The 1869/70 German North Polar Expedition

Abstract

... This Second German North Polar Expedition of 1869/70 resulted in several geographical discoveries in northeast Greenland and the cartographic survey of the region. In addition, geological, glaciological, glacial geomorphological, zoological, botanical and archaeological studies were conducted. Extensive astronomical, geophysical (especially geomagnetic), meteorological and hydrological measurements were carried out. The scientific results of the expedition were published in a volume of nearly 1000 pages (Verein für die Deutsche Nordpolarfahrt in Bremen, 1874; Koldewey et al., 1871). The exact astronomical locations of Borgen and Copeland were an important factor in the development of Alfred Wegener's (1915) theory of continental drift!