voyage allowed to obliterate enormous "white spaces" on the Arctic map.
In 1935, Ushakov led the first Soviet high-latitude expedition on an icebreaker Sadko
Icebreaker Sadko
Icebreaker Sadko was a Russian and Soviet icebreaker ship of 3,800 tonnes displacement. She was named after Sadko, a hero of a Russian bylina....
. The cruises of the Sadko went farther north than most; in 1935 and 1936 the last unexplored areas in the northern Kara Sea
Kara Sea
The Kara Sea is part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. It is separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya....
were examined and the little Ushakov Island
Ushakov Island
Ushakov Island is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean, midway between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya, at the northern limit of the Kara Sea. Its latitude is 80° 48' N and its longitude 79° 29' E....
was discovered. In 1937 the ship was caught in the ice with two others and forced to winter in the Laptev Sea
Laptev Sea
The Laptev Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the northern coast of Siberia, the Taimyr Peninsula, Severnaya Zemlya and the New Siberian Islands. Its northern boundary passes from the Arctic Cape to a point with co-ordinates of 79°N and 139°E, and ends at the Anisiy...
, adding valuable winter observations to the usual summer ones.
Ushakov then worked at the Chief Directorate of Hydrometeorological Service of the USSR (1936-1940) and Soviet Academy of Sciences (1940-1958).
Ushakov was awarded the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
, two other orders, and a number of medals. Mountains in the Antarctica, a spit and a cape on Wrangel Island, as well as a river on October Revolution Island
October Revolution Island
October Revolution Island is the largest island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic....
bear Ushakov's name. But perhaps the greatest honor was that Ushakov Island, which was the last piece of undiscovered territory in the Russian Arctic, was named after him.
Ushakov died in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, but was buried on Domashniy Island in Severnaya Zemlya.