ARKHANGELSK, June 24. /TASS/. The expedition to explore the Spitsbergen shelf on board the Professor Molchanov research vessel returned to Arkhangelsk, press service of the national hydrometeorology service's Northern branch, Sevhydromet, said adding scientists of the Gramberg Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of the World Ocean conducted geological and geophysical studies of the Barents Sea shelf.

"The work is under the federal project "Geology. The revival of the legend." The objective is to collect materials for a set of geological maps of Spitsbergen and the surrounding shelf, as well as to assess prospects for the discovery of minerals in that sector of the Arctic," the press service said.

According to the expedition's leader Evgeny Gusev, this year the scientists have been using not only standard research methods. They have conducted seismic acoustic profiling and multipath sonar studies of the seabed with a total length of 700 km profiles. The experts have taken samples of sediments at 86 stations near Stur Fiord.

For the mission, the vessel had been equipped with a new stern, a special rod for a multipath echo sounder, and a new laboratory to accommodate geophysical equipment.

"In that expedition, new interesting information has been obtained about the structure of the upper sedimentary cover and the bedrock composing shallow areas and uplifts near the Hopen Islands," the press service quoted Gusev as saying.

The Professor Molchanov undergoes preparations for the next expedition - with the Arctic Floating University.