Not every person can without hesitation answer the question of where the Pechora Sea is located. The fact is that you can not find it on all maps. It is a small area located in the southwestern part of the Barents Sea, which belongs to the waters of the Arctic Ocean.
Geographic location
The borders, within which the Pechora Sea is located, begin from Cape Kostin Nos, which is part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, and pass along the eastern shore of Kolguyev Island. In the eastern direction from the mentioned cape, they extend to the Ugra Peninsula and the Vaigach island along the Timan coast. It should be noted that this reservoir does not include such straits as the Kara Gate and the Ugra Ball, connecting the Pechora and Kara Seas.
general description
Many centuries ago, at its present location, there was land. The sea itself was formed due to the melting of the glacier. This may explain the fact that the bottom level decreases with distance from the mainland. The Pechora Sea received its name from the eponymous name of the largest of the rivers flowing into it. The greatest depth indicator of the reservoir is within 210 meters. Its area is about 81 square kilometers, while the total volume is about 4.38 thousand cubic meters.
Since ancient times, the Nenets, Komi and Khanty have lived on its banks. From the very beginning of the existence of these peoples, their main occupation was the fishing of the beluga and the seal. Some time later, Russian pomors also appeared here. Active research of the region by scientists began at the end of the sixteenth century.
Climate and environmental conditions
The climate of the region is greatly influenced by its location outside the Arctic Circle. Between November and January, long nights are observed here. Water freezes in October, after which the ice remains until the end of June. The maximum water temperature is typical for August, when it reaches a mark of twelve degrees. In May, it is the coldest. As for the salinity of the water, it averages 35 ppm. The average daily tides are within 1.1 meters.
Compared to the neighboring Barents Sea, the Pechora Sea has completely different natural and climatic conditions. The local meteorological regime is formed under the influence of seasonal characteristics of the circulation of atmospheric air masses. For autumn and winter, activation of cyclonic activity is characteristic. This explains the western air transport at this time. In summer, an anticyclone forms over the territory of the sea, resulting in the dominance of a weak northeast wind. At this time, cloudy and cool weather prevails over the water area. At the end of autumn, southwestern winds blow mainly , the speed of which often reaches the level of storms.
Ice formation
Roughly at the end of November in the Pechora Sea begins the process of formation of glaciers, which continues until April. In winter, their edge extends from east to west. It is in the middle of spring that the greatest accumulation of ice is characteristic. After this, gradual melting begins. The sea thaws completely only in July. It should be noted the fact that it is extremely rare that the pond freezes completely. As a rule, about one fourth of its territory remains ice-free. The barrier for the glacier, which comes from the northern direction, is the warm Atlantic waters.
Bottom relief
The shelf of the Pechora Sea is vivid evidence of its formation during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. One of the main morphological elements of the relief of its bottom is underwater terraces. The most pronounced of them is that located at a depth of 118 meters. In general, the bottom can be described as an underwater plain, which is slightly inclined towards the South Novaya Zemlya trench, which has a tectonic origin and is formed under the influence of hydrodynamic processes.
Minerals
One of the main characteristics of the basin are considered gas fields of the Pechora Sea. The largest of them is called Shtokman and was discovered in the eighties of the last century. A number of studies have shown that total local gas reserves amount to about 3.7 trillion cubic meters. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the fact that, according to the degree of complexity of development, Arctic deposits can be compared with space exploration. We must not forget about the increased risk to nature. Which is associated with the active development of the subsoil.
Be that as it may, as of today, the Pechora Sea boasts the presence of more than 25 deposits of gas and oil. Their active development and operation began in 2009. According to scientists, all environmental problems that arise in the region are connected with this.