THE RESULTS OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Biological research made up the major part of the expeditions aboard the Vitiaz. It was carried out along with other sciences and fell into the three main directions:
1. The Far Eastern Seas exploration;
2. Works in the open ocean, in the central areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans;
3. Exploration of trenches (18 trenches of 28 were explored by the Vitiaz).

Large zoological collection was gathered during 30 of the expeditions aboard the SRV Vitiaz. As a result of its processing more than 1 100 new unknown species were described, 171 genera and subgenera and 26 new taxons of family, order and other higher categories including a new type Brachiata (Pogonophorae) were discovered.

As a result of a long-term exploration a vision of flora and fauna, ecology and distribution of mass species and economic usage opportunities of marketable resources has been supplemented and changed:

• A concept of the oceanic biological structure was created and data about the richest areas of biological resources were given;
• Large groups of marketable fish (saury and grenadier) were found and data about size of fish resources in the Far Eastern Seas were received;
• Places and conditions of some marketable fish reproduction were found and their stock was established on the basis of their ichthyoplankton research;
• Estimation of quantitative production distribution and number of phytoplankton, zooplankton and zoobenthos was made and their connection with environmental conditions was found out;
• Distribution maps were made, the most productive and poor areas were revealed and total amount of phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos in the water area was estimated;
• Regularities of plankton vertical distribution in the water column were found out;
• Characteristic of seasonal phenomena regarding plankton distribution in different latitudes and areas was made;
• Areals of species were defined and their main types were marked out; it gave an opportunity to carry out biogeographical demarcation of all the water area and create a vertical zonality scheme of oceanic plankton;
• It has been proved that life exists in all the deeps of the ocean.

The Vitiaz’s contribution to study of life, particularly in the deep-water areas, got an international recognition. The name of this science toiler is immortalized in the genus Vitiaziella Rass and eight species of fish. It will always remain in the history of sea biology.

THE RESULTS OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL RESEARCH
Working places of hydrologists, hydrophysicists and hydrochemists who explored the water mass were located at the Vitiaz’s forebody, on the top-gallant forecastle of the port side. Geologists’ cabins were at the starboard. They studied the sea bottom.
Under the design engineers – N. Sisoev and E. Kudinov – new equipment was tested aboard the Vitiaz. Scientists were able to look into the depths of the Word ocean with the help of it.
The Results of the Water Mass Exploration:

• The water mass was studied; maps of water circulation were made; the water cycle between the Sea of Japan, Okhotsk and the Bering Sea with the Pacific Ocean was shown;
• Water mass of the Pacific Ocean has been districted for the first time (on the basis of large material generalization) according to its water structure; horizontal structure of water cycle was systematized and borders between the global oceanic natural complexes were defined as the main oceanic fronts;
• An equatorial subsurface countercurrent flow was discovered along the whole width of the Indian Ocean. It was named the Tareev Current;
• Oceanic vortexes in the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the Bermuda Triangle were explored;
• Over 2 million chemical measurements of waters of the World ocean have been first analyzed and generalized. A monograph “Chemistry of the Ocean Waters” was written where regularities of distribution of dissolved oxygen, рН, alkalinity, phosphates, nitrates and silicates were described. The seventh part of these data was got in the expeditions aboard the Vitiaz.

The Results of the Ocean Bottom Exploration:

• The Kurile-Kamchatka Trench, one of the deepest trenches in the Earth, was discovered. Its length is 3 000 km and depth – up to 10 km;
• Geological mapping of the Far Eastern Seas was made. It gave an opportunity to discover phosphorites in the Sea of Japan, copper and zinc sulphides in the Bering Sea and to prove oil-and-gas bearing of the Sea of Okhotsk;
• The middle-oceanic mountain ridges, seamounts, reef areas and the deepest trenches in the Pacific and Indian Oceans were discovered. The maximum depth of the World ocean has been measured – the depth of the Mariana trench is 11 022 m;
• Unique collections of rocks and minerals were gathered. Their study has proved that granitic layer does not exist in the ocean and that it is rich in basalts and peridotites. Moreover, it has been discovered that the sea bottom is a great volcanic province.

THE RESULTS OF RESEARCH ABOARD THE VITIAZ ARE PUT IN MONOGRAPHS, DOZENS OF SCIENTIFIC BOOKS AND HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES. RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS WERE AWARDED WITH GOVERNMENTAL AND STATE PRIZES AND WORLDWIDE RECOGNIZED.

THE RESULTS OF METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH
Meteorology is a science about atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena. It was a compulsory element during the Vitiaz’s expeditions. Meteorological research was aimed at exploration of interaction between the ocean and atmosphere.
Meteorologists of the Vitiaz got an opportunity to study atmospheric phenomena in all the latitudes, from the equator to polar ice, and carry out global and multisided research.
Meteorological research had both scientific and practical purposes. From 1951 hydrometeorological measurements were made every three hours and synoptical work was carried out every two days.