Similar phenomena were observed in other cases, and Gakkel and Khmyznikov explain them in the 

 following way. 



It was noted that in the majority of cases, the corresponding drift of the ice outstrips the wind 

 which caused it. 



With regard to the slowness of the wind, an observer, being, for example, at one end of this 

 immobile ice field, notes drift which begins during a calm. The wind, blowing at the opposite end 

 of the field, caused the ice to move relative to the observer before the wind reached the observer. 

 Some time had already elapsed before the wind reached the observer. If the wind direction changes 

 at the opposite end of the field, in addition to the progressive movement, usual with an established 

 or prevailing wind, the field begins to rotate since the different ends of the field will be subjected to 

 different wind directions . 



From these simple considerations, we can readily see that with constant winds ice fields 

 move lineally, but with a change of wind they begin to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the 

 wind.* 



On 12 November 1933, owing to a suitable wind, the western part of the CheliusKin ice 

 field moved over the western boundary of the currents from the Bering Strait. As a result of the 

 continued influence of the wind and current, the angular velocity of the ice field reached 4° per 

 hour (coimterclockwise) . According to Gakkel and Khmyznikov, the increase in the ice rotation was 

 the result of two ends of the ice field being located in regions having sea currents of different 

 velocities . 



The ice rotation with which the Cheliuskin drifted continued sufficiently intensive until the 

 end of November, 1933, when the Chel iuski n was at least 60 miles from shore. 



Gakkel and Khmyznikov explain the velocity decrease of the ice rotation, which had begun at 

 the end of November, as follows: At this time, the winter was established in the Chuckchee Sea — 

 it was filled with ice to such an extent that any movement of ice was difficult. 



It is clear that with rotation of the ice fields, collisions, which are accompanied by heaping 

 and breakup of ice, are inevitable. Such phenomena were observed up to the destruction of the 

 Chel iuskin, which was a result of fissures and hummocks caused by a six-point wind. 



At 1320, 13 February 1934, the ice drift in which the Chel i us ft in was frozen discontinued 

 suddenly. Following this, the fissure at the stern of the ship, which had been formed on 7 

 February, began to separate. That part of the ice northwest of the ship started to move, drawing 

 the ship behind it along the edge of the immobile ice on the southeast side of the ship. The ice 

 along the side of the Chel iuskin began to be heaped. On the starboard side of the ship, the blocks 

 moved under the hull; on the port side, however, the ice was forced upwards. 



At 1330, the Chel iuskin was hooked by its stern to an entire field which had not been 

 touched by the preceding jamming. Since only the ship was stopped, its fwrt side was torn by the 

 windward ice, which continued to drift. 



*See Section 138. 



251 



