View source for Simushir

{{Short description|Island in the Kuril Islands}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox Islands
|name = Simushir
|native_name = Симушир <br />新知島
|image_name = Simushir ISS015-E-26171.jpg
|image_caption = [[NASA]] picture of Simushir Island
|area_km2 =227.6
|location = [[Sea of Okhotsk]]
|coordinates = {{coord|46.97|N|152.03|E|}}
| map_image = Kuriles Simushir.PNG
| map_caption = 
|archipelago = [[Kuril Islands]]
|country = Russia
|highest_mount =
|elevation_m = 1540
|population = 0
|ethnic_groups =
}}
'''Simushir''' ({{langx|ru|Симушир}}, {{langx|ja|新知島|translit=Shimushiru-tō}}, {{langx|ain|シムシㇼ|translit=Simusir}}), meaning ''Large Island'' in [[Ainu language|Ainu]], is an uninhabited [[volcanic island]] near the center of the [[Kuril Islands]] chain in the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] in the northwest [[Pacific Ocean]]. It was formerly known as '''Marikan'''.<ref>''Active'', of New Bedford, May 23, 1854, Nicholson Whaling Collection #11.</ref>

[[File:SimushirGeneral.png|thumb|Topographic map of Simushir]]
[[File:SimushirDetail.png|thumb|Detailed map of Simushir]]

==History==
Simushir was inhabited by the [[Ainu people|Ainu]]. The island appears on an official map showing the territories of [[Matsumae clan|Matsumae Domain]], a [[han (administrative division)|feudal domain]] of [[Edo period]] [[Japan]] dated 1644, and these holdings were officially confirmed by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] in 1715. Russian explorer [[Gerasim Izmailov]] was [[Marooning|marooned]] on Simushir in the early 1770s. He spent a full year subsisting on "scallops, grass, and roots".{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}.

[[Sovereignty]] initially passed to Russia under the terms of the [[Treaty of Shimoda]], but was returned to the [[Empire of Japan]] per the [[Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875)|Treaty of Saint Petersburg]], along with the rest of the Kuril islands. The island was formerly administered as part of Shimushiru District of [[Nemuro Subprefecture]] of [[Hokkaidō]]. Settlers on the island were engaged in fishing, and the raising of [[Arctic fox]] and [[reindeer]]. During [[World War II]], the civilian population was evacuated to the [[Japanese home islands]] and Simushir was garrisoned by a detachment from the [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. It was surrendered to Soviet forces during the [[Battle of the Kuril Islands]] without resistance.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Under the [[Soviet Union]], [[Brouton Bay]] was used by the [[Soviet Navy]] as a secret [[submarine]] base between 1987 and 1994, and had a population of approximately 3000 people. The remains of the base can be seen clearly on satellite images.<ref name=SimushirSubase>{{cite web|title=Take a Look Inside These Abandoned Submarines & Bases|url=http://www.historyinorbit.com/take-a-look-inside-these-abandoned-submarines-and-bases/18/?src=taboola&v=p|work=History in Orbit website|author=Ryan|pages=18–20|date=2015-03-15|access-date=2018-07-06|archive-date=2021-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125000538/https://historyinorbit.com/take-a-look-inside-these-abandoned-submarines-and-bases/18/?src=taboola&v=p|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Today, the island is uninhabited. It is currently administered as part of the [[Sakhalin Oblast]] of the [[Russian Federation]].{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==Geology==
Simushir is highly elongated, consisting of a series of [[stratovolcano]]s. The island has a length of {{convert|59|km|mi}} with a width of {{convert|13|km|mi}}, and an area of {{convert|227.6|km2|sqmi}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/ichthyology/okhotskia/ikip/Info/physical.html|title=International Kuril Island Project（IKIP）|publisher=University of Washington Fish Collection or the respective authors}}</ref> At the north end of the island is a half-submerged caldera, Brouton Bay, with an entrance only 2.5 meters deep, plunging to 240 meters in the center.

* '''[[Urataman]]''' ({{langx|ru| Уратаман}}, {{langx|ja|三日月山}}, ''Mikazuki Yama''), {{convert|678|m|ft}} high and overlooking Brouton Bay, is the northernmost stratovolcano of the island. Further south are:
* '''[[Prevo Peak|Prevo]]''' ({{langx|ru| влк. Прево}}, {{langx|ja|新知富士}}, ''Shimushiru Fuji''), with a height of {{convert|1360|m|ft}}. The peak erupted in the early 19th century, forming a symmetrical cone with a resemblance to [[Mount Fuji]]. On the summit is a 450 × 600 meter wide summit crater with a small [[caldera lake]] on its floor. [[Lava flow]]s from the summit reach both coasts of central Simushir. Only two eruptions are known from Prevo Peak in historical times. The largest of these, during the 1760s, produced [[pyroclastic flow]]s that destroyed all vegetation at the foot of the volcano. Weak explosive activity occurred during the most recent eruption, in the early 19th century.
* '''[[Zavaritski Caldera|Zavaritzki]]''' ({{langx|ru|Вулкан Заварицкого}}, {{langx|ja|緑湖カルデラ}}, ''Midoriko Karudera''), with a height of {{convert|624|m|ft}}, and a 2 × 3 kilometer fresh water caldera lake. Several young cones and [[lava dome]]s are located near the margins the lake. An eruption in 1831 may have affected the global climate.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hutchison|first1=William|last2=Sugden|first2=Patrick|last3=Burke|first3=Andrea|last4=Abbott|first4=Peter|last5=Ponomareva|first5=Vera V.|last6=Dirksen|first6=Oleg|last7=Portnyagin|first7=Maxim V.|last8=MacInnes|first8=Breanyn|last9=Bourgeois|first9=Joanne |last10=Fitzhugh |first10=Ben|last11=Verkerk|first11=Magali|last12=Aubry|first12=Thomas J.|last13=Engwell|first13=Samantha L.|last14=Svensson|first14=Anders|last15=Chellman|first15=Nathan J.|last16=McConnell|first16=Joseph R.|last17=Davies|first17=Siwan|last18=Sigl|first18=Michael|last19=Plunkett|first19=Gill|title=The 1831 CE mystery eruption identified as Zavaritskii caldera, Simushir Island (Kurils)|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|date=7 January 2025|volume=122|issue=1|pages=e2416699122|doi=10.1073/pnas.2416699122|display-authors=5|url=https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2416699122|access-date=5 January 2025|doi-access=free|pmc=11725861}}</ref> A lava dome created in the 1916 and 1931 eruptions formed a small island in the northern part of the lake. In 1957, a new 350 meter wide, 40 meter high lava dome was created following explosive eruptions, decreasing the size of the lake.
* '''[[Milna (volcano)|Milna]]''' ({{langx|ru|Мильна}}, {{langx|ja|新知岳}}, ''Shimushiru Dake''), with a height of {{convert|1540|m|ft}}, is the highest point on the island. This volcano erupted in 1881 and in 1914. The outer flanks of the steep-sided mountain are dissected by deep gullies, with lava flows extending to the sea. The three kilometer wide caldera was breached to the south due to glaciations.
* '''[[Goriaschaia Sopka]]''' ({{langx|ru| Горящая Сопка}}, {{langx|ja|焼山}}; ''Yake Yama''), with a height of {{convert|891|m|ft}}, is on the southwest end of the island. This volcano erupted in 1881 and in 1914.

==Climate==
In spite of its temperate latitude, the powerful [[Oyashio Current]] on the western flank of the [[Aleutian Low]] gives Simushir a chilly and very wet [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfc'') that amazingly almost qualifies as a [[polar climate]] (''ET''), which in low-lying areas would be expected only at latitudes about 20 degrees or {{convert|2200|km|mi|-1}} further north. Unlike typical subarctic or polar climates, however, the winters are only moderately severe and there is no permafrost since the mean annual temperature is around {{convert|2.8|C|F|1}}, whilst temperatures have never fallen below {{convert|−22.2|C|F|0}}. However, the extreme winds, which in winter average as much as {{convert|43|km/h|mph|0}}, make it feel much colder.<ref name = weatherbase>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=59123&refer=wx8dx&cityname=Ostrov-Simushir-Severo-Zapadniy-Fed.-Okrug-Russia&units=metric OSTROV SIMUSHIR, RUSSIA]</ref> Summers are mild, but extraordinarily cloudy with fogs occurring on six-sevenths of all days in summer<ref name = weatherbase /> and annual sunshine hours less than 1,100 per year, which is comparable to [[Reykjavík]] or the extremely foggy [[Sichuan Basin]]. Sunshine is actually most likely in the wettest months of September and October when the heavy rain removes the low-level fog, but clear days are extremely rare at any time of year.
{{Weather box
|location = Simushir Island (1948-1997)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 10.0
|Feb record high C = 8.0
|Mar record high C = 11.1
|Apr record high C = 19.2
|May record high C = 25.0
|Jun record high C = 28.1
|Jul record high C = 32.0
|Aug record high C = 31.0
|Sep record high C = 26.8
|Oct record high C = 20.9
|Nov record high C = 18.3
|Dec record high C = 11.3
|Jan avg record high C = 1.4 
|Feb avg record high C = 1.4 
|Mar avg record high C = 4.7
|Apr avg record high C = 12.7
|May avg record high C = 15.1 
|Jun avg record high C = 17.6 
|Jul avg record high C = 21.8
|Aug avg record high C = 24.4 
|Sep avg record high C = 20.6
|Oct avg record high C = 16.3 
|Nov avg record high C = 12.2 
|Dec avg record high C = 5.3
|year avg record high C = 28.3
|Jan high C = -2.5
|Feb high C = -3.0
|Mar high C = -1.4
|Apr high C = 3.3
|May high C = 7.2
|Jun high C = 9.1
|Jul high C = 12.5
|Aug high C = 14.7
|Sep high C = 13.8
|Oct high C = 10.1
|Nov high C = 4.6
|Dec high C = 0.1
|Jan mean C = −4.5
|Feb mean C = −5.0
|Mar mean C = −3.4
|Apr mean C = 0.7
|May mean C = 3.6
|Jun mean C = 5.5
|Jul mean C = 8.8
|Aug mean C = 10.7
|Sep mean C = 10.2
|Oct mean C = 7.0
|Nov mean C = 2.0
|Dec mean C = −2.0
|year mean C = 3.1
|Jan low C = -6.9
|Feb low C = -7.4
|Mar low C = -5.9
|Apr low C = -1.9
|May low C = 0.7
|Jun low C = 2.6
|Jul low C = 5.4
|Aug low C = 7.2
|Sep low C = 6.8
|Oct low C = 3.9
|Nov low C = -0.7
|Dec low C = -4.5
|Jan avg record low C = -12.2 
|Feb avg record low C = -14.0 
|Mar avg record low C = -11.6
|Apr avg record low C = -5.7 
|May avg record low C = -2.6 
|Jun avg record low C = -0.8
|Jul avg record low C = 1.0 
|Aug avg record low C = 4.2 
|Sep avg record low C = 3.2
|Oct avg record low C = -0.6 
|Nov avg record low C = -6.2 
|Dec avg record low C = -8.7
|year avg record low C = -15.4
|Jan record low C = -22.2
|Feb record low C = -22.2
|Mar record low C = -19
|Apr record low C = -11.8
|May record low C = -5.0
|Jun record low C = -6.1
|Jul record low C = 0.3
|Aug record low C = 0.6
|Sep record low C = 0
|Oct record low C = -7.2
|Nov record low C = -12.8
|Dec record low C = -18.9
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 74.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 81.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 82.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 88.6
|May precipitation mm = 112.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 72.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 96.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 121.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 163.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 151.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 132.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 91.6
|Jan precipitation days = 21.1
|Feb precipitation days = 17.9
|Mar precipitation days = 15.3
|Apr precipitation days = 11.5
|May precipitation days = 11.1
|Jun precipitation days = 9.0
|Jul precipitation days = 11.1
|Aug precipitation days = 11.7
|Sep precipitation days = 11.6
|Oct precipitation days = 13.6
|Nov precipitation days = 16.9
|Dec precipitation days = 20.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan sun = 31.0
|Feb sun = 44.8
|Mar sun = 86.8
|Apr sun = 117.0
|May sun = 124.0
|Jun sun = 111.0
|Jul sun = 102.3
|Aug sun = 102.0
|Sep sun = 132.0
|Oct sun = 130.2
|Nov sun = 60.0
|Dec sun = 33.0
|source 1 = HKO (precipitation days)<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/europe/russia/simusir_e.htm | title = Climatological Information for Simusir Island, Russia | access-date = 5 December 2011 | publisher = Hong Kong Observatory | archive-date = 24 September 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120924055102/http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/europe/russia/simusir_e.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>
|source 2 = climatebase.ru <ref name="climatebase">{{cite web|title=Simusir, Russia|url=http://climatebase.ru/station/32195/?lang=en|publisher=Climatebase.ru|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref>
Météo Climat (records) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-2095-1950-2013.php|title=Météo Climat stats for Simushir |publisher=Météo Climat|access-date=1 November 2019}}</ref>
|date=November 11
}}

==Fauna==
In the spring [[Crested auklet|crested]] and [[least auklet]], [[Leach's storm petrel]], and [[Japanese cormorant]] nest on the island.<ref name=RusSB>Kondratyev, A. Y., Litvinenko, N. M., Shibaev, Y. V., Vyatkin, P. S., & Kondratyeva, L. F. (2000). [http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/CW69-15-4-2000E.pdf "The breeding seabirds of the Russian Far East"]. ''Seabirds of the Russian Far East'', 37-81.</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of volcanoes in Russia]]
* [[List of islands of Russia]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Gorshkov, G. S. ''Volcanism and the Upper Mantle Investigations in the Kurile Island Arc''. Monographs in geoscience. New York: Plenum Press, 1970. {{ISBN|0-306-30407-4}}
* Krasheninnikov, Stepan Petrovich, and James Greive. The History of Kamtschatka and the Kurilski Islands, with the Countries Adjacent. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1963.
* Rees, David. ''The Soviet Seizure of the Kuriles''. New York: Praeger, 1985. {{ISBN|0-03-002552-4}}
* Takahashi, Hideki, and Masahiro Ōhara. ''Biodiversity and Biogeography of the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin''. Bulletin of the Hokkaido University Museum, no. 2-. Sapporo, Japan: Hokkaido University Museum, 2004.
* {{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/24/world/russians-said-to-have-built-submarine-base-near-japan.html | title=Russians Said to Have Built Submarine Base Near Japan | publisher= The New York Times | date=October 24, 1982 | access-date=March 14, 2012}}

==External links==
{{commons category }}
* {{cite gvp|name=Uratman|vn=290191|access-date=2021-06-25}}
* {{cite gvp|name=Prevo Peak|vn=290190|access-date=2021-06-25}}
* {{cite gvp|name=Zavaritzki Caldera|vn=290180|access-date=2021-06-25}}
* {{cite gvp|name=Milna|vn=290161|access-date=2021-06-25}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/kuril/simushir.php |title=Oceandots |access-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223043232/http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/kuril/simushir.php |archive-date=December 23, 2010 }} 
* [http://www.theoceanadventure.com/KIIE/KI8.html Simushir submarine base]

{{Kuril Islands}}
{{Sea of Okhotsk Islands}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Simushir| ]]
[[Category:Islands of the Sea of Okhotsk]]
[[Category:Islands of the Russian Far East]]
[[Category:Stratovolcanoes of Russia]]
[[Category:Islands of the Kuril Islands]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of the Kuril Islands]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Russia]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Calderas of Russia]]
[[Category:Mountains of the Kuril Islands]]
[[Category:Russian and Soviet Navy submarine bases]]