How did the Great Northern Expedition contribute to knowledge of the lower Ob River?

The Great Northern Expedition (1733–1742) played a significant role in the scientific investigation of the lower Ob River. While the lower reaches of the river had been explored earlier in the 17th century—resulting in the publication of a navigation chart in 1667—the Great Northern Expedition facilitated more formal scientific study of the region.1

As part of a massive, multi-detachment operation commissioned by the Russian Admiralty, the expedition contributed to the broader effort to survey and chart the entire Arctic coast from Archangel to the east. By conducting these investigations, the expedition helped build upon the earlier, more localized explorations of the Ob basin that had been spurred by the 16th-century expansion of Russian influence into Siberia. These efforts were part of a larger, unprecedented endeavor to map the geography of the Russian north, which ultimately produced numerous high-standard charts and maps of the Arctic coastline.21