The Atlantic Ocean is second in size only to the Pacific, its area is approximately 91.56 million km². It is distinguished from other oceans by the strong indentation of the coastline, which forms numerous seas and bays, especially in the northern part. In addition, the total area of ​​river basins flowing into this ocean or its marginal seas is much larger than that of rivers flowing into any other ocean. Another difference of the Atlantic Ocean is a relatively small number of islands and a complex bottom topography, which, thanks to underwater ridges and uplifts, forms many separate basins.

North Atlantic Ocean

borders and coastlines. The Atlantic Ocean is divided into northern and southern parts, the boundary between which is conventionally drawn along the equator. From an oceanographic point of view, however, the equatorial countercurrent, located at 5-8 ° N latitude, should be attributed to the southern part of the ocean. The northern boundary is usually drawn along the Arctic Circle. In some places this boundary is marked by underwater ridges.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Atlantic Ocean has a heavily indented coastline. Its relatively narrow northern part is connected to the Arctic Ocean by three narrow straits. In the northeast, the Davis Strait, 360 km wide (at the latitude of the Arctic Circle), connects it with the Baffin Sea, which belongs to the Arctic Ocean. In the central part, between Greenland and Iceland, there is the Danish Strait, with a width of only 287 km at its narrowest point. Finally, in the northeast, between Iceland and Norway, is the Norwegian Sea, approx. 1220 km. To the east, two water areas deeply protruding into the land separate from the Atlantic Ocean. The more northern of them begins with the North Sea, which to the east passes into the Baltic Sea with the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. To the south there is a system of inland seas - the Mediterranean and the Black - with a total length of approx. 4000 km. In the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the ocean with the Mediterranean Sea, there are two oppositely directed currents one below the other. The lower position is occupied by the current from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, since the Mediterranean waters, due to more intensive evaporation from the surface, are characterized by greater salinity and, consequently, greater density.

In the tropical zone in the southwest of the North Atlantic are the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, connected to the ocean by the Strait of Florida. The coast of North America is indented by small bays (Pamlico, Barnegat, Chesapeake, Delaware and Long Island Sound); to the northwest are the Bays of Fundy and St. Lawrence, Belle Isle, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay.

The largest islands are concentrated in the northern part of the ocean; these are the British Isles, Iceland, Newfoundland, Cuba, Haiti (Hispaniola) and Puerto Rico. On the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean there are several groups of small islands - Azores, Canaries, Cape Verde. There are similar groups in the western part of the ocean. Examples include the Bahamas, Florida Keys and Lesser Antilles. The archipelagos of the Greater and Lesser Antilles form an island arc surrounding the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea. In the Pacific Ocean, such island arcs are characteristic of regions of crustal deformations. Deep-water trenches are located along the convex side of the arc.

The basin of the Atlantic Ocean is bordered by a shelf, the width of which varies. The shelf is cut through by deep gorges - the so-called. submarine canyons. Their origin is still a matter of controversy. According to one theory, the canyons were cut by rivers when the ocean level was below present. Another theory links their formation with the activity of turbidity currents. It has been suggested that turbidity currents are the main agent responsible for the deposition of sediments on the ocean floor and that it is they that cut submarine canyons.

The bottom of the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean has a complex rugged relief, formed by a combination of underwater ridges, hills, basins and gorges. Most of the ocean floor, from a depth of about 60 m to several kilometers, is covered with thin silty deposits of dark blue or bluish-green color. A relatively small area is occupied by rocky outcrops and areas of gravel-pebble and sandy deposits, as well as deep-water red clays.

Telephone and telegraph cables have been laid on the shelf in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean to connect North America with northwestern Europe. Here, the areas of industrial fishing, which are among the most productive in the world, are confined to the area of ​​the North Atlantic shelf.

In the central part of the Atlantic Ocean, almost repeating the outlines of the coastlines, a huge underwater mountain range approx. 16 thousand km, known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This ridge divides the ocean into two approximately equal parts. Most of the peaks of this underwater ridge do not reach the surface of the ocean and are located at a depth of at least 1.5 km. Some of the highest peaks rise above ocean level and form the islands - Azores in the North Atlantic and Tristan da Cunha - in the South. In the south, the range bends around the coast of Africa and continues further north into the Indian Ocean. A rift zone extends along the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Surface currents in the North Atlantic Ocean move clockwise. The main elements of this large system are the warm current of the Gulf Stream directed to the north, as well as the North Atlantic, Canary and Northern Equatorial (Equatorial) currents. The Gulf Stream follows from the Florida Strait and Cuba Island in a northerly direction along the coast of the USA and approximately 40°N. sh. deviates to the northeast, changing its name to the North Atlantic Current. This current divides into two branches, one of which follows the northeast along the coast of Norway and further into the Arctic Ocean. It is because of it that the climate of Norway and all of northwestern Europe is much warmer than would be expected at latitudes corresponding to the region stretching from Nova Scotia to southern Greenland. The second branch turns south and further southwest along the coast of Africa, forming the cold Canary Current. This current moves to the southwest and joins the North Equatorial Current, which heads west towards the West Indies, where it merges with the Gulf Stream. To the north of the North Equatorial Current is an area of ​​stagnant water, abundant in algae and known as the Sargasso Sea. Along the North Atlantic coast of North America, the cold Labrador Current passes from north to south, following from the Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea and cooling the coast of New England.

South Atlantic Ocean

Some experts attribute to the Atlantic Ocean in the south the entire body of water up to the Antarctic ice sheet itself; others take for the southern boundary of the Atlantic an imaginary line connecting Cape Horn in South America with the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. The coastline in the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean is much less indented than in the northern part; there are also no inland seas along which the influence of the ocean could penetrate deep into the continents of Africa and South America. The only major bay on the African coast is Guinea. On the coast of South America, large bays are also few in number. The southernmost tip of this continent - Tierra del Fuego - has a rugged coastline, bordered by numerous small islands.

There are no large islands in the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean, however, there are separate isolated islands, such as Fernando de Noronha, Ascension, Sao Paulo, St. Helena, the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, and in the extreme south - Bouvet, South Georgia , South Sandwich, South Orkney, Falkland Islands.

In addition to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, there are two main submarine mountain ranges in the South Atlantic. The whale range extends from the southwestern tip of Angola to about. Tristan da Cunha, where it joins the Mid-Atlantic. The Rio de Janeiro ridge stretches from the Tristan da Cunha Islands to the city of Rio de Janeiro and is a group of separate underwater hills.

The main current systems in the South Atlantic move counterclockwise. The South Tradewind current is directed to the west. At the protrusion of the east coast of Brazil, it divides into two branches: the northern one carries water along the northern coast of South America to the Caribbean, and the southern, warm Brazilian Current, moves south along the coast of Brazil and joins the West Winds Current, or Antarctic, which heads east and then to the northeast. Part of this cold current separates and carries its waters north along the African coast, forming the cold Benguela Current; the latter eventually joins the South Equatorial Current. The warm Guinea Current moves south along the coast of Northwest Africa to the Gulf of Guinea.

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest in its size. It has more than 100 bays and seas. Its northern waters are bordered by Iceland and Greenland, to the south by Antarctica, to the west by Eurasia and Africa, and to the east by the continents of the New World. The total coastal length of the ocean is 111,966 km.

currents

The Labrador, East Greenland and Norwegian currents flow in the upper ocean basin. The circular warm North Equatorial and South Equatorial currents are located on the upper and lower zones from the equator, respectively.

The seas, currents and bays of the Atlantic Ocean will be discussed below.

The North Equatorial Current is divided into the northern branch and the Florida Current, from which the Gulf Stream is formed, and later the North Atlantic Current.

The South Tradewind Current forms the Guiana Current in the north, and the Brazilian Current in the south, which passes into the Benguela Current.

Swimming pool

The seas and bays of the Atlantic Ocean with a volume of 330.1 million square meters. km cover a quarter of the world's oceans. 14.90 sq. km of its territory, is included in

Southern Ocean, and the remaining 76.76 million square meters. km fall on the basin itself, 1/8 of which is occupied by seas, bays and straits.

The average value of its depth is 3736 m, and the greatest depth of 8742 m is observed on the border of the Caribbean Sea - in the Puerto Rico trench.

Salinity

The salinity of the ocean at the equator is 35‰, in the tropics and subtropics - 37.25‰, near Antarctica up to 33.6‰-33.8‰, off the coast of Canada and Greenland - 32‰, in the northeast - 35.5‰. The Atlantic Ocean is considered the most saline ocean in the world - its average value is 35.3‰.

Temperature

At the equator there is a large part of the ocean, where the temperature exceeds 20°C. In the subequatorial zone, the temperature is +10°C and +20°C in winter and summer, respectively.
In temperate latitudes, the temperature in winter drops to -10°C, and in summer it is 10-15°C. In winter, in temperate latitudes, uniform precipitation is observed, and in the tropics and subtropics - heavy rains and tropical cyclones.

Major seas of the Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean basin includes 30 seas, which can be divided into several types. Among them, there are several main seas that have an important transport, recreational and industrial role.

Sea type
Mediterranean inland seas	Adriatic, Ionic, Marble, Aegean, Cretan, Alboran, Balearic, Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Icarian, Levantine, Cypriot, Sardinian, Libyan, Myrtoic, Thracian Cilician.
inland	Mediterranean, Black, Azov, Baltic, Irish, Northern, Caribbean, Watt.
Seas of the Southern Ocean	Scotia, Wedell, Lazarev, Riiser-Larsen.
marginal seas	Sargasso, Caribbean, Labrador, Iroise, Irminger, Celtic.

Baltic

It washes the Scandinavian Peninsula, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, as well as Germany and Denmark. The volume of the sea is 21.5 thousand cubic meters. km, and the area - 419 thousand square meters. km, of which 4 thousand square meters. km are islands. The deepest part of the sea is observed in the Landsort depression - 470 m. The depth is 51 m.

It is rich in ferromanganese minerals, deposits of oil and amber. It is of great transport importance. The water temperature in the center of the sea ranges from 14°C to 17°C in summer and from 0.4°C to 5.8°C in winter. The salinity of the sea decreases with moving inland - on the border with the North Sea, it is 20%.

The sea is inhabited by shrimps, barnacles, mussels, porpoise, varieties of seals, perch, eel, salmon, bondage, cod, pike perch, burbot, pike. Fucus, kelp, polysiphonia, rhodomela grow on the territory of the pool.

caribbean

Washes South and Central America in the south and west, respectively. The northeastern part is separated by the Antilles. Its area is 2.574 million square meters. km, and the volume is 6860 thousand cubic meters. km. The greatest depth is in the Cayman Basin - 7686 m, and the average - 2491 m. It has more than 700 islands, caves and reefs.

Sea turtles, species of sharks and whales, flying fish, seals, dolphins, parrot fish and sperm whales live in the sea. The oil reserves of the Caribbean Sea exceed 13 billion tons, and gas - 8.5 trillion. cube m.

The sea temperature in summer is stable around 28°C. And in winter it is 23°C in the north and 27°C in the south. The salinity of the water does not exceed 36 ‰. From June to November, up to a dozen tropical hurricanes are observed in the north of the sea.

Labrador

The sea is named after the nearby Labrador Peninsula. It is located in the temperate zone and borders Canada and Greenland. The area is 840 thousand square meters. km, and the volume is 1.596 million km³. The average depth is 1898 m, and the maximum depth is 4316 m.

Temperatures in the northeast range from -4°C to -6°C and in the northwest from -16°C to -18°C. In the south, the air temperature varies from -2°C to -10°C, and in the central part - from -8°C to -10°C. It often storms in autumn and winter, and 2/3 of its area is occupied by ice.

The lowest salinity of the waters is observed on the northern shores of Greenland and Labrador - from 30‰ to 32‰, and the highest reaches 36‰, on the border with the ocean and the Sargasso Sea. The fauna of the basin is rich in squid, shrimps, dolphins, whales, flounder and even sharks.

Lazareva

The sea is located near Antarctica and washes Queen Maud Land. The basin does not have clear boundaries, but occupies an approximate area of ​​929 thousand square meters. km. The average depth of the sea is 3000 m, and the maximum depth is 4500 m. Seals, killer whales, white-blooded fish, penguins and sea leopards live on its territory.

The sea is covered with ice all year round, which gradually breaks off in summer, forming icebergs. In February, the temperature drops to -10°C, and in August it fluctuates from -10°C to -26°C. With strong winds, the temperature drops to -50°C. The salinity of the water varies slightly relative to the seasons - in summer 34 ° C, and in winter 33.5 ° C.

Sargasso

The seas and bays of the Atlantic Ocean include a basin covered with algae - the Sargasso Sea. It is devoid of shores and is located in the east of the Florida peninsula. In the south, it borders on the North Trade Wind, in the north on the North Atlantic, and in the west - the Canary Currents. Its area is about 6-7 million square meters. km, the average depth is 5000 m, and the maximum depth is 6905 m.

The area between the Florida peninsula, Bermuda and Puerto Rico is referred to as the Bermuda Triangle. Its territory is conditioned by magnetic storms and gravitational anomalies. The temperature in winter ranges from 24°C to 18°C, and in winter it reaches 26°C. Its central part has a salinity of 37‰, and the outskirts - 36‰.

The sea was named after the algae - sargasso, which cover its surface. Their total mass is more than 10 million tons. The sea is home to anchovies, tuna, tiny crabs, small fish and sharks. The sea is visited by European and American eels for spawning. The meager world of fauna owes a small amount of plankton.

Northern

The sea washes Western Europe, Central Europe and the Scandinavian Peninsula. Its area is 565 thousand square meters. km, and the depth varies from 40 m to 725 m. More than half of the sea is no deeper than 100 m, and its average depth does not exceed 95 m.

Winds constantly blow over its basin, which is why fog and rain are often observed. In summer, the surface temperature reaches from 12°C to 18°C, and in winter it does not fall below 2°C. The average salinity of the water is 35‰, but on the border with the Baltic Sea it falls relatively.

More than a fifth of the total world maritime cargo traffic is transported through the sea. Rich in shrimps, halibut, cod, horse mackerel, Antantic herring, anchovies. The shelf zone is rich in oil and gas, the deposits of which provide the UK, Germany, France, Norway and Belgium with fuel. Oil reserves are 3 billion tons.

skosha

It is located on the coast of Antarctica, between the South George, Orkney and Sandwich Islands. Its area is 1.247 million square meters. km, the average depth reaches 5100 m, which makes it the deepest sea in the world. Its bottom reaches 6022 m.

The air above the sea is dry and cold. Storms and storms are often observed. The surface of the sea is often covered with icebergs. Salinity is relatively the same throughout the territory - 34%. The surface temperature drops to -1°C, and the average values ​​vary from 5°C to 7°C.

The development of fishing is facilitated by the presence of ice pike, whale, southern blue whiting, grenadier, mullet, hammerhead fish. Walruses, sperm whales, seals live here. In total, the pool has about 100 species of fish.

mediterranean

Divides the northern part of Africa from the southern part of Europe and in some places washes Western Asia. It is of great importance in modern tourism and cargo transportation. The seas and bays, or rather half of their names in the Atlantic Ocean, fall on the Mediterranean Sea.

The International Hydrographic Organization includes 7 basins in the inland seas of the Mediterranean Sea:

• Ligurian (15 thousand sq. km);
• Alboran (53 thousand sq. km);
• Balearic (86 thousand sq. km);
• Adriatic (138.6 thousand sq. km);
• Ionian (169 thousand sq. km);
• Aegean (214 thousand sq. km);
• Tyrrhenian (275 thousand sq. km).

The unrecognized seas include:

• Marble;
• Cretan;
• Tyrrhenian;
• Icarian;
• Levantine;
• Cypriot;
• Sardinian;
• Libyan;
• Myrtoian;
• Thracian;
• Cilician.

The total sea area is 2.5 million square meters. km, and the volume - 3.839 million cubic meters. m. Its deepest point is the Deep Basin, with a mark of 5121 m. The average depth is 1541 m.

The temperature on the surface drops as you approach the ocean. In summer, the temperature in the eastern part is 27-30°C, in the center it is 25°C, and in the west - from 19°C. In the east and in the central parts in winter, the temperature rises from south to north from 17°С to 8°С, respectively, and in the west - in the region from 11°С to 15°С.

Due to high temperatures, less water evaporates in the west and its salinity is 36°C, while in the east it exceeds 39°C.

A meager amount of fish is isolated by a small amount of plankton. The fauna includes crayfish, white-bellied seals, sea turtles, anchovies, mullets, rays. Of the invertebrates, squids, octopuses, jellyfish, spiny lobsters, sponges and corals live in the sea.

Wedell

It is isolated from the east by the Coates Land, and from the west by the Antarctic Peninsula. Its area is 2.92 million square meters. km, and the volume is 329.7 thousand cubic meters. km. The deepest point is located in the northern part of the sea and is 6820 m, and relative shallow water is observed in the south and southwest - 500 m.

The average depth is about 3000 m. In the south, 1/7 of the territory is occupied by the Ronne and Filchner glaciers. During most of the year it is covered with ice due to a temperature of -1.8°C.

Black

Connected to the Sea of ​​Marmara through the Dardanelles. The coastline of 3400 km washes Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Romania, Abkhazia and Bulgaria. Its area is 422 thousand square meters. km, and the volume exceeds 555 thousand km³. The average depth is 1240 m, and the maximum reaches 2210 m.

The temperature in the north in winter drops to -3°С, and in summer it is +23°С, +25°С. The southern part has a milder climate, and its temperature drops to +7°C in winter and rises to +23°C in summer. The northwestern part receives up to 300 mm of precipitation per year, and the Caucasian part exceeds this figure by 5 times.

Of the algae in the pool, cystorhiza, cladophora, and phyllophora grow. Of the fish live mackerel, beluga, horse mackerel, herring, anchovy. More than 500 types of crustaceans, 200 types of molluscs. Due to the large amount of hydrogen sulfide at a depth of 150-200 m, only anaerobic bacteria function. The high salinity of the sea also affected the scarcity.

Major gulfs of the Atlantic Ocean

The seas and bays of the Atlantic Ocean were formed due to the large indentation of the coast - once Pangea split into Laurasia and Gondwana. There are not only individual bays of the ocean, but also bays of the seas.

Bay of Biscay

It washes the territory from the city of Brest to Cape Ortegal. Stretches for 400 km. It borders on the north with France and Italy. It occupies an area of ​​223 thousand square meters. km. ITS average depth is 15-17 m, and the maximum is 4735 m.

In winter, the wind speed reaches 113 km/h. The northern part in summer has a temperature of 10 ° C, and in summer it drops by 2 times. The water temperature in the southern part is 12°C in winter and 22°C in summer. The salinity of the water is 35‰. Of the crustaceans, sea urchins, crabs, and shrimps live in the sea. Beluga whales, stingrays, dolphins, whales and several species of sharks live.

Gulf of Bothnia

The bay is located north of the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Finland. It is separated from the south by the Aland Islands. Covers an area of ​​117 sq. km. The average depth is 60 m and the deepest is 295 m. Its maximum width is 240 km and its length is 668 km.

Water freezes in 5 out of 12 months. In winter, the water temperature does not fall below 0°C, and in summer it rises to 9-13°C. The water in the north has a salinity of 1-3‰, and in the south 4-5‰. Precipitation falls 550 mm per year. The vegetation of the bay is sparse. Of the fish, there are pike, pike perch, grayling, trout, sprats, salmon, perch and whitefish. Of the endangered species, there are otter, guinea pig and ringed seal.

bristol bay

The bay was formerly known as the Severn Sea and separates South West England from South Wales. considered a channel. It has a width of 50 m and a length of 135 m. At the mouth of the channel, the depth does not reach 10 m, and the coastline on both sides exceeds 1500 km. Gulls, fulmars, linnets, robins live in the reserves of its territory.

gulf of guinea

It is located at the intersection of the prime meridian and the equator. It is isolated by capes Palmeirinhas and Palmasi. It has an area of ​​1.533 million square meters. km. Its maximum depth is 6363 m, and the average is 2579 m. It is divided into the bays of Biafra and Benin. The bay is rich in oil. Piracy is developed on its territory.

Surface water temperature does not fall below 25°C. Precipitation falls a record amount for Africa - 9000 mm. Closer to the ocean, the waters have a salinity of 35 ‰. In the mouths of the rivers, this figure drops to 20-30 ‰. The pool is inhabited by different types of sharks, crabs, shrimps, crustaceans, stingrays, swordfish, tuna, sailfish.

Gulf of Maine

Located between Nova Scotia and Cape Cod. It has an area of ​​95 thousand square meters. km. The average depth is 227 m. Its maximum depth is 329 m. In February and March, the water temperature reaches 2 °C. The maximum temperature on the surface of the bay is observed in August - 21 °C.

Gulf of Saint Lawrence

It is the mouth of the river of the same name. It is considered the largest estuary and semi-enclosed sea. Washes the coast of Canada. In the north it borders with the Labrador Peninsula. It is bounded to the south and east by the islands of Cape Breton and Newfoundland. To the west is North America.

Its area is 226 thousand km². Volume - 34500 km³. The southern part has a depth of 60-80 m. The northern part is 400-500 m. The average depth is 152 m and the maximum depth is 530 m.

It has a monsoon climate. The water temperature in summer reaches 15°C, and in winter it drops below -1°C. The western part of the bay has a salinity of 12-15‰, and in the northeast it reaches 32‰. The bottom has a temperature of 5°C and a salinity of 35‰. At a depth of 100 m, the temperature is kept at 0°C, and the salinity is 32‰.

Gulf of Mexico

The seas and gulfs of the Atlantic Ocean include the largest gulf in the world, the Gulf of Mexico. Often referred to as the American Mediterranean Sea and considered inland. Its area is 1.543 million square meters. km, and the volume is 2.332 km³.

It washes the south of the United States, the northeast of Mexico and the western part of the Cuban Island. The maximum depth is 4384 m, and the average is 1615. The coastline with the United States and Mexico extends for 4500 km.

The intensely heated surface serves as energy for Hurricanes and storms. To a depth of 2000 m, salinity reaches 36.9‰. Deeper - 35‰. Precipitation is 1000-12000 mm. The average temperature in summer is 29°C, while in winter it drops from 25°C to 18°C ​​from north to south. Tropical climate.

Rich in oil and gas. It serves as an important shipping point for neighboring countries. After the disaster in 2010, it became significantly contaminated - more than 760 million tons of oil fell into the bay and resulted in the death of hundreds of birds and animals.

There are lobsters, shrimps, bluefish, tuna, marlin, menhaden, swordfish, flounder, Antantic tarpons, whose weight is 50-150 kg, and the Mexican filamentous stingray, which lives only in these waters.

Gulf of Riga

Gulf of the Baltic Sea. Its southern part washes Latvia, and the northern borders with Estonia. Separated from the Baltic Sea by the Moonsund Archipelago. The area of ​​the bay is 18.1 thousand square meters. km. The maximum depth is 67 m, and the average is 26.

In winter, the bay is covered with ice - the water temperature drops to -1°C. In summer the water heats up to 18°C. Salinity is relatively low - 3.5-6‰. On the banks, the water is 26-28‰, and in the center 22-23‰.

The Gulf of Finland

The bay washes the shores of Estonia, Russia and Finland. It occupies the eastern part of the Baltic Sea. The area is 29.5 thousand square meters. km. The average depth of the basin does not exceed 38 m, and the deepest point is at a depth of 121 m.

In winter, the temperature drops to 0°C, and from the end of November to the end of April it freezes. In summer the temperature fluctuates around 15-17C°C. The water surface has a salinity of 0.2‰ and increases by 9 units. The bottom is relatively higher, from 0.3‰ to 11‰. With Western Winds, the basin causes floods in St. Petersburg. Autumn storms are observed.

On the south coast, there are Kotelsky, Lebyazhy, Gostilitsky and Kurgalsky wildlife preserves. Ringed and gray seals listed in the Red Book live on its territory. Of the endemic fish, the Baltic cod and herring are found. Eel, crucian carp, lamprey, flounder, pike, ruff, cod are found in its pool.

Despite the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is in many ways inferior to the Pacific, its seas and bays have broken world records in some criteria:

• The Gulf of Mexico is the largest bay in the world;
• the Wedell Sea is the cleanest and most transparent sea;
• The Sargasso Sea is the calmest sea;
• The West Wind Current is the largest current in the world.

Article formatting: Mila Fridan

Video about the seas and bays in the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean:

Physical geography of Russia and the USSR
European part: Arctic, Russian Plain, Caucasus, Urals

INTRODUCTION

Introduction chapters:

• Seas washing the territory of Russia
  • Seas of the Atlantic Ocean
• From the history of the geographical study of the territory of Russia
  • The initial period of scientific research on the territory of Russia
  • The period of major expeditionary research, including branch research
  • Soviet period of branch and complex research

Seas of the Atlantic Ocean

The three inland seas of the Atlantic Ocean - the Baltic, Black and Azov - wash small areas of Russian territory. All of them protrude deeply into the mainland, and their connection with the ocean is through other seas and shallow straits. A weak connection with the ocean determines their rather peculiar hydrological regime. The western transfer of air masses has a decisive influence on the climate of the seas.

Table 1. Seas washing the territory of Russia

The ancient Slavs called the Baltic Sea Varangian. This is the westernmost of the seas washing the shores of Russia. It is connected to the ocean through the shallow Danish Straits and the North Sea. The Baltic Sea was formed in the Quaternary in a tectonic trough that arose at the junction of the Baltic Shield with the Russian Plate. During periods of glaciation, its basin was covered by continental ice. In the Holocene, the sea went through several lacustrine and marine stages in its development and, apparently, at a certain period of time connected with the White Sea.

The depths of the Baltic Sea are shallow. The maximum depth is south of Stockholm (470 m). In the Gulf of Finland near the coast of Russia, the depth is less than 50 m, near the Kaliningrad coast - somewhat more.

The main features of the climate of the Baltic Sea are formed under the influence of a steady transfer of temperate air from the Atlantic. Cyclones often pass through the sea, accompanied by western, southwestern and northwestern winds, cloudy weather and heavy rainfall. Their annual number reaches 800 mm and more. In summer, cyclones carry moist cool air, so the average temperature in July is 16-18°C, and the water temperature is 15-17°C. In winter, the Atlantic air causes thaws, since its average temperature in January is about 0°C. The sometimes cold arctic air breaking through here can lower the temperature to -30...-35°С. The Gulf of Finland, located near the borders of Russia, is covered with ice in winter; off the coast of the Kaliningrad region, there are only floating ice. However, in exceptionally severe winters, the entire sea froze (1710, 1809, 1923, 1941, 1955, etc.).

About 250 rivers flow into the Baltic Sea, but about 20% of the annual river runoff is brought into the sea by the river. Neva (79.8 km 2). Its flow exceeds the flow of the three other largest rivers: the Vistula, the Neman and the Daugava, combined. The flow of the Neva is regulated by lakes, so it is characterized by one spring-summer maximum. Strong prolonged westerly winds raise the water level in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, which caused catastrophic floods in St. Petersburg, located at the mouth of the Neva (1824, 1924). Limited water exchange with the ocean and significant river runoff determine the low salinity of sea water (2-14‰, off the coast of Russia - 2-8‰).

The fauna of the Baltic Sea is depleted in species due to high desalinization, low mixing of waters and the poverty of plankton. The following fish are of commercial importance: herring, Baltic sprat, cod, whitefish, chime, lamprey, smelt, salmon. The seal lives in the sea, the number of which is declining due to the pollution of sea waters.

The Black Sea is the warmest among the seas washing the shores of our Motherland. In ancient Greece it was called Pontus Euxine which means "hospitable sea". In terms of area, it is almost equal to the Baltic, but differs sharply in volume and depth (see Table 1). The connection of the Black Sea with the ocean is carried out through a system of inland seas (Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean) and straits (Bosphorus, Dardanelles, Gibraltar). The greatest length of the Black Sea water area from west to east reaches 1130 km, the maximum width (from north to south) is 611 km, the minimum is only 263 km.

The Black Sea lies in a deep tectonic basin with oceanic-type crust and Cenozoic sedimentary cover. The maximum depth of the sea reaches 2210 m. The depression is delineated by the continental slope, which in a number of places (especially near the Caucasian coast) is strongly dissected by underwater canyons. The shelf is most developed in the northwestern part of the sea, off the coast of Ukraine. The coastline of the sea is poorly dissected.

The geographical position of the sea and the relatively small area of ​​the water surface determine the same type of climate throughout its water area, close to the Mediterranean, with warm, wet winters and relatively dry summers. However, the orography of the coastal territories causes some differences in the climate of individual sections of the sea, in particular, an increase in precipitation over the eastern part due to the influence of the mountainous barrier of the Caucasus.

In winter, the synoptic situation determines the predominance of northeast winds with an average speed of 7-8 m/s over almost the entire sea area. The development of strong (more than 10 m/s) and especially storm winds is associated with the passage of cyclones over the sea. The average air temperature in winter decreases from the open sea to the coast. In the north-eastern part, near the coast of Russia, it approaches 0 ° С, in the north-west it is -2 "С, and in the south-east + 4 ... + 5 ° С.

In summer, northwest winds prevail over the sea. Their average speed is 3-5 m/s, decreasing from west to east. Strong, especially stormy, winds are rare in summer and are also associated with the passage of cyclones. The average air temperature in August varies from + 22°C in the northwest to 24-25°C in the east of the sea.

Numerous rivers flowing into the Black Sea annually bring 346 km 2 of fresh water into it. The Danube gives the largest runoff (201 km 2 / year). All rivers of the northwestern part discharge 270 km 2 /year of fresh water into the sea, i.e. almost 80% of the total runoff, while the rivers of the Caucasian coast bring only 43 km2. The largest runoff occurs in the spring, the smallest is observed in the fall.

On the surface of the sea along the coast there is a cyclonic current. In the central part of the sea, two rings of cyclonic currents are traced: one - in the western part, the other - in the eastern part of the sea. Along the Russian shores, the current carries water from the south. Through the straits there is an exchange of water with neighboring seas. Through the Bosporus, the surface current carries the Black Sea water, and the deep current delivers more salty and heavier water from the Sea of ​​​​Marmara to the Black Sea. The salinity of the Black Sea waters in the central part is 17-18‰, and increases with depth to 22.5‰. Near the mouths of large rivers, it drops to 5-10‰.

The Black Sea is very peculiar in terms of the distribution of dissolved gases in the water column. It is saturated with oxygen and therefore only the upper layer is favorable for life here to depths of 170-180 m. Below, oxygen is quickly replaced by poisonous hydrogen sulfide, which is widespread throughout the entire water column from the lower boundary of the oxygen layer to the bottom, so the deep layers of the Black Sea are devoid of life.

There are 166 species of fish in the sea. Among them there are Pontic relics (beluga, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, herring), Mediterranean forms (mullet, mackerel, horse mackerel, red mullet, sprat, anchovy, tuna, stingray, etc.) and freshwater forms (ram, pike perch, bream). Of the mammals in the Black Sea, endemic species have survived - the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin (dolphin) and the white-bellied seal, or the monk seal, listed in the Red Books.

The Sea of ​​Azov is the smallest and shallowest on the planet. Its area is 39.1 thousand km 2, the volume of water is 290 km 2, the greatest depth is 13 m, the average is about 7.4 m. The narrow and shallow Kerch Strait connects it with the Black Sea. The Sea of ​​Azov is a shelf. The relief of its bottom is quite simple: the shallow coast turns into a flat and flat bottom. Depths slowly and smoothly increase with distance from the coast.

The sea is deeply incised into the land, its water area and volume of water are small and do not have a significant impact on the climate; therefore, its climate is characterized by continental features, more pronounced in the northern part of the sea, which is characterized by cold winters and hot, dry summers. In the southern regions, which are more influenced by the proximity of the Black Sea, the climate is milder and more humid. The average temperature in January is -2...-5°C, but with storm winds from the east and northeast directions, temperatures may drop to -25...-27°C. In summer, the air over the sea warms up to 23-25°C.

Two large rivers - Don and Kuban - and about 20 small rivers flow into the Sea of ​​Azov. The Don and Kuban bring over 90% of the annual river water runoff into the sea, so almost all fresh water flows into the eastern part of the sea. The vast majority of runoff falls on the spring-summer period. Water exchange with the Black Sea takes place through the Kerch Strait. About 49 km 2 of water per year flows out of the Sea of ​​Azov, and about 34 km 2 enters the Black Sea water, i.e. outflow to the Black Sea prevails. The salinity of sea waters in the Sea of ​​Azov in the first half of the century was about 11‰. Then, due to a reduction in the inflow of river waters used for irrigation and an increase in the inflow of Black Sea waters, salinity began to increase and by the beginning of the 1980s it reached 13.8‰.

The shallow Sea of ​​Azov warms up well in summer. In July-August, the average sea water temperature is 24-25°C. Maximum warming (up to 32°C) occurs near the shores. In the open sea, the temperature does not exceed 28-28.5°C. The long-term average annual water temperature on the sea surface is 11°C.

Ice forms annually in the Sea of ​​Azov, but due to frequent and rapid changes in weather conditions, ice can repeatedly appear and disappear during the winter, turning from immobile to drifting and vice versa. Ice formation begins at the end of November in the Taganrog Bay. The final cleansing of the sea from ice occurs in March - April.

It is the edge of the world, beyond which there is no land. Therefore, for a long time, the name Western Ocean was also used in relation to it. The modern name arose around the 1st century AD in the writings of the scientist Pliny the Elder. Its origin is connected with the ancient Greek myth about the titan Atlanta, who allegedly holds the entire firmament of the Earth. According to legend, this titan was located in the extreme west, that is, somewhere far away in the Atlantic Ocean.

Read also:

In terms of its total area of ​​91.66 million sq. km, the reservoir is second only to the Pacific Ocean. The deepest point of the Atlantic is the Puerto Rico trench, located north of the island of the same name. Its depth reaches 8742 meters. About 16% of the ocean area is occupied by smaller water areas: seas, bays, straits.

Map "Sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean"

The following seas belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin:

Irish sea

It is located between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The largest ports on its coast are Dublin and Liverpool. The area of ​​the sea is 100 thousand square meters. km, the average depth is 43 m, and the maximum is 175 m. In its water area there are two large islands, Man and Anglesey. In the north, the sea flows into the North Strait, and in the south into the Strait of St. George. The central point of the reservoir has coordinates 53°43′18″ s. sh. and 5°10′38″ W. d.

North Sea

On the map it can be found at the coordinates 55°51′47″ s. sh. and 3°20′23″ E. e. The sea washes Great Britain from the east and the Jutland and Scandinavian peninsulas from the west. The area of ​​the reservoir is 750 thousand square meters. km, the greatest depth reaches 725 m, the average - 95 m. It plays a huge role in maritime trade, its ports, the largest of which are Rotterdam, Amsterdam, London and Hamburg, account for more than 20% of the world's cargo traffic. Also, a large amount of oil and gas is produced here, due to which Norway is almost the most prosperous state in the world.

norwegian sea

Geographers are still arguing about which ocean should include the Norwegian Sea (67°52′32″ N and 1°03′17″ E) - the Atlantic or the Arctic. It washes Norway from the western direction. Its area is 1.4 million square meters. km, and the average depth is 1600-1750 m, reaching a maximum of 3970 m. The conditional southern boundary of the reservoir runs along the Faroe Islands and the island of Iceland.

Baltic Sea

The center of this sea has coordinates 58°37′00″ s. sh. and 20°25′00″ E. e. The reservoir is connected to the North Sea by a system of five Danish straits. Its area is about 419 thousand square meters. km, and the average depth is 51 m. The deepest point of the bottom is at a depth of 470 m. The most important cities located on its coast are St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Stockholm, Copenhagen. The salinity of the sea is very low, and its decrease is observed in the northern direction. As a result, freshwater fish are found near the northern shores of the reservoir.

Mediterranean Sea

A huge reservoir with an area of ​​​​about 2.5 million square meters. km and separating the South from the North. It also washes Western Asia (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel). The center of the sea can be found at 35° N. sh. 18° in. e. The depth of the reservoir reaches its maximum in the Central Basin (5121 m), and its average value is 1541 m. The coastline of the sea is strongly indented, as a result of which many inland seas are distinguished in its composition:

• Tyrrhenian;
• Balearic;
• Ionic;
• Ligurian;
• Adriatic;
• Aegean;
• Sea of ​​Alboran.

Since ancient times, the Mediterranean Sea has played a painful role in the development of European civilization. It was on its shore that the first Greek policies were located. The Roman Empire became the first and so far the only state that managed to conquer the entire coast of the reservoir, and therefore for centuries it was called the Roman Sea.

In the west, the Mediterranean Sea flows into the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar, and in the east it is connected to the Red Sea by the man-made Suez Canal. Through the Dardanelles, the Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Sea of ​​Marmara and through it indirectly to the Black Sea.

Sea of ​​Marmara

A very small reservoir with an area of ​​​​only 11,472 square meters. km, which is intermediate between the Black and Mediterranean Seas. The Sea of ​​Marmara (40°43′21″ N and 28°13′29″ E) washes the European part of Turkey from the east, and its Asian part from the west. The largest city on the coast is Istanbul, which used to be the capital of the Roman Empire and was called Constantinople. The maximum depth is 1355 m, and the average is 677 m.

Black Sea

It has an area of ​​422 thousand square meters. km and is the most important body of water for Russia, Ukraine and other coastal states. It is through it that most trade operations with the outside world are carried out, and its coast is the most popular holiday destination. Repeatedly, the Russian Empire faced the Ottomans in wars for the right to pass through the Black Sea straits - the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, which connect the Black Sea (43 ° 17′49 ″ N and 34 ° 01′46 ″ E) with the Marmara and Mediterranean by sea.

The average depth of the reservoir is 1240 m, and the maximum reaches 2210 m. It is interesting that from about a depth of 150 meters the water is highly saturated with hydrogen sulfide, which is why there is almost no life below this level, with the exception of some types of bacteria.

Sea of ​​Azov

It is the shallowest sea on the planet, whose average depth does not exceed 7.5 m, and the maximum reaches only 13.5 m. Also, this reservoir with an area of ​​​​39 thousand square meters. km is also considered the most continental sea of ​​​​the Earth, since in order to get from it to the ocean, it is necessary to cross 4 more seas: the Black, Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean.

The Sea of ​​Azov (46°05′06″ N and 36°31′44″ E) is an inland sea of ​​two states - Russia and Ukraine. On its coast there are such large cities as Mariupol and Taganrog, and the largest river flowing into it is the Don. The reservoir is connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait.

Riiser-Larsen Sea

One of the southernmost seas (68 ° S and 22 ° E) of the Atlantic Ocean, washing the coast (Queen Maud Land). Its area is more than 1.1 million square meters. km. From the east it borders on the Cosmonauts Sea, and from the west on the Lazarev Sea. The average depth of the reservoir is 3000 m, and the maximum is 5327 m. The sea is ice-bound for almost the entire year.

Sea of ​​Lazarev

Neighbor of the Riiser-Larsen Sea, also bordering the Antarctic Queen Maud Land. The coordinates of its conditional center are 68 ° S. sh. and 5° in. The area of ​​the reservoir is about 335 thousand square meters. km. The maximum depth reaches 4500 m, and the average is about 3000 m. The boundaries of the sea were determined only in 1962 by Soviet scientists. The sea is named after Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, who took part in the discovery of the Antarctic continent.

Weddell Sea

Located between Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The area of ​​the Weddell Sea (75° S, 45° W) is over 2.9 million square kilometers. km. The maximum depth of the reservoir reaches 6820 m, and the average is about 3000 m. Initially, the sea was named after the British monarch George IV, but in 1900 it was renamed in honor of James Weddell, who discovered this sea back in 1823. Interestingly, the reservoir is characterized by the highest transparency. If in distilled water a disk specially used for measuring transparency is visible at a distance of 80 m, then in the Weddell Sea the distance is reduced to only 79 m.

sea ​​scotia

A reservoir with an area of ​​1.3 million square meters. km is located east of the Drake Passage and has coordinates 57 ° 30′ S. sh. and 40°00′ W e. Its boundaries are defined by three archipelagos:

• South Georgia;
• South Sandwich Islands;
• South Orkney Islands.

The average depth of the sea is 3096 m, which is the greatest result among all the seas of the Earth. The maximum depth is 6022 m.

caribbean sea

The reservoir washes the northern coast, Cuba, the Antilles and the east coast of Central America. The Caribbean Sea (14°31′32″ N 75°49′06″ W) covers an area of ​​more than 2.7 million square kilometers. km. Its maximum depth is 7686 m, and the average is 2500 m.

During the years of colonialism, the region became one of the centers of maritime piracy. Today it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Sargasso Sea

The Sargasso Sea (28°20′08″ N and 66°10′30″ W) does not wash the coast of any continent, its boundaries are determined by sea currents: the Canary, North Atlantic, North Trade Wind and Gulf Stream. The area bounded by them has a variable area from 6 to 7 million square meters. km. The greatest depth is 6995 m, and the average is 2100 m.

It is in the Sargasso Sea that the infamous Bermuda Triangle is located, in which planes and ships often disappear. Scientists attribute this to poor climatic conditions.

Sea Labrador

It is located between the Canadian peninsula of the same name, Greenland and the island of Newfileland. The coordinates of its center are 59°29′23″ s. sh. and 54°03′10″ W. The area of ​​the reservoir is about 840 thousand square meters. km, and the maximum depth is 4316 m. The average depth is 1950 m. More than 65% of the sea surface is covered with ice in winter.

Irminger Sea

It is located between Iceland and Greenland, washing their southern shores. The area of ​​the reservoir is 780 thousand square meters. km. The Irminger Sea (63°05′41″ N and 31°04′10″ W) has a maximum depth of 3124 m and an average depth of 1800 m.

celtic sea

It is located south of the Irish Sea and has coordinates 50 ° 30′08 ″ s. sh. and 7°54′52″ W. e. It received its modern name only in 1921, before that it was called “southwestern approaches to Great Britain”. Area - 350 thousand square meters. km. The maximum depth of the sea is 366 m, and the average depth is approximately 150 m.

Iroise Sea

A very small reservoir with an area of ​​​​only 3550 square meters. km. Located off the coast of France, between the islands of Ouessant and Seine. Its coordinates are 48°13′00″ s. sh. and 4°48′00″ W. e. The maximum depth reaches 250 m, and the average does not exceed 80 m.

is the smallest sea in the world. The average depth is only 7.4 m, the greatest is 13.5 m. The sea was formed around 5600 BC. after the spill of the neighboring Black Sea, which flooded the mouth of the Don, forming a new water area.

The Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov is probably the only one in the world that has had more than 100 names in its entire history! Here are just a few of them: Meotian, Karguluk, Balysyr, Samakush, Saks, Frankish, Kaffa, Akdeniz. The modern name of the sea was given by the city of the same name, conquered for Russia by Peter I. And only from the middle of the 18th century on the maps it began to be designated as Azov.

Despite its shallow depth, the Sea of ​​Azov is considered one of the richest in terms of the number of individuals per 1 sq. km. According to this indicator, it is 40 times richer than the Mediterranean and 160 times richer than the Black.

- marginal sea in the north-west of Europe. The area is 415 thousand sq. km, the average depth is 51 m. Some scientists distinguish the part of the sea between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland as a separate water area - the Archipelago Sea.

In the "Tale of Bygone Years" this sea is called the Varangian, the Swedes, Germans and Danes called it the East, and in ancient Rome the sea was described as the Sarmatian Ocean. For a long time, the Baltic Sea has been considered one of the main transport routes linking Russia and Europe.
The Hebrides Sea is located between Scotland and the Hebrides. The area is 47 thousand sq. km, the average depth is 64 m.

The sea is cold, winds and hurricanes often rage over its surface, which are alternately replaced by showers and fogs. The weather here is unpredictable, which makes navigation very difficult.

- a small sea (area 100 thousand square kilometers) between Great Britain and Ireland. The ancient Greeks called it the Ibernian Ocean. In winter, storms rage here, in summer the water warms up to 13-16 °C. And the height of the tidal waves reaches 6 meters.

In the last 100 years, the issue of building a bridge across the seas or an underwater tunnel has been widely discussed. And according to Greenpeace, the Irish Sea is considered the most radioactively polluted in the world.

It separates Central and South America, and is connected to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal. Its area is 2.7 million sq. km, the average depth is 2500 m.

The sea got its name in honor of the Caribs - a group of Indian tribes who settled in the Antilles in the 15th century, that is, at the time when the Spanish conquerors appeared in these waters. However, very often this sea was also called the Antilles.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries, piracy flourished in the Caribbean, which had a significant impact on the development of the region's economy. The most famous pirates of the Caribbean: Henry Morgan, Edward Teach (nicknamed "Blackbeard") and Bartholomew Roberts ("Black Brother").

By the way, Tortuga is a real island in the Caribbean, which was once a stronghold of piracy.

It washes the southern parts of Ireland and Great Britain and the northwestern coast of France.

The name for the sea in 1921 was proposed by the English scientist E. Holt, who decided to perpetuate the memory of the most ancient people who lived in this region - the Celts. Until that time, the northern part of the sea was considered part of the Strait of St. George, and the southern was designated as the "south-western approaches" to Great Britain. After a series of studies at the beginning of the 20th century, it was decided to single out this area as a separate sea and assign an official name to it.

Washes the southeast coast of Greenland. This small area is famous for its harsh climate and cold waters, which are brought here by the Arctic currents. The sea is named after the greatest Danish hydrographer of the 19th century, K.L. Irminger.

- the northernmost sea of ​​the Atlantic with an area of ​​​​840 thousand square kilometers, the average depth is 1898 m. The proximity of the Arctic is clearly felt here. During the winter months, 2/3 of the Labrador Sea is covered with floating ice. And because of the melting of glaciers, icebergs are often found. One of the largest turbidite channels in the world lies in this water area.

Despite the harsh climate, the coasts of Labrador were inhabited as early as the 5th century BC. The coast of this sea has become home to many ancient cultures of the Indians and Eskimos.

The sea is named after the island of the same name, which was discovered by the Portuguese G. Kortirial in 1500. Translated from port. "Terro do Lavrador" means "land of the plowman".

- an inland sea separating the Asian and European parts of Turkey. The area is 11.4 thousand sq. km, the average depth is 259 m.

The Sea of ​​Marmara was formed several million years ago, its description is found in the historical writings of the ancient Greeks and Arabs. But the first scientific research here was carried out by Russians: in 1845 - the expedition of M. P. Manganari, in 1890 - a special scientific expedition of S. O. Makarov and I. B. Spindler.

- a unique sea, which in many ways differs from all the seas on earth.

Firstly, this is the only sea on the planet without coasts. Its boundaries are currents. That is why the area of ​​the Sargasso Sea is determined approximately - 6-7 million square kilometers.

Secondly, the sea is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest stretch of calm water. Indeed, almost 90% of the sea is covered with sargasso - brown algae. Such a vast spot is visible even from space.

Thirdly, this is one of the safest seas in the world, as predatory marine animals do not look here for fear of getting entangled in algae. Other fish (especially eels) use this with might and main, choosing this sea for laying eggs.

Until recently, the waters of the Sargasso Sea were considered the most transparent - there is little plankton, so it was possible to look deep into almost 60 meters. Unfortunately, the currents bring here a lot of garbage, including plastic waste, which seriously threaten the ecology of the water area.

Washes the northern coast of Europe, located between the British Isles, Scandinavia and the mainland. The area is 755 thousand sq. km, the average depth is 95 m.

The North Sea is of great transport importance. Almost all the main sea routes of our planet intersect here, and the cargo turnover in this sea is 20% of the world's.