Graham Bell Island

Graham Bell Island (Russian: Остров Греэм-Белл, Ostrov Greem-Bell) is an island in the Franz Josef Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, and is administratively part of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia.

Key Information

Native name: Остров Греэм-Белл
Location of Graham Bell Island in the Franz Josef Archipelago
Graham Bell
Geography
Location	Kara Sea/Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean
Coordinates	80°51′59″N 64°17′21″E / 80.866389°N 64.289167°E / 80.866389; 64.289167
Archipelago	Franz Josef Land
Area	1,557 km2 (601 sq mi)
Highest elevation	509 m (1670 ft)
Highest point	Kupol Vetrenyy
Administration
Russia
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Graham Bell Island is one of the largest islands of the group. It lies east of Wilczek Land, separated from it by a narrow sound known as Morgan Sound (Пролив Моргана; Proliv Morgana). It is also the easternmost island of Franz Josef Land. Cape Kohlsaat, the easternmost point of the archipelago at 81°14′N, 65°10′E, lies on Graham Bell Island's eastern shore. Cape Kohlsaat marks the northwesternmost corner of the Kara Sea and is a significant geographical landmark, and it is partly glacierized.

The highest point of Graham Bell Island, 509 m (1,670 ft), is the summit of Kupol Vetrenyy (Купол Ветреный) "Windy Dome", a large ice dome covering the western part of the island.^[1]

This island was named after inventor Alexander Graham Bell.^[2] Graham Bell Island should not be confused with the smaller Bell Island which is also part of the Franz Josef Archipelago and is named after the shape, not the person.^[3][4]

Graham Bell Island was discovered on 2 May 1899 by a sledging party of the Wellman expedition composed of Evelyn Briggs Baldwin [de], Daniel Johansen, Emil Ellefsen, Olaf Ellefsen, and Paul Bjørvig.^[2]

It is home to a Cold War outpost and to the airfield Greem Bell (81°09′N 64°17′E / 81.150°N 64.283°E / 81.150; 64.283) on the Northeastern end of the island. It is the largest airfield in the archipelago. It has a runway 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) long. Russian cargo and fighter aircraft have regularly landed here since the 1950s. The runway was usable only in the 8 months of the year with sufficiently frozen ground. Before it was shut down, it was also used for tourist helicopter trips around the Russian arctic as a stopover and refueling base. The base was shut down completely in 1994. It began falling into ruins and was subsequently closed to normal visitors.^[5] In May 2012, the Russian Air Force announced it would reopen Graham Bell Airfield as part of a series of reopenings of air bases in the Arctic.^[6]

• Graham Bell Island's northern shore is fringed by clusters of very small islets.
• Ostrov Trëkhluchevoy – lies off its western shore at 80°57′06″N 63°04′45″E / 80.9517°N 63.0792°E / 80.9517; 63.0792 and is only 2 km in length.
• Ostrov Udachnyy – is part of a cluster of islets located along the NW shores 81°08′30″N 64°08′45″E / 81.1417°N 64.1458°E / 81.1417; 64.1458

• List of islands of Russia
• List of glaciers in Russia

• All locations: [1]
• https://archive.today/20071026183049/http://www.geosite.com.ru/pageid-335-1.html
• Island Directory. Unep.org.
• Graham-Bell Island (Russian).
• Graham-Bell airfield (Russian).

• Media related to Graham Bell Island at Wikimedia Commons