During a complex expedition of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Caspian Branch of the IO RAS and the Astrakhan State Nature Reserve to the Northern Caspian, scientists were able to confirm the existence of a new island 30 km southwest of Maly Zhemchuzhny Island. The drying of the bank was initially noticed in space images by employees of the Caspian Branch of the IO RAS in November 2024, but the question of the island's existence remained controversial until recently. The discovered island was formed as a result of a drop in the level of the Caspian Sea and the emergence of the Srednyaya Zhemchuzhnaya Bank on the daytime surface.
The expedition managed to approach the northern part of the island, but landing on the shore did not take place due to the shallow waters surrounding it and due to weather conditions. However, the island is clearly visible in the pictures from the quadcopter.
At present, during the period of maximum Volga runoff at the peak of the flood, the island is a land slightly elevated above the sea surface. It is obvious that during the low-water period, when the water level is minimal, the island's elevation above the water's edge will be more significant. At the time of the survey, the island's surface was a damp flat plain, complicated by ridges of sand waves, probably intersected by exaration furrows.
In order to conduct additional research into biohydrochemistry, hydrobiology and the dynamics of sea behaviour, scientists set up an oceanographic station at a depth of about 0.4 m in the northern shallow waters in the immediate vicinity of the island.
If the trend towards a decrease in the Caspian Sea level continues, this island could significantly increase its area in the coming years and gain great potential value as a nesting site for rare bird species and a rookery for Caspian seals.
In the near future, scientists will complete a primary description of the new island and put forward proposals for its geographical name.
Photo: Yu. Shulgina, Video Studio of IO RAS
