edge often decreases at the expanse of an increase of the clear water area in the north and vice 

 versa. From this it likewise follows that it is sometimes considerably easier to get to Franz 

 Joseph Land under conditions of a very southerly position of the Barents Sea ice-edge than when 

 the ice-edge is very far north and when the ice at Franz Joseph Land itself may be extremely com- 

 pressed. 



Nevertheless, most typical of Barents Sea ice conditions is when the easiest route to Franz 

 Joseph Land lies directly from the south along the great deeps (at approximately 40°-50° east). 

 Meanwhile there is still some ice in the west, remaining on the shallower depths of the Persens 

 shoals (Spitzbergen massif). In the east there is ice which has been carried from the northeast out 

 of the northern part of the Kara Sea and which remains in the shallows along the southeast coast of 

 Franz Joseph Land (northeast massif). 



We find a different distribution of ice in the Kara Sea. It must be considered that during the 

 winter months practically all of this sea, like the other seas of the Soviet Arctic, is covered with 

 floating ice. This picture remains until about June, after which the ice starts to fall apart into 

 massifs, the main ones being: 



1. Southwestern or Novaya Zemlya massif, situated between Novaya Zemlya and the Yamal 

 Peninsula. 



2. Northeastern massif , northeast of Dickson Island. 



3. Northern massif, in the northern part of the sea, combining with the ice of the central 

 Arctic Basin. The axis of this massif passes along the Sadko shoals, dividing the northern part of 

 Kara Sea into two parts . 



The northeastern and northern massifs in some years are not separated from each other. 



These main massifs are sometimes divided into smaller ones. 



On this account we cannot speak of an ice-edge in the Kara Sea in the same sense as we do, 

 with certain allowances, in relation to Greenland and Barents Sea. 



The existence of the Novaya Zemlya massif, which in certain years remains until the follow- 

 ing winter, and its movement (due to winds) determines the navigational conditions from Barents 

 Sea into the mouths of the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. Sometimes the southern route through Yugorski 

 Shar is most favorable. In other cases a middle route through Matochkin Shar, and in a few cases, 

 the northern route around the north end of Novaya Zemlya is most advantageous. The Novaya 

 Zemlya massif sometimes breaks up completely by the end of the summer. 



Figure 183 is a probability chart of the presence of ice in the southwestern part of the Kara 

 Sea in the first half of September (according to Vize). The map was compiled from observations 

 over 13 years. The existance of the Novaya Zemlya massif may be traced on it. 



Figure 184 is a chart of probability of presence of ice in the northeastern part of Kara Sea for 

 the period 1930 to 1936, compiled by Lvov at my request. It must be noted that in the Novaya 

 Zemlya region the map of Lvov does not agree with that of Vize, since these maps were compiled 

 for different periods. 



452 



