The Pacific Ocean is interesting information. What is the Pacific Ocean? General characteristics and description of the Pacific Ocean

Magellan discovered the Pacific Ocean in the autumn of 1520 and called the ocean the Pacific Ocean, “because, according to one of the participants, during the transition from Tierra del Fuego to Philippine Islands, more than three months - we have never experienced the slightest storm. By the number (about 10 thousand) and the total area of ​​the islands (about 3.6 million km²), the Pacific Ocean ranks first among the oceans. In the northern part - the Aleutian; in the western - Kuril, Sakhalin, Japanese, Philippine, Greater and Lesser Sunda, New Guinea, New Zealand, Tasmania; in the central and southern - numerous small islands. The bottom relief is varied. In the east - the East Pacific Rise, in the central part there are many basins (North-Eastern, North-Western, Central, Eastern, Southern, etc.), deep-water trenches: in the north - Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Izu-Boninsky; in the west - Mariana (with a maximum depth of the World Ocean - 11,022 m), Philippine, etc.; in the east - Central American, Peruvian, etc.

The main surface currents: in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean - warm Kuroshio, North Pacific and Alaska and cold California and Kuril; in the southern part - warm South Trade Winds and East Australian and cold West Winds and Peruvian. The water temperature on the surface near the equator is from 26 to 29 ° C, in the subpolar regions up to −0.5 ° C. Salinity 30-36.5 ‰. The Pacific Ocean accounts for about half of the world's fish catch (pollock, herring, salmon, cod, sea bass, etc.). Extraction of crabs, shrimps, oysters.

Important sea and air communications between the countries of the Pacific basin and transit routes between the countries of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans run through the Pacific Ocean. Major ports: Vladivostok, Nakhodka (Russia), Shanghai (China), Singapore (Singapore), Sydney (Australia), Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, Long Beach (USA), Huasco (Chile). The International Date Line runs along the 180th meridian across the Pacific Ocean.

Plant life (except bacteria and lower fungi) is concentrated in the upper 200th layer, in the so-called euphotic zone. Animals and bacteria inhabit the entire water column and the ocean floor. Life develops most abundantly in the shelf zone, and especially near the coast at shallow depths, where the flora of brown algae and a rich fauna of mollusks, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are diversely represented in the temperate zones of the ocean. In tropical latitudes, the shallow water zone is characterized by the widespread and strong development of coral reefs, and mangroves near the shore. With the advancement from cold zones to tropical ones, the number of species sharply increases, and the density of their distribution decreases. About 50 species of coastal algae - macrophytes are known in the Bering Strait, over 200 off the Japanese Islands, over 800 in the waters of the Malay Archipelago. There are about 4000 known species of animals in the Soviet Far Eastern seas, and at least 40-50 thousand in the waters of the Malay Archipelago . In the cold and temperate zones of the ocean, with a relatively small number of plant and animal species, due to the mass development of some species, the total biomass greatly increases; in the tropical zones, individual forms do not receive such a sharp predominance, although the number of species is very large.

With distance from the coasts to the central parts of the ocean and with increasing depth, life becomes less diverse and less abundant. In general, the fauna of T. o. includes about 100 thousand species, but only 4-5% of them are found deeper than 2000 m. At depths of more than 5000 m, about 800 species of animals are known, more than 6000 m - about 500, deeper than 7000 m - slightly more than 200, and deeper than 10 thousand m - only about 20 species.

Among coastal algae - macrophytes - in temperate zones, fucus and kelp are especially distinguished by their abundance. In tropical latitudes, they are replaced by brown algae - Sargasso, green - Caulerpa and Galimeda and a number of red algae. The surface zone of the pelagial is characterized by the massive development of unicellular algae (phytoplankton), mainly diatoms, peridiniums and coccolithophorids. in zooplankton highest value have various crustaceans and their larvae, mainly copepods (at least 1000 species) and euphausids; a significant admixture of radiolarians (several hundred species), coelenterates (siphonophores, jellyfish, ctenophores), eggs and larvae of fish and benthic invertebrates. In T. o. one can distinguish, in addition to the littoral and sublittoral zones, a transitional zone (up to 500-1000 m), bathyal, abyssal and ultraabyssal, or a zone of deep-water trenches (from 6-7 to 11 thousand m).

Planktonic and benthic animals serve as abundant food for fish and marine mammals (nekton). The fish fauna is exceptionally rich, including at least 2,000 species in tropical latitudes and about 800 in the Soviet Far Eastern seas, where, in addition, there are 35 species of marine mammals. The most commercially important fish are: anchovies, Far Eastern salmon, herring, mackerel, sardine, saury, sea bass, tuna, flounder, cod and pollock; from mammals - sperm whale, several species of minke whales, fur seal, sea otter, walrus, sea lion; from invertebrates - crabs (including Kamchatka), shrimps, oysters, scallops, cephalopods and many others; from plants - kelp (seaweed), agaronos-anfeltia, sea grass zoster and phyllospadix. Many representatives of the fauna of the Pacific Ocean are endemic (pelagic cephalopod nautilus, most Pacific salmon, saury, greenling fish, northern fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, and many others).

The large extent of the Pacific Ocean from North to South determines the diversity of its climates - from equatorial to subarctic in the North and Antarctic in the South. Most of the ocean surface, approximately between 40 ° north latitude and 42 ° south latitude, is located in the zones of equatorial, tropical and subtropical climates. The circulation of the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean is determined by the main areas of atmospheric pressure: the Aleutian Low, the North Pacific, South Pacific and Antarctic Highs. The indicated centers of action of the atmosphere in their interaction determine the great constancy of northeast winds in the North and southeast winds of moderate strength - trade winds - in the tropical and subtropical parts of the Pacific Ocean and strong westerly winds in temperate latitudes. Especially strong winds are observed in the southern temperate latitudes, where the frequency of storms is 25-35%, in the northern temperate latitudes in winter - 30%, in summer - 5%. In the West of the tropical zone, from June to November, tropical hurricanes - typhoons are frequent. The monsoon circulation of the atmosphere is typical for the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. The average air temperature in February decreases from 26-27°C near the equator to -20°C in the Bering Strait and -10°C off the coast of Antarctica. In August average temperature varies from 26-28°C near the equator to 6-8°C in the Bering Strait and to -25°C off the coast of Antarctica. Throughout the Pacific Ocean, located north of 40 ° south latitude, there are significant differences in air temperature between the eastern and western parts of the ocean, caused by the corresponding dominance of warm or cold currents and the nature of the winds. In tropical and subtropical latitudes, the air temperature in the East is 4–8 °C lower than in the West. In the northern temperate latitudes, the opposite is true: in the East, the temperature is 8–12 °C higher than in the West. The average annual cloudiness in areas of low atmospheric pressure is 60-90%. high pressure - 10-30%. The average annual precipitation at the equator is more than 3000 mm, in temperate latitudes - 1000 mm in the West. and 2000-3000 mm to the east. The least amount of precipitation (100-200 mm) falls on the eastern outskirts of the subtropical regions of high atmospheric pressure; in the western parts, the amount of precipitation increases to 1500-2000 mm. Fogs are typical for temperate latitudes, they are especially frequent in the area of ​​the Kuril Islands.

Under the influence of the atmospheric circulation developing over the Pacific Ocean, surface currents form anticyclonic gyres in subtropical and tropical latitudes and cyclonic gyres in northern temperate and southern high latitudes. In the northern part of the ocean, circulation is formed by warm currents: the Northern Trade Wind - Kuroshio and the North Pacific and cold California currents. In the northern temperate latitudes, the cold Kuril Current dominates in the West, and the warm Alaska Current dominates in the East. In the southern part of the ocean, the anticyclonic circulation is formed by warm currents: the South Equatorial, East Australian, zonal South Pacific and cold Peruvian. To the north of the equator, between 2-4° and 8-12° north latitude, the northern and southern circulations are separated during the year by the Intertrade (Equatorial) countercurrent.

average temperature surface water of the Pacific Ocean (19.37 °С) is 2 °С higher than the temperature of the waters of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which is the result of the relatively large size of that part of the Pacific Ocean area, which is located in well-heated latitudes (over 20 kcal / cm2 per year), and the limited connection with the Arctic Ocean. The average water temperature in February varies from 26-28 °С near the equator to -0.5, -1 °С north of 58° north latitude, near the Kuril Islands and south of 67° south latitude. In August, the temperature is 25-29 °С near the equator, 5-8 °С in the Bering Strait and -0.5, -1 °С south of 60-62 ° south latitude. Between 40 ° south latitude and 40 ° north latitude, the temperature in the eastern part of the T. o. 3-5 °C lower than in the western part. To the north of 40 ° north latitude - on the contrary: in the East, the temperature is 4-7 ° C higher than in the West. To the south of 40 ° south latitude, where zonal transport of surface waters prevails, there is no difference between water temperatures in the East and in the West. In the Pacific Ocean, there is more rainfall than evaporating water. Taking into account the river runoff, more than 30 thousand km3 comes here annually. fresh water. Therefore, the salinity of the surface waters of the T. o. lower than in other oceans (average salinity is 34.58‰). The lowest salinity (30.0-31.0‰ and less) is observed in the West and East of the northern temperate latitudes and in the coastal regions of the eastern part of the ocean, the highest (35.5‰ and 36.5‰) - respectively in the northern and southern subtropical latitudes. At the equator, water salinity decreases from 34.5‰ or less, in high latitudes - to 32.0‰ or less in the North, to 33.5‰ or less in the South.

The density of water on the surface of the Pacific Ocean increases fairly evenly from the equator to high latitudes in accordance with the general nature of the distribution of temperature and salinity: near the equator 1.0215-1.0225 g/cm3, in the North - 1.0265 g/cm3 and more, in the South - 1.0275 g/cm3 and more. The color of the water in the subtropical and tropical latitudes is blue, the transparency in some places is more than 50 m. In the northern temperate latitudes, the dark blue color of the water prevails, off the coast it is greenish, the transparency is 15-25 m. In the Antarctic latitudes, the color of the water is greenish, the transparency is up to 25 m .

Tides in the North Pacific Ocean are dominated by irregular semidiurnal (height up to 5.4 m in the Gulf of Alaska) and semidiurnal (up to 12.9 m in Penzhina Bay). Sea of ​​Okhotsk). Near the Solomon Islands and off part of the coast of New Guinea, daily tides, up to 2.5 m. 40° north latitude. The maximum height of wind waves in the Pacific Ocean is 15 m or more, the length is over 300 m. Tsunami waves are characteristic, especially often observed in the northern, southwestern and southeastern parts Pacific Ocean.

Ice in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean is formed in seas with severe winter climatic conditions (Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow) and in bays off the coast of Hokkaido, the Kamchatka and Alaska peninsulas. In winter and spring, ice is carried by the Kuril current to the extreme northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Small icebergs are found in the Gulf of Alaska. In the South Pacific, ice and icebergs form off the coast of Antarctica and are carried by currents and winds into open ocean. northern border floating ice in winter it passes at 61-64 ° south latitude, in summer it shifts to 70 ° south latitude, icebergs are carried out to 46-48 ° south latitude at the end of summer. Icebergs form mainly in the Ross Sea.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest, deepest, and oldest of all oceans. Its area is 178.68 million km2 (1/3 of the surface of the globe), all the continents taken together would be located in its open spaces. F. Magellan traveled around the world and was the first to explore the Pacific Ocean. His ships never got into a storm. The ocean was resting from the usual rampages. Therefore, F. Magellan mistakenly called it the Quiet.

Geographical position of the Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is located in the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Hemispheres and has an elongated shape from northwest to southeast. (Determine by physical map world, which continents the Pacific Ocean washes and in which part it is especially wide.) Marginal seas (more than 15) and bays stand out in the northern and western parts of the Pacific Ocean. Among them, the Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow Seas are confined to Eurasia. In the east, the coastline of America is flat. (Show on a physical map of the Pacific Ocean.)

The relief of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean complex, the average depth is about 4000 m. The Pacific Ocean is the only one that is almost completely located within the boundaries of one lithospheric plate - the Pacific. When it interacted with other plates, seismic zones were formed. They are associated with frequent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and - as a result - the occurrence of tsunamis. (Give examples of what disasters a tsunami turns into for residents of coastal countries.) Off the coast of Eurasia, the maximum depth of the Pacific and the entire World Ocean is noted - the Mariana Trench (10,994 m).

The western part of the Pacific Ocean is characterized by deep-sea trenches (Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Japanese, etc.). The Pacific Ocean contains 25 of the 35 deep-sea trenches of the World Ocean with a depth of more than 5000 m.

Climate of the Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the most warm ocean on the ground. In low latitudes, it reaches a width of 17,200 km, and with the seas - 20,000 km. The average surface water temperature is about +19 °С. The water temperature of the Pacific Ocean in the equatorial latitudes during the year ranges from +25 to +30 °С, in the north from +5 to +8 °С, and near Antarctica it drops below 0 С. (Where climatic zones is the ocean located?

Dimensions of the Pacific Ocean and maximum temperatures of its surface waters in tropical latitudes create conditions for the birth of tropical cyclones or hurricanes. They are accompanied by destructive winds and downpours. At the beginning of the 21st century, an increase in the frequency of hurricanes was noted.

On the formation of the climate big influence exerted by the prevailing winds. These are trade winds in tropical latitudes, westerly winds - in temperate latitudes, monsoons - off the coast of Eurasia. Maximum amount precipitation per year (up to 12,090 mm) falls on the Hawaiian Islands, and the minimum (about 100 mm) - in the eastern regions in tropical latitudes. The distribution of temperatures and precipitation is subject to latitudinal geographic zonality. The average salinity of ocean water is 34.6‰. currents. The formation of ocean currents is influenced by the system of winds, the features of the bottom topography, the position and outlines of the coast. The most powerful current of the World Ocean is the cold current of the West Winds. This is the only current that goes around the whole Earth, carrying 200 times more water per year than all the rivers of the world. The winds that generate this current - the westerly transfer - are of extraordinary strength, especially in the region of the southern 40th parallel. These latitudes are called the "Roaring Forties".

In the Pacific Ocean, there is a powerful system of currents generated by the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres: the Northern Equatorial and Southern Equatorial Currents. The Kuroshio Current plays an important role in the movement of the waters of the Pacific Ocean. (Study the direction of the currents on the map.)

Periodically (after 4-7 years) in the Pacific Ocean, the El Niño current (“Holy Child”) occurs, one of the factors of global climate fluctuations. The reason for its occurrence is a decrease in atmospheric pressure in the South Pacific Ocean and an increase over Australia and Indonesia. During this period, warm waters rush east to the coast of South America, where the temperature of ocean water becomes abnormally high. This causes intense downpours, large floods and landslides on the coast of the mainland. And in Indonesia and Australia, on the contrary, dry weather is established.

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues in the Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is rich in a variety of mineral resources. In the process of geological development, deposits of oil and natural gas were formed in the shelf zone of the ocean. (Study the location of these natural resources on the map.) At a depth of more than 3000 m, ferromanganese nodules were found with a high content of manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. It is in the Pacific Ocean that deposits of nodules occupy the most significant areas - more than 16 million km2. Placers of tin ores and phosphorites were found in the ocean.

Nodules are rounded formations up to 10 cm in size. Nodules represent a huge reserve of mineral raw materials for the development of the metallurgical industry in the future. More than half of the living matter of the entire World Ocean is concentrated in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The organic world is distinguished by species diversity. The fauna is 3-4 times richer than in other oceans. Representatives of whales are widespread: sperm whale, baleen whale. Seals and fur seals are found in the south and north of the ocean. Walruses live in northern waters, but are on the verge of extinction. Thousands of exotic fish and algae are common in the shallow waters off the coast.

The Pacific Ocean accounts for almost half of the world's catch of salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, tuna, and Pacific herring. Large quantities of cod, halibut, saffron cod, and macrorus are caught in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the ocean (Fig. 42). Sharks and rays are found everywhere in warm latitudes. In the southwestern part of the ocean, tuna, swordfish spawn, sardines, blue whiting live. A feature of the Pacific Ocean are giant animals: the largest bivalve mollusk tridacna (shell up to 2 m, weight over 200 kg), king crab (up to 1.8 m in length), giant sharks (gigantic - up to 15 m, whale - up to 18 m in length), etc.

The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the life of the peoples of many countries. About half of the world's population lives on its coast. The Pacific Ocean is the second largest in the world in transportation. The largest ports in the world are located on Pacific coast in Russia, China. As a result of economic activity, an oil slick has formed on a significant part of its surface, which leads to the death of animals and plants. Oil pollution is most common along the Asian coast, where the main oil production and transport routes pass.

Features of the nature of the Pacific Ocean are determined by its size and geographical location. In human life, the mineral wealth of the ocean and its biological resources are used. The Pacific Ocean ranks first in marine fisheries.

Sea of ​​Aki- the open sea connecting the east and west of the Sea of ​​Japan. It is small in size - only 35 * 45 km. In Japan, this sea is called "Aki Nada" (in honor of historical province Aki), and its eastern part has its own name - Itsuki.

The Sea of ​​Aki is located in the monsoon zone at temperate latitudes - a rare phenomenon that has endowed the sea with an unusual climate: in summer there is more rainfall than in winter. The Aki Sea is considered a seismically hazardous area. During the monsoon period, powerful typhoons are born here, and the waves grow up to 12 meters. But the Japanese really appreciate the Aki Sea for its richest underwater world and abundance of fish. The sea is especially famous for mackerel and crucian carp.

Sea Bali

Sea Bali. The Bali Sea stretches between the islands of Bali, Lombok, Subawa, Java and Madura. Its area is 40 thousand km. The subequatorial zone provides a mild and humid climate. Storms are rare here, and the water temperature rarely drops below 28°C. It is for this that divers love the Bali Sea. The underwater world is almost as beautiful as the Indian Ocean. In the sea there are such unusual fish as barracudas, crocodile fish, angelfish, hammerhead sharks and giant tortoises. But swimming here is not very convenient, since coral thickets begin almost at the edge of the sea.

- one of the deepest in the world (average depth - 2744 m), located within the Malay Archipelago. Great depth, low tides (up to 2 m) and warm water (average temperature 26-28°C) have made the Banda Sea one of the favorite meeting places for divers.

The underwater world here is exceptionally diverse. One of the most interesting species of fish is the talking umbrine fish. They make a sound like grunting, and very loud. Local fishermen simply listen to the water and easily determine the places where fish gather. And the catch of umbrine brought to the deck rolls up a deafening concert.

The sea got its name in honor of the Banda archipelago. Until the middle of the 19th century, these islands were the only place in the world where nutmeg was grown - the most valuable spice that Arab merchants sold at exorbitant prices. And the location of the islands was kept in the strictest confidence.

- the largest (area 2304 sq. km) and the deepest sea in Russia. Its average depth is 1640m, the greatest is 4151m. This sea is also the most northerly, ice is formed here already in September, and disappears only by the end of June. In winter, more than half of the sea is under ice, and in the Gulf of Laurentia, for example, the ice crust stays for years.

The Bering Sea is often called the "sea of ​​abundance", because. it is one of the richest ecoregions in the world. It is home to over 450 species of fish, about 50 species of seabirds and more than 20 species of marine animals.

- an inland sea located between the islands of the Philippine archipelago. clear waters, white sandy beaches, cozy bays and magnificent weather made the sea a popular tourist destination. The sea is shallow (average depth is only 80 m), but very warm, as it is located near the equator. The underwater world of the sea is, first of all, coral thickets, which attract numerous species of fish and shellfish. Pearls are mined in shallow waters.

(Seto-Nankai Sea) is located between the Japanese islands and connects through the Shimonoseki Strait with the Sea of ​​Japan, which washes these islands. The sea is shallow - the average depth is 22 meters. But in this water area there are over 1000 islands. The largest islands are connected by bridges.

Since ancient times, this sea has served as the most important transport artery. In the Middle Ages, the power of the sea was seized by pirates who had a huge fleet and completely controlled maritime trade in this region. The most influential were the pirates from the Murakami family clan, who received the status of samurai for their activities.

The unique natural conditions became the reason that it was the water area of ​​the Inland Sea of ​​Japan that became the world's first marine reserve (since 1934).

Located between the coast of China and the Japanese islands. Its area is 836 thousand square kilometers, the average depth is 309 m, the largest is 2718 m. This sea is very dangerous for navigators, since there are still huge unexplored areas water areas, and navigation equipment is installed only near the most important ports. The uneven topography of the seabed is the result of numerous earthquakes, as a result of which powerful tsunamis are formed.

Washes the east coast of China and Korea. The area is 416 thousand square kilometers, the average depth is 40 m. It was called yellow because of the color of the water. The fact is that several of the largest Chinese rivers flow into this sea, which form deposits of sand and silt. And in spring, dust storms often rage over the sea, which are so strong that ships have to be stopped.

The first European to visit the Yellow Sea was Marco Polo, although the ancient peoples of China and Korea have traveled this sea since time immemorial and were active in maritime trade.

One of the most amazing natural phenomena occurs in the southwestern part of the sea. Here, between the Korean islands of Jindo and Modo, at low tide, the sea parted, exposing the bottom. For almost an hour, the “sea road” opens, along which you can get from one island to another on foot, practically without getting your feet wet. This happens 1-3 times a year. People call this phenomenon "the miracle of Moses".

- an inland sea located between the islands of the Philippine archipelago. It got its name in honor of the Camotes group of islands, which rise almost in the very center of the water area.

Camotes is located in the tropics, so in May there is calm, and from June to October typhoons dominate here.

Near the island of Cebu in the Camotes Sea is one of the most unusual places on our planet - Magnoles Bay. Huge reserves of beryllium have been discovered at the bottom of the bay. Dissolving into sea ​​water, beryllium makes this water taste sweet. Therefore, Camotes is popularly called the "sweet sea".

Spread between Australia and the islands of New Guinea and New Caledonia. Total area - 4791 sq. km, the average depth is 2194 m (the greatest is 9140 m).

The sea got its name in honor of the corals, whose thickets form huge reefs and islands. It is here that the longest coral reef in the world is located - Big barrier reef. The entire water area has belonged to Australia since 1964.

There is also a tragic page in the history of the sea. In May 1942, one of the largest naval battles of World War II between the fleets of Japan and the allies (Great Britain, the USA and Australia) took place in the Coral Sea. It was the first battle of aircraft carriers in the world, and the ships themselves did not fire a single shot, and the battle was fought exclusively in the air.

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What is the Pacific Ocean? General characteristics and description of the Pacific Ocean.

What is the Pacific Ocean? General characteristics of the Pacific Ocean. Table.

What is the Pacific Ocean? Description of the Pacific.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on our planet occupying almost a third of it. It accounts for 49.5% of the surface area of ​​the World Ocean and 53% of its water volume. The width of the ocean from west to east is 17,200 km, and the length from north to south is 15,450 km. The area of ​​the Pacific Ocean is 30 million square kilometers larger than the entire land area of ​​the Earth.

The Pacific Ocean is the most deep ocean our planet. Its average depth is 3984 meters, and the greatest is 10,994 km (the Mariana Trench or the "Challenger Abyss").

The Pacific Ocean is the warmest ocean on our planet. Most of the ocean lies in warm latitudes, so the average temperature of its waters (19.37 ° C) is two degrees higher than the temperature of other oceans (with the exception of the Arctic Ocean).

Pacific Coast- the most densely populated territory of the Earth, here in 50 states lives about half of the population of our planet.

The Pacific Ocean has the greatest commercial value of all the water bodies of the planet - about 60% of the world's fish catch is produced here.

The Pacific Ocean has the largest reserves of hydrocarbons in the entire World Ocean - about 40% of all potential oil and gas reserves are located here.

The Pacific Ocean has the richest flora and fauna- almost 50% of all living organisms of the World Ocean live here.

The Pacific Ocean is the most "violent" ocean on the planet- more than 80% of the tsunami is "born" here. The reason for this is the large number of underwater volcanoes.

The Pacific Ocean is of great transport importance- the most important transport routes pass here.

The opening of the Pacific. Why is the ocean "Pacific"?

Why is the Pacific Ocean called "Pacific"? After all, this is the most formidable of all the oceans of the Earth: 80% of the tsunami originates here, the ocean is replete with underwater volcanoes, and is famous for catastrophic hurricanes and storms. Just ironically, the first European explorer and discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, Ferdinand Magellan, during his three-month voyage, never got into a storm. The ocean was quiet and gentle, for which it received its current name - "Quiet".

By the way, Magellan was not the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. The first was the Spaniard Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who explored the New World. He crossed the American continent and came out on the coast as he thought of the sea. He did not yet know that before him was the greatest ocean of the Earth and gave it the name of the South Sea.

Borders and climate of the Pacific Ocean. What is the Pacific Ocean?

With land:

Western border of the Pacific Ocean: off the eastern coasts of Australia and Eurasia.

Eastern border of the Pacific Ocean: off the western coasts of South and North America.

Northern border of the Pacific Ocean: almost completely enclosed by land - Russian Chukotka and American Alaska.

South Pacific Ocean: at north coast Antarctica.

Pacific borders. Map.

With other oceans:

Border of the Pacific Ocean with the Arctic Ocean: the border is drawn in the Bering Strait from Cape Dezhnev to Cape Prince of Wales.

Pacific Ocean border Atlantic Ocean: the boundary is drawn from Cape Horn along the meridian 68°04’ (67?) W. d. or by shortest distance from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula through the Drake Passage, from Oste Island to Cape Sternek.

The border of the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean:

- south of Australia - along the eastern border of the Bass Strait to the island of Tasmania, then along the meridian 146 ° 55 'E. to Antarctica;

- North of Australia- between the Andaman Sea and the Strait of Malacca, further along the southwestern coast of the island of Sumatra, the Sunda Strait, south coast the islands of Java, the southern borders of the Bali and Savu Seas, the northern border of the Arafura Sea, the southwestern coast of New Guinea and the western border of the Torres Strait.

Climate of the Pacific. General characteristics and description of the Pacific Ocean.

The climate of the Pacific Ocean in parts.

The South Pacific Ocean is the coldest, as the water comes close to the shores of Antarctica. Here, in winter, the water is covered with ice.

The climate of the North Pacific Ocean is much milder. This is influenced by the fact that the Pacific Ocean from the north has practically no contact with the cold Arctic Ocean, but is limited by land.

The western part of the Pacific Ocean is warmer than the eastern part.

In the tropical latitudes of the ocean, powerful hurricanes - typhoons - are born.

There are two zones of typhoon origin:

• east of the Philippines - the typhoon is moving northwest and north through Taiwan, Japan and almost reaches the Bering Strait.
• off the coast of Central America.

The amount of precipitation is uneven over the surface of the big ocean planets.

• The greatest amount of precipitation (more than 2000 mm per year) is characteristic of the equatorial belt,
• The least amount of precipitation (less than 50 mm per year) is in the northern hemisphere off the coast of California, in the southern hemisphere off the coast of Chile and Peru.

Precipitation in the ocean, in general, prevails over evaporation, so the salinity of the water is somewhat lower than in other oceans.

Read more about the climate of the Pacific Ocean in the articles:

• Climate of the Pacific. Cyclones and anticyclones. baric centers.

Flora, fauna and economic importance of the Pacific Ocean. What is the Pacific Ocean?

The flora and fauna of the Pacific Ocean is extremely diverse. About half of the living organisms of the entire oceans live here. This is due to the huge size of the largest ocean on the planet and the variety of natural conditions.

The largest number of species lives in tropical and equatorial latitudes, in the northern and temperate latitudes the species diversity is poorer, but here the number of individuals of each species is greater. For example, in cold waters Bering Sea there are about 50 species of seaweed, and in the warm waters of the Malay Archipelago - about 800 species. But the mass of algae in the Bering Sea is much larger than the total mass of aquatic plants in the Malay Archipelago.

The depths of the Pacific Ocean are also not lifeless. The animals that live here are unusual structure bodies, many of them fluoresce, emitting light as a result of chemical reactions. This device is used to scare off predators and attract prey.

In the Pacific Ocean lives:

• more than 850 types of algae;
• more than 100 thousand species of animals (of which over 3800 species of fish);
• more than 6 thousand species of mollusks;
• about 200 species of animals living at a depth of more than 7 thousand km;
• 20 species of animals living at a depth of more than 10 thousand km.

The economic importance of the Pacific Ocean - a general characteristic and description of the Pacific Ocean.

The coast of the Pacific Ocean, its islands and seas are developed extremely unevenly. The most developed industrial centers are coast of the USA, Japan and South Korea. The economy of Australia and New Zealand is also largely associated with the development of the largest ocean on the planet.

The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in human life. as food. It accounts for up to 60% of the world's fish catch. Commercial fishing is especially developed in tropical and temperate latitudes.

Across the Pacific important sea and air communications run between the countries of the Pacific basin and transit routes between the countries of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Great economic importance of the Pacific Ocean and in terms of mining. Up to 40% of the potential oil and gas reserves of the World Ocean are located here. Hydrocarbons are currently being produced offshore in China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the United States of America (Alaska), Ecuador (Guayaquil Bay), Australia (Bass Strait) and New Zealand.

The Pacific Ocean also plays a very specific role in the modern world: here in the southern part of the ocean there is a "cemetery" of failed spaceships.

The relief of the bottom, the sea and the islands of the Pacific Ocean. What is the Pacific Ocean?

The relief of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean - a description and general characteristics of the Pacific Ocean.

The bottom of the planet's largest ocean also has the most difficult terrain.. At the base of the ocean is the Pacific Plate. The plates adjoin it: Nazca, Cocos, Juan de Fuca, Philippine, in the south - the Antarctic plate, and in the north - the North American. Such a large number of lithospheric plates leads to strong tectonic activity in the region.

At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, along the edges of the Pacific Plate, is the so-called "ring of fire" of the planet. Earthquakes constantly occur here, volcanoes erupt, tsunamis are born.

"Ring of Fire" of the planet.

The bottom of the Pacific Ocean is literally strewn single mountains volcanic origin. On this moment there are about 10,000 of them.

In addition, there is a complex submarine mountain range system, the longest of which is located in the south and east of the ocean - this is the East Pacific Rise, which passes in the south into the South Pacific Ridge. This underwater ridge divides the Pacific Ocean into two asymmetrical parts - a vast western one, where warm currents predominate, and a small eastern one, where the cold Peruvian current dominates.

Countless islands and archipelagos, formed as a result of volcanic activity, are combined into a separate part of the world - Oceania.

The largest basins of the Pacific Ocean are: Chilean, Peruvian, Northwestern, Southern, Eastern, Central.

Pacific Ocean seas and coastline. What is the Pacific Ocean?

Almost all the seas of the Pacific Ocean are located on its northern and western outskirts - off the coast of Asia, Australia, the Malay Archipelago. In the east of the ocean there are neither large islands nor bays protruding deep into the land - the coastline is smooth. The exception is the Gulf of California - a semi-enclosed sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean. Off the coast of Antarctica is the only southern marginal sea of ​​this ocean - the Ross Sea.

Islands of the Pacific.

In this article, we reviewed the description and general characteristics of the Pacific Ocean, gave an answer to the question: What is the Pacific Ocean? Read further: Pacific Ocean waters: ocean water masses, ocean temperature, ocean salinity, ice formation and Pacific water color.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in terms of area and depth on Earth. It is located between the continents of Eurasia and Australia in the west, North and South America in the east, Antarctica in the south.

• Area: 179.7 million km²
• Volume: 710.4 million km³
• Maximum depth: 10,994 m
• Average depth: 3984 m

The Pacific Ocean stretches approximately 15.8 thousand km from north to south and 19.5 thousand km from east to west. Square with seas

179.7 million km², average depth - 3984 m, water volume - 723.7 million km³ (without seas, respectively: 165.2 million km², 4282 m and 707.6 million km³). The greatest depth of the Pacific Ocean (and the entire World Ocean) is 10,994 m (in the Mariana Trench). The international date line runs through the Pacific Ocean along the 180th meridian.

Etymology

The first European to see the ocean was the Spanish conquistador Balboa. In 1513, he and his companions crossed the Isthmus of Panama and came to the shore of an unknown ocean. Since they reached the ocean in a bay open to the south, Balboa called it the South Sea (Spanish: Mar del Sur). On November 28, 1520, Ferdinand Magellan entered the open ocean. He crossed the ocean from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands in 3 months and 20 days. All this time the weather was calm, and Magellan called it the Pacific Ocean. In 1753, the French geographer Jean-Nicolas Buache proposed calling it the Great Ocean as the largest of the oceans. But this name has not received universal recognition, and the name Pacific Ocean remains dominant in world geography. In English-speaking countries, the ocean is called English. pacific ocean.

Until 1917, the name Eastern Ocean was used on Russian maps, which was preserved by tradition from the time when Russian explorers entered the ocean.

Asteroid (224) Oceana is named after the Pacific Ocean.

Physical and geographical characteristics

General information

Occupying 49.5% of the surface of the World Ocean and containing 53% of its water volume, the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on the planet. From east to west, the ocean stretches for more than 19,000 km and 16,000 from north to south. Its waters are located for the most part in the southern latitudes, less - in the northern.

In 1951, an English expedition on the research ship Challenger recorded a maximum depth of 10,863 meters using an echo sounder. According to the results of measurements carried out in 1957 during the 25th voyage of the Soviet research vessel Vityaz (headed by Alexei Dmitrievich Dobrovolsky), the maximum depth of the chute is 11,023 m (updated data, the depth was originally reported as 11,034 m). The difficulty of measuring is that the speed of sound in water depends on its properties, which are different at different depths, so these properties must also be determined at several horizons with special instruments (such as a barometer and thermometer), and in the depth value shown by the echo sounder , amended. Studies in 1995 showed that it is about 10,920 m, and studies in 2009 - that 10,971 m. The latest study in 2011 gives a value of 10,994 m with an accuracy of ± 40 m. ”(Eng. Challenger Deep) is further from sea level than Mount Chomolungma is above it.

With its eastern edge, the ocean washes the western coasts of North and South America, with its western edge it washes the eastern coasts of Australia and Eurasia, and from the south it washes Antarctica. The border with the Arctic Ocean is the line in the Bering Strait from Cape Dezhnev to Cape Prince of Wales. The border with the Atlantic Ocean is drawn from Cape Horn along the meridian 68 ° 04 'W. or the shortest distance from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula through the Drake Passage, from Ost Island to Cape Sternek. The border with the Indian Ocean passes: south of Australia - along the eastern border of the Bass Strait to the island of Tasmania, then along the meridian 146 ° 55 'E. to Antarctica; north of Australia - between the Andaman Sea and the Strait of Malacca, further along the southwestern coast of Sumatra, the Sunda Strait, the southern coast of Java, the southern borders of the Bali and Savu seas, the northern border of the Arafura Sea, the southwestern coast of New Guinea and the western border of the Torres Strait . Sometimes the southern part of the ocean, with northern border from 35°S sh. (on the basis of the circulation of water and the atmosphere) up to 60 ° S. sh. (according to the nature of the bottom topography), refer to Southern Ocean, which is not officially released.

Seas

The area of ​​the seas, bays and straits of the Pacific Ocean is 31.64 million km² (18% of the total ocean area), the volume is 73.15 million km³ (10%). Most of the seas are located in the western part of the ocean along Eurasia: Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Inner Japanese, Yellow, East China, Philippine; seas between islands South-East Asia: South China, Javanese, Sulu, Sulawesi, Bali, Flores, Savu, Banda, Seram, Halmahera, Moluccas; along the coast of Australia: New Guinea, Solomonovo, Coral, Fiji, Tasmanovo; Antarctica has seas (sometimes referred to as the Southern Ocean): D'Urville, Somov, Ross, Amundsen, Bellingshausen. There are no seas along North and South America, but there are large bays: Alaskan, Californian, Panamanian.

Islands

Several thousand islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean were formed by volcanic eruptions. Some of these islands were overgrown with corals, and eventually the islands again sank into the sea, leaving behind coral rings - atolls.

By the number (about 10 thousand) and the total area of ​​the islands, the Pacific Ocean occupies the first place among the oceans. In the ocean are the second and third largest islands of the Earth: New Guinea (829.3 thousand km²) and Kalimantan (735.7 thousand km²); largest group of islands: the Greater Sunda Islands (1485 thousand km², including largest islands: Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, Bank). Other largest islands and archipelagos: New Guinea Islands (New Guinea, Kolepom), Japanese islands(Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku), Philippine Islands (Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro), New Zealand (South and North Islands), Lesser Sunda Islands (Timor, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba), Sakhalin, Moluccas (Seram, Halmahera), Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland), Solomon Islands (Bougainville), Aleutian Islands, Taiwan, Hainan, Vancouver, Fiji Islands (Viti Levu) Hawaiian Islands(Hawaii), New Caledonia, Kodiak archipelago, Kurile Islands, New Hebrides, Queen Charlotte Islands, Galapagos Islands, Wellington, St. Lawrence, Ryukyu Islands, Riesko, Nunivak, Santa Ines, D'Antrecasto Islands, Samoa Islands, Revilla Gigedo, Palmer Archipelago, Shantar Islands, Magdalena, Louisiada Archipelago , Ling archipelago, Loyalty, Karaginsky, Clarence, Nelson, Princess Royal, Hanover, Commander Islands.

History of ocean formation

During the disintegration of the Pangea procontinent in the Mesozoic era into Gondwana and Laurasia, the Panthalassa ocean surrounding it began to decrease in area. By the end of the Mesozoic, Gondwana and Laurasia separated, and as their parts diverge, the modern Pacific Ocean began to form. Within the Pacific Trench, four fully oceanic tectonic plates developed during the Jurassic: the Pacific, Kula, Farallon, and Phoenix. The northwestern Kula plate was moving under the eastern and southeastern margins of the Asian continent. The northeastern Farallon oceanic plate was moving under Alaska, Chukotka and under the western margin of North America. The southeastern Phoenix oceanic plate was subducting under the western margin of South America. In the Cretaceous, the southeastern Pacific oceanic plate moved under the eastern margin of the then united Australo-Antarctic continent, as a result of which the blocks that now form the New Zealand Plateau and the underwater heights of Lord Howe and Norfolk broke away from the mainland. In the Late Cretaceous, the split of the Australo-Antarctic continent began. The Australian plate separated and began to move towards the equator. At the same time, in the Oligocene, the Pacific Plate changed its direction to the northwest. In the Late Miocene, the Farallon Plate split into two: Cocos and Nazca. The Kula plate, moving to the northwest, completely submerged (together with the northern margin of the Pacific plate) under Eurasia and under the proto-Aleutian Trench.

Today, the movement of tectonic plates continues. The axis of this movement is the mid-ocean rift zones in the South Pacific and East Pacific uplifts. To the west of this zone is the Pacific ocean's largest plate, which continues to move northwest at a speed of 6-10 cm per year, crawling under the Eurasian and Australian plates. To the west, the Pacific Plate is pushing the Philippine Plate northwest under the Eurasian Plate at a rate of 6-8 cm per year. To the east of the mid-ocean rift zone are located: in the northeast, the Juan de Fuca plate, crawling at a rate of 2-3 cm per year under the North American plate; in the central part, the Coconut slab is moving towards northeast direction under the Caribbean lithospheric plate at a rate of 6-7 cm per year; to the south is the Nazca plate, moving east, sinking under the South American plate at a rate of 4-6 cm per year.

Geological structure and bottom topography

Underwater margins of the continents

The underwater margins of the continents occupy 10% of the Pacific Ocean. The relief of the shelf shows features of transgressive plains with subaerial relict relief. Such forms are typical for underwater river valleys on the Yavan shelf and for the shelf of the Bering Sea. On the Korean shelf and offshore East China Sea common ridge landforms formed by tidal currents. Various coral structures are common on the shelf of equatorial-tropical waters. Most of the Antarctic shelf lies at depths of more than 200 m, the surface is very dissected, underwater elevations of a tectonic nature alternate with deep depressions - grabens. The continental slope of North America is heavily dissected by submarine canyons. Large submarine canyons are known on the continental slope of the Bering Sea. The continental slope of Antarctica is distinguished by a large width, diversity and dissection of the relief. Along North America, the continental foot is distinguished by very large fans of turbidity flows, merging into a single sloping plain, bordering the continental slope with a wide strip.

The underwater margin of New Zealand has a peculiar continental structure. Its area is 10 times the area of ​​the islands themselves. This underwater New Zealand plateau consists of the flat-topped Campbell and Chatham uplifts and the Baunkee depression between them. On all sides it is bounded by the continental slope, bordered by the continental foot. This includes the Late Mesozoic submarine Lord Howe ridge.

transition zone

On the western margin of the Pacific Ocean there are transitional areas from the margins of the continents to the ocean floor: Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatka, Japanese, East China, Indonesian-Philippines, Bonin-Marianskaya (with the deepest point of the ocean - the Mariana Trench, depth 11,022 m), Melanesian, Vityazevskaya, Tonga-Kermadekskaya, Macquarie. These transitional areas include deep sea trenches, marginal seas, bounded by island arcs. On the eastern outskirts there are transitional regions: Central American and Peru-Chile. They are expressed only by deep-sea trenches, and instead of island arcs, young rocky years of Central and South America stretch along the trenches.

All transitional areas are characterized by volcanism and high seismicity; they form the marginal Pacific belt of earthquakes and modern volcanism. Transitional areas on the western margin of the Pacific Ocean are located in the form of two echelons, the youngest areas in terms of the stage of development are located on the border with the ocean floor, and the more mature ones are separated from the ocean floor by island arcs and island land masses with the continental crust.

Mid-ocean ridges and ocean floor

11% of the area of ​​the Pacific Ocean floor is occupied by mid-ocean ridges, represented by the South Pacific and East Pacific Rise. They are wide, slightly dissected hills. Lateral branches depart from the main system in the form of the Chilean uplift and the Galapagos rift zone. The system of mid-ocean ridges of the Pacific Ocean also includes the Gorda, Juan de Fuca and Explorer ridges in the northeast of the ocean. The mid-ocean ridges of the ocean are seismic belts with frequent surface earthquakes and active volcanic activity. Fresh lavas, metal-bearing sediments, usually associated with hydrotherms, have been found in the rift zone.

The Pacific Rise system divides the bed of the Pacific Ocean into two unequal parts. The eastern part is less complex and shallower. Here, the Chilean uplift (rift zone) and the Nazca, Sala y Gomez, Carnegie and Coconut ridges are distinguished. These ridges divide eastern part lodge on the Guatemalan, Panama, Peruvian and Chilean basins. All of them are characterized by a complexly dissected hilly and mountainous bottom topography. In the area of ​​the Galapagos Islands, a rift zone is distinguished.

The other part of the bed, which lies to the west of the Pacific Rise, occupies approximately 3/4 of the entire bed of the Pacific Ocean and has a very complex relief structure. Dozens of hills and underwater ridges divide the ocean floor into a large number of basins. The most significant ranges form a system of uplifts, arched in plan, starting in the west and ending in the southeast. The Hawaiian Ridge forms the first such arc, parallel to it, the Cartographers Mountains, Markus Necker, the underwater ridge of the Line Islands form the next arc, the arc ends with the underwater base of the Tuamotu Islands. The next arc consists of the submerged bases of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Samoa. The fourth arc includes the Caroline Islands and the underwater height of Kapingamarangi. The fifth arc consists of the southern group of the Caroline Islands and the Eauripik shaft. Some ridges and uplands differ in their strike from those listed above, these are the Imperial (North-Western) ridge, the uplands of Shatsky, Magellan, Hess, Manihiki. These uplands are distinguished by leveled summit surfaces and are covered with carbonate deposits of increased thickness from above.

There are active volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands and the Samoa archipelago. Around 10,000 separate seamounts, mostly of volcanic origin, are scattered along the bed of the Pacific Ocean. Many of them are guyots. The tops of some guyots are at a depth of 2-2.5 thousand m, the average depth above them is about 1.3 thousand m. The vast majority of islands in the central and western parts of the Pacific Ocean are of coral origin. Almost all volcanic islands lined with coral structures.

The bed and mid-ocean ridges of the Pacific Ocean are characterized by fault zones, usually expressed in the relief as complexes of linearly oriented grabens and horsts. All fault zones have their own names: Surveyor, Mendocino, Murray, Clarion, Clipperton and others. The basins and uplifts of the Pacific Ocean floor are characterized by an oceanic-type crust with a sedimentary layer thickness of 1 km in the northeast to 3 km on the Shatsky Rise and with a basalt layer thickness of 5 km to 13 km. Mid-ocean ridges have a rift-type crust characterized by increased density. Ultramafic rocks are found here, and schists have been uplifted in the Eltanin fault zone. Subcontinental (Kuril Islands) and continental crust (Japanese Islands) were found under the island arcs.

Bottom sediments

The major rivers of Asia, such as the Amur, the Yellow River, the Yangtze, the Mekong and others, carry more than 1,767 million tons of sediment per year into the Pacific Ocean. This alluvium almost completely remains in the waters of the marginal seas and bays. The largest rivers in America - the Yukon, Colorado, Columbia, Fraser, Guayas and others - provide about 380 million tons of sediment per year, and 70-80% of the suspended material is carried out into the open ocean, which is facilitated by the insignificant width of the shelf.

Red clays are widespread in the Pacific Ocean, especially in the northern hemisphere. This is due to the great depth of the ocean basins. In the Pacific Ocean, there are two belts (southern and northern) of siliceous diatom oozes, as well as a distinct equatorial belt of siliceous radiolarian deposits. Vast areas of the bottom of the southwestern ocean are occupied by coral-algal biogenic deposits. To the south of the equator, foraminiferal oozes are widespread. There are several fields of pteropod deposits in the Coral Sea. In the northern deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, as well as in the Southern and Peruvian basins, extensive fields of ferromanganese nodules are observed.

Climate

The climate of the Pacific Ocean is formed due to the zonal distribution of solar radiation and atmospheric circulation, as well as the powerful seasonal influence of the Asian continent. Almost all climatic zones can be distinguished in the ocean. In the northern temperate zone winter time the baric center is the Aleutian minimum of pressure, which is weakly expressed in summer. To the south is the North Pacific High. Along the equator, the Equatorial depression (an area of ​​low pressure) is noted, which is replaced to the south by the South Pacific anticyclone. Further south, the pressure decreases again and then again gives way to a high pressure area over Antarctica. The direction of the wind is formed in accordance with the location of baric centers. In the temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere, strong westerly winds prevail in winter, and weak southerly winds in summer. In the northwest of the ocean, north and northeast monsoon winds are established in winter, which are replaced by south monsoons in summer. Cyclones that occur on the polar fronts determine the high frequency of storm winds in the temperate and circumpolar zones (especially in the southern hemisphere). In the subtropics and tropics of the northern hemisphere, the northeast trade winds dominate. In the equatorial zone, mostly calm weather is observed all year round. In the tropical and subtropical zones of the southern hemisphere, a steady southeast trade wind dominates, strong in winter and weak in summer. Violent tropical hurricanes, here called typhoons, are born in the tropics (mainly in summer). They usually arise east of the Philippines, from where they move northwest and north through Taiwan, Japan and fade on the approaches to the Bering Sea. Another area where typhoons originate is coastal areas Pacific Ocean adjacent to Central America. In the fortieth latitudes of the southern hemisphere, strong and constant westerly winds are observed. In the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere, the winds are subject to the general cyclonic circulation characteristic of the sub-Antarctic region of low pressure.

The general latitudinal zonality is subject to the distribution of air temperature over the ocean, but West Side has a warmer climate than the eastern one. In the tropical and equatorial zones, average air temperatures from 27.5 °C to 25.5 °C prevail. During the summer, the 25°C isotherm widens northward in the western part of the ocean and only slightly in the eastern, and strongly shifts northward in the southern hemisphere. Passing over the vast expanses of the ocean, the air masses are intensely saturated with moisture. On both sides of the equator in the near-equatorial zone, two narrow bands of maximum precipitation are noted, outlined by an isohyet of 2000 mm, and a relatively arid zone is expressed along the equator. In the Pacific Ocean, there is no zone of convergence of the northern trade winds with the southern ones. There are two independent zones with excessive moisture and a relatively dry zone separating them. To the east, in the equatorial and tropical zones, the amount of precipitation decreases. The most arid regions in the northern hemisphere are adjacent to California, in the southern - to the Peruvian and Chilean basins (coastal regions receive less than 50 mm of precipitation per year).

Hydrological regime

Surface water circulation

The general scheme of the currents of the Pacific Ocean is determined by the laws of the general circulation of the atmosphere. The northeast trade wind of the northern hemisphere contributes to the emergence of the Northeast Trade Wind, which crosses the ocean from the Central American coast to the Philippine Islands. Further, the current is divided into two branches: one deviates to the south and partly feeds the Equatorial countercurrent, and partly spreads over the basins of the Indonesian seas. The northern branch follows the East China Sea and, leaving it south of the island Kyushu, gives rise to a powerful warm Kuroshio current. This current follows north to the coast of Japan, having a noticeable effect on the climate. Japanese coast. At 40° N. sh. The Kuroshio flows into the North Pacific Current, following east to the Oregon coast. Colliding with North America, it is divided into the northern branch of the warm Alaska Current (passing along the mainland to the Alaska Peninsula) and the southern branch of the cold California Current (along the California Peninsula, flowing into the Northeast Current, closing the circle). In the southern hemisphere, the Southeast Trade Wind forms the South Trade Wind Current, which crosses the Pacific Ocean from the coast of Colombia to the Moluccas. Between the Line and Tuamotu Islands, it forms a branch that follows the Coral Sea and further south along the coast of Australia, forming the East Australian Current. The main masses of the South Equatorial Current east of the Moluccas merge with the southern branch of the North Equatorial Current and together form the Equatorial Countercurrent. The East Australian Current flows south of New Zealand into the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which flows from the Indian Ocean and crosses the Pacific Ocean from west to east. At the southern end of South America, this current branches off to the north in the form of the Peruvian Current, which in the tropics joins the South Equatorial Current, completing the southern circle of currents. Another branch of the current of the West winds goes around South America under the name of the current of Cape Horn and goes into the Atlantic Ocean. An important role in the circulation of the waters of the Pacific Ocean belongs to the cold subsurface Cromwell Current, which flows under the South Trade Wind Current from 154° W. to the area of ​​the Galapagos Islands. In summer, El Niño is observed in the eastern equatorial part of the ocean, when a warm, slightly saline current pushes the cold Peruvian current away from the coast of South America. At the same time, the supply of oxygen to the subsurface layers is stopped, which leads to the death of plankton, fish and birds that feed on them, and heavy rains fall on the usually dry coast, causing catastrophic floods.

Salinity, ice formation

Tropical zones have the maximum salinity (up to a maximum of 35.5-35.6 ‰), where the intensity of evaporation is combined with a relatively small amount of precipitation. To the east, under the influence of cold currents, salinity decreases. A large amount of precipitation also lowers salinity, especially at the equator and in the western circulation zones of temperate and subpolar latitudes.

Ice in the south of the Pacific Ocean is formed in the Antarctic regions, and in the north - only in the Bering, Okhotsk and partially in the Sea of ​​Japan. From the shores of southern Alaska, a certain amount of ice is dumped in the form of icebergs, which in March - April reach 48-42 ° N. sh. The northern seas, especially the Bering Sea, supply almost the entire mass of floating ice in the northern regions of the ocean. In Antarctic waters, the limit of pack ice reaches 60-63°S. latitude, icebergs spread far to the north, up to 45 ° N. sh.

water masses

In the Pacific Ocean, surface, subsurface, intermediate, deep and bottom water masses are distinguished. The surface water mass has a thickness of 35-100 m and is distinguished by the relative uniformity of temperatures, salinity and density, which is especially characteristic of tropical waters, and the variability of characteristics due to the seasonality of climatic phenomena. This water mass is determined by heat transfer at the ocean surface, the ratio of precipitation and evaporation, and intense mixing. The same, but to a lesser extent, applies to subsurface water masses. In the subtropics and cold latitudes, these water masses are surface for half a year, and subsurface for half a year. In different climatic zones, their boundary with intermediate waters varies between 220 and 600 m. Subsurface waters are characterized by increased salinity and density, at temperatures from 13-18 ° C (in the tropics and subtropics) to 6-13 ° C (in the temperate zone). Subsurface water in warm climates is formed by sinking more saline surface water.

Intermediate water masses of temperate and high latitudes have a temperature of 3-5 ° C and a salinity of 33.8-34.7 ‰. The lower boundary of the intermediate masses is at a depth of 900 to 1700 m. Deep water masses are formed as a result of the submergence of cooled waters in the Antarctic waters and the waters of the Bering Sea and their subsequent spreading over the basins. Bottom masses of water are located at depths of more than 2500-3000 m. They are characterized by low temperature (1-2 ° C) and salinity uniformity (34.6-34.7 ‰). These waters are formed on the Antarctic shelf under conditions of strong cooling. Gradually, they spread along the bottom, fill all the depressions and penetrate through the transverse passages in the mid-ocean ridges into the Southern and Peruvian, and then into the northern basins. Compared to the bottom waters of other oceans and the South Pacific, the bottom water masses of the northern basins of the Pacific Ocean are characterized by a reduced content of dissolved oxygen. Bottom waters, together with deep waters, make up 75% of the total volume of Pacific Ocean waters.

Flora and fauna

The Pacific Ocean accounts for more than 50% of the total biomass of the World Ocean. Life in the ocean is abundant and diverse, especially in the tropical and subtropical zones between the coasts of Asia and Australia, where vast territories are occupied coral reefs and mangroves. The phytoplankton of the Pacific Ocean mainly consists of microscopic unicellular algae, numbering about 1300 species. About half of the species belong to the peridineans and somewhat less to the diatoms. In shallow water areas and in upwelling zones, most of the vegetation is concentrated. The bottom vegetation of the Pacific Ocean has about 4 thousand species of algae and up to 29 species of flowering plants. In the temperate and cold regions of the Pacific Ocean, brown algae are massively distributed, especially from the kelp group, and in the southern hemisphere there are giants from this family up to 200 m long. Fucus, large green and well-known red algae, which, along with coral polyps, are especially common reef-building organisms.

The fauna of the Pacific Ocean is 3-4 times richer in species composition than in other oceans, especially in tropical waters. More than 2,000 species of fish are known in the Indonesian seas, northern seas there are only about 300 of them. In the tropical zone of the ocean there are more than 6 thousand species of mollusks, and in the Bering Sea there are about 200 of them. For the fauna of the Pacific Ocean, the antiquity of many systematic groups and endemism are characteristic features. A large number of ancient species of sea urchins live here, primitive genera of horseshoe crabs, some very ancient fish that have not been preserved in other oceans (for example, Jordan, Gilbertidia); 95% of all salmon species live in the Pacific Ocean. Endemic species of mammals: dugong, fur seal, sea lion, sea otter. Gigantism is characteristic of many species of the fauna of the Pacific Ocean. In the northern part of the ocean, giant mussels and oysters are known; in the equatorial zone, the largest bivalve mollusk, the tridacna, lives, weighing up to 300 kg. In the Pacific Ocean, the ultra-abyssal fauna is most clearly represented. Under conditions of enormous pressure, low water temperature at a depth of more than 8.5 km, about 45 species live, of which more than 70% are endemic. Among these species, holothurians predominate, leading a very sedentary lifestyle and capable of passing through Gastrointestinal tract a huge amount of soil, the only source of food at these depths.

Ecological problems

Human economic activity in the Pacific Ocean has led to the pollution of its waters, to the depletion of biological wealth. So, by the end of the 18th century, sea cows in the Bering Sea were completely exterminated. At the beginning of the 20th century, northern fur seals and some species of whales were on the verge of extinction, now their fishing is limited. A great danger in the ocean is the pollution of waters with oil and oil products (the main pollutants), some heavy metals, and waste from the nuclear industry. Harmful substances are carried by currents throughout the ocean. Even off the coast of Antarctica, these substances have been found in the composition of marine organisms. Ten US states are constantly dumping their waste into the sea. In 1980, more than 160,000 tons of waste were destroyed in this way, since then this figure has decreased.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch of plastic and other waste has formed in the North Pacific Ocean, formed by ocean currents, gradually concentrating garbage thrown into the ocean in one area thanks to the North Pacific Current System. This slick stretches across the North Pacific Ocean from a point about 500 nautical miles off the coast of California, past Hawaii, and narrowly misses Japan. In 2001, the mass of the garbage island was more than 3.5 million tons, and the area was more than 1 million km², which was six times the mass of zooplankton. Every 10 years, the landfill area increases by an order of magnitude.

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the US military carried out atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - the only two examples of the combat use of nuclear weapons in the history of mankind. The total death toll ranged from 90 to 166 thousand people in Hiroshima and from 60 to 80 thousand people in Nagasaki. From 1946 to 1958 on the atolls of Bikini and Eniwetok ( Marshall Islands) The United States of America carried out nuclear tests. A total of 67 explosions of atomic and hydrogen bombs were carried out. On March 1, 1954, during a surface test of a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb, the explosion produced a crater 2 km in diameter and 75 m deep, a mushroom cloud 15 km high and 20 km in diameter. As a result, Bikini Atoll was destroyed, and the territory was subjected to the largest radioactive contamination in US history and exposure of local residents. In 1957-1958, the UK carried out 9 atmospheric nuclear tests at the Christmas and Malden atolls (Line Islands) in Polynesia. In 1966-1996, France carried out 193 nuclear tests (including 46 in the atmosphere, 147 underground) on the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa (Tuamotu Archipelago) in French Polynesia.

On March 23, 1989, the Exxon Valdez tanker, owned by ExxonMobil (USA), crashed off the coast of Alaska. As a result of the disaster, about 260,000 barrels of oil spilled into the sea, forming a slick of 28,000 km². About 2,000 kilometers of coastline were polluted with oil. This accident was considered the largest environmental disaster that has ever occurred at sea (up to the accident of the DH drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010).

Pacific coast states

States along the borders of the Pacific Ocean (clockwise):

• USA,
• Canada,
• United Mexican States,
• Guatemala,
• El Salvador,
• Honduras,
• Nicaragua,
• Costa Rica,
• Panama,
• Colombia,
• Ecuador,
• Peru,
• Chile,
• Australian Union,
• Indonesia,
• Malaysia,
• Singapore,
• Brunei Darussalam,
• Philippines,
• Thailand,
• Cambodia,
• Socialist Republic of Vietnam,
• People's Republic Of China,
• The Republic of Korea,
• Democratic People's Republic of Korea,
• Japan,
• Russian Federation.

Directly on the ocean expanses are island states and possessions of states outside the region, forming Oceania:

Melanesia:

• Vanuatu,
• New Caledonia (France),
• Papua New Guinea,
• Solomon islands,
• Fiji;

micronesia:

• Guam (USA),
• Kiribati,
• Marshall Islands,
• Nauru,
• Palau,
• Northern Mariana Islands (USA),
• Wake Atoll (USA)
• Federated States of Micronesia;

Polynesia:

• Eastern Samoa (USA),
• New Zealand,
• Samoa,
• Tonga,
• Tuvalu,
• Pitcairn (UK)
• Wallis and Futuna (France)
• French Polynesia (France).

History of Pacific exploration

The study and development of the Pacific Ocean began long before the appearance of a written history of mankind. Junks, catamarans and simple rafts were used to navigate the ocean. The expedition of 1947 on a raft of balsa logs "Kon-Tiki" under the leadership of the Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl proved the possibility of crossing the Pacific Ocean in a westerly direction from central South America to the islands of Polynesia. Chinese junks made trips along the ocean coast to the Indian Ocean (for example, Zheng He's seven voyages in 1405-1433).

The first European to see the Pacific Ocean was the Spanish conquistador Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who in 1513, from one of the peaks of the mountain range on the Isthmus of Panama, “in silence” saw the boundless water surface of the Pacific Ocean stretching to the south and dubbed it the South Sea. In the autumn of 1520, the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan circled South America, breaking the strait, after which he saw new expanses of water. During the further transition from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands, which took more than three months, the expedition did not encounter a single storm, which is obviously why Magellan called the Pacific Ocean. The first detailed map of the Pacific Ocean was published by Ortelius in 1589. As a result of the expedition of 1642-1644 under the command of Tasman, it was proved that Australia is a separate mainland.

Active exploration of the ocean began in the 18th century. The leading states of Europe began to send research expeditions to the Pacific Ocean, led by navigators: the Englishman James Cook (exploration of Australia and New Zealand, the discovery of many islands, including Hawaii), the French Louis Antoine Bougainville (exploration of the islands of Oceania) and Jean-Francois La Perouse , Italian Alessandro Malaspina (mapped the entire western coast of South and North America from Cape Horn to the Gulf of Alaska). The northern part of the ocean was explored by Russian explorers S. I. Dezhnev (discovery of the strait between Eurasia and North America), V. Bering (research northern shores Ocean) and A. I. Chirikov (study of the northwestern coast of North America, the northern part of the Pacific Ocean and the northeastern coast of Asia). During the period from 1803 to 1864, Russian sailors made 45 round-the-world and semi-circumnavigations, as a result of which the Russian military and commercial fleet mastered the sea route from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean and discovered several islands in the ocean along the way. During the round-the-world expedition of 1819-1821, under the leadership of F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev, Antarctica was discovered along with 29 islands of the Southern Ocean.

From 1872 to 1876, the first scientific ocean expedition took place on the English sailing-steam corvette Challenger, new data were obtained on the composition of the ocean waters, on the flora and fauna, on the bottom topography and soils, the first map of the depths of the ocean was compiled and the first collection was collected. deep sea animals. World expedition on the Russian sailing-screw corvette "Vityaz" of 1886-1889, under the guidance of the scientist-oceanographer S. O. Makarov, she studied in detail the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. The results of this expedition and all previous Russian and foreign expeditions, many around the world travel Makarov carefully studied and for the first time drew a conclusion about the circular rotation and counterclockwise direction of surface currents in the Pacific Ocean. The result of the American expedition of 1883-1905 on the ship "Albatross" was the discovery of new types of living organisms and the laws of their development. A great contribution to the study of the Pacific Ocean was made by the German expedition on the ship Planet (1906-1907) and the American oceanographic expedition on the non-magnetic schooner Carnegie (1928-1929) led by the Norwegian X. W. Sverdrup. In 1949, a new Soviet research vessel "Vityaz" was launched under the flag of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Until 1979, the ship made 65 scientific voyages, as a result of which many "white spots" were closed on the maps of the underwater relief of the Pacific Ocean (in particular, the maximum depth in the Mariana Trench was measured). At the same time, research was carried out by expeditions of Great Britain - the Challenger II (1950-1952), Sweden - Albatross III (1947-1948), Denmark - Galatea (1950-1952) and many others, which brought a lot of new information about topography of the ocean floor, bottom sediments, life in the ocean, the physical characteristics of its waters. Within the framework of the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), international forces (especially the USA and the USSR) carried out research, as a result of which new bathymetric and marine navigation charts of the Pacific Ocean were compiled. Since 1968, regular deep-water drilling, work on the movement of water masses at great depths, and biological research have been carried out on the American ship Glomar Challenger. On January 23, 1960, the first human dive was made to the bottom of the deepest trench in the World Ocean - the Mariana. On the Trieste research bathyscaphe, US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and explorer Jacques Picard descended there. March 26, 2012 American director James Cameron deep-sea vehicle"Deepsea Challenger" made the first solo and second-ever dive to the bottom Mariana Trench. The device stayed at the bottom of the depression for about six hours, during which samples of underwater soil, plants and living organisms were collected. Cameron's footage will form the basis of a National Geographic Channel science documentary.

In 1966-1974, the monograph "Pacific Ocean" was published in 13 volumes, published by the Institute of Oceanography of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1973, the Pacific Oceanological Institute named after V.I. V. I. Ilyichev, who carried out extensive studies of the Far Eastern seas and open space Pacific Ocean. In recent decades, numerous measurements of the ocean have been carried out from space satellites. The result was released in 1994 by the American National Center geophysical data bathymetric atlas of the oceans with a map resolution of 3-4 km and a depth accuracy of ±100 m.

Economic importance

At present, the coast and islands of the Pacific Ocean are developed and populated extremely unevenly. Most major centers industrial development are the US coast (from the Los Angeles area to the San Francisco area), the coast of Japan and South Korea. The role of the ocean in the economic life of Australia and New Zealand is significant. The South Pacific is a "graveyard" of spacecraft. Here, far from shipping routes, decommissioned space objects are flooded.

Fishing and marine industries

The temperate and tropical latitudes of the Pacific Ocean are of the greatest commercial importance. The Pacific Ocean accounts for about 60% of the world's fish catch. Among them are salmon (pink salmon, chum salmon, coho, sim), herring (anchovy, herring, sardine), cod (cod, pollock), perch (mackerel, tuna), flounder (flounder). Mammals are being hunted: sperm whale, minke whale, fur seal, sea otter, walrus, sea lion; invertebrates: crabs, shrimps, oysters, scallops, cephalopods. A number of plants are harvested (kelp (seaweed), ahnfeltia (agaronos), seagrass eelgrass and phyllospadix), processed in the food industry and for medicine. The most productive fishery is carried out in the West-Central and North-Western parts of the Pacific Ocean. The largest fishing powers of the Pacific Ocean: Japan (Tokyo, Nagasaki, Shimonoseki), China (Zhoushan archipelago, Yantai, Qingdao, Dalian), Russian Federation (Primorye, Sakhalin, Kamchatka), Peru, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Chile, Vietnam, South Korea, North Korea, Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, USA.

Transport routes

Important sea and air communications between the countries of the Pacific basin and transit routes between the countries of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans run through the Pacific Ocean. The most important ocean routes lead from Canada and the United States to Taiwan, China and the Philippines. The main navigable straits of the Pacific Ocean: Bering, Tatar, La Perouse, Korean, Taiwan, Singapore, Malacca, Sangar, Bass, Torres, Cook, Magellan. The Pacific Ocean is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the artificial Panama Canal, dug between North and South America along the Isthmus of Panama. Major ports: Vladivostok (general cargo, oil products, fish and seafood, timber and lumber, scrap metal, ferrous and non-ferrous metals), Nakhodka (coal, oil products, containers, metal, scrap metal, refrigerated cargo), Vostochny, Vanino (coal, oil) ( Russia), Busan (Republic of Korea), Kobe-Osaka (oil and oil products, machinery and equipment, cars, metals and scrap metal), Tokyo-Yokohama (scrap metal, coal, cotton, grain, oil and oil products, rubber, chemicals, wool, machinery and equipment, textiles, automobiles, medicines), Nagoya (Japan), Tianjin, Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai (all types of dry, liquid and general cargo), Hong Kong (textiles, clothing, fiber, radio and electrical goods, plastic products, machinery, equipment), Kaohsiung, Shenzhen, Guangzhou (China), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Singapore (petroleum products, rubber, food, textiles, machinery and equipment) (Singapore), Klang (Malaysia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines ), Sydney (general cargo, iron ore, coal, oil and oil products, grain), Newcastle, Melbourne (Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), Vancouver (timber cargo, coal, ores, oil and oil products, chemicals and general cargo) (Canada), San Francisco, Los Angeles (petroleum and oil products, copra, chemical cargoes, timber, grain, flour, canned meat and fish, citrus fruits, bananas, coffee, machinery and equipment, jute, cellulose), Auckland, Long Beach (USA), Colon (Panama), Huasco (ores, fish, fuel, food) (Chile). The Pacific Ocean has a significant number of relatively small multifunctional ports.

Air transportation across the Pacific Ocean plays an important role. The first regular flight across the ocean was made in 1936 on the route San Francisco (USA) - Honolulu (Hawaii) - Manila (Philippines). Now the main transoceanic routes are laid through the northern and central regions Pacific Ocean. Airways are of great importance in domestic transportation and between the islands. In 1902, Great Britain laid the first underwater telegraph cable(length 12.55 thousand km), passing through the Fanning and Fiji Islands, linking Canada, New Zealand, the Commonwealth of Australia. Radio communication has been widely used for a long time. Now artificial earth satellites are used for communication across the Pacific Ocean, which significantly expands the capacity of communication channels between countries.

Minerals

The bottom of the Pacific Ocean hides rich deposits of various minerals. Oil and gas are produced on the shelves of China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the United States of America (Alaska), Ecuador (Guayaquil Bay), Australia (Bass Strait), and New Zealand. According to existing estimates, the subsoil of the Pacific Ocean contains up to 30-40% of all potential oil and gas reserves of the World Ocean. The largest producer of tin concentrates in the world is Malaysia, and Australia is the largest producer of zircon, ilmenite and others. The ocean is rich in ferromanganese nodules, with total surface reserves of up to 7 1012 tons. The most extensive reserves are observed in the northern deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, as well as in the South and Peruvian basins. In terms of the main ore elements, the nodules of the ocean contain manganese 7.1 1010 tons, nickel 2.3 109 tons, copper 1.5 109 tons, cobalt 1 109 tons. the Kuril Ridge and the Sakhalin Shelf in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the Nankai Trench in the Sea of ​​Japan and around the coast of Japan, in the Peru Depression. In 2013, Japan intends to begin pilot drilling to extract natural gas from methane hydrate deposits on the Pacific Ocean floor northeast of Tokyo.

Recreational resources

The recreational resources of the Pacific Ocean are characterized by considerable diversity. According to the World Tourism Organization, at the end of the 20th century, East Asia and the Pacific accounted for 16% of international tourist visits (by 2020, the share is projected to increase to 25%). The main countries of formation of outbound tourism in this region are Japan, China, Australia, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Russia, USA and Canada. Main recreational areas: Hawaiian Islands, the islands of Polynesia and Micronesia, the east coast of Australia, the Bohai Bay and Hainan Island in China, the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan, areas of cities and urban agglomerations of the coast of North and South America.

Among the countries with the largest flow of tourists (according to 2010 data from the World Tourism Organization) in the Asia-Pacific region, China (55 million visits per year), Malaysia (24 million), Hong Kong (20 million), Thailand (16 million), Macau (12 million), Singapore (9 million), Republic of Korea (9 million), Japan (9 million), Indonesia (7 million), Australia (6 million), Taiwan (6 million), Vietnam (5 million), Philippines (4 million), New Zealand (3 million), Cambodia (2 million), Guam (1 million); V coastal countries Americas: USA (60 million), Mexico (22 million), Canada (16 million), Chile (3 million), Colombia (2 million), Costa Rica (2 million), Peru (2 million), Panama (1 million), Guatemala (1 million), El Salvador (1 million), Ecuador (1 million).

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