Mikhail Somov
Mikhail Mikhailovich Somov (Russian: Михаил Михайлович Сомов; 7 April [O.S. 25 March] 1908, in Moscow – 30 December 1973, in Leningrad) was a Soviet oceanologist, polar explorer, Doctor of Geographical Sciences (1954).
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Somov graduated from the Moscow Hydrometeorological Institute in 1937. In 1939, he was appointed senior researcher at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. In 1950-1951, Mikhail Somov headed a drift-ice station North Pole-2.[1] In 1955-1957, he became the commander of the first Soviet Antarctic Expedition. Mikhail Somov was also the first Soviet delegate to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.[2]
The Somov Sea north of Victoria Land and a glacier in Queen Maud Land (both East Antarctica) bear Mikhail Somov's name, as well as a scientific icebreaker. A minor planet 3334 Somov discovered by Czech astronomer Antonín Mrkos in 1981 is named after him.[3] Somov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in 1952.[2]
Awards
- Hero of the Soviet Union (1952)
- Three Orders of Lenin
- Vega medal (from the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography) (1959)
- Patron's Gold medal (from the Royal Geographical Society) (1961)
References
- Феклушин, Виктор (December 25, 2011). Точка 36. Воздушный Транспорт (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 January 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- Escritt, E. A.; A. M. Ferrar; F. H. Hansford-Miller; H. G. Head (1974). "Mikhail Mikhaylovich Somov: Obituary". The Geographical Journal. 140 (2). JSTOR 1797135.
- Schmadel, Lutz (5 August 2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 278. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.