The destruction of icebergs in warm waters is increased during stormy weather, when a 

 mechanical erosion of the icebergs is added to the thermal effect of the air on the water. As Smith 

 indicates, this erosion of icebergs is centered on the central part of the iceberg. Actually, one of 

 the ends of the major axis of the iceberg becomes eroded, due to the loss in weight, this end rises 

 and erosion begins on the other side. At the same time, erosion does not cease along the short axis 

 (near which the fluctuation occurs). This explains the characteristic form of the icebergs and floes 

 resembling a saddle as a result of their erosion. 



LITERATURE: 62, 143, 151, 171. 



Section 52. Icebergs in the Soviet Arctic Seas 



In the Eurasian sector of the arctic, icebergs are found in the Berents (mainlyin the north- 

 western part), the Kara and Laptev seas. 



The glaciers of Spitsbergen do not yield icebergs of any importance. In any case, in 1933, 

 during our navigation on the vessel Knipovich , we did not see a single iceberg from Hope Island 

 to White Island . 



Near White Island, which consists of an icecap island, (during the journeys of 1930, 1932, and 

 1935) I observed many icebergs, both from its southern and its northern side. The icebergs were 

 small with hanging walls. In the majority of the cases, they stood in shallows, evidently grouping 

 themselves near separate banks, which were somewhat removed from the island. 



Near Victoria Island, which we circumnavigated in 1932, there were few icebergs; they were 

 also not very large, and they also stood in shallows. 



There are more icebergs near Franz Joseph Land. Their height above sea level reaches 

 25 m, and the length up to half a kilometer. Leigh-Smith mentions an iceberg several miles lor^. 

 The cubic form of icebergs is most common in this area. 



It is possible that such a form of icebergs is partially connected with the slow movement of 

 the glaciers. Thus, according to Vize, the glaciers on Guker Island flow at a rate of 12 to 17 cm 

 diurnally, and their summer rate of flow is greater. From 24 April to 4 August 1933, the glacier 

 on Rudolf Island flowed at a rate of 9 cm diurnally, judging by the displacement of the guide stake 

 by 9. 13 m during this time. It is curious that during the Duke of Abruzzi expedition (1899-1900), 

 the movement of glaciers on this island was not observed. 



If the straits of Franz Joseph Land, which each glacier flowing into the sea is near, are ig- 

 nored, icebergs are more numerous near the southwestern and northwestern shores. Here also, 

 they seem to border the banks a distance from the shore. In the beginning of August, 1928, the 

 Sedov counted 24 icebergs south of Alexander Island. 



Icebergs are seldom found between Victoria Island and Franz Joseph Land. At any rate, in 

 1930, we saw 2 or 3 icebergs, and in 1932, while rounding Franz Joseph Land, we did not see a 

 single iceberg when there was complete absence of ice and visibility was good. We also saw no 

 icebergs (with exception of icebergs in the straits) during the 1932 voyage from Rudolf Island to 

 Belaya Zemlya, and further south around the eastern shores of Franz Joseph Land, and during the 

 1935 voyage near the eastern shores of Franz Joseph Land. 



131 



