Russian expedition on way to North Pole

Murmansk, Russia -- A Russian expedition left Tuesday for the North Pole with plans to study the polar ocean floor with manned submersibles.

The group on board the Akademik Federov also plans to place a Russian flag on the floor of the Arctic Ocean in a titanium capsule, Itar-Tass reported.

The primary task of the expedition is to map the edges of the Arctic shelf.
Scientists also will be landed on an ice floe to set up a drifting observation station.

Submersibles will be used for the first time in the polar region. At least one descent to about 2.4 miles under the Arctic ice is planned.

The team is part of Russia's contribution to the International Polar Year, which started in March and runs to March 2009.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.