The Taimyr Peninsula. Climatic features of the Taimyr Peninsula

In the central part of the Eurasian continent, between the mouths of the rivers Khatanga and Yenisei, the Taimyr peninsula is put forward by the imposing protrusion of land far into the ice of the severe Arctic Ocean (the map given in this article demonstrates its location). Its continuation is the Northern Earth archipelago, anchored in the eternal ice, from the very extreme point of which (Cape Arctic) to the Pole, the distance is only 960 kilometers. The Taimyr Peninsula is washed by the Laptev Sea and the Kara Sea. Here is the most northern tip of the mainland - Cape Chelyuskin.

The Forgotten Edge

Not every modern schoolchild knows where Taimyr is located, and this is no wonder, its location does not contribute to the influx of tourists here. This is a very severe edge, here even in summer the temperature does not rise above ten degrees Celsius. The peninsula is located within the national district of Taimyr, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. As mentioned above, its extreme northern point is Cape Chelyuskin. The southern border is the northern ridge of the Central Siberian plateau. In length, the peninsula of Taimyr extends more than a thousand kilometers, and in width - five hundred. Its area is more than 400 thousand square kilometers. The entire territory of the peninsula is heavily indented by mountain massifs. Taimyr is located far beyond the Arctic Circle, on the icy edge of the Great Siberian River.

History of development

The history of the development of the Taimyr Peninsula is fascinating. Conquerors and pioneers of the North ... How many legendary and sometimes tragic events are hidden behind these laconic, mean words! The first Russian explorers of the Taimyr in the seventeenth century were the daredevils who came here in search of furs - "soft junk." So in 1667 on the northern part of the Yenisei there is a modest settlement called Dudinka. Today it is the capital of the vast national district of Taimyr. In the eighteenth century, the Great Northern Expedition was organized in these regions. It is associated with the names of many great people - Fedor Minin, Semyon Chelyuskin, the Laptev brothers, Vasily Pronchishchev and many others. A hundred years later, the great naturalist Middendorf AF passed through this land. Later, other equally well-known Arctic explorers visited the coast of the peninsula: F. Nansen, E. Toll, A. Nordenskiöld.

Century twentieth

In the era of the Soviet state, the Arctic research began to gain new momentum. So, in 1918, one more polar explorer, the legendary R. Amundsen, wintered off the northern shores of the peninsula. In addition, admires his exploits and the Russian explorer, who at one time called the "man-legend" - N. Begichev. The northernmost peninsula of Russia owes much to this intrepid man. A lot of significant events are connected with his name. For example, he discovered unknown islands in the Khatanga Bay, which were named after him, took an active part in Arctic expeditions, and more than once saved them from death. He selflessly searched for the tragically dead explorers of the Arctic. And he himself is buried on this earth. In the early thirties, polar explorers Urnantsev NN and Ushakov GA entered the Northern Earth archipelago for the first time and produced a detailed description of it.

Relief of the Taimyr Peninsula

Throughout the length of the peninsula stretches a huge mountain range Byrranga. It is formed by a system of eccentric or parallel chains, as well as wavy extensive plateaus. The Byrranga Mountains stretch for 1100 kilometers, their width is more than 200 kilometers. The rivers of Taimyr and Pyasina flowing here share the mountain range in three valleys: the eastern one, with altitudes of 600-1146 meters; Central, with heights of 400-600 meters; Western - 250-320 meters. The ridge is composed of mountain rocks of the Paleozoic and Precambrian age, among them a large role is played by trapps - these magmatic rocks are composed of steps.

Climatic features of the Taimyr Peninsula

The climate in the Taimyr Mountains is very cold, sharply continental. So, the average temperature in January is minus 30-33 degrees Celsius, and in July - plus 2-10. Spring begins in mid-June, and in August the average daily temperature drops below zero. Precipitation in the Taimyr falls from 120 to 140 mm per year. The eastern part of the peninsula is entirely covered with a glacier, the total area of which is 50 square kilometers. The mountains are mostly covered with vegetation, which is characteristic of the stony arctic tundra - here lichens and mosses predominate.

Lake Taimyr

This water body is connected to the Taimyr River. The lake divides it into two parts - to Nizhnyaya (187 km) and Upper (567 km). The location of this water body is very unique, because it is located far beyond the Arctic Circle. Lake Taimyr is the northernmost in the world, a real large lake. It is located at the foot of the Byrranga Mountains, its extreme point is located at the 76th degree of the northern latitude. From the end of September to June the lake is covered with ice. The water temperature in the summer rises to plus eight degrees, and in the winter - a little above zero.

The coast of the peninsula

Considering the peninsula of Taimyr on the map, you can see that near its shores there are many small islets. Some of them have low-lying terrain, and part, on the contrary, is high. The islands are round in shape, their shores are rocky and steep, some have small glaciers. The Taimyr peninsula also has steep banks in some places, falling into the sea washed by them, and in places - on the contrary - low-lying and sloping, although not far from them are mountain ridges consisting of horizontal beds of sedimentary rock. To the east of Cape Chelyuskin to the sea coast adjoins a mountainous country. Further to a considerable distance, the lowlands stretch, and then the mountainous country with its shallow and low banks returns again. The sea, washing Taimyr, is shallow, in places there are quite extensive shoals here. From July to August it is available for navigation, despite the fact that there are stamukas here - these are single ice blocks; Large hummocks and small ice fields. In remote times, the region of this peninsula was under water. This is evidenced by the sea shells found by Middendorf near the Lower Taimyr River. Currently, these mollusks live in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. The northernmost tip of the Taimyr Peninsula is covered almost all year round with snow. Summer lasts less than six weeks, and snow blizzards occur during this period.

Taimyr Reserve

The Taimyr Peninsula is a state nature reserve. It was created in 1979 by the Resolution of the RS of the RSFSR, but because of organizational difficulties its functioning began only in 1985. The reserve has a cluster system and consists of several parts - the guard zone of the Khatagan district, the main tundra territory (Dixon and Khatagan districts), as well as the Arctic, Lukun and Ary-Mas plots. Its territory covers more than four degrees in latitude, it is represented by zones of forest-tundra, mountain tundra, Birranga mountain massif, sub-arctic, typical and southern plain tundra, and the marine waters of the Gulf of the Laptev Sea.

The main goal of the organization of the Taimyr reserve was to preserve and study natural mountainous and lowland ecosystems and the northernmost forest tracts on the sites of Lukunsky and Ary-Mas. In addition, special attention is paid to the protection of the endemic species of our country, the Red - breasted Goose , and the world's largest wild reindeer. Most recently, in 1995, thanks to the assistance of the MAB of UNESCO, the Taimyr reserve was given the status of a biosphere reserve. The Museum of Nature and Ethnography works here. Anyone can get acquainted with the collection of objects of everyday life and culture of indigenous peoples of this territory, as well as with expositions devoted to the nature of the peninsula, there is a paleontological collection.