Arctic Ocean Facts
Arctic Ocean which is also known as the Northern Ocean is the smallest member of the ocean family, where, you know, there are five members.
Arctic
is the north pole of the globe and this ocean surrounds the pole. It is the
opposite ocean of the Antarctic. Both these large water bodies are similar in
characteristics.
The
most important trait of the Arctic Ocean is its frozen waters. Most part of
this ocean is freezing cold. One can find floating icebergs in the ocean.
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| Arctic Map: Origin : CIA World Factbook |
The
Arctic Ocean covers 14,056,000 sq km (5,427,000 sq mi) of area. The ocean is in
a circular basin surrounded by the continents of North America, Europe and Asia.
Its extent is from the 90 degree north to 57 degrees north.
The
narrow Bering Strait connects it with the Pacific Ocean. The channel to the
Atlantic is wider that goes through the Greenland Sea and the Labrador Sea.
The
Ocean is surrounded by the northern most Eurasian and American countries which
are Russia, Norway, Greenland, Canada and Alaska.
Note: Bering Strait is the narrow channel between Siberia of Russia and Alaska of USA. Long times ago, when the sea levels were lower, there was an ice bridge across the channel. That bridge was used by some people to go to Americas from the Eurasian land mass.
Note: Bering Strait is the narrow channel between Siberia of Russia and Alaska of USA. Long times ago, when the sea levels were lower, there was an ice bridge across the channel. That bridge was used by some people to go to Americas from the Eurasian land mass.
Sea Floor
The
continental shelves of the Arctic are the widest in the world. It extends more
than 1200 Km in some areas from the continents. There are a few continental shelves
which are under the ocean’s water like the Canadian Arctic Shelf, the Barents
Shelf, Chukchi Sea Shelf and Siberian Shelf. Among these, the Siberian Shelf is
the largest; in fact, it is the largest in the world.
The
average depth is 3658 m or about 12000 ft. The deepest point is called as the
Litke Deep (5,450 m or 17,880 ft).
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| Topographic features of the Arctic Ocean |
There
is a submarine ridge named as he Lomonosov Ridge. The ridge is 1,800 kilometers
(1,100 mi) long and about 60 to 200 Km wide. It divides the Arctic Basin into
the Eurasian Basin and Amerasian Basin.
The Amerasian Basin is larger than the Eurasian Basin. Canada Basin is the deepest region of the Amerasian Basin. Alpha Ridge separates it from Makarov Basin.
Gakkel Ridge divides the Eurasian Basin in two parts - Nansen Basin and Amundsen Basin.
You can learn more about the Gakkel Ridge from Wikipedia.
The Amerasian Basin is larger than the Eurasian Basin. Canada Basin is the deepest region of the Amerasian Basin. Alpha Ridge separates it from Makarov Basin.
Gakkel Ridge divides the Eurasian Basin in two parts - Nansen Basin and Amundsen Basin.
You can learn more about the Gakkel Ridge from Wikipedia.
Water
The
salinity of the Arctic Ocean is remarkably low at the surface levels. One of
the main reasons of it is the huge freshwater input from a few very big rivers
like the Ob, Lena, Yenisei, Mackenzie etc.
The
water from these rivers are less dense due to less salinity and so it floats
above the heavy, cold main water body of the ocean. Between these two levels
is the halocline level where salinity and temperature increases with the depth.
Arctic Ocean is a polar region. Here the climate is always cold. The annual temperature difference is also narrow.
During the winter period, the sun can not be seen for a long period of time. In the North Pole, the duration of the winter night is 6 months ! That time period is lower in the areas farther from the pole.
The situation in summer is exact opposite. In that time, there is "midnight sun". Sun never sets for months and their remains a day for months without break.
Due to the mix of warmer water from the Pacific and the Atlantic ocean with the cold water of the ocean, mist and cloud is produced throughout the year. The cloud cover increases during the summer. Many cyclones are formed during the summer.
In the Arctic region the famous colorful dancing lights or Aurora Borealis is visible during the polar nights. It is one of the wonders of nature. Shaded of blue, green, red, yellow and violate color makes it a spectacular scene.
The phenomena is caused by the collision of charged particles of sun with the gas atoms of the air at very high altitudes. That particles are attracted towards the magnetic poles which is near the geographical poles of the earth.
The Geographic North Pole is located in the middle of the Northern Ocean. The point where North Pole is situated is covered by icy cold water and sheets of ice. The land is under the water, 4,261 m (13,980 ft) below. The nearest town or village to the North Pole is Alert in the Nunavut state of Canada, more than 500 mi south. The North Pole is such a place where time is difficult to determine because sun only rises and sets once in a year.
Climate
Arctic Ocean is a polar region. Here the climate is always cold. The annual temperature difference is also narrow.
During the winter period, the sun can not be seen for a long period of time. In the North Pole, the duration of the winter night is 6 months ! That time period is lower in the areas farther from the pole.
The situation in summer is exact opposite. In that time, there is "midnight sun". Sun never sets for months and their remains a day for months without break.
Due to the mix of warmer water from the Pacific and the Atlantic ocean with the cold water of the ocean, mist and cloud is produced throughout the year. The cloud cover increases during the summer. Many cyclones are formed during the summer.
Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis
The phenomena is caused by the collision of charged particles of sun with the gas atoms of the air at very high altitudes. That particles are attracted towards the magnetic poles which is near the geographical poles of the earth.
North Pole
The Geographic North Pole is located in the middle of the Northern Ocean. The point where North Pole is situated is covered by icy cold water and sheets of ice. The land is under the water, 4,261 m (13,980 ft) below. The nearest town or village to the North Pole is Alert in the Nunavut state of Canada, more than 500 mi south. The North Pole is such a place where time is difficult to determine because sun only rises and sets once in a year.
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| North Pole by NOAA |
Ice
A
big part of the Arctic remains frozen for the whole year. The ice cover varies
seasonally. The average area covered by ice is about 15,600,000 sq km or 6,023,200 sq mi.
During
the month of April, the ice cover can be seen in most part of it and in
September the ice free areas get maximum areas. Actually, from October to June
the ocean becomes in-navigable due to ice. The difference between the winter and summer ice coverage area is about 50%
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| Arctic Ice |
Sometimes,
Floating icebergs flow from the Arctic to the Atlantic Ocean. Such an iceberg doomed
the Titanic.
The formation of ice on the surface keeps the water of the ocean below warmer than the air of the region. The ice acts as a thermal insulator that keeps the cold air away.
The formation of ice on the surface keeps the water of the ocean below warmer than the air of the region. The ice acts as a thermal insulator that keeps the cold air away.
Economy
The
Arctic Ocean has its shoreline with some major industrialist countries. But due
to the harsh natural conditions of the ocean, fishing or under sea mining
activities are costly and difficult to carry out. But this region has huge
amount of unexplored natural gas and oil deposits.
Some
of the major sea ports of the Arctic are Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Tiksi, Kirkenes,
Verdo, Nuuk, Churchill, Nunavut, Barrow, etc. These ports are not open for all
seasons.
The weather of the Arctic is too cold and harsh. But it is not lifeless. The ocean is teeming with life.
Most notable of Arctic creatures are the marine mammals. There are many types of cetaceans here like Orca, Narwhal, Beluga Whale, Bowhead Whale, Grey Whale, etc.
Among the pinnipeds most common are the Bearded Seals, Ribbon Seals, Ringed Seals, Harp Seals, Hooded Seals, Walruses, etc.
Polar Bear is probably the most well known Arctic ocean animal. It is well known for big size and ferocious nature. It is the apex predator of the region.
Greenland shark is the largest fish of the ocean. There are more than 200 species of other fishes like Greenlings, Sculpins, Aligator fishes, Snailfishes etc.
In comparison to animals, the plant life of the ocean is minimal. There is no major plants except some phytoplankton.
Lion's Mane Jellyfish is large species of jelly which is abundant in the ocean. With the tentacles it can be more than 120 ft long ! You can learn more about that largest jellyfish from my post.
For further reading about Arctic Animals go to the following link:
http://www.arcodiv.org
Environmental Concerns
Animals and Plants
The weather of the Arctic is too cold and harsh. But it is not lifeless. The ocean is teeming with life.
Most notable of Arctic creatures are the marine mammals. There are many types of cetaceans here like Orca, Narwhal, Beluga Whale, Bowhead Whale, Grey Whale, etc.
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| Beluga Whale |
Among the pinnipeds most common are the Bearded Seals, Ribbon Seals, Ringed Seals, Harp Seals, Hooded Seals, Walruses, etc.
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| Narwhal |
Polar Bear is probably the most well known Arctic ocean animal. It is well known for big size and ferocious nature. It is the apex predator of the region.
Greenland shark is the largest fish of the ocean. There are more than 200 species of other fishes like Greenlings, Sculpins, Aligator fishes, Snailfishes etc.
In comparison to animals, the plant life of the ocean is minimal. There is no major plants except some phytoplankton.
Lion's Mane Jellyfish is large species of jelly which is abundant in the ocean. With the tentacles it can be more than 120 ft long ! You can learn more about that largest jellyfish from my post.
For further reading about Arctic Animals go to the following link:
http://www.arcodiv.org
Environmental Concerns
The
ice layer of the ocean is constantly decreasing. The thinning of Arctic ice
pack is matter of great concern because it can bring drastic changes in the
weather patterns all over the world. It is estimated that the Northern Ocean is losing its ice at an alarming rate of 3% per year.
Fishing
and use of ice breakers has also observed to be harmful for the environment of
this ocean. To save this sensitive spot of our world efforts have been taken by
many government and non government agencies.
Do you have a collection of some more interesting facts about Arctic Ocean ? Do you want to know more about the Ocean ? If yes, then use the comment section below to let us know.
Do you have a collection of some more interesting facts about Arctic Ocean ? Do you want to know more about the Ocean ? If yes, then use the comment section below to let us know.
