Climatic zones temperature salinity of the Pacific Ocean. Pacific Ocean. Climate and properties of water masses. Clouds and pressure

Our Earth looks like a blue planet from space. This is because ¾ of the surface the globe occupies the World Ocean. It is one, though very divided.

The surface area of ​​the entire World Ocean is 361 million square meters. km.

Oceans of our planet

Ocean - water shell land, the most important component of the hydrosphere. Continents divide the oceans into parts.

Currently, it is customary to distinguish five oceans:

. - the largest and oldest on our planet. Its surface area is 178.6 million square meters. km. It occupies 1/3 of the Earth and makes up almost half of the oceans. To imagine this value, it is enough to say that all the continents and islands together can easily be placed in the Pacific Ocean. This is probably why it is often called the Great Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean owes its name to F. Magellan, who, during his world travel crossed the ocean under favorable conditions.

The ocean has an oval shape, its widest part is located near the equator.

The southern part of the ocean is an area of ​​calm, light winds and a stable atmosphere. To the west of the Tuamotu Islands, the picture changes dramatically - here is a region of storms and heavy winds, turning into ferocious hurricanes.

In the tropics of water Pacific Ocean clean, transparent and have a deep Blue colour. formed near the equator favorable climate. The air temperature here is +25ºC and practically does not change throughout the year. Winds of moderate strength, often calm.

The northern part of the ocean is similar to the southern, as if in a mirror image: in the west, unstable weather with frequent storms and typhoons, in the east - peace and quiet.

The Pacific Ocean is the richest in terms of the number of animal and plant species. Over 100 thousand species of animals live in its waters. Almost half of the world's fish catch is caught here. The most important sea ​​routes connecting 4 continents at once.

. covers an area of ​​92 million square meters. km. This ocean, like a huge strait, connects the two poles of our planet. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, famous for its instability, runs through the center of the ocean. earth's crust. Separate peaks of this ridge rise above the water and form islands, the largest of which is Iceland.

The southern part of the ocean is under the influence of the trade winds. There are no cyclones here, so the water here is calm, clean and transparent. Closer to the equator, the Atlantic changes completely. The waters here are muddy, especially along the coast. This is due to the fact that large rivers flow into the ocean in this part.

Northern tropical belt The Atlantic is famous for its hurricanes. Two major currents meet here - the warm Gulf Stream and the cold Labrador.

The northern latitudes of the Atlantic are the most picturesque area with huge icebergs and powerful ice tongues protruding from the waters. This area of ​​the ocean is dangerous for navigation.

. (76 million sq. km) - the area of ​​​​the most ancient civilizations. Navigation here began to develop much earlier than in other oceans. The average depth of the ocean is 3700 meters. Coastline slightly indented, with the exception of the northern part, where most of the seas and bays are located.

Water indian ocean more saline than in others, since much fewer rivers flow into it. But, thanks to this, they are famous for their amazing transparency and rich azure and blue color.

The northern part of the ocean is a monsoon region, and typhoons often form in autumn and spring. Further south, the water temperature is lower due to the influence of Antarctica.

. (15 million sq. km) is located in the Arctic and occupies vast areas around north pole. Max Depth- 5527m.

The central part of the bottom is a continuous intersection of mountain ranges, between which there is a huge basin. The coastline is heavily indented by seas and bays, and in terms of the number of islands and archipelagos, the Arctic takes second place after such a giant as the Pacific Ocean.

The most characteristic part of this ocean is the presence of ice. Northern Arctic Ocean remains by far the least studied, as research is hampered by the fact that most of the ocean is hidden under the ice cover.

. . The waters surrounding Antarctica combine signs. Allowing them to be separated into a separate ocean. But there are still disputes about what to consider borders. If from the south the borders are marked by the mainland, then the northern borders are most often drawn along 40-50º south latitude. Within such limits, the ocean area is 86 million square meters. km.

The bottom relief is cut by underwater canyons, ridges and basins. The fauna of the Southern Ocean is rich, there is the largest number of endemic animals and plants.

Characteristics of the oceans

The oceans are several billion years old. Its prototype is ancient ocean Panthalassa, which existed when all the continents were still a single whole. Until recently, the bottom of the oceans was assumed to be flat. But it turned out that the bottom, like the land, has a complex relief, with its mountains and plains.

Properties of the waters of the oceans

The Russian scientist A. Voyekov called the World Ocean "a huge heating battery" of our planet. The fact is that the average water temperature in the oceans is +17ºC, and the average air temperature is +14ºC. Water heats up much longer, but it also consumes heat more slowly than air, while having high heat capacity.

But not all the water column in the oceans has the same temperature. Under the sun, only surface waters heat up, and with depth, the temperature drops. It is known that at the bottom of the oceans the average temperature is only +3ºC. And it remains so because of the high density of water.

It should be remembered that the water in the oceans is salty, and therefore it freezes not at 0ºC, but at -2ºC.

The degree of salinity of the waters varies depending on geographical latitude: V temperate latitudes the waters are less salty than, for example, in the tropics. In the north, the waters are also less saline due to the melting of glaciers, which greatly desalinate the water.

The waters of the ocean are also different in terms of transparency. At the equator, the water is clearer. As the distance from the equator increases, the water becomes saturated with oxygen faster, which means that more microorganisms appear. But near the poles, due to low temperatures, the waters become more transparent again. So, the waters of the Weddell Sea near Antarctica are considered the most transparent. The second place belongs to the waters of the Sargasso Sea.

The difference between the ocean and the sea

The main difference between the sea and the ocean is in size. The oceans are much larger, and the seas are often only part of the oceans. The seas also differ from the ocean to which they belong in unique hydrological regime(water temperature, salinity, transparency, distinctive composition of flora and fauna).

The climate of the oceans

Climate of the Pacific infinitely diverse, so the ocean is located in almost all climatic zones: Equatorial to Subarctic in the north and Antarctic in the south. There are 5 warm currents and 4 cold currents in the Pacific Ocean.

The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the equatorial zone. The amount of precipitation exceeds the proportion of water evaporation, so the water in the Pacific Ocean is less salty than in others.

climate of the atlantic ocean determined by its large extent from north to south. The equator zone is the narrowest part of the ocean, so the water temperature here is lower than in the Pacific or Indian.

The Atlantic is conditionally divided into northern and southern, drawing a border along the equator, and the southern part is much colder due to its proximity to Antarctica. Many areas of this ocean are characterized by thick fogs and powerful cyclones. They are strongest near the southern tip. North America and in the Caribbean.

On formation Indian Ocean climate the proximity of two continents - Eurasia and Antarctica - has a huge impact. Eurasia actively participates in the annual change of seasons, bringing dry air in winter and filling the atmosphere with excess moisture in summer.

The proximity of Antarctica causes a decrease in water temperature in the southern part of the ocean. Hurricanes and storms are frequent north and south of the equator.

Formation climate of the Arctic Ocean conditioned by it geographic location. Arctic air masses dominate here. average temperature air: from -20 ºC to -40 ºC, even in summer the temperature rarely rises above 0ºC. But the waters of the ocean are warmer due to constant contact with the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Therefore, the Arctic Ocean warms a significant part of the land.

Strong winds are rare, but fogs are frequent in summer. Precipitation falls mainly in the form of snow.

It is influenced by the proximity of Antarctica, the presence of ice and the absence of warm currents. Here reigns antarctic climate With low temperatures, cloudy weather and light winds. Snow falls throughout the year. Distinctive feature climate of the Southern Ocean - high activity of cyclones.

The influence of the ocean on the Earth's climate

The ocean has a tremendous influence on the formation of climate. It accumulates huge reserves of heat. Thanks to the oceans, the climate on our planet is becoming milder and warmer, since the temperature of the waters in the oceans does not change as sharply and quickly as the temperature of the air over land.

Oceans promote better circulation air masses. And this is the most important a natural phenomenon, like the water cycle, provides the land with sufficient moisture.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world. It stretches from the very north of the planet to its south, reaching the shores of Antarctica. It reaches its greatest width at the equator, in the tropical and subtropical zones. Therefore, the climate of the Pacific Ocean is more defined as warm, because most of it falls on the tropics. This ocean has both warm and cold currents. It depends on which continent the bay adjoins in one place or another and what atmospheric flows are formed above it.

Video: 213 Climate of the Pacific

atmospheric circulation

In many ways, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on atmospheric pressure, which is formed above it. In this section, geographers distinguish five main areas. Among them there are zones of both high and low pressure. In the subtropics in both hemispheres of the planet, two regions are formed above the ocean high pressure. They are called the North Pacific or Hawaiian High and the South Pacific High. The closer to the equator, the lower the pressure becomes. Also note that in the atmospheric dynamics is lower than in the east. In the north and south of the ocean, dynamic lows are formed - the Aleutian and Antarctic, respectively. Northern exists only in winter time year, and the southern one in its own way atmospheric features stable all year round.

Winds

Such a factor as the trade winds largely affects the climate of the Pacific Ocean. In short, such wind currents are formed in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. There, for centuries, a system of trade winds has been established, which cause warm currents and stable hot air temperature. They are separated by a strip of equatorial calm. Calms prevail in this area, but light winds occasionally occur. In the northwestern part of the ocean, monsoons are the most frequent guests. In winter, the wind blows from the Asian continent, bringing cold and dry air with it. In summer, the ocean wind blows, which increases the humidity and temperature of the air. The temperate climate zone, as well as the entire southern hemisphere, is subject to strong winds starting from. The climate of the Pacific Ocean in these areas is characterized by typhoons, hurricanes, and gusty winds.

Air temperature

In order to visually understand what temperatures the Pacific Ocean is characterized by, the map will come to our aid. We see that this reservoir is located in all climatic zones, starting from the northern, icy, passing through the equator and ending with the southern, also icy. Above the surface of the entire reservoir, the climate is subordinated latitudinal zonality and winds that bring hot or cold temperatures to certain regions. In equatorial latitudes, the thermometer shows from 20 to 28 degrees in August, approximately the same indicators are observed in February. In temperate latitudes, February temperatures reach -25 Celsius, and in August the thermometer rises to +20.

Video: Pacific Ocean

Characteristics of currents, their influence on temperature

The peculiarities of the climate of the Pacific Ocean are that in the same latitudes at the same time different weather can be observed. Everything works out this way because the ocean consists of various currents that bring warm or cold cyclones here from the continents. So let's start with the Northern Hemisphere. In the tropical zone, the western part of the reservoir is always warmer than the eastern one. This is due to the fact that in the west the waters are warmed by the trade winds and the East Australian. In the east, the waters are cooled by the Peruvian and California currents. In the strip temperate climate on the contrary, the east is warmer than the west. Here the western part is cooled by the Kuril current, and the eastern part is heated by the Alaska current. If we consider the Southern Hemisphere, then we will not find a significant difference between the West and the East. Everything happens naturally here, since the trade winds and winds of high latitudes distribute the temperature over the surface of the water in the same way.

Clouds and pressure

The climate of the Pacific Ocean also depends on atmospheric phenomena, which are formed over one or another of its areas. An increase in air currents is observed in low pressure zones, as well as in coastal areas where there is a mountainous area. The closer to the equator, the less clouds gather over the waters. In temperate latitudes, they are contained in 80-70 percent, in the subtropics - 60-70%, in the tropics - 40-50%, and at the equator only 10 percent.

Precipitation

Now let's look at what weather harbors the Pacific Ocean. A map of climatic zones shows that the highest humidity here falls on tropical and subtropical zone that are north of the equator. Here the amount of precipitation is equal to 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes, this figure is reduced to 1000-2000 mm. Also note that in the West the climate is always drier than in the East. The most arid region of the ocean is the coastal zone near and off the coast of Peru. Here, due to problems with condensation, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 300-200 mm. In some areas it is extremely low and is only 30 mm.

Video: 211 History of Pacific Exploration

The climate of the Pacific Ocean

IN classic version It is generally accepted that this water reservoir has three seas - the Sea of ​​Japan, the Bering Sea and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. These reservoirs are separated from the main reservoir by islands or peninsulas, they are adjacent to the continents and belong to countries, in this case Russia. Their climate is determined by the interaction of ocean and land. Above the water surface in February is about 15-20 below zero, in the coastal zone - 4 below zero. The Sea of ​​​​Japan is the warmest, because the temperature in it is kept within +5 degrees. Most harsh winters pass in the north Here the thermometer can show below -30 degrees. In summer, the seas heat up to an average of 16-20 above zero. Naturally, the Okhotsk in this case will be cold - +13-16, and the Japanese one can warm up to +30 or more.

Video: Pacific Ocean nature pacific ocean USA

Conclusion

The Pacific Ocean, which is, in fact, the largest geographical feature planets, characterized by very diverse climate. Regardless of the time of year, a certain atmospheric influence, which generates low or high temperatures, strong winds or utter calm.

Within the Pacific Ocean, all natural belts, except for the northern polar (Arctic).

The northern subpolar (subarctic) belt occupies most of the seas. The northern subpolar belt has some peculiarities. It is not directly affected by the waters of the Arctic Basin, and powerful jets of warm high-salinity waters do not penetrate here either. It is dominated by cold waters. Within the belt there are extensive shelves. On the shallow shelf, biogenic substances are not irretrievably lost at great depths, but are included in the cycle of organic substances; therefore, shelf waters are characterized by high biological and commercial productivity.

The northern tropical belt stretches from the coast and Central America to and continues to the coast and into the South China Sea. In a significant part of the belt, the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere and the Northern Trade Wind Current dominate. Developed in the western part. The belt is characterized by high temperature and salinity of waters, low bioproductivity.

The southern subtropical belt stretches in a winding strip of variable width from southeastern Australia and to the east, covering most of the region, the space between 30 and 40 ° S. latitude, closer to the coast, descends to somewhat lower latitudes and approaches the coast between 20 and 35 ° S. sh. The deviation of the boundaries from the latitudinal strike is associated with the circulation of surface waters and the atmosphere. The axis of the belt in the open part of the ocean is the zone of subtropical convergence, where the waters of the South Equatorial Current and the northern jet of the circumpolar current converge. The position of the convergence zone is unstable, depends on the season and changes from year to year, however, the main processes typical of the belt are constant: the lowering of air masses, the formation of a high pressure area and marine tropical air, and the salinization of waters. On the eastern outskirts of the belt along the coast of Chile, from south to north, there is a coastal one, where an intense surge and rise of water occurs, resulting in the formation of a subtropical upwelling zone and the creation of a large biomass.

Southern temperate zone includes most of the northern part of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The northern boundary of the belt is close to 40-45°S. sh., and the south passes about 61-63 ° S. sh., i.e. along the northern border of distribution sea ​​ice in September. The southern temperate zone is the area of ​​​​dominance of the western, northwestern and southwestern, stormy, significant, low winter and summer surface waters and intensive transfer of surface waters to the east.

Since ancient times, it has occupied an important place in European culture. Actually, it got its name from the light hand of Herodotus, who used in his works the myth of Atlanta, holding the sky to the west of Greece on his shoulders. But at the level of development of Greek science of that time, it was impossible to reliably know in which climatic zones the Atlantic Ocean.

From the Arctic to Antarctica

All the huge variety of climatic zones and the biological richness of the ocean is due to the fact that it has a huge length along the meridian from north to south. The extreme northern point of the ocean is in the subarctic zone, and the southern one reaches the coast of Antarctica.

You can say for sure in which climatic zones the Atlantic Ocean is located: it is subarctic, temperate, subtropical, tropical and subequatorial.

It is worth noting that the only belt that is not represented on the territory of the ocean is the equatorial one. This is due to the fact that the main qualities of this belt can only manifest themselves on land.

Atlantic Ocean. General information, climate

All the well-known historical seas, such as the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Black, with all their bays and straits, belong to the Atlantic Ocean system.

The generally accepted designation of the northern boundary of the ocean runs along the entrance to Hudson Bay and the southern coast of Greenland all the way to Scandinavia. The line of demarcation with the Indian is an imaginary straight line stretching from Cape Agulhas to the coast of Antarctica. The Atlantic is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the sixty-eighth meridian.

However, not only the huge extent of the ocean from south to north affects the climate above its surface. Undercurrents and movement of air currents are also important. This means that it is important not only in which climatic zones the Atlantic Ocean is located, but also what the weather is like in neighboring regions.

Above the surface of the ocean and its coast there is a pronounced seasonal variability of the weather - in the summer there are strong tropical hurricanes, heavy rains. Forming off the west coast, strong hurricanes move west, reaching the coast Western Europe in the region of Portugal and Ireland.

In addition, the exchange of water masses with the Arctic and Southern oceans has a strong influence on weather fluctuations.

Characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean. Bottom geography

Consider this one too important question. The climatic zones in which the Atlantic Ocean is located affect the structure of the ocean floor, especially its coastal part, rich in relict deposits associated with the confluence of rivers, which brought biological remains and other organic matter from the mainland. Later, when the water level in the Atlantic changed, the channels of these rivers were flooded and this had a decisive influence on the formation of the shelf of the European continent.

The richness of the southern coastal waters of the ocean contributes to the formation of in large numbers coral reefs.

Ecology and pollution

Regardless of the climate zones in which the Atlantic Ocean is located, human activity sometimes it has a devastating effect. Aquatic ecosystems have been severely tested in recent decades with increased shipping, hazardous waste flooding and frequent oil spills.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world. It stretches from the very north of the planet to its south, reaching the shores of Antarctica. It reaches its greatest width at the equator, in the tropical and subtropical zones. Therefore, the climate of the Pacific Ocean is more defined as warm, because most of it falls on the tropics. In this ocean, there are both warm and warm. It depends on which continent the bay adjoins in one place or another and what atmospheric flows are formed above it.

atmospheric circulation

In many ways, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on the atmospheric pressure that forms over it. In this section, geographers distinguish five main areas. Among them there are zones of both high and low pressure. In the subtropics in both hemispheres of the planet, two areas of high pressure are formed above the ocean. They are called the North Pacific or Hawaiian High and the South Pacific High. The closer to the equator, the lower the pressure becomes. Also note that in the atmospheric dynamics is lower than in the east. In the north and south of the ocean, dynamic lows are formed - the Aleutian and the Antarctic, respectively. The northern one exists only in the winter season, while the southern one is stable all year round in terms of its atmospheric features.

Winds

Such a factor as the trade winds largely affects the climate of the Pacific Ocean. In short, such wind currents are formed in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. A system of trade winds has been established there for centuries, which also determine a stable hot air temperature. They are separated by a strip of equatorial calm. Calms prevail in this area, but light winds occasionally occur. In the northwestern part of the ocean, monsoons are the most frequent guests. In winter, the wind blows from the Asian continent, bringing cold and dry air with it. In summer, the ocean wind blows, which increases the humidity and temperature of the air. The temperate climate zone, as well as the entire southern hemisphere, starting from the subtropical climate, is subject to strong winds. The climate of the Pacific Ocean in these areas is characterized by typhoons, hurricanes, and gusty winds.

Air temperature

In order to visually understand what temperatures the Pacific Ocean is characterized by, the map will come to our aid. We see that this reservoir is located in all climatic zones, starting from the northern, icy, passing through the equator and ending with the southern, also icy. Above the surface of the entire reservoir, the climate is subject to latitudinal zonality and winds, which bring hot or cold temperatures to certain regions. In equatorial latitudes, the thermometer shows from 20 to 28 degrees in August, approximately the same indicators are observed in February. In temperate latitudes, February temperatures reach -25 Celsius, and in August the thermometer rises to +20.

Characteristics of currents, their influence on temperature

The peculiarities of the climate of the Pacific Ocean are that in the same latitudes at the same time different weather can be observed. Everything works out this way because the ocean consists of various currents that bring warm or cold cyclones here from the continents. So, to begin with, consider In the tropics, the western part of the reservoir is always warmer than the eastern. This is due to the fact that in the west the waters are warmed by the trade winds and the Kuroshio and East Australian currents. In the east, the waters are cooled by the Peruvian and California currents. In the temperate zone, on the contrary, the east is warmer than the west. Here the western part is cooled by the Kuril current, and the eastern part is heated by the Alaska current. If we consider the Southern Hemisphere, then we will not find a significant difference between the West and the East. Everything happens naturally here, since the trade winds and winds of high latitudes distribute the temperature over the surface of the water in the same way.

Clouds and pressure

Also, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on the atmospheric phenomena that form over one or another of its areas. An increase in air currents is observed in low pressure zones, as well as in coastal areas where there is a mountainous area. The closer to the equator, the less clouds gather over the waters. In temperate latitudes, they are contained in 80-70 percent, in the subtropics - 60-70%, in the tropics - 40-50%, and at the equator only 10 percent.

Precipitation

Now consider what is fraught with the Pacific Ocean. belts shows that the highest humidity here falls on the tropical and subtropical zones, which are located north of the equator. Here the amount of precipitation is equal to 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes, this figure is reduced to 1000-2000 mm. Also note that in the West the climate is always drier than in the East. The most arid region of the ocean is the coastal zone near the California Peninsula and off the coast of Peru. Here, due to problems with condensation, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 300-200 mm. In some areas it is extremely low and is only 30 mm.

The climate of the Pacific Ocean

In the classical version, it is customary to believe that this water reservoir has three seas - the Sea of ​​Japan, the Bering Sea and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. These reservoirs are separated from the main reservoir by islands or peninsulas, they are adjacent to the continents and belong to countries, in this case Russia. Their climate is determined by the interaction of ocean and land. On average, the temperature above the water surface in February is about 15-20 below zero, in the coastal zone - 4 below zero. The Sea of ​​​​Japan is the warmest, because the temperature in it is kept within +5 degrees. The most severe winters are in the north. Here the thermometer can show below -30 degrees. In summer, the seas heat up to an average of 16-20 above zero. Naturally, the Okhotsk in this case will be cold - +13-16, and the Japanese one can warm up to +30 or more.

Conclusion

The Pacific Ocean, which is, in fact, the largest geographical feature on the planet, is characterized by a very diverse climate. Regardless of the season, a certain atmospheric influence is formed over its waters, which generates low or high temperatures, strong winds or complete calm.