Moscow State University scientists presented new evidence of Russia’s rights to the Arctic shelf

The university clarified that the Lomonosov Ridge and the Mendeleev Rise are a continuation of Russian territory

A new model of the geological structure of the Arctic Ocean, which assigns several underwater structures to our country at once, was created by scientists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Lomonosov together with colleagues from research institutes.

The geological structure of the Arctic Ocean has long been an object of study, since several states are interested in determining the boundaries on its shelf at once. These are Russia, Denmark, Canada and Norway. The problem is supervised by the UN Commission for the Determination of Shelf Boundaries.

Long-term studies were carried out by our scientists to prove that the Lomonosov Ridge belongs to Russia, and not to Denmark and Norway. At present, it has been scientifically proven that the ridge is a continuation of our mainland, it remains to consolidate this fact in the documents of politicians.

However, as regards the Alpha Mendeleev Rise and the Gakkel Ridge, there are still disputes over them until recently. Regarding the rise of Mendeleev, experts are exchanging scientific arguments with Canada.

According to the head of the department of the Geological Faculty of Moscow State University. Lomonosov Anatoly Nikishin, his scientific group managed with the help of special computer programs to interpret long-term data from the study of the ocean floor, to carry out the so-called gravitational-magnetic modeling of the earth’s crust. Scientists have proved that the Mendeleev Rise belongs to Russia (Canada also claims to be part of it). Together with specialists from other organizations in Russia, as well as the United States and Great Britain, Moscow State University scientists have developed a new model of the geological structure of the Arctic, in which both the Lomonosov Ridge and the Mendeleev Rise are a continuation of the Russian shelf. “Thus,” Nikishin notes, “the international recognition of our model took place, as evidenced by its publication in the most prestigious journals in the world – three corresponding articles in Earth-Science Reviews and one in Gondwana Research. The model also became the basis for the Ministry of Natural Resources in preparing and editing Russia’s application to the UN Commission.”

As for the Gakkel Ridge, the Ministry of Natural Resources also plans to include it in the application for establishing the boundaries of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean.