Lomonosov Ridge

A Canadian scientific expedition, based out of Alert on Ellesmere Island, established an ice camp on 22 March 1979. The camp, with two other smaller camps, Snowsnake and Iceman lasted a few months with all remnants gone by 10 June 1979.{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2015/rncan-nrcan/M183-2-2009-eng.pdf | title=Selected LOREX Contributions — LOREX 79 | publisher=Geological Survey of Canada | date=1989 | accessdate=24 June 2023 | editor-last=Weber | editor-first=J.R.}}

In the 2000s, the geological structure of the ridge attracted international attention due to a 20 December 2001 official submission by the Russian Federation to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (article 76, paragraph 8). The document proposed establishing new outer limits for the Russian continental shelf, beyond the previous {{convert|200|nmi|adj=on}} zone, but within the Russian Arctic sector.[https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/submission_rus.htm Outer limits of the continental shelf beyond {{convert|200|nmi}} from the baselines: Submissions to the Commission: Submission by the Russian Federation] CLCS. United Nations The territory claimed by Russia in the submission is a large portion of the Arctic reaching the North Pole.[https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/rus01/RUS_CLCS_01_2001_LOS_2.jpg Area of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation in the Arctic Ocean beyond 200-nautical-mile zone] – borders of the {{convert|200|nmi|adj=on}} zone are marked in red, territory claimed by Russia is shaded One of the arguments was a statement that the underwater Lomonosov Ridge and Mendeleev Ridge are extensions of the Eurasian continent. In 2002 the UN Commission neither rejected nor accepted the Russian proposal, recommending additional research.

Danish scientists hope to prove that the ridge is an extension of Greenland,[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3716178.stm Denmark hopes to claim the North Pole] BBC News, 5 October 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2006. rather than an extension of Canada's adjacent Ellesmere Island, and Denmark became another claimant to the area in 2014. Canada, also a claimant, asserts that the ridge is an extension of its continental shelf. In April 2007, Canadian and Russian scientists were sent to map the ridge as a possible precedent for determining sovereignty over the area. In late June 2007, Russian scientists reiterated their claim that the ridge is an extension of Russia's territory,[https://www.theguardian.com/russia/article/0,,2113289,00.html Kremlin lays claim to huge chunk of oil-rich North Pole] The Guardian, 28 June 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007. and in 2011 a Russian scientist ignored Canada's claim, instead saying that Russia and Denmark claim different parts of the ridge and the claims are not conflicting.Staalesen, Atle. "[http://barentsobserver.com/en/sections/politics/no-dispute-over-lomonosov-ridge No dispute over Lomonosov Ridge]" Barents Observer, 2 February 2011. Accessed: 17 December 2014. Other sources indicate that some areas are disputed."[http://arcticcontroversy.weebly.com/territorial-claims.html Territorial Claims]" The Right Arctic, ArcticControversy.weebly.com

Canada is expected to make further claims.GEUS 2014, page 17 Denmark and Russia have agreed to follow certain procedures when making claims.GEUS 2014, page 18 If the Danish claims are accepted by the Commission in summer 2015, the distribution of areas may still be a matter of negotiation between claiming countries – a process which can take several years.Ramskov, Jens. "[http://ing.dk/artikel/derfor-goer-danmark-nu-krav-paa-nordpolen-172976 Derfor gør Danmark nu krav på Nordpolen]" [https://translate.google.dk/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=da&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fing.dk%2Fartikel%2Fderfor-goer-danmark-nu-krav-paa-nordpolen-172976&edit-text= In English] Ingeniøren, 15 December 2014. Accessed: 15 December 2014.{{Update inline|date=January 2017}} The rhetoric used in making claims is also subject to discussion."[http://arcticcontroversy.weebly.com/rhetorical-claims.html Rhetorial Claims]" The Right Arctic

A 21-member UN arbitration panel is considering the competing claims, with the focus on the Lomonosov Ridge.{{cite news|title=Arctic deal bans North Pole fishing|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33549606|access-date=16 July 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=16 July 2015}}

{{main|Arktika 2007}}

In late July 2007, a Russian expedition sent an icebreaker and two mini-submarines, Mir-I and Mir-II, to explore the region. Russian scientists dived down {{convert|4261|m}} below the surface and on 2 August planted a rust-proof titanium metal Russian flag on the seabed.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6927395.stm BBC News: Russia plants flag under N Pole] In April 2007, Canada and Denmark, which both claimed part of the ridge, were also mapping it under the polar ice, Canada's CBC reported.[http://www.sikunews.com/art.html?catid=2&artid=2962/ Mapping continues along the Lomonosov Ridge – SikuNews, 17 April 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506023700/http://www.sikunews.com/art.html?catid=2&artid=2962%2F |date=6 May 2008 }}. Retrieved on 2007-08-07

As a follow-up in mid-September 2007, Russia's Natural Resources Ministry issued a statement:

Preliminary results of an analysis of the earth crust model examined by the Arctic-2007 expedition, obtained on 20 September, have confirmed that the crust structure of the Lomonosov Ridge corresponds to the world analogues of the continental crust, and it is therefore part of the Russian Federation's adjacent continental shelf.{{cite news |title=Lomonosov Ridge, Mendeleyev elevation part of Russia's shelf – report |url=http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11861523 |publisher=Interfax Moscow |date=20 September 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=21 September 2007 |archive-date=25 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525085551/http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11861523 }}

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| image1 =[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305233808/https://ing.dk/sites/ing/files/dk-goer-krav-paa-nordpolen_0.jpg Area of the Greenland continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean beyond 200-nautical-mile zone] – borders of the {{convert|200|nmi}} zone are marked in red, territory claimed by Denmark is shaded

| image2 =[https://web.archive.org/web/20160121021541/http://ing.dk/sites/ing/files/lomonosov-ryggen.jpg Delineation points]

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In 2014 Denmark filed a claim with the UN Commission for a {{convert|895000|sqkm}} area around the Lomonosov Ridge,"[https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/submission_dnk_76_2014.htm Submission by the Kingdom of Denmark]" United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 15 December 2014. Accessed: 15 December 2014. using paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of Article 76.GEUS 2014, page 11"[http://arcticcontroversy.weebly.com/article-76.html Article 76]" The Right Arctic The connection between Greenland and Lomonosov is stated as going through the Lincoln shelf ({{convert|400|m|disp=or}} below the Lincoln Sea, between the Wandel Sea in the east and Cape Columbia, Canada in the west), which was pushed up when Greenland moved northwards during the late Paleozoic, Paleocene and Eocene time frames.Døssing 2014 Some rocks from the ridge are similar to those found in Ellesmere, Greenland, Scandinavia and United Kingdom. Connectivity between land and the ridge may be defined from the Foot of the Slope. From the ridge foot claims are made out to {{convert|60|nmi}} ("Hedberg formula"), or {{convert|100|nmi}} where the sedimentary layer is more than {{convert|1|nmi}} deep ("Gardiner formula", 1% of the distance).

{{Portal|Oceans}}

• Russia's 2001 continental shelf claim
• Arctic policy of Russia
• Gakkel Ridge

{{reflist}}

• Døssing, A., Hansen, T. M., Olesen, A. V., Hopper, J. R., & Funck, T. (2014). "[http://www.nbi.ku.dk/ansatte/?pure=files%2F125814425%2FD_ssing_et_al._2014_Gravity_inversion_predicts_the_nature_of_the_Amundsen_Basin_and_irs_continental_borderlands_near_Greenland.pdf Gravity inversion predicts the nature of the Amundsen Basin and its continental borderlands near Greenland]" Elsevier/GEOBASE/GEUS/DTU Space – Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 408, 132–145. 12 October 2014. Accessed: 15 December 2014. Size: 15 pages in 10MB. DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2014.10.011
• GEUS 2014. "[http://a76.dk/xpdf/DNK2014_ES_N-GREENLAND.pdf The Northern Continental Shelf of Greenland (Executive Summary)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216012041/http://a76.dk/xpdf/DNK2014_ES_N-GREENLAND.pdf |date=16 December 2014 }}" Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland / Ministry of Climate, Energy and Building (Denmark), November 2014. Accessed: 15 December 2014. Size: 52 pages in 6MB. [https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/dnk76_14/dnk2014_es.pdf UN mirror]

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Category:New Siberian Islands

Category:Underwater ridges of the Arctic Ocean

Category:Geology of the Arctic Ocean