Currents of the Arctic ocean. Water of the Arctic ocean. The chart of currents

The Arctic ocean area has the smallest area among all other basins of the Earth – about 14.75 million sq. km. Is located between the American and Eurasian continents. Unit located in the Northern hemisphere. The greatest depth of the pool is presented in the Greenland sea – 5527 meters. Total water volume is around 18 million cubic km.

Key features of the Arctic ocean – its topography and currents. The bottom of the water area represented by the margins of the continents and a huge shelf that stretches along almost the entire basin. Because of the cold climate and the polar location of the center of the ocean is always covered with ice. Currently accepted relatively to divide the waters in the following basins: Arctic, Canadian, and European.

Background information

Description of the Arctic ocean should begin with its geographical characteristics. The boundaries of the waters pass through the Danish Straits, the Hudson and Davis, along the coast of Greenland and the Faroe Islands up to the Scandinavian Peninsula. The main headlands of the ocean are considered Brewster, Gerber, Radiopure, Dezhnev. In addition, the pool is washed by such countries as Iceland, Norway, Russia, Canada, USA. The Pacific ocean borders the Bering Strait. The farthest coastal point is Alaska.

The Arctic ocean (see photo below) is just 4% of the total area of the world's waters. In rare cases it is seen as a sea of the Atlantic basin. The fact that the Arctic ocean for the most part is a relative shallow water. Few areas where the depth comes up to 1.5 km away. One of the reasons is the length of coastline-more than 45 thousand km. The area includes more than a dozen seas. The biggest ones are the Barents, Chukchi, Kara, Norwegian, Beaufort, Siberian, Laptev, White, Greenland. Sea ocean basin are more than 50%. The largest Bay is the Hudson.

Island States in the Arctic ocean a great many. Of the largest archipelagos is to provide Canadian. It also includes the Islands such as Ellesmere, king William, Svalbard, Prince Patrick, New Earth, Kong, Wrangel, Victoria, Kolguev, banks etc.

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Internal water circulation

Perennial ice cover hides the surface of the ocean from direct atmospheric effects and solar radiation. That's why the main hydrological factor influencing the movement of water remains a powerful tributary of the North Atlantic masses. This current is warm, and it determines the overall picture of the distribution of water in the European basin. On the circulation in the Arctic region is affected by a tide glacier and the Pacific of the masses.

Balance of surface water is achieved due to the runoff in the Eastern and Northern part of the Atlantic. This movement of the masses and represents the Arctic ocean. Of the remaining wastewater can distinguish the Straits of the Canadian archipelago.

The Arctic ocean (see photo right) is largely formed by the river circulation. Major rivers, affecting the course of the ocean, are in Asia. That's why in Alaska there is a constant movement of the ice.

The Homogeneity of the waters

In the Arctic ocean there are several water layers: surface, intermediate and deep. The first is a mass with a reduced level of salt. Its depth is 50 meters. The average temperature of the Arctic ocean here -2 degrees. The hydrological properties of the layer are determined by the ice melting, evaporation and river runoff. The warmest area is considered to be the Norwegian sea. Its surface temperature is up to 8 degrees.

Intermediate layer of the pool - the water mass extending to depths of 800 metres. The temperature of the Arctic ocean varies from +1 degree. This is caused by the circulation of warm currents from the Greenland sea. The salinity of the water is at 37‰ and more. The Deep layer is formed by vertical convection and extends from the Strait between Svalbard and Greenland. It should be noted that the flow near the bottom of the ocean is caused by the movements of the waters of the largest seas. The temperature of the waters at maximum depths of approximately -1 degree.

Tidal phenomena

Similar hydrological anomalies in the Arctic ocean are commonplace. The tides are determined by the Atlantic waters. The greatest observed in the Barents, Siberian, Kara and Chukchi seas. Here the tides are semi-diurnal in nature. The reason for this is two-phase period lunar inequality (minimum and maximum).

The European basin of the Arctic ocean differs from the others by the height of the tide. Here the water level rises to a record high – up to 10 meters. Max noted in the Mezen Bay. At least – off the coast of Canada and Siberia (less than 0.5 m).

Also oceanographers are allocated to storm surges. In most of the pool are observed wave height from 2 to 11 meters. The maximum effects were observed in the Norwegian sea – 12.

What is

It flows in the water column, which areperiodic or permanent. Currents of the oceans (map see below) can also be superficial or deep, warm or cold. Frequency and periodicity vary a periodic, regular, and mixed flows. The unit of measurement of ocean currents called Sverdrup. The Streams of water are classified for stability, depth, physical and chemical properties, the nature and the direction of motion, impact forces, etc. However, to date, stands out 3 main groups of trends:

1. Tidal. The influx of large masses of water. Observed in shallow water and near the coast. Differ by the impact. A separate type of such a flow in the ocean is considered a bounce.

2. Gradient. Called horizontal hydrostatic pressure between the water layers. Are density, beogradjanke, stock compensation and sashimi.

3. Wind. Caused by the strong airflow.

Gulf stream

Gulf stream is a warm current that is characteristic of the Atlantic area. Nevertheless, this flow plays an important role in the formation and water circulation in the Arctic ocean. It comes from the coast of North America. Stretches from the banks of Newfoundland to the Straits of Florida. The Gulfstream belongs to underwater systems in the Barents sea and Svalbard.

This current Arctic ocean sufficiently, which greatly increase the overall temperature of the waters. The width of the Gulf stream is 90 miles. Moving at a speed of 2-3 m/s. This makes it one of the most powerful warm currents of the oceans. In some areas the flow reaches a depth of 1.5 km. Dynamics of the Gulf stream varies throughout the year. For the most part, its temperature is about +25 C. the Maximum deviations are observed in the Northern areas of the Norwegian sea, where the rates immediately fall by 10 degrees.

Dynamics of the Gulf stream

For accelerates tropical trade winds and abundant waters of the Caribbean. The strength of the movement is caused by the rotation of the planet. In a more local sense, the Gulf stream is defined by the coastal streams, the distribution of salinity and temperature.

Significant impact on the course of having the Gulf of Mexico from Cuba. In this area the water area has a cyclical nature. The water gradually leaves a mighty flood into the Atlantic ocean through the Florida Straits. The Bahamas has a flow meeting other masses. The set of the currents 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 energy due to high rate of evaporation near the coast of Europe. As a result, formed the mild climate. In the Northern part of the Arctic ocean observed multiple branches of the flow.

What threatens the Gulf stream

In recent decades, the course is unsustainable. First and foremost this applies to the cycle index. Approximately every two years there are significant quasiperiodic oscillations of the Gulf stream. Such deviation of flow of the Arctic ocean constitute a major change in the climate. Some scientists believe that in the near future it threatens the planet meteorological disaster. Fast water desalination as a result of global warming may lead to the fact that the European part of the land will cease to be heated. The result may be a new ice age. Earlier in history have been such disasters. Such findings are made, according to the analysis of deep ice of Greenland.

If the desalination of the Gulf stream really tipped the scales for the rule that the first to suffer numerous drilling rigs oil production. The result is already an environmental disaster.

East Greenland current

This flow is considered the second most powerful in the Arctic ocean. It brings cold mass of water. His main role in the global basin is the runoff and the removal of ice from the waters of the Arctic. Beginning flow of the Arctic ocean observed off the coast of Asia. Northward, the stream forks. The first branch goes in the direction of Greenland, the second – to North America. The movement occurs mainly at the border with the mainland.

The width of the East Greenland current in some places more than 200 km, the water Temperature is at around 0 degrees. At Cape Farvel flow connects with the Irminger current. The collision of warm and cold masses is looping. That is why in the area observed the rapid melting of the floating ice and icebergs.

Other currents of the Arctic ocean

The TRANS-Arctic flow provides movement of the ice from Alaska to Greenland. The main force of the flow is the river flow. As a result of this kind of impact large glaciers break off from the mainland, picked up the TRANS-Arctic flow and rush to the Bering Strait. There is a movement supported by the Pacific inflow.

Spitsbergen current is an offshoot of the Gulf stream. It continues in the Norwegian sea. The North Cape current, the current reaches the water temperature to 8 degrees. Passes over the surface of the ocean near the coast of the Kola and Scandinavian peninsulas. His speed is on average 1.4 km/h

For Norwegian is considered a branch of the Atlantic stream. Here the salinity is kept at around 35 %. The temperature of the mass +5 to +12 degrees.

Climate

Features of the Arctic ocean also lies in the severe weather indicators. Thanks to such a cold climate in the waters for millions of years there are still huge glaciers. In the polar region there is an acute shortage of solar heat.

In most parts of the ocean there is minimal rainfall. In winter, the area is immersed in a months-long polar night.

For the last fifteen hundred years the climate in the ocean has changed for the worse beyond recognition.