Why were Nansen’s deep soundings considered the true discovery of the Arctic Ocean?

Fridtjof Nansen’s deep soundings are considered the true discovery of the Arctic Ocean because they fundamentally challenged the prevailing scientific belief of his time. In accordance with popular opinion, it was expected that the North Polar Basin contained only shallow water.1

During the Fram expedition (1893–1896), Nansen’s soundings revealed depths ranging from approximately 11,000 to 13,000 feet (3,300 to 4,000 metres). These measurements provided the first evidence that a deep ocean basin existed beneath at least part of the North Polar Sea, rather than the shallow, land-filled region many had previously imagined. By prioritizing the study of the ocean's bottom contours and water characteristics over the mere pursuit of the North Pole, Nansen successfully shifted the focus of Arctic exploration toward the scientific investigation of the basin itself.1