▁The ▁expedition ▁was ▁separated ▁into ▁three ▁groups , ▁each ▁with ▁further ▁sub div isions . ▁The ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁group ▁was ▁to ▁measure ▁and ▁chart ▁the ▁northern ▁coast ▁of ▁Russia ▁between ▁Arch angel sk ▁on ▁the ▁White ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁An ady r ▁River ▁in ▁eastern ▁Si ber ia . ▁The ▁completion ▁of ▁this ▁mission ▁set ▁the ▁found ations ▁for ▁determ ining ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁the ▁north ▁east ▁passage ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁connection ▁between ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁It ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁land ▁transport ▁used ▁in ▁Russia ' s ▁trade ▁with ▁China . ▁From ▁" Jo ao - da - G ama - Land ", ▁Ber ing ' s ▁group ▁was ▁to ▁set ▁out ▁farther ▁east ▁to ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁North ▁America . ▁The ▁second ▁Pacific ▁division ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Dan ish ▁captain ▁Martin ▁Sp ang berg ▁died ▁ 1 7 6 1 , ▁who ▁had ▁accompanied ▁Ber ing ▁on ▁the ▁First ▁Kam chat ka ▁Ex ped ition , ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁charged ▁with ▁expl oring ▁the ▁sea ▁route ▁from ▁Ok hot sk ▁to ▁Japan ▁and ▁China . ▁ ▁The ▁academic ▁component ▁▁ ▁The ▁academic ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁expedition ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁three ▁profess ors ▁from ▁the ▁Russian ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences . ▁Johann ▁Georg ▁G mel in ▁( 1 7 0 9 – 1 7 5 5 ) ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁research ▁into ▁the ▁plant ▁and ▁animal ▁world ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁min eral ▁characteristics ▁of ▁the ▁regions ▁to ▁be ▁expl ored