Vladimir Wiese
Encyclopedia
Professor Vladimir Yulyevich Vize (Russian: Владимир Юльевич Визе; 21 February 1886, Tsarskoe Selo - 19 February 1954, Leningrad
), was a Russian scientist of German descent
who devoted his life to the study of the Arctic ice pack
. His name (spelt "Wiese" in German) is associated with the Scientific Prediction of Ice Conditions theory.
Vize was a member of the Soviet Arctic Institute
and an authority on polar oceanography
. He was also the founder of the Geographico-hydrological School of Oceanography.
’s expedition on St. Foka to Novaya Zemlya
and Franz Josef Land
. After the Russian Revolution Professor Vize went on a number of Soviet Arctic expeditions.
In 1924 oceanographer Vize, studied the drift of Georgy Brusilov
's ill-fated Russian ship St. Anna
when she was trapped on the pack ice of the Kara Sea
. Professor Vize detected an odd deviation of the path of the ship's drift caused by certain variations of the patterns of sea and ice currents. He deemed that the deviation was caused by the presence of an undiscovered island whose coordinates he was able to calculate with precision thanks to the availability of the successive positions of the St. Anna during its drift. The data of the drift had been supplied by navigator Valerian Albanov
, one of the only two survivors of the St. Anna.
Finally the island was discovered on 13 August 1930 by a Soviet expedition led by Otto Schmidt
aboard the Icebreaker Sedov
under Captain Vladimir Voronin. The island was named Vize Island
after Professor Vize who was at the time aboard the Sedov and who was able to set foot on the island whose existence he had predicted.
In July 1931 Professor V. Yu. Vize led an expedition on icebreaking steamer Malygin to Franz Josef Land and the northern part of the Kara Sea
. He carried out meteorological, electromagnetic and hydrological observations during this expedition, along with other scientists, like N. V. Pinegin (Head of the Arctic Institute
Museum) and R. V. Khutsishvili. Other members included technicians whose mission was to locate a suitable place for a Soviet floatplane base in Franz Josef Land. Captain D.T. Chertkhov was in command of the icebreaker. During this expedition German airship
Graf Zeppelin
made a rendezvous with icebreaker Malygin at Bukhta Tikhaya in Hooker Island
, Franz Josef Land
.
At Rudolf Island
Professor Vize and N. V. Pinegin recovered artifacts from the abandoned huts of the 1904-1905 Ziegler-Fiala Polar Expedition
to Zemlya Frantsa Josifa. His intention was to carry out deep-sea oceanographic research in the Arctic basin, but owing to fog and bad weather he reluctantly gave up and the expedition headed south. He had also hoped to carry out oceanographic research in the then little-explored northern part of the Kara Sea
, but the ice concentrations became progressively heavier until it was decided to turn back.
In this Arctic expedition Professor Vize’s scientific zeal was tempered by Captain Chertkhov's prudent decisions. Even so, the expedition was quite successful. Surface water temperatures were taken at 295 locations, water samples were taken from 273 stations, and meteorological observations were duly taken every four hours.
In 1937 Professor Vize went on Soviet icebreaker Sadko
with R. L. Lazarevich and N. Evgenov on an expedition. Its goal was to sail to Henrietta
, Zhokhov
and Jeannette Island
s, in the De Long group
and carry out scientific research. The purpose of the expedition was also to find out how could the Northern Sea Route be used for regular shipping. But the Soviet naval authorities changed the plans and the ice-breaker was sent instead to help ships in distress in the Kara
and Laptev Sea
s.
The Sadko, however, became itself trapped in fast ice at 75°17'N and 132°28'E in the region of the New Siberian Islands
. Two other Soviet icebreakers, the Sedov and the Malygin who were in the same area researching the ice conditions, became trapped by sea ice as well and drifted helplessly.
Owing to persistent bad weather conditions, part of the stranded crew members and some of the scientists could only be rescued in April 1938. And only on August 28th 1938, could Icebreaker Yermak
free two of the three ships at 83°4'N and 138°22'E. The third ship, Sedov, had to be left to drift in its icy prison and was transformed into a scientific Polar Station
. It kept drifting northwards in the ice towards the Pole
, very much like Fridtjof Nansen
's Fram
had done in 1893-96. There were 15 crew aboard, led by Captain K. S. Badigin
and W. Kh. Buinitzki.
During the long drift Professor Vize and his fellow scientists took 415 astronomical measurements, 78 electromagnetic observations, as well as 38 depth measurements by drilling the thick polar ice during their 812-day stay aboard the Sedov. Finally they were freed between Greenland
and Svalbard
by icebreaker Joseph Stalin
on January 18th 1940. The crew and scientists were welcomed back in the Soviet Union as heroes.
After 22 years from his death, R/V of Arctic and Antarctic research institute (6934t) was named ("Professor Viese") in his honour.
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
), was a Russian scientist of German descent
History of Germans in Russia and the Soviet Union
The German minority in Russia and the Soviet Union was created from several sources and in several waves. The 1914 census puts the number of Germans living in Russian Empire at 2,416,290. In 1989, the German population of the Soviet Union was roughly 2 million. In the 2002 Russian census, 597,212...
who devoted his life to the study of the Arctic ice pack
Sea ice
Sea ice is largely formed from seawater that freezes. Because the oceans consist of saltwater, this occurs below the freezing point of pure water, at about -1.8 °C ....
. His name (spelt "Wiese" in German) is associated with the Scientific Prediction of Ice Conditions theory.
Vize was a member of the Soviet Arctic Institute
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, or AARI is the oldest and largest Russian research institute in the field of comprehensive studies of Arctic and Antarctica...
and an authority on polar oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
. He was also the founder of the Geographico-hydrological School of Oceanography.
Arctic expeditions
In 1912-14 Professor V. Yu. Vize went with G. L. SedovGeorgy Sedov
Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov was a Russian Arctic explorer.Born in the village of Krivaya Kosa of Taganrog district in a fisherman's family. In 1898, Sedov finished navigation courses in Rostov-on-Don and acquired the rank of long voyage navigator...
’s expedition on St. Foka to Novaya Zemlya
Novaya Zemlya
Novaya Zemlya , also known in Dutch as Nova Zembla and in Norwegian as , is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in the north of Russia and the extreme northeast of Europe, the easternmost point of Europe lying at Cape Flissingsky on the northern island...
and 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...
. After the Russian Revolution Professor Vize went on a number of Soviet Arctic expeditions.
In 1924 oceanographer Vize, studied the drift of Georgy Brusilov
Georgy Brusilov
Georgy Lvovich Brusilov or Hryhoriy Brusylov was a Ukrainian Russian naval officer of the Imperial Russian Navy and an Arctic explorer...
's ill-fated Russian ship St. Anna
Svyataya Anna
The ship Svyataya Anna , named after Saint Anne, was the Philomel-class gunvessel HMS Newport launched in England in 1867. She was sold in 1881 and renamed Pandora II. She was purchased again in about 1890 and renamed Blencathra, taking part in expeditions to the north coast of Russia...
when she was trapped on the pack ice of the 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....
. Professor Vize detected an odd deviation of the path of the ship's drift caused by certain variations of the patterns of sea and ice currents. He deemed that the deviation was caused by the presence of an undiscovered island whose coordinates he was able to calculate with precision thanks to the availability of the successive positions of the St. Anna during its drift. The data of the drift had been supplied by navigator Valerian Albanov
Valerian Albanov
Valerian Ivanovich Albanov was a Russian navigator, best known for being one of only two survivors of the ill-fated Brusilov expedition of 1912.-Biography:...
, one of the only two survivors of the St. Anna.
Finally the island was discovered on 13 August 1930 by a Soviet expedition led by Otto Schmidt
Otto Schmidt
Otto Yulyevich Schmidt was a Soviet scientist, mathematician, astronomer, geophysicist, statesman, academician, Hero of the USSR , and member of the Communist Party.-Biography:He was born in Mogilev, Russian Empire...
aboard 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....
under Captain Vladimir Voronin. The island was named Vize Island
Vize Island
Vize Island or Wiese Island is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean at the northern end of the Kara Sea, roughly midway between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya, its latitude is 79° 30' N and its longitude 76° 54' E...
after Professor Vize who was at the time aboard the Sedov and who was able to set foot on the island whose existence he had predicted.
In July 1931 Professor V. Yu. Vize led an expedition on icebreaking steamer Malygin to Franz Josef Land and the northern part of the 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....
. He carried out meteorological, electromagnetic and hydrological observations during this expedition, along with other scientists, like N. V. Pinegin (Head of the Arctic Institute
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, or AARI is the oldest and largest Russian research institute in the field of comprehensive studies of Arctic and Antarctica...
Museum) and R. V. Khutsishvili. Other members included technicians whose mission was to locate a suitable place for a Soviet floatplane base in Franz Josef Land. Captain D.T. Chertkhov was in command of the icebreaker. During this expedition German airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German built and operated passenger-carrying hydrogen-filled rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a Graf or Count in the German nobility. During its operating life,...
made a rendezvous with icebreaker Malygin at Bukhta Tikhaya in Hooker Island
Hooker Island
Hooker Island is one of the most important islands of Franz Josef Land. It is located in the central area of the archipelago at . It is administered by the Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia....
, 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...
.
At Rudolf Island
Rudolf Island
Prince Rudolf Land, Crown Prince Rudolf Land, Prince Rudolf Island or Rudolf Island is the northernmost island of the Franz Josef Archipelago, Russia. The island was named by the Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition in honor of Archduke Rudolf , Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia...
Professor Vize and N. V. Pinegin recovered artifacts from the abandoned huts of the 1904-1905 Ziegler-Fiala Polar Expedition
Ziegler Polar Expedition
The Ziegler polar expedition of 1903–1905 was a failed attempt to reach the North Pole. The party remained stranded north of the Arctic Circle for two years before being rescued, yet all but one of its members survived. The expedition, funded by William Ziegler and led by Anthony Fiala, departed...
to Zemlya Frantsa Josifa. His intention was to carry out deep-sea oceanographic research in the Arctic basin, but owing to fog and bad weather he reluctantly gave up and the expedition headed south. He had also hoped to carry out oceanographic research in the then little-explored northern part of the 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....
, but the ice concentrations became progressively heavier until it was decided to turn back.
In this Arctic expedition Professor Vize’s scientific zeal was tempered by Captain Chertkhov's prudent decisions. Even so, the expedition was quite successful. Surface water temperatures were taken at 295 locations, water samples were taken from 273 stations, and meteorological observations were duly taken every four hours.
In 1937 Professor Vize went on Soviet 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....
with R. L. Lazarevich and N. Evgenov on an expedition. Its goal was to sail to Henrietta
Henrietta Island
Henrietta Island is the northernmost island of the De Long archipelago in the East Siberian Sea. 40% of the island is covered with glaciers. Henrietta is roughly circular in shape and its diameter is about 6 km...
, Zhokhov
Zhokhov Island
Zhokhov Island is an island in the East Siberian Sea, situated 128 km north east of Novaya Sibir Island, the easternmost of the New Siberian Islands. Zhokhov Island belongs to the De Long group. It has an area of 77 km². The highest point of the island is 123 m...
and Jeannette Island
Jeannette Island
Jeannette Island is the easternmost island of the De Long Islands archipelago in the East Siberian Sea. It is the second smallest island of the De Long group, being only 2 km in length. It has an area of approximately . The highest peak of the island is...
s, in the De Long group
De Long Islands
The De Long Islands are an uninhabited archipelago often included as part of the New Siberian Islands, lying north east of Novaya Sibir. This archipelago consists of Jeannette Island, Henrietta Island, Bennett Island, Vilkitsky Island and Zhokhov Island. These five islands have a total area of...
and carry out scientific research. The purpose of the expedition was also to find out how could the Northern Sea Route be used for regular shipping. But the Soviet naval authorities changed the plans and the ice-breaker was sent instead to help ships in distress in the Kara
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....
and 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...
s.
The Sadko, however, became itself trapped in fast ice at 75°17'N and 132°28'E in the region of the New Siberian Islands
New Siberian Islands
The New Siberian Islands are an archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian coast between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea north of the Sakha Republic....
. Two other Soviet icebreakers, the Sedov and the Malygin who were in the same area researching the ice conditions, became trapped by sea ice as well and drifted helplessly.
Owing to persistent bad weather conditions, part of the stranded crew members and some of the scientists could only be rescued in April 1938. And only on August 28th 1938, could Icebreaker Yermak
Icebreaker Yermak
Yermak was a Russian and later Soviet icebreaker, the first polar icebreaker in the world, having a strengthened hull shaped to ride over and crush pack ice....
free two of the three ships at 83°4'N and 138°22'E. The third ship, Sedov, had to be left to drift in its icy prison and was transformed into a scientific Polar Station
Soviet and Russian manned drifting ice stations
Soviet and Russian manned drifting ice stations are important contributors to exploration of the Arctic. The stations are named North Pole Soviet and Russian manned drifting ice stations are important contributors to exploration of the Arctic. The stations are named North Pole Soviet and...
. It kept drifting northwards in the ice towards the Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, very much like Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
's Fram
Fram
Fram is a ship that was used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by the Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen between 1893 and 1912...
had done in 1893-96. There were 15 crew aboard, led by Captain K. S. Badigin
Konstantin Badygin
Captain Konstantin Sergeyevich Badygin , sometimes also transliterated "Badigin", was a Soviet naval officer, explorer, author, and scientist.Konstantin Sergeyevich Badygin began his naval career in 1928 as a sailor on Soviet ships in the Pacific Ocean...
and W. Kh. Buinitzki.
During the long drift Professor Vize and his fellow scientists took 415 astronomical measurements, 78 electromagnetic observations, as well as 38 depth measurements by drilling the thick polar ice during their 812-day stay aboard the Sedov. Finally they were freed between Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
by icebreaker Joseph Stalin
Icebreaker Joseph Stalin
The Icebreaker Joseph Stalin was the first Soviet icebreaker built at a domestic shipyard.Owing to many delays, it took over two years to finish. It was built at the Ordzhonikidze Yard in Leningrad between 1937 and 1938....
on January 18th 1940. The crew and scientists were welcomed back in the Soviet Union as heroes.
After 22 years from his death, R/V of Arctic and Antarctic research institute (6934t) was named ("Professor Viese") in his honour.
Scientific works
His works include:- Morya Sovetskoy Arktiki. (Russian) Moscow-Leningrad 1948
- The expedition on board the icebreaking steamer “Malygin” to Zemlya Frantsa Iosifa. 1933 (transl. from the Russian)
- The voyage of the icebreaker “Malygin” to Zemlya Frantsa Iosifa in 1931. Trudy (transl. from the Russian)
- WIESE, W. Die Vorhersage der Eisverhältnisse im Barentsmeer. Arktis I. 1928 (German).
- Georgiy Yakovlevich Sedov. In: Lupach, V. S. (ed.). Russkiye More Plavateli (Russian) 1953
See also
- Sea iceSea iceSea ice is largely formed from seawater that freezes. Because the oceans consist of saltwater, this occurs below the freezing point of pure water, at about -1.8 °C ....
- Vize IslandVize IslandVize Island or Wiese Island is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean at the northern end of the Kara Sea, roughly midway between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya, its latitude is 79° 30' N and its longitude 76° 54' E...
- Soviet and Russian manned drifting ice stationsSoviet and Russian manned drifting ice stationsSoviet and Russian manned drifting ice stations are important contributors to exploration of the Arctic. The stations are named North Pole Soviet and Russian manned drifting ice stations are important contributors to exploration of the Arctic. The stations are named North Pole Soviet and...
- Uedineniya Island
- Icebreaker Feodor LitkeIcebreaker Feodor LitkeThe icebreaker Fyodor Litke was active in the Soviet era in the Arctic, until the late 1950s. It was built in 1909 in England for the Saint Lawrence River service and initially named CGC Earl Grey after Albert Grey, Governor General of Canada...
- Icebreaker SadkoIcebreaker SadkoIcebreaker Sadko was a Russian and Soviet icebreaker ship of 3,800 tonnes displacement. She was named after Sadko, a hero of a Russian bylina....