Otto Yulievich Schmidt life and work. Otto Yulievich Schmidt: expeditions

SchmidtOtto Yulievich, scientist of Russia and the USSR - mathematician, astronomer, geophysicist, geographer, traveler, statesman and public figure, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1935; corresponding member 1933) and the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (1934), Hero Soviet Union(27.6.1937). Member of the CPSU since 1918. In 1913 he graduated from Kiev University; since 1916, privat-docent there. After October revolution 1917, member of the boards of a number of people's commissariats (Narkomfood in 1918-20, Narkomfin in 1921-22, etc.) and one of the organizers higher education, science (worked in the People's Commissariat for Education, the State Academic Council under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, the Communist Academy) and publishing (head of the State Publishing House in 1921-24, editor-in-chief of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia in 1924-41). In 1923-56, professor at Moscow State University. In 1930-32, director of the Arctic Institute. In 1932-39, he was the head of the Main Northern Sea Route. In 1939-42, vice-president of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1937, on the initiative of Otto Yulievich Schmidt, the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics of the USSR Academy of Sciences was organized (Otto Yulievich Schmidt was director until 1949). The main works in the field of mathematics relate to algebra; monograph " Abstract theory groups" (1916, 2nd ed. 1933) had a significant influence on the development of this theory. Schmidt Otto Yulievich - founder of the Moscow algebra school, the leader of which he was for many years. In the mid-40s, Otto Yulievich Schmidt put forward a new cosmogonic hypothesis about the formation of the Earth and the planets of the Solar System (see Schmidt hypothesis), the development of which he continued together with a group of Soviet scientists until the end of his life. Schmidt Otto Yulievich - one of major researchers Soviet Arctic. In 1929 and 1930, he led expeditions on the icebreaking steamship Georgy Sedov, which organized the first research station on Franz Josef Land and explored the northeastern part Kara Sea, western shores Severnaya Zemlya and discovered a number of islands. In 1932, an expedition on the icebreaking steamer Sibiryakov, led by Otto Yulievich Schmidt, sailed from Arkhangelsk to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in one navigation. In 1933-34, Schmidt O. Yu. headed the voyage on the steamship “Chelyuskin” along the Northern Sea Route. In 1937, he led an air expedition to organize the drifting station "North Pole-1", and in 1938 - an operation to remove station personnel from the ice floe.

Member of the USSR Central Executive Committee. MP Supreme Council USSR 1st convocation. Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 3 other orders, as well as medals. Named after Schmidt Otto Yulievich: an island in the Kara Sea, a cape on the coast Chukchi Sea, district in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Magadan region, Institute of Earth Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, etc.

Favorite works. Mathematics, M., 1959; Favorite works. Geographical works, M., 1960; Favorite works. Geophysics and cosmogony, M., 1960.

Kurosh A. G., Otto Yulievnch Schmidt. (To the 60th birthday), “Successes mathematical sciences", 1951, vol. 6, v. 5 (45); Otto Yulievich Schmidt. Life and activity, M., 1959; Podvigina E. P., Vinogradov L. K., Academician and Hero, M., 1960; Hilmi G.F., Strokes to the portrait of O. Yu. Schmidt, “Nature”, 1973, No. 4; Mitrofanov N.N., Hard alloy, in the book: Etudes about lecturers, M., 1974; Duel I. I., Life Line, M., 1977.

Sh Midt Otto Yulievich - an outstanding Soviet explorer of the Arctic, scientist in the field of mathematics and astronomy, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Born on September 18 (30), 1891 in the city of Mogilev (now the Republic of Belarus). German. In 1909 he graduated from the 2nd classical gymnasium of the city of Kyiv with a gold medal, in 1916 – the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics Kyiv University. He wrote his first three scientific papers on group theory in 1912-1913, for one of which he was awarded Golden medal. Since 1916, private assistant professor at Kiev University.
After the October Revolution of 1917, O.Yu. Schmidt was a member of the boards of a number of people's commissariats (Narkomprod in 1918-1920, Narkomfin in 1921-1922, Central Union in 1919-1920, People's Commissariat of Education in 1921-1922 and in 1924-1927, member Presidium of the State Planning Committee in 1927-1930). One of the organizers of higher education and science: he worked in the State Academic Council under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, a member of the Presidium of the Communist Academy in 1924-1930. Member of the RCP(b)/VKP(b)/CPSU since 1918.
In 1921-1924 he headed the State Publishing House, organized the first edition of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, and took an active part in the reform high school and developing a network of research institutions. In 1923-1956, professor of the 2nd Moscow state university named after M.V. Lomonosov (MSU). In 1920-1923 - professor at the Moscow Forestry Institute.
In 1928, Otto Yulievich Schmidt took part in the first Soviet-German Pamir expedition, organized by the USSR Academy of Sciences. The purpose of the expedition was to study the structure mountain ranges, glaciers, passes and climbing the most high peaks Western Pamirs.
In 1929, an Arctic expedition was organized on the icebreaking steamship Sedov. O.Yu. Schmidt was appointed head of this expedition and “government commissioner of the Franz Josef Archipelago”. The expedition successfully reaches Franz Josef Land; O.Yu. Schmidt created a polar geophysical observatory in Tikhaya Bay, examined the straits of the archipelago and some islands. In 1930, the second Arctic expedition was organized under the leadership of O.Yu. Schmidt on the icebreaking steamer "Sedov". The islands of Vize, Isachenko, Voronin, Dlinny, Domashny, and the western shores of Severnaya Zemlya were discovered. During the expedition, an island was discovered, which was named after the head of the expedition - Schmidt Island.
In 1930-1932 - Director of the Arctic Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1932, an expedition led by O.Yu. Schmidt on the icebreaking steamer Sibiryakov covered the entire Northern Sea Route in one navigation, laying the foundation for regular voyages along the coast of Siberia.
In 1932-1939, he was the head of the Main Northern Sea Route. In 1933-1934, under his leadership, a new expedition was carried out on the steamship Chelyuskin in order to test the possibility of sailing along the Northern Sea Route on a non-icebreaking class ship. At the time of the death of "Chelyuskin" in the ice and subsequently during the arrangement of life for the rescued crew members and the expedition to floating ice showed courage and strong will.
In 1937, on the initiative of O.Yu.Schmidt, the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics of the USSR Academy of Sciences was organized (O.Yu.Schmidt was its director until 1949, in 1949-1956 - head of the department).
In 1937, O.Yu. Schmidt organized an expedition to the world’s first drifting scientific station “North Pole-1” in the very center of the North Arctic Ocean. And in 1938 he led the operation to remove station personnel from the ice floe.
U Kazakh Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 27, 1937 for leadership in the organization of the drifting station "North Pole-1" Schmidt Otto Yulievich awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin, and after the establishment of the badge special distinction he was awarded the Gold Star medal.
Since 1951, editor-in-chief of the Nature magazine. In 1951-1956 he worked at the Geophysical Department of Moscow State University.
The main works in the field of mathematics relate to algebra; The monograph “Abstract Theory of Groups” (1916, 2nd ed. 1933) had a significant influence on the development of this theory. O.Yu. Schmidt is the founder of the Moscow algebraic school, the head of which he was for many years. In the mid-1940s, O.Yu. Schmidt put forward a new cosmogonic hypothesis about the formation of the Earth and the planets of the Solar System (Schmidt hypothesis), the development of which he continued together with a group of Soviet scientists until the end of his life.
On February 1, 1933 he was elected a corresponding member, and on June 1, 1935 - full member(academician) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From February 28, 1939 to March 24, 1942, he was vice-president of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1934).
Member of the USSR Central Executive Committee. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st convocation (1937-1946). He was an honorary member of the Moscow Mathematical Society (1920), the All-Union Geographical Society and the Moscow Society nature testers. Member of the US National Geographic Society. Chief Editor magazine "Nature" (1951-1956).
He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (1932, 1937, 1953), two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1936, 1945), the Order of the Red Star (1934), and medals.
The following names are named after O.Yu. Schmidt: an island in the Kara Sea, a peninsula in the northern part of Novaya Zemlya, a cape on the coast of the Chukchi Sea, one of the peaks and a pass in the Pamir Mountains, as well as the Institute of Physics of the Earth; streets in Arkhangelsk, Kyiv, Lipetsk and other cities, avenue in Mogilev; Museum of Arctic Exploration of Murmansk Gymnasium No. 4. The first Soviet scientific icebreaker, launched in 1979, was named “Otto Schmidt”. In 1995, the O.Yu. Schmidt Medal of the Russian Academy of Sciences was established for outstanding scientific work in the field of research and development of the Arctic.
Essays:
Selected works. Mathematics, M., 1959;
Selected works. Geographical works, M., 1960;
Selected works. Geophysics and cosmogony, M., 1960.

Otto Yulievich Schmidt is an outstanding Arctic researcher, a famous Soviet mathematician and astronomer, who managed to achieve world recognition in scientific field. Having devoted ten years to studying the Arctic, he made a great contribution to the development of the geography of the Soviet north.

From the Pamirs to the Arctic

The famous explorer and scientist was born on September 30, 1891. WITH early age He showed exceptional abilities in his studies, and studied brilliantly at the gymnasium, and then at Kiev University in the department of physics and mathematics, in which he defended the title of professor.

In 1928, the Soviet scientist received an offer to lead the first international expedition to the Pamirs. Making numerous dangerous ascents, Otto Yulievich carried out large-scale work to study the glaciers of this inaccessible mountainous country.

Rice. 1. Otto Yulievich Schmidt.

Schmidt acquired the mountaineering skills that were very useful during the Pamir expedition during his stay in Austria in 1924. While in a sanatorium for treatment of chronic tuberculosis, the young scientist graduated from a mountaineering school, which at that time was the only one in the world.

But still, the main work of the outstanding scientist’s life was the exploration of the Arctic, to which he devoted ten years.

Expeditions to the Arctic

Beginning in 1929, not only the Soviet Union, but the whole world followed the then unprecedented expeditions of three Soviet icebreakers: Chelyuskin, Sibiryakov and Sedov.

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The first trip was made in 1929 on the icebreaker Sedov, which took scientists to Franz Josef Land. Under the leadership of Otto Yulievich, a geophysical station was created for a thorough study geographical objects archipelago.
The next expedition took place a year later. Schmidt and his fellow scientists managed to discover, explore and map previously unknown islands.

Rice. 2. Schmidt's polar expedition.

The real triumph was the polar expedition of 1932, when for the first time in history the icebreaker Sibiryakov managed to leave Arkhangelsk to Pacific Ocean. This discovery laid a strong foundation for the further exploration of the Arctic and the development of shipping in the polar regions.

In 1933, Schmidt led another expedition on the icebreaker Chelyuskin. According to the plan, the crew members had to complete the entire volume scientific project and on Wrangel Island to change winterers. But unexpectedly for everyone, “Chelyuskin” found itself caught in the ice of the Chukchi Sea and was crushed. IN extreme conditions The polar explorers managed to escape, and none of them were injured.

Rice. 3. Icebreaker Chelyuskin.

Invaluable experience gained during polar expeditions, helped Schmidt organize the first drifting station in the Soviet Union, North Pole-1, in 1937.

(1891 - 1956)

O. Yu. Schmidt was one of the most prominent figures science and culture of our time. He was an encyclopedist whose name is equally well known to mathematicians, geophysicists, astronomers, and geographers.

The activities of O. Yu. Schmid as a geographer and traveler are connected mainly with his work on the study of the polar countries. Combining the qualities of an outstanding scientist and a major statesman, O. Yu. Schmidt rightly found himself at the head of those remarkable, era-defining deeds that were carried out in the years 1928 - 1940 Soviet sailors, scientists and pilots, exploring and developing the polar spaces of our state.

O. Yu. Schmidt was born in Mogilev. Having graduated from the Kyiv Classical Gymnasium with a gold medal, he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kyiv University in 1909. Upon graduation, Schmidt was left at the university to prepare for a professorship. During 1915 - 1916 he passed his master's exams, received the title of privatdozent, and in 1917 began lecturing at Kiev University.

After the victory of the October Revolution, Schmidt devoted all his strength to the cause construction of a new, socialist state. In 1918 he joined Communist Party. In the same year, O. Yu. Schmidt was elected a member of the board of the People's Commissariat of Food and Food and for the next 10 years he led a huge, intense government work. During this period, Schmidt was a member of the board of the People's Commissariat for Education (1920 - 1921 and from 1924 - 1930), deputy chairman of the State Academic Council (1920 - 1928), head of the Glavprofobr (1920 - 1921), member of the board of the People's Commissariat of Finance (1921 - 1922), head of the State Publishing House (1921-1924), member of the Presidium of the State Planning Committee (1929 - 1931), deputy head of the Central Statistical Office (1928 - 1929), member of the Presidium of the Communist Academy and head of the section natural sciences Academy (1925 - 1930), etc.

In 1921 - 1924, when O. Yu. Schmidt led the work of the State Publishing House, publication was resumed in our country scientific journals. In 1924, on his initiative and with his direct participation, the Great Soviet Encyclopedia was organized. For seventeen years he was its permanent leader and editor-in-chief.

O. Yu. Schmidt combined his activities in the encyclopedia, which in itself could serve as an adornment of an entire life, with great job In many government agencies, successful work in science and teaching activities. He was a professor at the Moscow Forestry Engineering Institute (1920 - 1923), a professor at the 2nd Moscow University (1924 - 1928), a professor and head of the department of algebra at the 1st Moscow University (1929 - 1948), a professor at Moscow University (1949 - 1951), head geophysical department Faculty of Physics Moscow University (1951 - 1956).

In 1928, Schmidt took part in the first Soviet-German Pamir expedition as the leader of a mountaineering group. As a result of the expedition's work, the largest glacier in the Soviet Union, Fedchenko, was examined and mapped, the upper reaches of the Vanch and Yazgulem rivers were discovered, and two ascents were made (both with the participation of O. Yu. Schmidt) to a height of 6000 m.

In 1929, a new stage began in the life and work of O. Yu. Schmidt. Returning from the Pamirs, he heads to the Arctic as the leader of a large Soviet expedition on the icebreaking steamer G. Sedov." The main task of the expedition was to secure the Franz Josef Land archipelago for the Soviet Union by organizing a permanent geophysical observatory here.

July 21, 1929 “G. Sedov" left Arkhangelsk and eight days later - on July 29, he approached south coast Hooker Islands. In accordance with the government decree of April 15, 1926, according to which Franz Josef Land was declared part of the possession of the Soviet Union, the Soviet flag was hoisted on Hooker Island. Tikhaya Bay was chosen as the site for the construction of the observatory. In a month the polar geophysical observatory in Tikhaya Bay, which was then the northernmost in the world, came into operation. During construction work"G. Sedov "sailed to the northern part of the archipelago, passed through the British Channel and, following Rudolf Island further north, reached latitude 82° 14". This was the first attempt, very successful in its results. Soviet researchers penetrate on an icebreaker into the actual oceanic region of the Arctic basin.

The next year, 1930, Otto Yulievich again headed Arctic expedition on the same icebreaking ship "G. Sedov." This time the expedition's work area was the then almost completely unexplored northern half of the Kara Sea. Having visited Franz Josef Land, where the winterers of the observatory in Tikhaya Bay were changed, “G. Sedov headed for Novaya Zemlya, entered Russian Harbor at the beginning of August, took on an additional supply of coal here and then, rounding Cape Zhelaniya, headed northeast, where, according to the assumption of V. Yu. Wiese, there should have been an as yet unknown Earth.

On August 13, this land, theoretically discovered six years ago, desk, was actually opened. It was called Wiese Island. Following from this island to the east, the expedition discovered the islands of Isachenko, Voronin, Dlinny, Domashny; discovered the western shores of Severnaya Zemlya and landed on Domashny Island the Severozemelsky expedition consisting of G. A. Ushakov, N. G. Urvantsev, V. V. Khodov and S. P. Zhuravlev.

On final stage The expedition discovered another island, which was named Schmidt Island in honor of the head of the expedition.

Upon returning from the expedition, in the fall of 1930, Schmidt was appointed director of the All-Union Arctic Institute. This appointment was not accidental. Research works in the north they expanded more and more every year.

In 1932 - 1933 As you know, the 2nd International Polar Year was held. The scale of scientific research carried out in 1932 in the Soviet Arctic immediately put the Soviet Union in first place among other states.

This year, the All-Union Arctic Institute opened the world's northernmost polar station on Rudolf Island, stations at Cape Zhelaniya, Cape Chelyuskin, Kotelny Island, Cape Severny, etc.

Soviet sea expeditions The 2nd International Polar Year covered almost all the seas of the Soviet Arctic with their research. In the same year, the Severnaya Zemlya expedition of the Arctic Institute completed a major work on studying the completely unexplored archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya.

Scientific research work organized in the Arctic in 1932 was considered by the Soviet Union, in contrast to other states participating in the 2nd International Polar Year, not as a temporary event carried out once every 50 years, but as a stage in a further, even broader and systematic study of the Arctic. Among the events of the 2nd International Polar Year, the most prominent place belonged to the expedition on the Sibiryakov, which staged

I have the task of going through the entire Northern Sea Route in one navigation.

The plan for this expedition was put forward and developed by the All-Union Arctic Institute. Recalling the preparations for this expedition, the outstanding polar explorer V. Yu. Wiese wrote that back in 1930, while sailing on the “G. Sedov" together with O. Yu. Schmidt, "...we have repeatedly talked about the issue of the northeastern passage... Here on board the Sedov we for the first time specifically raised the question of the need for a radical revision of the problem practical use Northern sea route».

Thanks to the energetic activity of O. Yu. Schmidt, the plan of the Arctic Institute was approved by the government, and on July 28, 1932, the Sibiryakov left Arkhangelsk on its famous campaign. The leadership of the expedition was entrusted to O. Yu. Schmidt. Scientific part headed by V. Yu. Wiese; The captain of the Sibiryakov was V.I. Voronin on this voyage.

On the way from Dikson Island to Severnaya Zemlya, the expedition discovered Sidorov Island. Further east, the Sibiryakov did not go through the Vilkishchsky or Shokalsky Strait, as planned, but bypassing Severnaya Zemlya. Neither before the Sibiryakov, nor the last, not a single ship went this way. The Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea were passed without much difficulty. Most heavy ice The expedition met on the last leg of its journey - off the Chukotka coast. But they were successfully overcome, and on October 1, 1932, Sibiryakov reached clean water Bering Strait. For the first time in history, the Northern Sea Route was completed during one navigation.

The whole world started talking about the heroic deed of the Siberians. And this is understandable. Establishing the possibility of end-to-end navigation along the Northern Sea Route was an event for our country of great importance. The operation of this route created exclusively favorable conditions for economic development natural resources north of Siberia and opened up the possibility of sea communication between European part Union and Far East By the shortest path, which lies entirely in domestic waters.

After O. Yu. Schmidt’s report to the government on the results of the expedition on the Sibiryakov, the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR issued a resolution at the end of 1932 on the creation of the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route. This department was tasked with “conclusively laying out the Northern Sea Route from White Sea to the Bering Strait, equip this route, keep it in good condition and ensure the safety of navigation along this route.” O. Yu. Schmidt was appointed head of the Main Northern Sea Route.

To show how energetically, with what scope and with what deep understanding of the matter O. Yu. Schmidt carried out the leadership of a completely new and such a complex organization, which was then the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route, we will cite a few facts.

From 1933 to 1937, i.e. in five years, the allocations of the Main Sevmor Railway increased from 40 million to 1.5 billion. In just three years - from 1933 to 1935 - the number of polar hydrometeorological stations and radio stations increased from 16 to 51. The Main Northern Sea Route created its own icebreaker fleet and its own polar aviation.

Carrying out enormous work on the general management of all parts of the Main Northern Sea Route, O. Yu. Schmidt always took the most active and direct part in solving a series, as a rule, the most complex specific tasks.

In 1933, O. Yu. Schmidt again went to the Arctic as the head of the expedition on the Chelyuskin steamship. The main task of this expedition was to test the possibility of sailing along the Northern Sea Route on a non-icebreaking class ship.

At the end of its journey, when no more than 40 - 50 miles remained to reach the Bering Strait, the Chelyuskin fell into a forced drift, then was crushed by ice and sank. The ship's crew and personnel expeditions landed on drifting ice.

From a formal point of view, Chelyuskin’s campaign ended unsuccessfully. But the resilience and organization that were demonstrated in the famous Schmidt camp, which went down in history, showed the whole world what the people of a socialist state are capable of, united by the noble desire to put the unruly elements at the service of their people.

The death of the Chelyuskin not only did not stop the development of the Northern Sea Route, but, on the contrary, contributed to their further more correct and purposeful development. Special attention was given to expanding research work. It is known that during the first 15 years of existence Soviet power scientific work in the Arctic was carried out mainly in terms of its general geographical study in order to understand the main features water spaces, climate, geological structure and the animal world.

Much attention in these years, attention was paid to clarifying geographical map Arctic and especially clarifying the coastline of those areas near which the sea route ran. As for the Central Arctic, until the 30s of the current century, our information about the nature of this area was extremely limited. They were based almost exclusively on the results of observations made by F. Nansen during his famous drift on the Fram. All subsequent expeditions and a number of flights to the North Pole on airplanes and airships, organized foreign countries, nothing significantly new was introduced. However, Nansen’s observations did not illuminate all those issues whose solutions were urgently required by the practice of Arctic navigation.

Problems such as atmospheric circulation in the Central Arctic, traffic patterns water masses, the nature of ice drift and many others remained unclear. Arctic science was faced with the question of organizing work to study the Central Arctic. This issue has been discussed by scientists of the Arctic Institute since 1929. In 1936, the head of the Main Northern Sea Route, O. Yu. Schmidt, presented to the government a project for studying the Central Arctic by organizing scientific station on drifting ice. The landing of the station was supposed to be carried out using aircraft in the North Pole area.

The project was approved by the government. Soon, under the command of M.V. Vodopyanov, a test flight of two aircraft took place in the area where the expedition was working. Then an expedition base was created on Rudolf Island, and on March 22, 1937, an expedition unprecedented in the history of Arctic exploration on five heavy aircraft flew from Moscow to the North Pole. The leadership of the air expedition to the North Pole was entrusted to Otto Yulievich Schmidt. His closest assistants were M. I. Shevelev, M. V. Vodopyanov and I. D. Papanin.

On May 21, the expedition's flagship aircraft landed on drifting ice near the pole. By June 5, all station equipment was transferred from Rudolf Island to the Pole, and on June 6, 1937, the drifting polar station"North Pole", which included I. D. Papanin, P. P. Shirshov, E. K. Fedorov and E. T. Krenkel, was declared open. On the same day, the planes left the pole, flew safely to Rudolf Island and arrived in Moscow in triumph on June 25. Having landed a research station on drifting ice, the Soviet polar expedition was an event that marked new stage in the history of Arctic research - the stage of its comprehensive and systematic study.

The polar expedition also proved that the plane can land on the pack ice of the Central Arctic without any preliminary preparation.

Assessing this important circumstance from the point of view of prospects further research, Schmidt wrote in 1937: “The capability of the airplane as a research tool is much greater than expected. Along with possible repeated landings on ice at a station such as Papaninskaya, at the Pole or elsewhere in the Central Arctic, temporary ice landings could be widely used for production scientific works over several days or weeks. Such a portable observatory will be able to work in one season in different places Arctic. The benefit of this method is that the aircraft can be sent to that exact point, the study of which is especially necessary for this specific scientific task.”

It was this method, so clearly formulated by O. Yu. Schmidt in 1937, that was the main method in implementing those big works on the study of the Central Arctic, which are carried out in last years Soviet and American researchers.

From what has been said it is not difficult to see that everything major events in the history of research and development of the Arctic in Soviet period associated with the name of O. Yu. Schmidt. A number of geographical objects (an island in the Kara Sea, a cape in the Chukchi Sea) deservedly bear his name.

In the last years of his life, O. Yu. Schmidt created new theory origin of the Earth.

According to the theory of O. Yu. Schmidt, planets solar system arose as a result of the capture of a primary gas-dust cloud by the sun and the subsequent evolution of this cloud under the influence of gravity, thermal radiation and light pressure.

The theory of O. Yu. Schmidt was the first to explain from a single point of view all the main features of the structure and patterns of motion of the planets of the solar system. She brought cosmogony closer to the Earth sciences. Conclusions arising from the theory of O. Yu. Schmidt regarding the age of the Earth, its primary cold state, relatively internal structure Earth, etc., are confirmed by facts, calculations and are in good agreement with the theoretical concepts of modern geophysics, geochemistry and geology.

All life path Otto Yulievich is the path of a scientist and communist, whose entire creative activity was closely connected with the solution of the most important national problems in the field of economics and culture, with the solution of cardinal problems of Soviet and world science. The name of Otto Yulievich Schmidt is widely known in scientific circles around the world. His scientific and government activity highly appreciated by the country's scientific community and the Soviet government. He was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st convocation, was elected a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and Ukrainian Academy Sciences, was the first vice-president of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1939 - 1942), honorary member Geographical Society USSR, an honorary member of the Moscow Mathematical Society and the Moscow Society of Natural Scientists, was awarded high rank Hero of the Soviet Union and was awarded six orders, including three Orders of Lenin.

He was a wonderful scientist and person who devoted his entire life and all his mighty talent to serving science and his homeland.

(1891-1956)

O. Yu. Schmidt was one of the most outstanding figures of science and culture of our time. He was an encyclopedist whose name is equally well known to mathematicians, geophysicists, astronomers, and geographers.

The activities of O. Yu. Schmidt as a geographer and traveler are connected mainly with his work on the study of the polar countries. Combining the qualities of an outstanding scientist and a major statesman, O. Yu. Schmidt rightly found himself at the head of those remarkable, era-defining works that were carried out by Soviet sailors, scientists and pilots in 1928-1940, exploring and developing the polar spaces of our state .

O. Yu. Schmidt was born in Mogilev. Having graduated from the Kyiv Classical Gymnasium with a gold medal, he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kyiv University in 1909. Upon graduation, Schmidt was left at the university to prepare for a professorship. During 1915-1916 he passed his master's exams, received the title of privatdozent, and in 1917 began lecturing at Kiev University.

After the victory of the October Revolution, Schmidt devoted all his strength to the cause of building a new, socialist state. In 1918 he joined the Communist Party. In the same year, O. Yu. Schmidt was elected a member of the board of the People's Commissariat for Education and for the next 10 years he carried out enormous, intense government work. During this period, Schmidt was a member of the board of the People's Commissariat of Education (1920-1921 and from 1924-1930), deputy chairman of the State Academic Council (1920-1928), head of the Glavprofobr (1920-1921), member of the board of the People's Commissariat of Finance (1921-1922), head of the State Publishing House (1921-1924), member of the Presidium of the State Planning Committee (1929-1931), deputy head of the Central Statistical Office (1928-1929), member of the Presidium of the Communist Academy and head of the natural sciences section of the Academy (1925-1930), etc.

In 1921-1924, when O. Yu. Schmidt led the work of the State Publishing House, the publication of scientific journals in our country was resumed. In 1924, on his initiative and with his most direct participation, the Great Patriotic War was organized Soviet Encyclopedia. For seventeen years he was its permanent leader and editor-in-chief.

His activities in the encyclopedia, which in itself could serve as decoration whole life, O. Yu. Schmidt combined with a lot of work in many government agencies, successful work in science and teaching. He was a professor at the Moscow Forestry Engineering Institute (1920-1923), a professor at the 2nd Moscow University (1924-1928), a professor and head of the department of algebra at the 1st Moscow University (1929-1948), a professor at Moscow University (1949-1951), head Geophysical Department, Faculty of Physics, Moscow University (1951-1956).

In 1929, a new stage began in the life and work of O. Yu. Schmidt. Returning from the Pamirs, he heads to the Arctic as the head of a large Soviet expedition on the icebreaking steamship "G. Sedov." The main task of the expedition was to secure the Franz Josef Land archipelago for the Soviet Union by organizing a permanent geophysical observatory here.

July 21, 1929 “G. Sedov left Arkhangelsk and eight days later, on July 29, he approached the southern coast of Hooker Island. In accordance with the government decree of April 15, 1926, according to which Franz Josef Land was declared part of the possession of the Soviet Union, the Soviet flag was hoisted on Hooker Island. Tikhaya Bay was chosen as the site for the construction of the observatory. A month later, the polar geophysical observatory in Tikhaya Bay, which was then the northernmost in the world, came into operation. During construction work "G. Sedov sailed to the northern part of the archipelago, passed through the British Channel and, following Rudolf Island further north, reached a latitude of 82°14/. This was the first attempt by Soviet researchers, very successful in its results, to penetrate the oceanic region of the Arctic basin on an icebreaker.

The following year, 1930, Otto Yulievich again led an Arctic expedition on the same icebreaking steamer G. Sedov." This time the expedition's work area was the then almost completely unexplored northern half of the Kara Sea. Having visited Franz Josef Land, where the winterers of the observatory in Tikhaya Bay were changed, “G. Sedov headed to Novaya Zemlya, entered Russian Harbor at the beginning of August, received additional coal supplies here and then, rounding Cape Zhelaniya, headed northeast, where, according to assumptions, an as yet unknown land should have existed.

On August 13, this land, theoretically discovered six years ago at a desk, was actually discovered. It was called Wiese Island. Following from this island to the east, the expedition discovered the islands of Isachenko, Voronin, Dlinny, Domashny; discovered the western shores of Severnaya Zemlya and landed on Domashny Island the Severozemelsky expedition consisting of G. A. Ushakov, N. G. Urvantsev, V. V. Khodov and S. P. Zhuravlev.

At the final stage of work, the expedition discovered another island, which was named Schmidt Island in honor of the head of the expedition.

Upon returning from the expedition, in the fall of 1930, Schmidt was appointed director of the All-Union Arctic Institute. This appointment was not accidental. Research work in the north expanded more and more every year.

In 1932-1933 The 2nd International Polar Year was held. The scale of scientific research carried out in 1932 in the Soviet Arctic immediately put the Soviet Union in first place among other states.

This year, the All-Union Arctic Institute opened the world's northernmost polar station on Rudolf Island, stations at Cape Zhelaniya, Cape Chelyuskin, Kotelny Island, Cape Severny, etc.

Soviet naval expeditions of the 2nd International Polar Year covered almost all the seas of the Soviet Arctic with their research. In the same year, the Severnaya Zemlya expedition of the Arctic Institute completed a major work on studying the completely unexplored Severnaya Zemlya archipelago.

The plan for this expedition was put forward and developed by the All-Union Arctic Institute. Recalling the preparation for this expedition, the outstanding polar explorer V. Yu. Wiese wrote that back in 1930, while sailing on the “G. Sedov” together with O. Yu. Schmidt, “...we have repeatedly talked about the issue of the northeastern passage... Here on board the Sedov we for the first time specifically raised the question of the need for a radical revision of the problem of the practical use of the Northern Sea Route.”

Thanks to the energetic activity of O. Yu. Schmidt, the plan of the Arctic Institute was approved by the government, and on July 28, 1932, the Sibiryakov left Arkhangelsk on its famous campaign. The leadership of the expedition was entrusted to O. Yu. Schmidt. The scientific part was headed by V. Yu. Wiese; The captain of the Sibiryakov was V.I. Voronin on this voyage.

On the way from Dikson Island to Severnaya Zemlya, the expedition discovered Sidorov Island. Further east, the Sibiryakov did not go through the Vilkitsky or Shokalsky Strait, as planned, but bypassing Severnaya Zemlya. Neither before or after the Sibiryakov, not a single ship went this way. The Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea were passed without much difficulty. The expedition encountered the heaviest ice on the last part of its journey - off the Chukotka coast. But they were successfully overcome, and on October 1, 1932, the Sibiryakov entered the clear waters of the Bering Strait. For the first time in history, the Northern Sea Route was completed during one navigation.

The whole world started talking about the heroic deed of the Siberians. And this is understandable. The establishment of the possibility of end-to-end navigation along the Northern Sea Route was an event of enormous significance for our country. The exploitation of this route created extremely favorable conditions for the economic development of the natural resources of northern Siberia and opened up the possibility of maritime communication between the European part of the Union and the Far East along the shortest route, entirely located in domestic waters.

After O. Yu. Schmidt’s report to the government on the results of the expedition on the Sibiryakov, the Council People's Commissars At the end of 1932, the USSR issued a resolution on the creation of the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route. This department was tasked with “finally laying the Northern Sea Route from the White Sea to the Bering Strait, equipping this route, keeping it in good condition and ensuring the safety of navigation along this route.” O. Yu. Schmidt was appointed head of the Main Northern Sea Route.

From 1933 to 1937, that is, in five years, the allocations of the Main Northern Sea Route increased from 40 million to 1.5 billion. In just three years - from 1933 to 1935 - the number of polar hydrometeorological stations and radio stations increased from 16 to 51. The Main Northern Sea Route created its own icebreaker fleet and its own polar aviation.

Carrying out enormous work on the general management of all parts of the Main Northern Sea Route, O. Yu. Schmidt always took the most active and direct part in solving a number of, as a rule, the most complex specific tasks.

At the end of its journey, when no more than 40-50 miles remained to reach the Bering Strait, the Chelyuskin fell into a forced drift, then was crushed by ice and sank. The ship's crew and expedition personnel landed on the drifting ice.

From a formal point of view, Chelyuskin’s campaign ended unsuccessfully. But the perseverance and organization that were demonstrated in the famous Schmidt camp, which went down in history, showed the whole world what the Russian people are capable of in the most difficult conditions.

The death of “Chelyuskin” not only did not stop work on the development of the Northern Sea Route, but, on the contrary, contributed to their further more correct and purposeful development. Particular attention was paid to expanding research work. It is known that during the first 15 years of the existence of Soviet power, scientific work in the Arctic was carried out mainly in terms of its general geographical study in order to understand the main features of water spaces, climate, geological structure and wildlife.

Much attention in these years was paid to clarifying the geographic map of the Arctic and especially clarifying the coastline of those areas near which the sea route ran. As for the Central Arctic, until the 30s of the last century, our information about the nature of this area was extremely limited. They were based almost exclusively on observations made during his famous drift on the Fram. All subsequent expeditions and a number of flights to the North Pole on airplanes and airships, organized by foreign countries, did not introduce anything significantly new. However, Nansen’s observations did not illuminate all those issues whose solutions were urgently required by the practice of Arctic navigation.

Problems such as atmospheric circulation in the Central Arctic, features of the movement of water masses, the nature of ice drift and many others remained unclear. Arctic science was faced with the question of organizing work to study the Central Arctic. This issue has been discussed by scientists of the Arctic Institute since 1929. In 1936, the head of the Main Northern Sea Route, O. Yu. Schmidt, presented to the government a project for studying the Central Arctic by organizing a scientific station on drifting ice. The landing of the station was supposed to be carried out using aircraft in the North Pole area.

On May 21, the expedition's flagship aircraft landed on drifting ice near the pole. By June 5, all the equipment of the station was transferred from Rudolf Island to the Pole, and on June 6, 1937, the drifting polar station “North Pole”, which included I. D. Papanin, P. P. Shirshov, E. K. Fedorov and E. T. Krenkel, was declared open. On the same day, the planes left the pole, flew safely to Rudolf Island and arrived in Moscow in triumph on June 25. Having landed a research station on drifting ice, the Soviet polar expedition was an event that marked a new stage in the history of Arctic exploration - a stage in its comprehensive and systematic study.

The polar expedition also proved that the plane can land on the pack ice of the Central Arctic without any preliminary preparation.

Assessing this important circumstance from the point of view of the prospects for further research, Schmidt wrote in 1937: “The capability of the aircraft as a research tool is much higher than expected. Along with possible repeated ice landings of a station such as Papaninskaya at the Pole or elsewhere in the Central Arctic, temporary ice landings could be widely used for scientific work over a period of days or weeks. Such a portable observatory will be able to work in different places in the Arctic in one season. The benefit of this method is that the aircraft can be sent to that exact point, the study of which is especially necessary for this specific scientific task.”

It is this method, so clearly formulated by O. Yu. Schmidt in 1937, that was the main method in the implementation of those large works on the study of the Central Arctic that have been carried out in recent years by Soviet and American researchers.

From what has been said, it is not difficult to see that all the most important events in the history of exploration and development of the Arctic during the Soviet period are associated with the name of O. Yu. Schmidt. A number of geographical objects (an island in the Kara Sea, a cape in the Chukchi Sea) deservedly bear his name.

In the last years of his life, O. Yu. Schmidt created a new theory of the origin of the Earth. According to the theory of O. Yu. Schmidt, the planets of the solar system arose as a result of the capture by the sun of a primary gas-dust cloud and the subsequent evolution of this cloud under the influence of gravity, thermal radiation and light pressure. The theory of O. Yu. Schmidt was the first to explain from a single point of view all the main features of the structure and patterns of motion of the planets of the solar system. She brought cosmogony closer to the Earth sciences. The conclusions arising from the theory of O. Yu. Schmidt regarding the age of the Earth, its initially cold state, regarding the internal structure of the Earth, etc., are confirmed by facts, calculations and are in good agreement with the theoretical concepts of modern geophysics, geochemistry and geology.

The entire life path of Otto Yulievich is the path of a scientist, the whole creative activity which was closely connected with the solution of the most important national problems both in the field of economics and in the field of culture, with the solution of cardinal problems of Soviet and world science. The name of Otto Yulievich Schmidt is widely known in scientific circles around the world. His scientific and government activities are highly appreciated by the country's scientific community and the Soviet government. He was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st convocation, was elected a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, was the first vice-president of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1939-1942), an honorary member of the Geographical Society of the USSR, an honorary member of the Moscow Mathematical Society and the Moscow Society nature explorers, was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union and awarded six orders, including three Orders of Lenin.

He was a wonderful scientist and person who devoted his entire life and all his mighty talent to serving science and his homeland.

Bibliography

Buinitsky V. Kh. Otto Yulievich Schmidt / V. Kh. Buynitsky // Domestic physical geographers and travelers. – Moscow: State educational and pedagogical publishing house of the Ministry of Education of the RSFSR, 1959. – P. 766-774.