Arabian sea interesting facts. Arabian Sea

Significant impact on climate Arabian Sea renders the climate of the Hindustan peninsula. The northeast monsoon season, which brings clear weather to the sea, lasts from November to April, followed by a wet and cloudy period of the summer southwest monsoons. Under their influence, sea ​​currents pointing east in summer and west in winter. Warm currents have a beneficial effect on the fauna of the Arabian Sea. On the coast of Oman, two types of algae grow, which serve as food for various types of crustaceans and molluscs. Pelicans and turtles live here.
In some places, the Arabian Sea reaches a depth of more than 5,000 meters. Neighboring water areas, for example, are much smaller and life in them is poorer. Most fish are found in the Gulf of Oman and near western coasts India, near which many species of whales migrate.
The Arabian Sea does not cause such concern in terms of ecology as the Persian Gulf. Nevertheless, it is included in the number of protected marine biotopes. Waters continue to be polluted by tankers and big amount oil refineries located on the coast. Wastewater from these industrial centers, like, or Mangalore, go to sea, and the protests of environmentalists have so far had no effect.

History and culture

The oldest cultures in the world were born on the shores of the Arabian Sea. People settled here and built ports 4-5 millennia ago. Cities on the banks of Oman, Pakistan, India traded in expensive goods: silk, velvet, spices and incense. The sea was part of the big trade routes. Since the time of Julius Caesar, there have been several combinations of trade routes passing by water and land, of which the Arabian Sea was an indispensable part. Combined itineraries combined long desert crossings with camel caravans, sailing and the dangers of pirate attacks. These realities of the old times formed the basis of many fairy tales of the Thousand and One Nights.
The Arabs created a trading network that stretched from the Persian Gulf to China. Thanks to her, they organized a cultural exchange between civilizations distant from each other. Knowledge of astronomy and a high degree of development of navigation were very useful to the Arabs in their voyages. Since ancient times, navigators used seasonal monsoon winds in the Arabian Sea, which allowed coastal sailing ships- dow - in a certain direction.
The Arabian Sea still has a reputation as an important trading region. Oil tankers carry "black gold" from the Persian Gulf through its waters to Europe, America and the Far East.

general information

Area: 4,832,000 km2.

Max Depth: 5803 m.
Countries with coasts on the Arabian Sea: India, Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Yemen, Somalia, Maldives.

Major port cities:(Oman), Karachi (Pakistan), Mumbai (formerly Bombay, India), Aden (Yemen).

Economy

Commercial shipping, oil transportation.

Fisheries: tuna, swordfish, southern herring, shrimp, etc.

Tourism.

Climate and weather

The temperature of the surface layer of water in winter is +22ºС... +27ºС. in summer +23ºС... +28ºС with a maximum of +29ºС in May.

Attractions

Curious facts

The Arabian Sea and numerous resorts located on its coast are especially popular with those who prefer first-class beaches, ancient sights and a wide range of modern entertainment. Due to the popularity of coastal areas, the Arabian Sea is easy to find on the map.

Arabian Sea on the world map

The Arabian Sea is one of the largest and deepest, and its temperature perfect for swimming at any time of the year.

Green, Persian, Eritrean - such names were given in ancient times to the Arabian Sea.

Where is it located and what ocean does it belong to?

The Arabian Sea is located in the northern hemisphere Asian parts of the world. In the east it is bounded by the Hindustan Peninsula, and in the west by the Arabian Peninsula. The water area includes several bays at once, the largest of which are:

• Omani;
• Cambay;
• Kutch;
• Aden gulf (connects to the Red Sea).

Read also about charms underwater world Red Sea in .

Among the seas that make up the Indian Ocean, the Arabian and the seas are ahead of their neighbors, being the largest of them. They are connected by the Babel-Mandeb Strait, and what is especially remarkable, the Red Sea is located to the west.

Climatic features

The climate of the Arabian Sea warm monsoon, and the weather conditions of the Hindustan peninsula have a significant impact on it. average temperature sea ​​water on the coast is from +22 to +28°C. Its performance does not fall below +20 degrees.

Such conditions are especially attractive for those who prefer the resorts of this water area - one of the most beloved by tourists.

Characteristics

It is not just that the Arabian Sea is considered one of the largest in the Indian Ocean, as well as occupying fifth place in size and depth in the world. Its area is 3.8 million square meters. km, and the maximum width reaches 2400 km. The depth in some places is 5800 meters.

Relief of the Arabian Sea heterogeneous- according to the characteristics, it has a general slope from north to south. The shores are indented with bays and bays, some are high and rocky, while others are low-lying deltas. The Carlsberg Ridge divides the bottom into two large sections, forming two basins. The first of them is Arabian, the second is Somali.

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Very rich and varied undersea world flora and fauna of the sea. Laminaria, brown and red algae live here. Among living organisms, about 100 commercial species of fish, shrimp, crabs and lobsters predominate. Also found in Arabian waters clownfish, angelfish, gobies, triggerfish, lionfish, sardinella.

In the Arabian Sea are found sharks- brindle, mako, reef, blackfin and blue. Off the coast of Hindustan, industrial fishing is especially developed. Tuna, marlin, mackerel and sardines are mined here.

coast map

Countries, islands and resorts washed by the Arabian Sea are one of the the most popular tourists from all over the world.

Resorts are in demand due to the warm climate and excellent conditions for recreation.

What continents and countries does it wash?

Since the Arabian Sea occupies the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean, its waters wash the coast of countries Asia and northeastern Africa. From the side of Hindustan, these include India (including Goa), Pakistan, Maldives and. The countries of the Omani Peninsula, washed by the sea, include Oman and Yemen, and on the African continent - the coast of Djibouti and Somalia.

Major resorts

Most Popular And major resorts Arabian Sea - India, its Goa, Maldives and Oman. All of them attract travelers with incredible exoticism, luxurious coast, developed infrastructure And great opportunities for a fabulous holiday.

One of the brightest places Goa- a resort with everything necessary for tourists. Of all the Indian states, it is the most suitable for recreation, although it is only a narrow coastal strip. First of all, it attracts a variety of beaches and the opportunity to relax inexpensively.

It is customary to divide into Southern and Northern, and their main differences are in the level and quality of service. On north prefer to come those who like inexpensive, but rich vacation. There are a lot of budget places for overnight stays, democratic prices for services, but not always clean beaches. But it is never boring - noisy parties are constantly held on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

But even despite the noise and fun, vacationers have the opportunity to find a secluded beach and have a good time.

Most popular resorts North Goa:

1. Arambol;
2. Anjuna;
3. Morjim;
4. Candolim;
5. Calangute.

On south Goa is visited by those who want to spend time in solitude and silence, surrounding themselves with first-class service. This part of the state is dominated by 4-5 stars, the coast is always clean and well-groomed. There are many interesting historical sites, as well as sights reminiscent of the rich past of this country.

The following resorts of the Arabian Sea are also popular:

• Mumbai– local beaches are one of the warmest, so here you can enjoy swimming and sunbathing to your heart’s content;
• Mangalore– the coast is ideal for beach holiday, walking along it, but swimming here is difficult due to strong undercurrents;
• Kerala– a charming place with crystal clean water and small fishing villages are becoming more and more popular with tourists every year.

Resorts Oman not as popular and promoted as Goa coast, but here you can also have a great time enjoying your vacation by the Arabian Sea. The most famous and beautiful resorts this country - Muscat and Salalah. They are ancient cities with a superb coastline, countless orchards with fruit trees, as well as places for exciting excursions.

All the beaches of Muscat and Salalah are sandy, well-groomed, and sunbeds and umbrellas are provided free of charge.

Couples in love are familiar with one of the most romantic resorts in the Arabian Sea -. In this tropical paradise those who are ready to spend time on one of the best exotic islands. The local coast is the cleanest sandy beaches, blue lagoons, beautiful nature and complete privacy in fabulous place. Service in hotels is provided only at the highest level.

Particularly popular in the Maldives diving. Tourists flock from all over the world to admire the underwater life of the Arabian Sea while in comfortable temperature waters. best time for this direction, the period from January to April is considered here - when the water is as clear as possible, and the weather is sunny.

1. local resorts – paradise for seafood lovers. In the coastal cafes you can find a variety of dishes from fresh squid, mussels, shrimps and crabs.
2. Maximum sea temperature it is reached in May - up to +29 degrees, in winter - +22°C, and in summer +27 degrees.
3. The inhabitants of the Maldives have completely no sources of fresh water, so they collect rainwater or desalinate seawater.
4. There are special types of fish here - grouper. Their weight reaches 400 kg, and because of their size they are too slow, which makes them quite easy prey for fans of spearfishing.

Watch in this video on the coast of the Arabian Sea:

This marginal sea has several names - Oman, Green, Persian, Indo-Arab, Eritrean. It is located between the Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan. The southern border of the sea is conditional.
The area occupied by the waters of the Arabian Sea - 4832 thousand square kilometers - is one of the most big seas in the oceans. The maximum depth is 5203 m, the average depth is 2734 m. The entire water area of ​​the sea is located in the tropical and subtropical zones of the northern hemisphere.
A large water artery, the Indus River, flows into the Arabian Sea.

On the map of the Indian Ocean, you can see the Arabian Sea.

IN Persian Gulf the rivers Tigris and Euphrates carry their waters. This gulf, located in the northeast, behind the Gulf of Oman, can be considered part of the Arabian Sea. It is an extremely wealthy region economically. Firstly, pearl fishing is developed here. Even the ancient Greeks called this bay "Tylos", which means "pearl". Especially a lot of high-quality pearls are mined in the area of ​​the Bahrain Islands.
However, the Persian Gulf is also known for another jewel, which in our time is valued no less than pearls. There are huge deposits of oil fields, thanks to which countries with access to its water area were often drawn into military conflicts with economic overtones. The oil wealth of the Persian Gulf is hard to overestimate. However, the theme of our site - Marine life and sharks, so we will not dwell on this treasure. I just want to dwell a little on the status of the bay.
Some geographers insist that the Persian Gulf would be more correctly called inland sea Indian Ocean. Those who read the first articles of this section of the site (with definitions) will understand that such metamorphoses are not of decisive importance, since many of the definitions are conditional. Hudson Bay is also a sea, although we are accustomed to its usual status as a bay.

For the most part, the coastline is indented, there are many small bays, bays, capes and alluvial spits. Among the largest gulfs are Aden, through which communication with the Red Sea is carried out, Oman, which connects the sea with the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

The relief of the coasts is from high rocky to low-lying, deltaic. The sea is not rich in islands, only small islands are present along the coastline volcanic origin, coral atolls and offshore areas.
The bottom relief is flat, the soil is composed of biogenic silts, and off the coast of the mainland - terrigenous sediments. coral islands and the atolls are strewn with almost white coral sand. Currents are seasonal, changing their direction throughout the year.

Quite large tides, reaching over 5 meters in height. Since the sea is located in warm climatic zones, temperature surface water exceeds 20 degrees C all year round, reaching 29 degrees C in some places in the summer.

The Arabian-Indian underwater ridge, stretching from the eastern tip of the Somali Peninsula (Africa) to the southeast and the Maldives (south of the Hindustan Peninsula), divides the sea into two deep-sea basins - the Arabian (depth more than 5300 m) and Somali in the south -west (up to 4600 m). The bottom of the basins is covered with red clay.
The shelf zone of the Arabian Sea occupies from 120 km (off the coast of Hindustan) to 200 km off the coast Arabian Peninsula. On the shelf area belonging to India there are large oil fields (Gulf of Cambay). Fishing is mainly carried out in the shelf zone of the Arabian Sea.

In terms of settlement by various forms of life, the Arabian Sea is one of the most productive places in the oceans. There are almost 100 species of commercial fish here alone. Among them: tuna, marlin, sardine, sailfish, mackerel. Importance has a fishery of crustaceans - shrimps, crabs, lobsters.

A significant part of the coast of the Arabian Sea is inhabited by corals. Many benthic invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans and fish feel great in coral thickets. Here you can meet clown fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, triggerfish, lionfish, gobies, flying fish, sardinella, herring, tuna, swordfish, sailfish and many other fish. In terms of the abundance of marine animal species, the Aral Sea is not much inferior to the Red Sea. The flora of the sea is much poorer than its fauna. Here, only in some places you can see thickets of coastal algae - red, brown, kelp.

Found in local waters several types of sharks, including those classified as dangerous to humans. Here you can meet the tiger shark, mako, blue (blue) shark, gray blunt (bull) shark, many types of reef predators.
According to some sources (Complete Encyclopedia of the Underwater World, Moscow, 2010), sharks in the waters of the Arabian Sea behave very modestly, it is very difficult to even approach them, because when they see a person, the predators try to hide.
Man, on the contrary, exterminates these fish for the sake of fins, meat and other valuable parts. Shark fins surrender local restaurants at a fabulous price - up to $ 200 per kilogram. It is clear that such demand and prices give rise to poaching, as a result of which the populations of these fish are sharply reduced in numbers. However, the Arabian Sea is not the only example of such a barbarous extermination of sharks.

For sports anglers big interest represents such an object as a giant grouper from the Serranidae family. This huge (2.5 m, 400 kg) fish lives in coastal waters and leads a solitary lifestyle, hunting lobsters, rays, young turtles and small fish. Adult groupers, due to large sizes, have almost no natural enemies, so they are clumsy and slow. Divers love to swim and take pictures in the company of this good-natured giant. However, care must be taken when dealing with goopers.
There were cases when he attacked overly importunate fans, inflicting serious and even fatal wounds.

This is where we will finish the story about the amazing Aral Sea and head to its eastern neighbor -

The Arabian Sea is located between the Arabian and Hindustan Peninsulas. Its area is 3683 thousand km2 and most of the sea is one of the oceanic depressions of the Indian Ocean. Therefore, the Arabian Sea is very deep, its average depth is 2734 m, and the maximum is 5203 m. There are large gulfs in the Arabian Sea - Aden, which through the strait connects the Arabian and Red Seas, the Gulf of Oman and, connected to it by the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf. Fishing is developed in the Arabian Sea - there are more than 100 species of commercial fish, including sardines, tuna, marlin, sailboats, mackerel.

The fisheries for shrimp, crabs and lobsters are important. There are several types of sharks in the local waters, including mako, blacktip reef shark, tiger, blue and blunt sharks. Even swimming in shallow water, these sharks, as a rule, do not attack people, on the contrary, when they meet a person, they try to retreat faster. People here are much more dangerous for sharks, because for the sake of edible fins that are exported, sharks in the Arabian Sea are hunted in huge quantities.

Fans of sport fishing or scuba diving are well aware of another inhabitant of local waters - a giant grouper from the Serran family. This huge (2.5 m, 400 kg) fish lives in warm coastal waters and leads a solitary lifestyle, hunting lobsters, crabs, rays, young turtles and various fish. Groupers tend to stick to their own territory, which is bound to have some kind of cave or crevice large enough for the grouper to take refuge in. Adult groupers, due to their impressive size, have no enemies in nature, so they are clumsy and slow. It is the slowness of the grouper that makes it such a desirable prey for amateur fishermen, and divers love to swim next to the good-natured giant. True, as with any wild animal, one must be on the alert with a grouper - there have been cases when these fish have attacked scuba diving enthusiasts and inflicted serious and even fatal wounds.

A unique representative of the herring family lives in the Arabian Sea - dorab. This largest of all herrings (I m, 4 kg) does not form large schools, like other herrings, but is found singly or in small groups. Dorabs are also called toothy herring or wolf herring for two large, protruding upper teeth resembling wolf fangs. Such teeth give out an active predator in the dorab - and indeed, unlike most herrings that feed on plankton, dorab prey on fish and crustaceans. Dorab is a fairly common fish, and its meat has an excellent taste, so locals often deliver wolf herring to their table.

Sandy shore of the Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is located in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean. It occupies the Arabian Basin, clearly distinguished by the outlines of the coast and the topography of the bottom. In the west, the borders of the sea are the shores of the Somali and Arabian peninsulas, in the north and northeast - the shores of the Hindustan Peninsula. The eastern border stands out along the Maldives Range, almost all of whose peaks protrude above the water, forming islands. The Arabian-Indian Ridge, which separates the sea from the rest of the ocean, is taken as the southern boundary of the sea.

The depths above the peaks of the ridge are 1500-2000 m, and the depth of its rift gorges is 3000-4000 m, in some places it increases to 5000 m.

Sea area - 4,221 thousand km 2, volume - 14,005 thousand km 3 (excluding the Gulfs of Aden, Oman and Persian, whose area is 611 thousand km 2, volume - 518 thousand km 3), average depth - 3006 m , greatest depth- 5803 m.

Indian Ocean

Climate

The main features of the climate of the Arabian Sea are determined by the peculiarities of its geographical position. Atmospheric circulation has a well-pronounced monsoonal character, the differences in seasons in the northern part are very pronounced.

The northeast (winter) monsoon sets in November and persists until March. Over the extreme northern regions of the Arabian Sea, the circulation of the northeast monsoon is sometimes disturbed by the passage of the so-called westerly disturbances. At the same time, northwestern and western air flows prevail, the wind speed increases to 8-10 m/s, while in the field of an undisturbed monsoon flow it is on average 3-7 m/s.

In summer, the circulation of the southwest monsoon dominates the Arabian Sea. From June to August, it accounts for 90-100% of all winds. The summer monsoon in this area is an extremely stable system in terms of calendar terms, manifestation intensity, distribution in space, where wind speeds reach 15-20 m/s. The strongest winds are observed in the central and western parts sea, in the eastern - the speed is lower - 5-10 m / s. The short transitional seasons of the year (April and October) are different greatest variety synoptic conditions. During these months, the most characteristic atmospheric process is the passage of tropical disturbances over the Arabian Sea, the trajectories of which have a well-pronounced meridional component. Most often this type of circulation is observed in autumn. In the spring, when it begins to warm up, shallow thermal depressions appear over Hindustan, causing northern winds. During the transitional months, especially in spring, baric fields often form over the northern part of the Indian Ocean, which determine light winds(3-4 m/s) variable directions.

The Arabian Sea, located almost entirely in the tropical zone, is characterized by high air temperatures: 22-26° in winter, 26-30° in summer, intense evaporation from its surface (1500-1750 mm per year in most of the water area and up to 2000 mm per year off the coast of the Somali Peninsula).

Precipitation is generally very small - from 25 to 125 mm per year, however, off the coast of the Hindustan Peninsula, their amount increases to 3000 mm per year.

main feature climatic conditions associated with monsoons - seasonal variability of meteorological characteristics, and first of all, a sharp change in wind fields, causes a response from the sea. Excitement during the northeast monsoon is small, the wave height does not exceed 1 m. In summer, during the southwest monsoon, stronger excitement develops, the frequency of waves with a height of 2 m or more is 45%. In the southwestern part of the sea, the wave height can reach 10-12 m, and the frequency of waves with a wave height of 5 m or more is about 25%.

Bottom relief

According to the relief of the bottom, the Arabian Basin is a vast plain with depths of 4000-5000 m, slightly inclined towards the Arabian-Indian ridge. In the northwestern part of the sea, between the Oman and Arabian basins, there is the Murray Range, which stretches from the continental slope to the southwest for almost 500 km. Depths above its peaks are 300-400 m.

The shelf and continental slope are well developed off the Hindustan Peninsula. The width of the continental shelf varies from 40 km in the south to 450 km against the Gulf of Cambay. The continental slope is well expressed in the relief by a relatively low ledge. Against the mouth of the Indus, a deep and narrow underwater canyon cuts through the shelf and the continental slope. The upper reaches of the canyon protrude into the shelf for more than 100 km. Its depth in the direction from the coast increases from 100-200 to 1000-1500 m. The width of the canyon is up to 10 km, at the bottom - 3.5 - 5.0 km.

Along the northern and western coasts the shelf is narrow - from 9-10 to 80 km. The continental slope near the Arabian Peninsula and in the northern part of the sea is a steep ledge with a smoothed transverse profile.

Bottom relief and currents of the Arabian Sea

Hydrology and water circulation

The largest annual level fluctuations due to changes in atmospheric pressure are observed in the north of the Arabian Sea and is 20 cm, and the low level is associated with the northeast monsoon, and the high one - with the southwest.

The tides in the sea are irregular semi-diurnal. The magnitude of the tides in the sygysium near Aden is 2.5 m and increases along northern shores to the east, reaching 5.7 m at Bombay. Further south along the coast of the Hindustan Peninsula, the magnitude of the tides decreases to 1.1 m.

The main features of the circulation of the waters of the upper layer of the Arabian Sea are formed mainly under the influence of the monsoon wind system. In summer, during the southwestern monsoon, an anticyclonic gyre is formed, elongated along 10 ° N. latitude. At the north east coast Africa in this season, the Somali current is formed, which is characterized by high speed, in some cases exceeding 200 cm / s. In the Arabian Sea, the Somali current forks: one branch is directed to the northeast, along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the other, less clearly expressed, at 8 ° N. latitude. deviates to the east. As you move in. Arabian Sea The Somali current is gradually weakening. Against the background of the general anticyclonic movement of waters, cyclonic eddies are observed near the islands of Socotra and Laccadive.

Intense atmospheric and oceanic circulation during the southwest monsoon determines the development of upwelling in some areas of the sea. Along the coast of Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, west coast The Hindustan Peninsula is experiencing a rise in waters, developing on the left side of a strong current. Upwelling is most intense off the coast of Somalia up to 11° N, where the entire warm surface layer is replaced by water with temperatures below 20° on the surface. In the north, the area of ​​this upwelling is limited by the flow of warm surface water from Gulf of Aden, which separates the Somali upwelling and the upwelling along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. called strong winds blowing parallel to the coast, upwelling along the Arabian Peninsula may exceed the Somali one in volume.

In winter, during the northeast monsoon, the water circulation is restructured: the anticyclonic movement characteristic of summer is replaced by a cyclonic movement, well expressed in the central part of the sea. In the west, there is a flow of water from the Gulf of Aden. The winter monsoon, which is much weaker than the summer monsoon, does not cause a large surge. In coastal areas, a slight subsidence of cooled surface waters is observed. Only under certain wind conditions, causing water surge, can upwelling be observed in the northern part of the sea, off the coast of Pakistan. In the central part of the sea, deep water rises in the center of the cyclonic circulation.

Seasonal changes in the structure of density currents extend to a horizon of about 300 m. From a horizon of 500 m and below, cyclonic water circulation prevails in most of the sea area, the intensity of which is much weaker than the circulation in the overlying layers. Only to the east of Socotra has an anticyclonic gyre.

Water temperature and salinity

The Arabian Sea is one of the heat accumulators in. Arrival at the sea surface a large number solar energy causes its high top layer in all seasons of the year.

In summer, spatial temperature differences on the surface exceed 11° (from 28-29° in the open part of the sea to 18-20° off the coast of Oman and Somalia). in winter Maximum temperature on the surface (28°) observed in the southern part of the sea; in the northern part and near the Arabian Peninsula it drops to 24-25°, and in the north-east of the sea - to 21-22°.

Heat is transferred from the surface to the water column mainly as a result of convective mixing, which develops in the Arabian Sea mainly due to salinization during evaporation (tropical type), as well as wind mixing. The depth of density convection is mainly limited by a layer 25–30 m thick.

The upper boundary of the seasonal thermocline in the northwestern part of the sea and off the coast of Oman is located in the 20–30 m layer in summer, and its position is influenced by upwelling. In open areas of the sea, the depth of the thermocline increases from north to south from 50 to 150 m. Near the African coast, under the influence of the Somali current, the waters are well mixed, the temperature jump is in the 100-200 m layer, and its vertical gradients are lower than in other areas of the sea.

In winter, the maximum vertical temperature gradients are observed in the middle of the cyclonic circulation in the central part of the sea in the 75–125 m layer. In the northern, northeastern parts of the sea and off the coast of the Hindustan Peninsula, the gradients are smaller, and the thermocline is located in the 100–150 m layer.

On the horizon of 100 m in summer the temperature in the central part of the sea is 25°, only off the coast of the Somali Peninsula is 12-14°. "Cold" water (18-20 °) is also located along the entire coast of Oman. Along the coast of the Hindustan Peninsula, the water temperature increases from the coast, where it is 20-21° (which is associated with the rise of water) to the central part of the sea (24°). In the southeastern part of the sea, the temperature in summer is 19-20°, and near the Laccadive Islands 18-19°. In winter, on the horizon of 100 m, the highest temperature occurs near the Laccadive Islands (27 °); along the coast of the Hindustan Peninsula it is 24°, in the central and western parts of the sea - from 21 to 23°.

In the vertical structure of the waters of the Arabian Sea, there are surface Arabian, intermediate (Persian-Arabian and Red Sea-Arabian), deep North Indian and bottom water masses.

Water temperature and salinity on the surface of the Arabian and Andaman seas in summer

The surface Arabian water mass (from 0 to 100-150 m) is formed under the influence of salinization during evaporation mainly in the northern part of the sea, from where it spreads to the south. The core of this water mass, determined by the maximum salinity (36.2-36.7‰), deepens from 20 to 75 m in the direction from north to south. The surface water mass is characterized by a temperature of 21-25° in winter and 22-28° in summer. The content of nutrients in this water mass is higher than in other areas of the Indian Ocean.

Intermediate (from 200-250 to 1500 m) Arabian water mass is formed under the influence of advection warm waters increased salinity: transformed Red Sea waters coming from the Gulf of Aden; waters of the Persian and Oman gulfs and mixing them with overlying waters. High salinity waters spread over a vast area, and their influence - a slight increase in salinity - can be traced not only in most of the Arabian Sea, but also in the western Indian Ocean.

A distinctive feature of the Persian-Arabian water mass is the maximum salinity (36.25-36.5‰) at a horizon of approximately 250 m, which characterizes the waters formed in the Persian Gulf (where salinity varies from 37-38‰ at the entrance to the bay to 40-41 ‰ in its western and northwestern parts) and entering through the Gulf of Oman into northern part seas. The water temperature varies from 10 to 16°. This water mass, about 200 m thick, spreads over most of the sea in winter, and in summer, with the development of the Somali current, it shifts to the east and southeast. Its upper limit is located at the horizon of 200-250 m, the lower one - at the horizon of 400 m.

The Red Sea-Arabian water mass is distinguished by the maximum salinity of the Red Sea origin (salinity in the water column of the Red Sea is more than 40‰). It is characterized by temperature from 10-12° at the upper limit to 5° at the lower. The salinity maximum (35.2-35.6‰) is most clearly expressed in the 500-800 m layer and spreads over the sea area up to 2°N. At the exit from the Gulf of Aden, the core of the maximum is located at a horizon of 800 m, in the central part of the sea - 600 m, and in the direction to the north and south it rises to 500 m. than 500 to 550 m, the lower one is at the horizon of 1200 m.

The intermediate water of the Arabian Sea has the maximum concentrations of nutrients for the Indian Ocean. In addition, a pronounced minimum of oxygen (0.1-0.5 ml/l) is observed in this water. It is formed due to the high consumption of oxygen during oxidative processes, the sharp density stratification of waters, which prevents the supply of oxygen from the overlying layers, and the limited exchange of waters of the Arabian Sea with the waters of the adjacent part of the Indian Ocean at intermediate horizons, which is due to the presence of two zones of divergence at the southern boundary of the sea.

The layer from 1500 to 3500 m in the Arabian Sea is occupied by the deep North Indian water mass, which is formed from the highly saline waters of the Arabian Sea and transformed Antarctic bottom waters. This water mass is characterized by a temperature of 3.5-4° at the upper boundary to 1.8-2° at the lower. Salinity varies from 34.75 to 34.9‰. The oxygen content is higher than in the intermediate water (2-3.5 ml/l).

Oxygen minimum in the Arabian Sea

The layer from 3500 m to the bottom is occupied by bottom waters. The main source of their formation is the Weddell Sea, from where they spread north along the western shores of all oceans, and in the Indian Ocean they fill all the basins to the very northern regions. The bottom waters of the Arabian Sea are characterized by a uniform distribution of hydrological characteristics: the temperature is in the range of 1.5-1.7°, the salinity is 34.74‰.

Economic importance

Explorer Submariner

The features of the structure and circulation of the waters of the Arabian Sea largely contribute to the fact that this sea belongs to the highly productive regions of the World Ocean.

The most favorable conditions for the development of phytoplankton are created in the summer in the shelf zone of the sea. This is ensured by the high content of nutrients entering the upper productive layer in upwelling areas.

In winter, in most of the shelf zone, the water is much poorer in phytoplankton than in summer. The high biomass of phytoplankton remains in the winter season only near the Gulf of Oman and the mouth of the river. Ind.

In the central part of the sea, on the contrary, favorable conditions for the development of phytoplankton are created in winter, when the water rises in the center of the cyclonic circulation. In summer, when the waters sink in the center of the anticyclonic circulation, the availability of mineral compounds of phosphorus and especially nitrogen is low. In this regard, the biomass and production of phytoplankton in summer is 5-6 times lower than in winter.

Sufficiently high values ​​of biomass and production of phyto- and zooplankton in the Arabian Sea are good prerequisites for the formation of commercial concentrations. The main environmental factor directly limiting the formation of such accumulations is the low oxygen content. For example, during the southwest monsoon, when oxygen-depleted waters rise to the shelf, fish for the most part disperse and leave these areas.

The commercial value of the Arabian Sea is determined by the large stocks of fish (more than 1000 species) and crustaceans. However, most of the catches consist of five species of fish: two pelagic (two species of horse mackerel) and three demersal (Japanese crucian carp, saurid, sea bass). Of the rest of the demersal and demersal fish, the highest numbers are spar, stone perches (merrow), catfish, croakers (captain), etc.

In the shelf zone of the sea, the population of the Japanese crucian carp is the most numerous and widespread.

In the central part of the sea, large fish such as yellowfin and bigeye tuna, as well as various types of sharks, are fished. Tunas are heat-loving fish, and their distribution big influence exerts the temperature of the water and the position of the thermocline, which limits their vertical movement. Tuna catches in the Arabian Sea are 3-4 times less than in the equatorial zone of the Indian Ocean. Towards the south, where the upper limit of the oxygen-deficient layer is deeper, the number of tuna increases.

The stocks of the main commercial fish in the Arabian Sea, especially off the east coast, are exploited quite intensively, and some commercial species are already in a depressed state. Commercial ichthyofauna is adversely affected by water pollution by oil products (especially in the northern part of the sea), agricultural and domestic wastewater. The marine environment in the shelf zone of the Arabian Sea needs to be restored and protected.