Bering Sea: geographical location, description. Bering Sea: geographical location, description Between Asia and America

The Bering Sea is located in the north of the Pacific Ocean, from the waters of which it is fenced off by the islands of the Commander-Aleutian chain. It occupies a leading position in terms of area and depth among the Russian seas. The map of the world clearly shows that its waters wash the shores of two continents: Asia and America.

Scientists consider the reason for the formation of the reservoir to be the action of tectonic processes, through which the Commander-Aleutian ridge was cut off from the Pacific Ocean. At the beginning of the 18th century, the coastal zone was studied by Russian explorers. In the 1930s, Timofey Perevalov developed a map of the area of ​​Kamchatka and Chukotka, which D. Cook visited several decades later.

The sea is named after Vitus Bering, who explored it in 1725-1743, before that it was called Bobrov or Kamchatsky. The reservoir washes the shores of the Russian Federation and the United States of America. It is possible to get to it by air flight to the port cities of Anadyr and Nome.

Basic indicators:

The sea is located in three climatic zones:

• arctic (northern part);
• temperate marine (southern zone);
• subarctic (central part).

About 80% of the reservoir is covered with an ice layer for ten months a year; in the southern region, the warm Aleutian current prevents freezing of the water surface. Storms are strong in the west, with wind gusts reaching 40 m/s, arising under the influence of the Siberian anticyclone.

Notable explorers of the sea

A large-scale study of the oceans, in order to search for new territories, began at the end of the 15th century. In 1648, S.I. Dezhnev passed through the Strait, later called the Bering Strait. In the 18th century, expeditions under the command of V.I. Bering and A.I. Chirikov reached the shores of North America.

Oceanographic work in the North Pacific was carried out by I.F. Kruzenshtern, Yu.F. Lisyansky, O.E. Kotzebue, F.F. Bellingshausen, M.P. Lazarev and other sailors.

Vitus Bering

IN AND. Bering in 1724 was appointed commander of the First Kamchatka Expedition, its task was to explore the seas of the northern region of the Pacific Ocean and search for a strait between the two continents.

As a result of travel 1725-1730. put on the world map:

• Karaginsky, Anadyrsky, Kamchatsky bays.
• Providence Bay.
• Island of St. Lawrence.
• Bering Strait.
• Avacha lip.

The result of the second expedition (1733-1743), during which V. Bering died, was the discovery of Shumaginsky, Evdokeevsky, St. Stephen, Kodiak, St. Marcian Islands.

I.F. Kruzenshtern and Yu.F. Lisyansky

I.F. Kruzenshtern and Yu.F. Lisyansky made the first round-the-world voyage under the flag of the Russian Navy. In the period 1803-1806. they collected data on climate, atmospheric pressure, specific gravity, density and other indicators of sea water.

F.P. Litke

F.P. Litke is a Russian admiral who conducted research in the Arctic and the Pacific Ocean.

In 1826 - 1829. under his leadership, the Pribylov Islands were discovered and the Karaginsky archipelago was explored, and a description of the western coast of the Bering Sea was also compiled.

S.O. Makarov

In 1887-1888. S.O. Makarov conducted research on the distribution of water density. He noted that warm water, which has a large specific gravity, is located closer to the surface near the Commander Islands than off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

K.M. Deryugin, P. Schmidt, G.A. Ushakov

In the 1920s, K.M. Deryugin, together with P. Schmidt and G.A. Ushakov compiled maps of temperature and salinity distribution in the waters of the Bering Sea.

P.A. Moiseev

The Bering Sea on the world map is located in the northern zone of the Pacific Ocean, where in 1958-1963. conducted his research scientist-ichthyologist P.A. Moiseev. The achievement of the Bering Sea scientific and fishing expedition was the discovery of halibut, sea bass, and grenadier habitats.

A little earlier, under his leadership, large concentrations of flounders were discovered off the coast of Sakhalin. These fish have become an object of fishing in the seas of the Far East.

G.E. Ratmanov

In 1935 G.E. Ratmanov took part in the study of the Bering Sea, during the expedition traces of intermediate Atlantic waters were discovered, the oceanologist managed to confirm their existence and collect accurate data in 1940.

Inflowing rivers

About 120 rivers flow into the Bering Sea, 2 of which are the largest:

currents in the sea

Permanent currents in the sea are formed under the influence of tides, winds and the influx of water from the straits of the Aleutian chain. The main stream passes at a longitude of 170°, it goes around the Rat Ridge, after which it heads east, forming a circulation above the basin of the reservoir.

In the north of the sea, it diverges in two directions: towards the Bering Strait and along the coast of Kamchatka. Surface currents include: Kuroshio (-1.7 °C) and Kamchatka (1.7 °C).

Representatives of flora and fauna

The flora of the Bering Sea is dominated by:

• diatoms floating freely in the water layer;
• bottom plants are common in coastal areas;
• kelp, fucus are used by the population as food raw materials.

In addition to commercial fish: salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, whales, seals, walruses live in the reservoir. Hunting for these mammals is carried out exclusively for the needs of local residents. There are katrans and polar sharks in the sea, which do not pose a danger to people.

Bird markets are arranged on the rocks: gulls, puffins, guillemots, terns, loons. For 1 sq. km can accommodate 200 thousand individuals.

Fur seal rookeries are located on Pribylov and the Commander Islands. Despite the limitation of production, their numbers are declining. According to scientists, the decline in the population contributes to the garbage pushed out by the sea on the coast.

Main port cities

The Bering Sea on the world map is limited by Chukotka and Kamchatka with the western, northern zone of Alaska - with the east and the Aleutian Islands - on the south side. There are two port cities on the shore of the reservoir.

Anadyr is the easternmost city in Russia The population of the capital of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is 15 thousand people, the area is 20 square meters. km. Winter in the village lasts seven months, during which blizzards and snowstorms are observed. The average summer temperature is +11°С, in January it reaches -22°С.

Nome is a small town in Alaska. with a population of about 4 thousand people, the average temperature reaches -45 ° C, which prevents the dense settlement of the region. It was founded as a settlement for gold miners, the number of inhabitants then was 20 thousand people, in the 30s. In the 20th century, the “gold rush” passed, and about a thousand people remained in the settlement.

Large bays

The major bays of the sea include:

Large islands of the sea

The largest islands in the Bering Sea are:

Use of the sea

The Bering Sea is actively exploited in two directions: fisheries and maritime transport. It catches various types of fish (mainly salmon) and whales. Within the water area, maritime transportation of fish products is developed.

Fisheries

The fauna of the reservoir includes 315 species of fish, 25 of which are used for fishing by three states: the Russian Federation, the USA and Japan. The annual catch of Russia is about 600 thousand tons. The main prey are: pollock, pink salmon, flounder, halibut, herring, grenadier. The most valuable object of fishing is salmon, which live in the west of the sea and off the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Cod is caught in the Anadyr-Navarin region, Karaginsky Bay, as well as in the west and east of Kamchatka. Pollock is mined in the West Bering Sea, Chukotka zones and the Karaginsky subzone. Flounder stocks are located in Bristol Bay, in this area they catch sea bass, halibut and sable fish.

The Bering Sea belongs to the productive regions of the World Ocean (1500 kg / sq. km). Due to active fishing, stocks of salmon, king crabs, and cod are depleted.

Sea transport

The Bering Sea on the world map is a semi-enclosed water area of ​​the Pacific Ocean between the continents of Asia and North America. In its western part there is a road, which is a link between the Far Eastern ports and the Northern route. Most of the cargoes are: oil products, fish, timber, which are transported to the eastern regions of the continent.

Fishing in the sea

The main prey in the Bering Sea are: flounder, mackerel, char, halibut, pink salmon, gobies. Salmon can be caught off the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The abundance of zooplankton attracts gray whales, killer whales, sperm whales, quotas are introduced for the catch of cetaceans, which excludes the decline in populations of these mammals.

Fishing without a permit to catch aquatic biological resources is prohibited, with the exception of species whose fishing is carried out freely in accordance with Russian legislation. In Russia, due to inaccessibility, tourist and fishing tours in the region are not carried out. Fishing in the sea is popular among the population of America and Canada.

The sea is fraught with many mysteries, for example, there is interesting information about the depth, the discoverer, strong winds and icebergs in the waters of the Bering Sea.

The deepest sea washing Russia

The Bering Sea is the deepest in the Russian Federation. The maximum mark reaches 4151 m below sea level.

Who really discovered

In 1740, the ships "St. Peter" under the command of V. Bering and "St. Paul", captained by A.I. Chirikov went to the Second Kamchatka Expedition. At the end of June 1741, due to bad weather conditions, the ships lost sight of each other.

Packetball V. Bering reached the shores of America on July 20, and a few months later suffered a severe shipwreck, the commander himself died in December of the same year on the island, which was later named after him. A.I. Chirikov approached the coast of North America on 15 July.

In 1818, the Beaver (or Kamchatka) Sea was renamed the Bering Sea at the suggestion of the leader of two round-the-world expeditions, V.M. Golovin.

lingering storms

A feature of the Bering Sea are frequent and prolonged storms. The reason for strong winds is the seasonal variability of circulation processes. The reservoir is influenced by the Aleutian depression, which includes cyclones from Japan.

Strengthening of storm activity occurs in September and reaches its apogee in November-December, hurricanes may not subside for 7 days in a row.

icebergs in summer

The northern part of the Bering Sea is covered with ice for more than half a year. In mid-April, the process of clearing the reservoir of ice begins, in the case of a harsh winter, currents can bring icebergs to the west even in summer. Wandering icebergs can accumulate, lean on each other, but due to strong winds, they are quickly destroyed.

Nevertheless, seagoing vessels going by the Northern Sea Route need icebreakers.

The economy of the region includes two components: fishing and shipping. Despite the northern location on the world map, which explains the low water temperatures (in winter they reach -23 ° C), the Bering Sea is not lifeless, it contains 28 species of macrophyte algae, about 300 species of fish, as well as sharks, whales , seals.

On the coast of the reservoir is the Tymlat fish processing plant. The Northern Sea Route runs through the reservoir, thanks to which the eastern part of the mainland is supplied with fish products, timber, and oil.

Article formatting: Lozinsky Oleg

Video about the Bering Sea

Bering Sea - features, location, flora and fauna:

The Bering Sea is located in the North Pacific Ocean. It is separated from it by the Commander and Aleutian Islands, borders on the Chukchi Sea through the Bering Strait. Through the Chukchi Sea, from the Bering Sea you can go to the Arctic Ocean. In addition, this sea washes the coast of two countries: the Russian Federation and the United States of America.

Physical and geographical position of the Bering Sea

The coastline of the sea is heavily indented with capes and bays. The largest bays, which are located on the coast of Russia, are the bays of Anadyr, Karaginsky, Olyutorsky, Korfa, Cross. And on the coast of North America - the bays of Norton, Bristol, Kuskokwim.
Only two large rivers flow into the sea: Anadyr and Yukon.
The Bering Sea also has many islands. Basically they are located on the border of the sea. The Russian Federation includes the Diomede Islands (the western one is Ratmanov Island). Commander Islands, Karaginsky Island. To the territory of the United States of America - the Pribylov Islands, the Aleutian Islands, the Diomede Islands (the eastern one is Krusenstern Island), St. Lawrence Island, Nunivak, King Island, St. Matthew Island.
In summer, the air temperature over the waters of the sea ranges from plus 7 to plus 10 degrees Celsius. In winter, it drops to minus 23 degrees. The salinity of the water varies on average from 33 to 34.7 percent.

Seabed relief

The relief of the seabed in the northeastern part is marked by the continental shelf. Its length is more than 700 kilometers. the sea is rather shallow.
The southwestern section is deep water and has depths of up to 4 kilometers. These two zones can be divided conditionally along the isobath of 200 meters.
The transition point of the continental shelf to the ocean floor is marked by a significantly steep continental slope. The maximum depth of the Bering Sea is in the southern part - 4151 meters. The bottom on the territory of the shelf is covered with a mixture of sand, shell rock and gravel. In deep water areas, the bottom is covered with diatomaceous silt.

temperature and salinity

The layer near the sea surface, about 50 meters deep, warms up to 10 degrees Celsius throughout the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe water area in the summer months. In winter, the average minimum temperature is about minus 3 degrees. Salinity up to 50 meters in depth reaches 32 ppm.
Below 50 and up to 200 meters there is an intermediate water layer. The water here is colder, practically does not change the temperature all year round (-1.7 degrees Celsius). Salinity reaches 34 percent.
Deeper than 200 meters the water becomes warmer. Its temperature ranges from 2.5 to 4 degrees, and the salinity level is approximately 34 percent.

Ichthyofauna of the Bering Sea

There are approximately 402 different species of fish in the Bering Sea. Among these 402 species, you can find 9 species of sea goby, 7 species of salmon fish and many others. About 50 species of fish are commercially caught. Crabs, shrimps and cephalopods are also caught in the waters of the sea.
Among the mammals living in the Bering Sea there are ringed seals, seals, bearded seals, lionfish and walruses. The list of cetaceans is also extensive. Among them you can meet a gray whale, narwhal, bowhead whale, Japanese (or southern) whale, fin whale, humpback whale, sei whale, blue northern whale. On the Chukchi Peninsula, there are many walrus and seal rookeries.

The Bering Strait connects with the Chukchi Sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean Area 2304 thousand km², average depth 1598 m (maximum 4191 m), average water volume 3683 thousand km³, length from north to south 1632 km, from west to east 2408 km.

The shores are predominantly high, rocky, strongly indented, forming numerous bays and bays. The largest bays are: Anadyrsky and Olyutorsky in the west, Bristol and Norton in the east. A large number of rivers flow into the Bering Sea, the largest of which are Anadyr, Apuka in the west, Yukon, Kuskokwim in the east. The islands of the Bering Sea are of continental origin. The largest of them are Karaginsky, St. Lawrence, Nunivak, Pribylova, St. Matthew.

The Bering Sea is the largest of the geosynclinal seas of the Far East. In the bottom topography, the continental shelf (45% of the area), the continental slope, underwater ridges and the deep-sea basin (36.5% of the area) stand out. The shelf occupies the northern and northeastern parts of the sea and is characterized by a flat relief complicated by numerous shoals, basins, flooded valleys, and upper reaches of submarine canyons. Sediments on the shelf are predominantly terrigenous (sands, sandy silts, coarse clastic near the shore).

The mainland slope for the most part has a significant steepness (8-15 °), is dissected by submarine canyons, and is often complicated by steps; south of the Pribylov Islands - more flat and wide. The continental slope of the Bristol Bay is intricately dissected by ledges, uplands, and depressions, which is associated with intense tectonic fragmentation. Sediments of the continental slope are predominantly terrigenous (sandy silts), numerous outcrops of primary Paleogene and Neogene-Quaternary rocks; in the area of ​​Bristol Bay - a large admixture of volcanic material.

The Shirshov and Bowers submarine ridges are vault-like uplifts with volcanic forms. Diorite outcrops have been found on the Bowers Ridge, which, along with arcuate outlines, brings it closer to the Aleutian island arc. The Shirshov Ridge has a structure similar to the Olyutorsky Ridge, composed of volcanic and flysch rocks of the Cretaceous period.

The Shirshov and Bowers submerged ridges separate the Bering Sea deep-water basin. In the west of the basin: Aleutian, or Central (maximum depth 3782 m), Bowers (4097 m) and Commander (3597 m). The bottom of the basins is a flat abyssal plain, composed of diatomaceous oozes from the surface, near the Aleutian arc, with a noticeable admixture of volcanic material. According to geophysical data, the thickness of the sedimentary layer in deep-sea basins reaches 2.5 km; under it lies a basalt layer about 6 km thick. The deep part of the Bering Sea is characterized by a suboceanic type of the earth's crust.

The climate is formed under the influence of the adjacent land, the proximity of the polar basin in the north and the open Pacific Ocean in the south, and, accordingly, the centers of action of the atmosphere developing above them. The climate of the northern part of the sea is arctic and subarctic, with pronounced continental features; southern part - temperate, maritime. In winter, under the influence of the Aleutian minimum of air pressure (998 mbar), cyclonic circulation develops over the Bering Sea, due to which the eastern part of the sea, where air is brought from the Pacific Ocean, is somewhat warmer than the western part, which is under the influence of cold Arctic air (which comes with the winter monsoon) . Storms are frequent in this season, the frequency of which in some places reaches 47% per month. The average air temperature in February varies from -23°C in the north to 0.4°C in the south. In summer, the Aleutian Low disappears and southerly winds dominate over the Bering Sea, which are the summer monsoon in the western part of the sea. Storms are rare in summer. The average air temperature in August varies from 5°С in the north to 10°С in the south. The average annual cloudiness is 5-7 points in the north, 7-8 points per year in the south. The amount of precipitation varies from 200-400 mm per year in the north to 1500 mm per year in the south.

The hydrological regime is determined by climatic conditions, water exchange with the Chukchi Sea and the Pacific Ocean, continental runoff and freshening of the surface waters of the sea during ice melting. Surface currents form a counterclockwise circulation, along the eastern periphery of which warm waters from the Pacific Ocean follow to the north - the Bering-sea branch of the Kuroshio warm currents system. Some of these waters enter the Chukchi Sea through the Bering Strait, the other part deviates to the west and then follows south along the Asian coast, receiving the cold waters of the Chukchi Sea. The South Stream forms the Kamchatka Current, which carries the waters of the Bering Sea to the Pacific Ocean. This pattern of currents is subject to noticeable changes depending on the prevailing winds. The tides of the Bering Sea are mainly due to the propagation of a tidal wave from the Pacific Ocean. In the western part of the sea (up to 62 ° north latitude), the highest tide height is 2.4 m, in the Gulf of the Cross 3 m, in the eastern part 6.4 m (Bristol Bay). The surface water temperature in February only in the south and south-west reaches 2°C, in the rest of the sea it is below -1°C. In August the temperature rises to 5°-6°C in the north and 9°-10°C in the south. Salinity under the influence of river waters and melting ice is much lower than in the ocean, and is 32.0-32.5‰, and in the south it reaches 33‰. In coastal areas it decreases to 28-30‰. In the subsurface layer in the northern part of the Bering Sea, the temperature is -1.7°C, salinity is up to 33‰. In the southern part of the sea at a depth of 150 m, the temperature is 1.7°C, salinity is 33.3‰ and more, and in the layer from 400 to 800 m, respectively, more than 3.4°C and more than 34.2‰. At the bottom, the temperature is 1.6°C, salinity is 34.6‰.

Most of the year, the Bering Sea is covered with floating ice, which begins to form in the north in September - October. In February - March, almost the entire surface is covered with ice, which is carried along the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon of "glow of the sea" is characteristic of the Bering Sea.

In accordance with the difference in the hydrological conditions of the northern and southern parts of the Bering Sea, representatives of arctic forms of flora and fauna are typical for the northern part, while boreal forms are typical for the southern part. There are 240 species of fish in the south, of which there are especially many flounders (flounder, halibut) and salmon (pink salmon, chum salmon, chinook salmon). Mussels, balanus, polychaete worms, bryozoans, octopuses, crabs, shrimps, etc. are numerous. Sixty species of fish, mainly cod, live in the north. Of the mammals of the Bering Sea, the fur seal, sea otter, seals, bearded seal, spotted seal, sea lions, gray whale, humpback, sperm whale, etc. are characteristic. The bird fauna is abundant (guillemots, guillemots, puffins, kittiwakes, etc.) living on "bird bazaars". In the Bering Sea, there is an intensive whaling industry, mainly for sperm whales, fishing and fishing for sea animals (fur seals, sea otters, seals, etc.). The Bering Sea is of great transport importance for Russia as a link in the Northern Sea Route. Main ports: Provideniya (Russia), Nome (USA).

Our planet is a beautiful blue ball, on which there are many natural and artificial reservoirs. They support the life of all living things on earth, giving shelter to many fish, shellfish and other organisms.

One of the natural reservoirs of our planet is the Bering Sea, the depth, bottom topography and fauna of which are of great interest to many naturalists, tourists and naturalists around the world. It is these indicators that will be discussed in this article.

Between two continents

What is the average depth of the Bering Sea? Before answering this question, let's find out where the reservoir is located.

The Bering Sea, which belongs to the Pacific basin, is a conditional border between two continents - Asia and North America. On the northwestern side, the reservoir washes the coasts of Kamchatka and Chukotka, and on the northeastern side, the shores of Western Alaska.

From the south, the sea is closed by a series of islands (Aleutian and Commander Islands), and from the north it is connected by the strait of the same name with the Arctic Ocean.

Here are the islands located along the border of the Bering Sea (the depth of which we will talk about below):

1. From the side of the United States of America (more precisely, the Alaska Peninsula), such territories as Krusenstern Island, Nunivak, the Pribylov Islands, the Aleutian Islands, King Island, St. Matthew Island and others act.
2. From the side of the Russian Federation, the Bering Sea washes only three island territories. These are (from the Chukotka Autonomous Region), as well as the Commander Islands and the Karaginsky Island (the latter are part of the Kamchatka Territory).

A little about geographical discoveries

What is the history of the discovery of the Bering Sea, the depth and remoteness of which at all times led many sailors to indescribable awe?

It is known that the reservoir got its name in honor of the first explorer who went on an expedition to Kamchatka in the distant 1730s. This man was a Dane by nationality, a Russian officer by vocation - Vitus Janassen Bering. By order of Emperor Peter I, the captain of the fleet was instructed to study the northern places in detail and determine the border between the two continents.

The first expedition was devoted to the exploration and development of the eastern coast of Kamchatka and the southern coast, as well as the study of the strait, which serves as the border between America and Eurasia. Bering is considered the first representative of Europe to plow these places.

After his return to St. Petersburg, the brave navigator interceded for the equipment of the second expedition, which took place quite soon and became the largest in history. Six thousand people, led by the fearless Bering, scrupulously studied the water space up to Japan. Alaska, the Aleutian archipelago and many other unexplored lands were discovered.

The captain himself reached the American coast and carefully examined the island of Kayak, having studied its flora and fauna.

The conditions of the Far North had a negative effect on the journey of a numerous expedition. Sailors and explorers faced incredible cold and snow drifts, several times they suffered storms and storms.

Unfortunately, returning to Russia, Bering died during a forced wintering on one of the islands.

Statistical facts

How deep is the Bering Sea? This reservoir is considered the largest and deepest in the Russian Federation and one of the largest in the world. Why can you say so?

The fact is that the total area of ​​the sea is 2.315 million square meters. km. This is due to the fact that the length of the reservoir from north to south covers one thousand six hundred kilometers, and from east to west - two thousand four hundred kilometers. Scientists even calculated the volume of sea water. It reaches 3,795,000 cubic kilometers. It is not surprising that the average depth of the Bering Sea impresses with the impressiveness of its numbers and values.

Briefly about the main

The average and maximum depths of the Bering Sea are 1,600 meters and 4,510 meters, respectively. As you can see, the difference between the indicators is very large. This is due to the fact that most of the water space of the reservoir is occupied by an area with depth indicators of less than five hundred meters. According to some scientists, this figure is the minimum depth of the Bering Sea. That is why it is considered a marginal reservoir of the continental-oceanic type.

Location of the most important points

Where is the average and maximum depth of the Bering Sea? As mentioned above, the average indicators of the reservoir cover about half of its entire area. As for the maximum indicators (or the maximum depth of the Bering Sea), they were recorded in the southern part of the reservoir. Here is the specific coordinate: fifty-four degrees north latitude and one hundred and seventy-one degrees west longitude. This part of the sea is called deep sea. It was divided by the underwater ridges of Bowers and Shirshov into three basins, the names of which are: Aleutian, Commander and Bowers.

However, this also applies to the maximum depth of the Bering Sea. The minimum depth is recorded in its northeastern region. Its length, according to the estimates of many researchers, reaches about seven hundred kilometers.

Bottom and its characteristics

Scientists have long determined that the structure of the seabed is highly correlated with its depth. The bottom relief of the Bering Sea has clear divisions:

1. Shelf. This zone, located on the northern and eastern sides of the sea, is distinguished by depths of up to two hundred meters and occupies more than forty percent of the entire territory of the reservoir. It is a gently sloping plain with several islets, hollows and low elevations.
2. Island shoal. This area is located off the coast of Kamchatka and the Commander-Aleutian island ridge. The relief of the surface is very complex and may undergo some changes due to the proximity of volcanic and seismic manifestations.
3. Continental slope. It is located between Cape Navarin and Unimak Island and is characterized by depth indicators from two hundred to three thousand meters. This area also has a complex sloping relief, the angle of inclination of which varies from one to three degrees to twenty degrees or more. There are beautiful underwater valleys and canyons with steep steep slopes.
4. Deep sea basin. This zone is located in the center and southwest of the reservoir. It is characterized by small underwater ridges. Due to the complexity of its relief, the deep-water basin provides a constant water exchange between different parts of the sea.

Temperature regime

What can be said about the temperature of air and water? In summer, it is rather cool over the water area (about seven to ten degrees Celsius). In winter, the temperature can range from minus one to minus thirty.

The average temperature of water masses in many cases depends on the depth of the Bering Sea. The maximum depth has a temperature of one to three degrees Celsius (with a plus mark), while at the minimum depth, warmer readings are noted (from seven to ten degrees). At medium depths, the temperature regime varies between two to four degrees Celsius.

Salinity Information

The same principle applies to the salinity of waters: the greater the depth, the higher the indicators.

At the minimum depths, the salinity of the water varies between twenty-two to thirty-two ppm. The middle zone is characterized by thirty-three to thirty-four ppm, while the salinity of deep waters almost reaches thirty-five ppm.

freezing water

It is interesting that the surface of the Bering Sea is annually covered with ice in the following ratio: freezing of half of the reservoir is observed within five months, while its northern part can be under the action of glaciers for seven months or longer.

It is noteworthy that the Gulf of Laurentia, located on the eastern coast of the Bering Sea, may not be cleared of ice masses all year round, while the waters of the Bering Strait are almost never subject to severe freezing.

Rich animal world

Despite low temperatures and deep waters, the reservoir between America and Eurasia is actively inhabited. Here you can find four hundred and two types of fish, four types of crabs, four types of shrimp, two types of mollusks, as well as a large number of mammals, especially pinnipeds.

Let's talk more about the living creatures that inhabit the cold and deep waters of the Bering Sea.

Fish

In the reservoir most often there are different varieties of gobies. The goby family belongs to the bottom fish living in the coast.

The body of an adult individual, slightly flattened at the back, can reach forty centimeters in length. It has dorsal fins (usually in the amount of two pieces) and a sucker on the belly, with which the fish is attached to the stones. Bull spawning falls on March-August.

Among salmonids in the Bering Sea, whitefish and nelma stand out especially, as well as Pacific salmon, which are valuable commercial fish.

This family is diverse with numerous species and representatives. The body length of salmon can vary from three centimeters to two meters, and the weight of adults and large individuals can reach seven to ten kilograms.

The body of the fish is elongated, compressed on the sides. It has multi-beam ventral and pectoral fins. There are two pectoral fins (one is normal, and the second is a leathery outgrowth from adipose tissue - a characteristic feature of all salmonids).

Spawning of this species of fish is carried out only in fresh waters.

pinnipeds

The most common mammals in the Bering Sea are seals and walruses, which arrange real rookeries on the banks of the reservoir.

Seals are very massive sea creatures. For example, an adult can reach about two meters in length, while its weight exceeds one hundred and thirty kilograms. Bearing offspring in this family can last about a year.

The Pacific walrus is another inhabitant of the northern reservoir. Its weight can vary from eight hundred to one thousand seven hundred kilograms. This family is highly prized for its long tusks, which can weigh up to five kilograms each.

The skin of walruses is wrinkled and very thick (in some places it can reach ten centimeters in thickness). The subcutaneous layer of fat is also large - about fifteen centimeters.

Quite often in the Bering Sea there are various large cetaceans - narwhals, humpbacks, sei whales and other mammals, the length of which is measured in several tens of meters, and the weight can reach one hundred tons or more.

Yes, it is impossible to describe in detail all the inhabitants of the underwater depths of the Bering Sea. However, this body of water is famous not only for its rich underwater world, but also for its fascinating history of development, beautiful bottom topography, and important strategic location. After all, the Bering Sea is the border of two continents, two continents, two states.

It is located in its northern part. It is separated from the boundless ocean waters by the Aleutian and Commander Islands. In the north, through the Bering Strait, it connects with the Chukchi Sea, which is part of the Arctic Ocean. The reservoir washes the shores of Alaska, Chukotka, Kamchatka. Its area is 2.3 million square meters. km. The average depth is 1600 meters, the maximum is 4150 meters. The volume of water is 3.8 million cubic meters. km. The length of the reservoir from north to south is 1.6 thousand km, and from west to east it is 2.4 thousand km.

Historical reference

Many experts believe that during the last ice age, the sea level was low, and therefore the Bering Strait was land. This so-called Bering bridge, through which the inhabitants of Asia fell into the territory of North and South America in ancient times.

This reservoir was explored by the Dane Vitus Bering, who served in the Russian fleet as a captain-commander. He studied the northern waters in 1725-1730 and 1733-1741. During this time, he carried out two Kamchatka expeditions and discovered part of the islands of the Aleutian ridge.

In the 18th century, the reservoir was called the Kamchatka Sea. It was first named the Bering Sea at the initiative of the French navigator Charles Pierre de Fleurieu at the beginning of the 19th century. This name was fully fixed by the end of the second decade of the 19th century.

general description

Sea bottom

In its northern part, the reservoir is shallow, thanks to the shelf, the length of which reaches 700 km. The southwestern part is deep water. Here the depth reaches up to 4 km in some places. The transition from shallow water to the deep ocean floor is carried out along a steep underwater slope.

Water temperature and salinity

In summer, the surface layer of water warms up to 10 degrees Celsius. In winter, the temperature drops to -1.7 degrees Celsius. The salinity of the upper sea layer is 30-32 ppm. The middle layer at a depth of 50 to 200 meters is cold and practically does not change throughout the year. The temperature here is -1.7 degrees Celsius, and the salinity reaches 34 ppm. Below 200 meters, the water warms up, and its temperature rises to 4 degrees Celsius with a salinity of 34.5 ppm.

The Bering Sea receives such rivers as the Yukon in Alaska with a length of 3100 km and the Anadyr with a length of 1152 km. The latter carries its waters through the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia.

Bering Sea on the map

Islands

The islands are concentrated on the boundaries of the reservoir. The main ones are considered Aleutian Islands representing an archipelago. It stretches from the coast of Alaska towards Kamchatka and has 110 islands. Those, in turn, are divided into 5 groups. There are 25 volcanoes on the archipelago, and the largest is the Shishaldin volcano with a height of 2857 meters above sea level.

Commander Islands includes 4 islands. They are located in the southwestern part of the considered reservoir. Pribylov Islands located north of the Aleutian Islands. There are four of them: St. Paul, St. George, Otter and Walrus Island.

Diomede Islands(Russia) consist of 2 islands (Ratmanov Island and Kruzenshtern Island) and several small rocks. They are located in the Bering Strait at approximately the same distance from Chukotka and Alaska. The Bering Sea is also St. Lawrence Island in the southernmost part of the Bering Strait. It is part of the state of Alaska, although it is located closer to Chukotka. Experts believe that in ancient times it was part of the isthmus connecting 2 continents.

Nunivak Island located off the coast of Alaska. Among all the islands belonging to the reservoir in question, it is the second largest after St. Lawrence. In the southern part of the Bering Strait is also located island of St. Matthew, owned by the USA. Karaginsky Island located near the coast of Kamchatka. The highest point on it (High Mountain) is 920 meters above sea level.

sea ​​coast

The sea coast is characterized by capes and bays. Of the bays on the Russian coast, one can name Anadyr, washing the shores of Chukotka. Its continuation is the Gulf of the Cross, located to the north. Karaginsky Bay is located off the coast of Kamchatka, and Olyutorsky Bay is located to the north. Deep in the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Gulf of Korfa is wedged.

Bristol Bay is located off the southwestern coast of Alaska. To the north are smaller bays. This is Kuskokwim, into which the river of the same name flows, and Norton Bay.

Climate

In summer, the air temperature rises to 10 degrees Celsius. In winter it drops to -20-23 degrees Celsius. The Bering Sea is covered with ice by the beginning of October. The ice melts by July. That is, the reservoir is covered with ice for almost 10 months. In some places, such as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, ice can be present all year round.

Marine mammals such as bowhead and blue whales, sei whales, fin whales, humpback whales, and sperm whales live in the sea. There are also northern fur seals, beluga, seals, walruses, polar bears. Up to 40 species of different birds nest on the coast. Some of them are unique. In total, about 20 million birds breed in this region. 419 species of fish are registered in the reservoir. Salmon, pollock, king crab, Pacific cod, halibut, and Pacific perch are of commercial value.

The further development of the ecosystem of the reservoir under consideration is uncertain. The region has seen a slight but steady increase in sea ice over the past 30 years. This was in sharp contrast to the seas of the Arctic Ocean, where the ice surface is steadily decreasing.