Contribution of V.A. Rusanov to the Study of Geology and Geography of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago (On the 150th Anniversary of His Birth)

This paper describes V.A. Rusanov’s expeditions to Novaya Zemlya in 1907–1912. The objectives of the expeditions included studying the coastline, the Northern Sea Route, searching for minerals, and ex-ploring the possibility of organizing fishing. V.A. Rusanov travelled on foot along the shores of Matochkin Shar, Mashigin Bay, and Southern and Northern Sulmenovaya Bay. For the first time, a walking route was completed along Krestovaya Bay in the northern part of Novaya Zemlya. The scientist described the rocks of the Silurian, Devonian, Permian, Carboniferous, and Jurassic periods with paleontological justification. As a result of his research, V.A. Rusanov suggested that in the Silurian period, there was a deep-water sea in the place of Novaya Zemlya. The similarity between the Devonian fauna of Novaya Zemlya and the fauna of Timan allowed him to establish a close connection between the North and European seas. According to V.A. Rusanov, mountain formation occurred at the end of the Palaeozoic era. While studying cephalopods, V.A. Rusanov discovered a new species, Karoceras. He discovered fossil ice in Krestovaya Bay, in the Eastern Valley at Cape Krestovoy. This led to the conclusion that there had been several stages of glaciation. As a result of the expeditions, the main minerals (peat, coal, pyrite, copper ore, galena, ochre) were discovered. The geographical outcome of V.A. Rusanov’s expeditions was the naming of 32 objects.