The Arctic Ocean by area has the smallest water area among all other basins of the Earth - 14.75 million square meters. km It is located between the American and Eurasian continents. Fully located in the northern hemisphere. The greatest basin depth is represented in the Greenland Sea - 5527 meters. The total volume of water is about 18 million cubic meters. km
The main features of the Arctic Ocean are its relief and currents. The bottom of the water area is represented by the outskirts of the continents and a huge shelf that extends almost along the entire basin. Due to the cold climate and polar location, the central region of the ocean is always covered in ice. At present, it is customary to conditionally divide the water area into the following basins: Arctic, Canadian and European.
reference Information
A description of the Arctic Ocean should begin with its geographical characteristics. The boundaries of the water area pass through the Danish, Hudson and Davis straits , along the coast of Greenland and Faroe, right up to the Scandinavian Peninsula. The main capes of the ocean are considered Brewster, Gerpir, Reydinupyur, Dezhneva. In addition, the basin is washed by countries such as Iceland, Norway, Russia, Canada, the USA. It borders the Pacific Ocean through the Bering Strait. The farthest coastal point is Alaska.
The Arctic Ocean (photo below) occupies only 4% of the total area of world waters. In rare cases, it is regarded as the sea of the Atlantic basin. The fact is that the Arctic Ocean for the most part is relative shallow water. Only in a few areas does the depth reach 1.5 km. One of the reasons is the length of the coastline - more than 45 thousand km.
The water area includes more than a dozen seas. The largest of them are the Barents, Chukchi, Kara, Norwegian, Beaufort, Siberian, Laptev, White, Greenland. Seas in the ocean basin occupy more than 50%. The largest bay is the Hudson.
There are a lot of island states in the Arctic Ocean. Of the largest archipelagos, it is worth highlighting Canadian. Also included are islands such as Ellesmere, King William, Svalbard, Prince Patrick, Novaya Zemlya, Kong, Wrangel, Victoria, Kolguev, Banks, etc.
Internal water circulation
Many years of ice cover hides the surface of the ocean from direct exposure to the atmosphere and solar radiation. That is why the main hydrological factor influencing the movement of water remains a powerful influx of North Atlantic masses. Such a
flow is warm, and it determines the general picture of the distribution of water in the European Basin. Circulation in the Arctic region is influenced by the influx of glacial and Pacific masses.
The balance of the water surface is achieved due to runoff into the eastern and northern parts of the Atlantic. Such a movement of the masses is the main course of the Arctic Ocean. Of the remaining water flows, the straits of the Canadian archipelago can be distinguished.
The Arctic Ocean (see photo on the right) is largely formed due to river circulation. The largest rivers affecting the course of the ocean are in Asia. That is why in the region of Alaska there is a constant movement of ice.
Water uniformity
In the Arctic Ocean, several water layers are distinguished: surface, intermediate, and deep. The first is a low salt mass. Its depth is 50 meters. The average temperature of the Arctic Ocean is -2 degrees. The hydrological properties of the layer are determined by the action of thawed ice, evaporation, and river flow. The warmest area is considered the Norwegian Sea. Its surface temperature is up to +8 degrees.
The intermediate layer of the basin is water masses that extend to a depth of 800 meters. Here the temperature of the Arctic Ocean varies between +1 degrees. This is due to the circulation of warm currents from the Greenland Sea. Water salinity stands at 37 ‰ or more.
The deep layer is formed by vertical convection and spreads from the strait between Svalbard and Greenland. It is worth noting that the current near the bottom of the ocean is caused by the movements of the waters of the largest seas. The water temperature at maximum depths is about -1 degree.
Tidal phenomena
Similar hydrological anomalies in the Arctic Ocean are commonplace. Tides are determined by the Atlantic waters. The largest are observed in the Barents, Siberian, Kara and Chukchi seas. Here, the ebbs are semi-daily in nature. The reason is the two-phase period of the lunar inequality (minimum and maximum).
The European basin of the Arctic Ocean differs from others in the height of the tide. Here the water level rises to record levels - up to 10 meters. The maximum is observed in the Gulf of Mezen. The minimum is off the coast of Canada and Siberia (less than 0.5 m).
Oceanologists also distinguish overtaking oscillations. In most of the basin, waves with a height of 2 to 11 meters are observed. The maximum occurrence was noted in the Norwegian Sea - 12 m.
What is a current?
These are streams in the water column that are periodic or permanent. The currents of the oceans (on the map see below) can also be superficial or deep, cold or warm. In frequency and cyclicity, periodic, regular and mixed flows are distinguished. The unit of measurement of the current in the ocean are called sverdrups.
Water flows are classified by stability, depth, physical and chemical properties, by the nature and direction of movement, by acting forces, etc. Nevertheless, today there are 3 main groups of currents:
1. Tidal. Caused by the influx of large masses of water. Observed in shallow water and off the coast. Differ in force of impact. A separate type of such a current in the ocean is considered to be fenders.
2. Gradient. Caused by horizontal
hydrostatic pressure between layers of water. They are density, barogradient, stock, compensation and seiche.
3. Windmills. Caused by a strong stream of air.
Gulf Stream Features
Gulf stream is a warm current that is characteristic of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, it is this stream that plays a large role in the formation and circulation of the waters of the Arctic Ocean. It comes from the shores of North America. Extends from the Newfoundland Bank to the Strait of Florida. The Gulf Stream belongs to the underwater systems of the Barents Sea and Svalbard.
This current of the Arctic Ocean is enough to significantly increase the general temperature of the water area. The width of the Gulf Stream is 90 kilometers. It moves at a speed of 2-3 m / s. This makes it one of the most powerful warm currents in the oceans. In some areas, the flow reaches a depth of 1.5 km.
The dynamics of the Gulf Stream change throughout the year. For the most part, its temperature is about +25 C. The maximum deviations are observed in the northern regions of the Norwegian Sea, where indicators drop immediately by 10 degrees.
Gulf Stream Dynamics
The current is accelerated by tropical trade winds and excess waters of the Caribbean. The strength of the movement is determined by the rotation of the planet. In a more localized sense, the Gulf Stream is determined by coastal currents, salinity distribution and temperature conditions.
The Gulf of Mexico starting from Cuba has a significant impact on the course. In this area, the water area is cyclical in nature. Water gradually leaves a powerful stream into the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Florida. In the Bahamas, the stream is found with other masses. The set of flows is reduced to the formation of rings, that is, large vortices. Here the Gulf Stream is gaining its strength.
In the future, like all other currents of the Arctic Ocean, the stream loses some of its energy due to the high level of evaporation off the coast of Europe. As a result, a mild climate is formed. In the northern part of the Arctic Ocean, multiple branches of the stream are observed.
What threatens the Gulf Stream
In recent decades, the current is characterized by instability. This primarily concerns the index cycle. Approximately every two years, there are significant quasiperiodic fluctuations of the Gulf Stream. Such a deviation of the Arctic Ocean entails serious changes in the climate. Some scientists believe that in the near future it threatens the planet with a meteorological disaster.
The rapid desalination of water as a result of global warming could cause the European part of the land to stop heating. The consequence could be a new ice age. Earlier in history there have already been similar disasters. Scientists made such conclusions according to the analysis of the deep ice of Greenland.
If the desalination of the Gulf Stream really exceeds the norm, then numerous oil rigs will be the first to suffer. The result will be an environmental disaster.
Features of the East Greenland Current
This stream is considered the second most powerful in the Arctic Ocean. It brings cold masses of water. Its main role in the world basin is the runoff and removal of ice from the Arctic. The beginning of the current of the Arctic Ocean is observed off the coast of Asia. Closer to the north, the stream bifurcates. The first branch goes towards Greenland, the second - to North America. The movement occurs mainly at the border with the continents.
The width of the East Greenland Current in some places exceeds 200 km. Water temperature is at around 0 degrees. At Cape Farvel, the stream connects with the Irminger Current. As a result of the collision of warm and cold masses, a loop occurs. That is why such a rapid melting of floating ice and icebergs is observed in this part of the water area.
Other currents of the Arctic Ocean
Transarctic current provides ice movement from the coast of Alaska to Greenland. The main force of the current is the river flow. As a result of such warm exposure, large glaciers break off from the mainland, are caught by a transarctic stream and rush to the Bering Strait. There traffic is supported by the Pacific tributary.
The Svalbard Current is a branch of the Gulf Stream. It continues in the Norwegian Sea.
Nordkapp current reaches water temperature up to +8 degrees. It passes along the surface of the ocean near the coast of the Kola and Scandinavian peninsulas. Its speed is an average of 1.4 km / h.
The Norwegian current is considered a branch of the Atlantic stream. Here, the salinity of the water is at around 35%. The temperature of the masses is from +5 to +12 degrees.
Climatic characteristics
Features of the Arctic Ocean also lie in severe meteorological indicators. Thanks to such a cold climate, huge glaciers remain in the water for millions of years. In the polar region there is an acute shortage of solar heat.
Most of the ocean has minimal rainfall. In winter, the water area plunges into the many months of polar night.
Over the past fifteen hundred years, the climate in the ocean has changed for the worse beyond recognition.