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).
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 edit
- Hero of the Soviet Union (1952)
- Three Orders of Lenin
- Vega medal (from the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography) (1959)
- Patron's Medal (from the Royal Geographical Society) (1961)
References edit
- ^ Феклушин, Виктор (December 25, 2011). Точка 36. Воздушный Транспорт (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 January 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- ^ a b 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.