Freezing of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Sea of ​​Okhotsk: resources, description, features and interesting facts

Tidal phenomena in the Kuril ridge area

Tides are the dominant factor determining the dynamics of water in the straits and largely determine changes in the vertical and horizontal structure water The tides in the area of ​​the ridge, as in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, are formed mainly by tidal waves spreading from the Pacific Ocean. The proper tidal movements of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, caused by the direct influence of tidal forces, are negligible. Tidal waves in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean are predominantly progressive in nature and move in a southwestern direction along the Kuril ridge. The speed of movement of tidal waves in the ocean when approaching the Kuril ridge reaches 25-40 knots (12-20 m/s). The amplitude of tidal level fluctuations in the ridge zone does not exceed 1 m, and the speed of tidal currents is about 10-15 cm/s. In the straits, the phase speed of tidal waves decreases, and the amplitude of tidal level fluctuations increases to 1.7-2.5 m. Here, the speeds of tidal currents increase to 5 knots (2.5 m/s) or more. Due to the multiple reflection of tidal waves from the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, complex forward-standing waves occur in the straits themselves. Tidal currents in the straits have a pronounced reversible character, which is confirmed by measurements of currents at daily stations in the Bussol, Frieza, Catherine and other straits. The horizontal orbits of tidal currents, as a rule, are close in shape to straight lines oriented along the straits.

Wind waves in the Kuril region

In summer, both on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and on the ocean side of the Kuril Islands, large waves (height 5.0 m or more) occur less frequently than in 1% of cases. The frequency of waves with gradations of 3.0–4.5 m is 1-2% on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk side and 3-4% on the ocean side. For a gradation of wave heights of 2.0-2.5 m in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the frequency is 28-31%, and from the Pacific Ocean - 32-33%. For weak waves of 1.5 m or less on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk side, the repeatability is 68-70%, and on the ocean side - 63-65%. The prevailing direction of waves in the Kuril part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is from the southwest in the south of the region and the central Kuril Islands, to the northwest in the north of the region. On the ocean side of the Kuril Islands, the southwestern direction of waves predominates in the south, and in the north, northwestern and southeastern waves are observed with equal probability.

In autumn, the intensity of cyclones increases sharply, and wind speeds correspondingly increase, which generate larger waves. During this period, along the Sea of ​​Okhotsk coast of the islands, waves with a height of 5.0 m or more account for 6-7% of the total number of wave heights, and on the ocean side - 3-4%. The frequency of occurrence of north-west, north-east and south-east directions increases. Dangerous waves are produced by cyclones (typhoons) with a pressure in the center of less than 980 hPa and large gradients of baric pressure - 10-12 hPa at 1° latitude. Typically in September, typhoons enter the southern part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, moving along the Kuril ridge

In winter, the intensity of passing cyclones increases. The frequency of waves with a height of 5.0 m or more at this time is 7-8% on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk side, and 5-8% on the ocean side. The prevailing direction of the waves is the north-west and the waves of the neighboring points.

In spring, the intensity of cyclones drops sharply, their depth and range of action decrease significantly. The frequency of large waves throughout the entire water area is 1% or less, and the direction of the waves changes to the southwest and northeast.

Ice conditions

In the Kuril Straits in the autumn-winter period, due to intense tidal mixing and the influx of warmer waters from the Pacific Ocean, the surface water temperature does not reach the negative values ​​necessary for the onset of ice formation. However, constant and strong northerly winds in winter are the main reason for the drift of floating ice in the study area. IN harsh winters floating ice extend far beyond their average position and reach the Kuril Straits. In January, during severe ice-covered years, individual tongues of floating ice emerge from the Sea of ​​Okhotsk into the ocean through the Catherine Strait, spreading 30 to 40 miles into the open part of the ocean. In February, off the Southern Kuril Islands, ice tongues move southwest, along the island of Hokkaido, to Cape Erimo and further south. The width of the ice mass can reach 90 miles. Significant ice masses can be observed along Onekotan Island. The width of the ice strip here can reach 60 miles or more. In March, in extremely difficult years, the ice reaches open ocean from the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is carried out from the massif in the southwest of the sea through all the straits, starting from Kruzenshtern and further south. Tongues of ice emerging from the straits flow to the southwest, along the Kuril Islands, and then along the island of Hokkaido, to Cape Erimo. The width of the ice mass in various places can reach 90 miles. Off the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the width of the ice massif can reach more than 100 miles, and the massif can extend to Onekotan Island. In April, floating ice can emerge through any strait of the Kuril ridge from the Krusenstern Strait and further south, and the width of the ice tongues does not exceed 30 miles.

The influence of atmospheric circulation on water dynamics

A feature of the atmospheric processes in the Kuril region, as well as the entire Sea of ​​Okhotsk, is the monsoon nature of the atmospheric circulation (Fig. 2.3). This is the predominance of southeast winds during the summer monsoon and return directions winds - in winter. The intensity of monsoon development is determined by the development of large-scale atmospheric processes, associated with the state of the main centers of atmospheric action that regulate atmospheric circulation over the seas of the Far Eastern region. A fairly close cause-and-effect relationship has been revealed between the characteristics of atmospheric circulation and the variability of the intensity of development of one or another link in the system of currents in the Kuril Islands region, which, in turn, largely determines the formation of the temperature background of the waters of the region.

CO – “cyclones over the ocean”; OA – “Okhotsk-Aleutian” /

Characteristics of the Soya and Kuril currents in September 1988-1993. (1Св = 10 6 m 3 /s)

The given data on the state of the Kuril currents in September for the period from 1988 to 1993. indicates interannual variability in the characteristics of the system of these currents.

In the spring period of the year, with the predominance of the Okhotsk-Aleutian type of atmospheric circulation, a significant penetration of the Soya Current into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk was noted in the subsequent summer season and, as a result, the formation of an increased temperature background in the water area in the South Kuril region. When the northwestern type of atmospheric circulation predominated in the spring, in the subsequent summer season, on the contrary, there was a slight penetration of the warm Soya Current into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, a greater development of the Kuril Current and the formation of a lower temperature background in the water area.

Main features of the structure and dynamics of waters in the Kuril region

The structural features of the waters of the Kuril region of the Pacific Ocean are associated with the Kuril Current, which is the western boundary flow in the subpolar circular circulation of the North Pacific Ocean. The current can be traced in the waters of the western modification of the subarctic structure, which has the following characteristics water masses :

1. Surface water mass(0-60 m); in spring°C=2-3°, S‰=33.0‰; in summer°С=8°, S‰=33.0‰.

2. Cold intermediate layer(60-200 m); °С min = 0.3°, S‰ = 33.3‰ with a core at a depth of 75-125 m.

3. Warm midlayer(200-800 m); °С max = 3.5°, S‰ = 34.1‰ with a core at a depth of 300-500 m.

4. Deep(800-3000 m);°С=1.7°, S‰=34.7‰.

5. Pridonnaya(more than 3000 m);°С=1.5°, S‰=34.7‰.

The Pacific waters near the northern straits of the Kuril ridge differ significantly from the waters in the area of ​​the southern straits. The waters of the Kuril Current, formed by the very cold and more desalinated waters of the eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula and Pacific waters, in the zone of the straits of the Kuril ridge mix with the transformed waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Further, the waters of the Oyashio Current are formed by a mixture of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk waters, transformed in the straits, and the waters of the Kuril Current.

General scheme water circulation The Sea of ​​Okhotsk in general is a large cyclonic circulation, which in the northeastern part of the sea is formed by surface, intermediate and deep Pacific waters entering during water exchange through the northern Kuril Straits. As a result of water exchange through the southern and central Kuril Straits, these waters partially penetrate into the Pacific Ocean and replenish the waters of the Kuril Current. The cyclonic pattern of currents characteristic of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk as a whole, caused by the prevailing cyclonic atmospheric circulation of the atmosphere over the sea, is corrected in the southern part of the sea by the complex bottom topography and local features of the water dynamics of the Kuril Straits zone. In the area of ​​the southern basin there is a stable anticyclonic gyre.

The structure of the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, defined as the Sea of ​​Okhotsk variety of the subarctic water structure, consists of the following water masses:

1. Surface water mass(0-40 m) with a temperature and salinity of about 2.5° and 32.5 in the spring and, respectively, 10-13° and 32.8 in the summer.

2. Cold intermediate water mass(40-150 m), forming in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in winter time, with core characteristics: °C min = -1.3°, S =32.9 at a depth of 100 m.

Along the Kuril Islands in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk there is a sharp “break” of the core of the cold intermediate layer with a minimum temperature below +1° at a distance of 40-60 miles from the coast of the islands. The “break” of the cold intermediate layer indicates the existence of a pronounced frontal separation of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk intermediate waters proper and transformed waters in the straits during tidal vertical mixing. The frontal section limits the spread of a patch of colder surface water in the water area along the Kuril Islands. That is, the cold intermediate layer in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is not related to that in the Kuril-Kamchatka Current and is determined by the winter temperature conditions of the area.

3. Transitional water mass(150-600 m), formed as a result of tidal transformation of the upper layer of the Pacific and Sea of ​​Okhotsk waters in the zone of the Kuril Straits (T° = 1.5°, S = 33.7).

4. Deep water mass(600-1300m), manifested in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in the form of a warm intermediate layer: °C = 2.3°, S = 34.3 at a depth of 750-1000 m.

5. Water mass of the southern basin(more than 1300 m) with characteristics: °C = 1.85, S = 34.7.

In the southern part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk surface water mass has three modifications. The first modification is low-salt (S<32,5‰), центральная охотоморская формируется преимущественно при таянии льда и располагается до глубины 30 м в период с апреля по октябрь. Вторая - Восточно-Сахалинского течения, наблюдается в слое 0-50 м и характеризуется низкой температурой (<7°) и низкой соленостью (<32,0‰). Третья - теплых и соленых вод течения Соя, являющегося продолжением ветви Цусимского течения, распространяющегося вдоль охотоморского побережья о.Хоккайдо (в слое 0-70 м) от пролива Лаперуза до южных Курильских островов. С марта по май имеет место “предвестник” течения Соя (Т°=4-6°, S‰ =33,8-34,2‰), а с июня по ноябрь - собственно теплое течение Соя с более высокой температурой (до 14-17°) и более высокой соленостью (до 34,5‰).

Straits of the Kuril ridge

The Kuril archipelago, approximately 1,200 km long, has 28 relatively large islands and many small ones. These islands form the Greater Kuril Ridge and the Lesser Kuril Ridge, located along the ocean side of the Greater Kuril Ridge, 60 km southwest of the latter. The total width of the Kuril Straits is about 500 km. Of the total cross-sections of the straits, 43.3% falls on the Bussol Strait (threshold depth 2318 m), 24.4% - on the Kruzenshtern Strait (threshold depth 1920 m), 9.2% - on the Frieza Strait and 8.1% - on the IV Kuril Strait. However, the depth of even the deepest of the Kuril Straits is significantly less than the maximum depth of the areas of the Okhotsk Sea (about 3000 m) and the Pacific Ocean (more than 3000 m) adjacent to the Kuril Islands. Therefore, the Kuril ridge is a natural threshold that fences off the sea depression from the ocean. At the same time, the Kuril Straits are precisely the zone in which water exchange occurs between these basins. This zone has its own characteristics of the hydrological regime, which differ from the regime of the adjacent deep-water areas of the ocean and sea. Features of the orography and topography of the bottom of this zone have a corrective effect on the formation of the water structure and the manifestation of processes such as tides, tidal mixing, currents, etc.

Based on a generalization of long-term observation data, it has been established that in the area of ​​the straits there is a more complex hydrological structure of waters than previously thought. Firstly, the transformation of waters in the straits is not clear. A transformed water structure, which has characteristic features of the Kuril variety of subarctic water structure (characterized by negative anomalies of temperature and positive anomalies of salinity on the surface in the warm half of the year, a thicker cold intermediate layer and smoother extremes of intermediate water masses, including a positive anomaly of minimum temperature), is observed mainly on the shelf of islands, where tidal mixing is more pronounced. In shallow waters, tidal transformation leads to the formation of a vertically homogeneous water structure. In the deep-water areas of the straits, well-stratified waters are observed. Secondly, the difficulty lies in the fact that the zone of the Kuril Straits is characterized by the presence of multi-scale inhomogeneities that are formed during vortex formation and frontogenesis during the contact of jets of the Kuril currents, which occurs against the background of tidal mixing. At the same time, in the structure of thermohaline fields there is a change in the position of the boundaries and extrema of the intermediate layers. In areas of vortices, as well as in areas of current cores that carry and retain their characteristics, localization of homogeneous nuclei of the minimum temperature of the cold intermediate layer is observed. Third, the structure of waters in the strait zones is adjusted by the variability of water exchange in the straits. In each of the main Kuril Straits in different years, depending on the development of one or another link in the current system of the area, either the predominant flow of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk waters, or the predominant supply of Pacific waters, or two-way water circulation is possible.

IV Kuril Strait

IV Kuril Strait is one of the main northern straits of the Kuril island chain. The cross-section of the strait is 17.38 km 2, which is 8.1% of the total cross-sectional area of ​​all the Kuril Straits, its depth is about 600 m. The topographical feature of the strait is its openness towards the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the presence of a threshold about 400 m deep on the side Pacific Ocean.

Thermohaline structure of the waters of the IV Kuril Strait

Due to the complex bottom topography in the strait, the amount of water masses varies. In shallow waters, vertical mixing leads to homogenization of waters. In these cases, only surface water mass occurs. For the main part of the strait, where the depth is 500-600 m, two water masses are observed - surface and cold intermediate. At deeper stations on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk side, a warmer bottom water mass is also observed. At some stations of the strait a second minimum temperature is observed. Since there is a threshold with a depth of about 400 m in the strait from the Pacific Ocean, water exchange between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk practically occurs to the depth of the threshold. That is, the Pacific and Sea of ​​Okhotsk water masses, located at great depths, do not have contact in the strait zone.

Krusenstern Strait

The Krusenstern Strait is one of the largest and deepest straits of the Kuril island chain. Square cross section strait - 40.84 km 2. The threshold of the strait, with depths of 200-400 m, is located on its ocean side. There is a trench in the strait with depths from 1200 m to 1990 m, through which deep water can be exchanged between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. North-eastern part The strait occupies shallow water with depths of less than 200 m. Unlike other straits of the Kuril ridge, the system of islands and straits (Nadezhda and Golovnin straits), which are essentially part of the Krusenstern Strait, is formed by a group of small islands and rocks, bounded from the south by the island of Simushir and from the north the island of Shiashkotan.

Thermohaline structure of the waters of the Krusenstern Strait

Area - 1603 thousand km². Average depth - 821 m, maximum depth- 3916 m. The western part of the sea is located above the gentle continuation of the continent and has shallow depth. In the center of the sea are the Deryugin depression (in the south) and the TINRO depression. In the eastern part there is the Kuril Basin, where the depth is maximum. From October to May - June, the northern part of the sea is covered with ice. The southeastern part practically does not freeze. The coast in the north is heavily indented; in the northeast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk its largest bay is located - Shelikhov Bay. Of the smaller bays in the northern part, the most famous are the Eirine Bay and the bays of Sheltinga, Zabiyaka, Babushkina, and Kekurny. In the east, the coastline of the Kamchatka Peninsula is practically devoid of bays. In the west, the coastline is heavily indented, forming the Sakhalin Bay and the Shantar Sea. In the south, the largest are Aniva and Terpeniya bays, Odessa Bay on the island of Iturup. The rivers Amur, Okhota, and Kukhtui flow into it. The Amur River brings about 370 billion cubic meters of water per year, which is 65% of the flow of all rivers flowing into the sea.

Most of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk waters outside the territorial waters of Russia and Japan belong to the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Russia, with the exception of a small part adjacent to the island of Hokkaido and belonging to the EEZ of Japan, as well as a narrow enclave in the central part of the sea, which is located at a distance of more than than 200 nautical miles from all coasts. The specified enclave, completely surrounded by the EEZ of the Russian Federation, according to the application of Russia and the subsequent decision of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf dated March 14, 2014, is classified as the continental shelf of Russia, thanks to which the Russian Federation has exclusive rights to subsoil resources and the seabed in this part (but not on the covering waters and the airspace above them); There are sometimes erroneous statements in the media that the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is entirely internal waters of Russia.

Hydronym

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is named after the Okhota River, which in turn comes from Evensk. okat - “river”. Previously it was called Lamsky (from Evensk. Lam - “sea”), as well as the Kamchatka Sea. The Japanese traditionally called this sea Hokkai (北海), literally "North Sea". But since now this name refers to the North Sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean, they changed the name of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk to Ohotsuku-kai (オホーツク海), which is an adaptation of the Russian name to the norms of Japanese phonetics.

Legal regime

Western sector of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk from an altitude of 5100 m, from An-26-100, flight Khabarovsk - Okhotsk

The water area of ​​the Sea of ​​Okhotsk consists of internal waters, territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone of two coastal states - Russia and Japan. In terms of its international legal status, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is closest to a semi-enclosed sea (Article 122 of the UN Convention on maritime law), since it is surrounded by two or more states and mainly consists of territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone of two states, but it is not one, since it is connected to the rest of the world's oceans not by a single narrow passage, but by a series of passages. In the central part of the sea at a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines in the area with coordinates 50°42′ N. w. - 55°42′ N. w. and 148°30′E. d. - 150°44′ E. d. there is an area elongated in the meridional direction, traditionally called Peanut Hole in English-language literature, which is not included in the exclusive economic zone and is the open sea outside the jurisdiction of Russia; in particular, any country in the world has the right here to fish and conduct other activities permitted by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, excluding activities on the shelf. Since this region is an important element for the reproduction of the population of some species commercial fish, the governments of some countries directly prohibit their vessels from fishing in this area of ​​the sea.

On November 13-14, 2013, a subcommittee created within the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf agreed with the arguments of the Russian delegation as part of the consideration of the Russian Federation’s application to recognize the bottom of the above-mentioned area open sea continuation of the Russian continental shelf. On March 15, 2014, the 33rd session of the Commission in 2014 adopted a positive decision on the Russian application, first submitted in 2001, and filed in new edition in early 2013, and the central part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk outside the Russian Federation's exclusive economic zone was recognized as the Russian continental shelf. Consequently, in the central part, other states are prohibited from mining “sedentary” biological resources(e.g. crab, shellfish) and mining. The fishing of other biological resources, such as fish, is not subject to restrictions on the continental shelf. Consideration of the application on its merits became possible thanks to the position of Japan, which, with an official note dated May 23, 2013, confirmed its consent to the Commission’s consideration of the essence of the application, regardless of the resolution of the issue of the Kuril Islands.

Temperature and salinity

During the cold season, more than half of the sea surface is covered with ice for 6-7 months. In winter, the water temperature at the sea surface ranges from −1.8 to 2.0 °C; in summer, the temperature rises to 10-18 °C.

Below the surface layer, at depths of about 50-150 meters, there is an intermediate cold layer of water, the temperature of which does not change throughout the year and is about −1.7 °C.

The waters of the Pacific Ocean entering the sea through the Kuril Straits form deep water masses with a temperature of 2.5-2.7 °C (at the very bottom - 1.5-1.8 °C). In coastal areas with significant river flow, the water temperature in winter is about 0 °C, in summer - 8-15 °C.

15 ships carrying about 700 people were captured by ice.

The operation was carried out by an icebreaker flotilla: the icebreakers “Admiral Makarov” and “Krasin”, the icebreaker “Magadan” and the tanker “Victoria” worked as auxiliary vessels. The coordination headquarters of the rescue operation was located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the work was carried out under the leadership of the Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Viktor Olersky.

Most of the ships got out on their own, icebreakers rescued four ships: the trawler “Cape Elizabeth”, the research vessel “Professor Kiesewetter” (first half of January, “Admiral Makarov”), the refrigerator “Coast of Hope” and the floating base “Commonwealth”.

The second ship to be released was the Professor Kiesewetter, whose captain, as a result of the investigation, was deprived of his diploma for six months.

In the area of ​​January 14, icebreakers brought together the remaining ships in distress, after which the icebreakers escorted both ships of the caravan in a coupled manner.

After the “mustache” of the “Commonwealth” was broken, it was decided to first carry out heavy ice refrigerator

Wiring was suspended around January 20 due to weather conditions, but on January 24 it was possible to bring the “Bereg Nadezhdy” refrigerator to clean water.

On January 26, the towing “whiskers” broke again, and we had to lose time to deliver new ones by helicopter.

On January 31, the floating base "Commonwealth" was also removed from ice captivity, the operation ended at 11:00 Vladivostok time.

In culture

• Two-part Australian documentary"Russia's Wild Sea" (eng. Russia's Wild Sea) is dedicated to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Notes

1. Old maps of Russian cities - from ancient times to the present day (undefined) . www.retromap.ru. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
2. Dobrovolsky A. D., Zalogin B. S. Seas of the USSR. M.: Moscow State University Publishing House, 1982. Ill., 192 p.
3. A.I. Alekseev, V.A. Nizovtsev, E.V. Kim, G.Ya. Lisenkova, V.I. Sirotin. Geography of Russia. Economy and geographical areas. 9th grade. / A.I. Alekseev. - 15th, stereotypical. - Moscow: Bustard, 2014. - P. 254-255.
4. Revised partial submission by the Russian Federation to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the continental shelf in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Part 1. Summary. 2013.
5. The UN commission included the enclave in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk as part of the Russian continental shelf. UN News. March 14, 2014.
6. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is our everything (undefined) . // rg.ru. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
7. FAO: World review of highly migratory species and straddling stocks…
8. Peanut Hole Diagram
9. http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/rus01_rev13/2013_05_23_JPN_NV_UN_001.pdf
10. ESIMO (undefined) . Retrieved February 6, 2011. Archived August 22, 2011.
11. Bondarenko, Anna.

1. Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

2. The sea enters the Pacific Ocean basin.

3. Located in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, separated from the ocean by the Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands and the island of Hokkaido.

4. Located between 43° and 62° parallels north latitude.

5. The position of the sea is between 135° and 165° meridians of eastern longitude.

6. Length of the sea in directions in degrees and kilometers:

The length of the sea from south to north is 19° degrees, i.e. approximately 2100 km;

The length of the sea from east to west is 20° degrees, 1575 km.

The length in km was calculated based on the distance between parallels and meridians on a map with a scale of 1:35,000,000.

7. Washes the shores of Russia and Japan: Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands, o. Hokkaido, o. Sakhalin, Shantar Islands.

8. Neighboring seas: the La Perouse Strait and the Tatar Strait (via the Amur Estuary) connect the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with the Sea of ​​Japan.

Neighboring Ocean: The First Kuril Strait and a number of straits in the Kuril Island chain, such as the Fourth Kuril Strait, Krusenstern Strait, Bussol and Frieza Straits connect the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with the Pacific Ocean.

9. Type of sea: marginal sea.

10. In winter, the water temperature at the sea surface ranges from −1.8° to 2.0° C; in summer, surface waters warm up to 10° C and higher.

11. Maximum sea depth: 3521 m (in the Kuril Basin), some sources indicate a depth of 3916 m, but I did not find this figure on the map, so you can use it if it is in your textbook.

12. Distribution of depths The shelf zone (0–200 m) occupies about 20% of the sea area, the continental slope (200–2000 m), on which individual underwater hills, depressions and islands are distinguished by a sharp change in depth, and the deep-sea basin occupies about 65%, and the deepest basin (more than 2500 m), located in the southern part of the sea - 8% of the sea area.

13. Distribution of water salinity: according to the map of the average annual salinity of surface waters of the World Ocean, in the northern and eastern parts of the sea the salinity of surface waters is up to 32 ppm, and in the central, western and southern parts of the sea the salinity of surface waters is up to 33 ppm.

14. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is located in a temperate climatic zone, while its eastern part (in the region of the Kuril Islands) is located in the maritime region of a temperate climate, and the rest in the monsoon region of a temperate climate.

15. Features of the bottom structure:

The bottom is a wide range of different underwater rises, depressions and trenches. The northern part of the sea is located on the continental shallows. In the western part of the sea there is a sandbank of Sakhalin, located near the island. In the east of the sea there is a continental shelf of Kamchatka. As noted in paragraph 12, most of the water expanses are located on the continental slope. The southern edge of the sea is the deepest zone; this part of the sea is a bed that is located along the Kuril Islands. The southwestern part of the sea is characterized by deep depressions and slopes. In the central zone of the sea there are two hills: the Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Oceanology, they divide the underwater sea space into 3 basins: the northeastern depression of TINRO (small depth of about 850 m, flat terrain), which is located west of Kamchatka. The second basin is the Deryugin depression, located east of Sakhalin, the water depth here reaches 1700 m, the bottom is a plain, the edges of which are somewhat elevated. The third basin, the Kuril Basin, is the deepest (about 3300 m) of these three.

16. Features of the organic world.

The flora and fauna, on the one hand, are distinguished by great diversity, and on the other hand, by the uneven distribution of this diversity. If in the southern, warmer part the number of fish species is about 300, then in the northern, colder part, the number of species is more than half that, only about 123 species. Nevertheless, the sea ranks first in the world in terms of commercial crab reserves. Salmon fish are of great value: chum salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and sockeye salmon as a source of red caviar. There is also intensive fishing for herring, pollock, flounder, cod, navaga, capelin, etc. The sea is inhabited by whales, seals, sea lions, seals. A huge amount of green, brown and red medicinal algae stands out from the flora.

Separated by conventional boundaries. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is a fairly large and deep sea in our country. Its area is about 1603 thousand km2, the volume of water is 1318 thousand km3. The average depth of this sea is 821 m, the maximum depth is 3916 m. According to its characteristics, this sea is a marginal sea of ​​a mixed continental-marginal type.

There are few islands in the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, among which the largest is. The Kuril ridge consists of 30 different in size. Their location is seismically active. There are over 30 active and 70 extinct ones here. Zones of seismic activity can be located both on islands and under water. If the epicenter is under water, then huge ones rise.

Coastline The Sea of ​​Okhotsk, despite its considerable extent, is quite equal. There are many large bays along the coastline: Aniva, Terpeniya, Sakhalinsky, Academy, Tugursky, Ayan and Shelikhova. There are also several lips: Tauiskaya, Gizhiginskaya and Penzhinskaya.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The bottom represents a wide range of different underwater elevations. The northern part of the sea is located on a continental shelf, which is a continuation of the land. In the western zone of the sea there is a sandbank of Sakhalin, located near the island. In the east of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is Kamchatka. Only a small part is located in the shelf zone. A significant part of the water expanses is located on the continental slope. The sea depth here varies from 200 m to 1500 m.

The southern edge of the sea is the deepest zone, the maximum depth here is more than 2500 m. This part of the sea is a kind of bed, which is located along the Kuril Islands. The southwestern part of the sea is characterized by deep depressions and slopes, which is not typical for the northeastern part.

In the central zone of the sea there are two hills: the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and the Institute of Oceanology. These hills divide the underwater sea space into 3 basins. The first basin is the northeastern depression of TINRO, which is located west of Kamchatka. This depression is characterized by shallow depths, about 850 m. The bottom has. The second basin is the Deryugin depression, located east of Sakhalin, the water depth here reaches 1700 m. The bottom is a plain, the edges of which are slightly raised. The third basin is the Kuril basin. It is the deepest (about 3300 m). is a plain that extends for 120 miles in the western part, and 600 miles in the northeastern part.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is influenced monsoon climate. The main source of cold air is located in the west. This is due to the fact that the western part of the sea is strongly cut into the mainland and is located not far from the Asian pole of cold. From the east, the relatively high mountain ranges of Kamchatka impede the advance of warm Pacific waves. Largest quantity heat comes from the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of ​​Japan through the southern and southeastern borders. But the influence of cold air masses dominates over warm ones air masses, therefore, in general, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is quite harsh. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is the coldest compared to the Sea of ​​Japan.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk

IN cold period(which lasts from October to April) the Siberian and Aleutian lows have a significant influence on the sea. As a result, winds from the northern and northwestern directions predominate in the vastness of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The power of these winds often reaches storm force. Especially strong winds observed in January and February. Their average speed is about 10 – 11 m/s.

In winter, the cold Asian monsoon contributes to a strong decrease in the northern and northwestern parts of the sea. In January, when the temperature reaches its minimum limit, on average the air cools to – 20 – 25 °C in the northwestern part of the sea, to – 10 – 15 °C in the central part and to –5 – 6 °C in the southeastern part. The last zone is influenced by warm Pacific air.

In autumn and winter, the sea is influenced by continental influences. This leads to increased winds and, in some cases, colder temperatures. In general, it can be characterized as clear with reduced. On those climatic features influenced by cold Asian air. In April–May, the Siberian anticyclone ceases to operate, and the impact of the Honolulu maximum intensifies. In this regard, during the warm period, small southeast winds are observed, the speed of which rarely exceeds 6 - 7 m/s.

IN summer time Different temperatures are observed depending on . In August, the highest temperature is recorded in the southern part of the sea, it is +18°C. In the central part of the sea the temperature drops to 12 – 14°C. The northeast has the coldest summer, average temperature does not exceed 10–10.5°С. During this period, the southern part of the sea is subject to numerous oceanic cyclones, due to which the wind strength increases, and storms rage for 5–8 days.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk

A large number of rivers carry their waters into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, but they are all mostly small. In this regard, it is small, it is about 600 km 3 during the year. , Penzhina, Okhota, Bolshaya - the largest ones flowing into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Fresh waters have little impact on the sea. The waters of the Sea of ​​Japan and the Pacific Ocean have great importance for the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk (from the name of the river Okhota)

Lama Sea (from Evenki lama - sea), Kamchatka Sea, semi-enclosed sea in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, limited east coast mainland Asia from Cape Lazarev to the mouth of the Penzhina River, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands, Hokkaido and Sakhalin. It washes the coasts of the USSR and Japan (Hokkaido Island). It is connected to the Pacific Ocean through the Kuril Straits, and to the Sea of ​​Japan through the Nevelskoy and La Perouse Straits. Length from north to south 2445 km, maximum width 1407 km. Area 1583 thousand. km 2, average water volume 1365 thousand. km 3, average depth 177 m, largest - 3372 m(Kuril Basin).

The coastline is slightly indented, its length is 10460 km. The largest bays are: Shelikhova (with the Gizhiginskaya and Penzhinskaya bays), Sakhalinsky, Udskaya bay, Tauyskaya bay, Academy, etc. On the southeastern coast of the island. Sakhalin - Aniva and Terpeniya bays. Most of the northern, northwestern and northeastern coasts are elevated and rocky. In the mouth areas of large rivers, as well as in western Kamchatka, in the northern part of Sakhalin and Hokkaido, the banks are predominantly low-lying. Almost all the islands: Shantarskie, Zavyalova, Spafareva, Yamskie and others are located off the coast, and only the Iona islands are in the open sea. They flow into O. m. large rivers: Cupid, Uda, Hunting, Gizhiga, Penzhina.

Relief and geology of the bottom. O. m. is located in the zone of transition of the continent to the ocean floor. The sea basin is divided into two parts: northern and southern. The first is immersed (up to 1000 m) continental shelf; within its boundaries there are: the hills of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Oceanology, occupying the central part of the sea, the Deryugin depression (near Sakhalin) and Tinro (near Kamchatka). The southern part of the Ocean Ocean is occupied by the deep-sea Kuril Basin, which is separated from the ocean by the Kuril island ridge. Coastal sediments are terrigenous, coarse-grained, in the central part of the sea - diatomaceous silts. The earth's crust under the ocean is represented by continental and subcontinental types in the northern part and suboceanic type in the southern part. The formation of the Omsk basin in the northern part occurred in Anthropogenic times, as a result of the subsidence of large blocks of continental crust. The deep-sea Kuril Basin is much more ancient; it was formed either as a result of the subsidence of a continental block, or as a result of the separation of part of the ocean floor.

Climate. O. M. lies in the monsoon climate zone of temperate latitudes. Most Every year, cold, dry winds blow from the mainland, cooling the northern half of the sea. From October to April, negative air temperatures and stable ice cover are observed here. On the north-east average monthly air temperatures in January - February from - 14 to - 20 ° C, in the north and west from - 20 to - 24 ° C, in the southern and eastern parts of the sea from - 5 to - 7 ° C; average monthly temperatures in July and August, respectively, are 10-12° C, 11-14° C, 11-18° C. Annual precipitation is from 300-500 mm in the north up to 600-800 mm in the west, in the southern and southeastern parts of the sea - over 1000 mm. IN northern half In the sea, cloudiness is less than in the south, increasing from west to east.

In the water balance of the ocean, surface runoff, precipitation, and evaporation play an insignificant role; its main part is formed by the inflow and outflow of Pacific water and the influx of water from the Sea of ​​Japan through the La Perouse Strait. Pacific deep water enters through the straits of the Kuril Islands below 1000-1300 m. Its temperature (about 1.8-2.3 ° C) and salinity (about 34.4-34.7 ‰) change little throughout the year. Surface water of Okhotsk occupies a layer with a depth of up to 300-500 m and with the exception of the coastal zone, it is observed throughout the entire sea. Its temperature in winter is from - 1.8 to 2 ° C, in summer from - 1.5 to 15 ° C, salinity is from 32.8 to 33.8 ‰. As a result of winter convection, an intermediate layer of water with a thickness of 150-900 is formed between the lower boundary of surface water and the upper boundary of deep Pacific water. m with temperatures throughout the year from - 1.7 to 2.2 ° C and salinity from 33.2 to 34.5 ‰. In the Omsk region there is a pronounced, although with numerous local deviations, cyclonic system of currents with small (up to 2-10 cm/sec) speeds away from the coast. In narrow places and straits strong tidal currents (up to 3.5 m/sec in the Kuril Straits and in the area of ​​the Shantar Islands). In the ocean, tides of mixed type, predominantly irregular diurnal, predominate. Maximum tide (12.9 m) is observed in Penzhinskaya Bay, minimal (0.8 m) - near the southeastern part of Sakhalin. In November, the northern part of the sea is covered with ice, while the middle and southern parts, exposed to incoming cyclones and occasionally typhoons, become the site of severe storms that often do not subside from 7 to 10 days. Water transparency Om. far from the shores is 10-17 m, near the coast it decreases to 6-8 m and less. O. m. is characterized by the phenomenon of glow of water and ice.

Vegetation and fauna. By species composition organisms living in the O. m., it has an arctic character. Species of the temperate (boreal) zone, due to the thermal effects of oceanic waters, are inhabited mainly by the southern and southeastern parts of the sea. The phytoplankton of the sea is dominated by diatoms, while the zooplankton is dominated by copepods and jellyfish, larvae of mollusks and worms. In the littoral zone (See Littoral) there are numerous settlements of mussels, littorinae and other mollusks, barnacles, sea urchins, and many crustaceans of amphinodes and crabs. At great depths of the ocean, a rich fauna of invertebrates (glass sponges, sea cucumbers, deep-sea eight-rayed corals, decapod crustaceans) and fish has been discovered. The richest and most widespread group plant organisms in the littoral zone there are brown algae. Red algae are also widespread in the Omsk region, and green algae are widespread in the northwestern part. Of the fish, the most valuable are salmon: chum salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and sockeye salmon. Commercial concentrations of herring, pollock, flounder, cod, navaga, capelin, and smelt are known. Mammals live here - whales, seals, sea lions, fur seals. Big economic importance They have Kamchatka and blue, or flat-footed, crabs (in terms of commercial crab reserves, O. m. ranks first in the world), and salmon fish.

Important passages pass through the O. sea ​​routes, connecting Vladivostok with the northern regions Far East and the Kuril Islands. Large ports on the coast of the mainland are Magadan (in Nagaev Bay), Okhotsk, on the island of Sakhalin - Korsakov, on the Kuril Islands - Severo-Kurilsk.

O. m. was opened in the 2nd quarter of the 17th century. Russian explorers I. Yu. Moskvitin and V. D. Poyarkov. In 1733, the work of the Second Kamchatka Expedition began, whose participants photographed almost all the shores of the Sea. In 1805, I. F. Kruzenshtern conducted an inventory of the eastern coast of Sakhalin Island. During 1849-55, G. I. Nevelskoy undertook a survey of the southwestern shores of the O. m. and the mouth of the river. The Amur proved that there is a strait between Sakhalin and the mainland. The first complete summary of sea hydrology was given by S. O. Makarov (1894). From works of the early 20th century. The studies of V. K. Brazhnikov (1899-1902) and N. K. Soldatov (1907-13) are of great importance for knowledge of the fauna of the ocean. From foreign expeditions of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. It should be noted the American expeditions of Ringald, Rogers and the US Fisheries Commission on the ship "Albatross", the Japanese expedition of 1915-1917 under the leadership of H. Marukawa. After October revolution In 1917, comprehensive research work was launched at Omsk under the leadership of K. M. Deryugin and P. Yu. Shmidt. In 1932, a complex expedition of the State Hydrological Institute and the Pacific Institute worked in Omsk on the ship "Gagara" fisheries. After this expedition, systematic research in the ocean was carried out for a number of years by the Pacific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography. Since 1947, oceanic oceans began to be studied by the Institute of Oceanology of the USSR Academy of Sciences on the ship “Vityaz” (1949–54), by ships of the State Oceanographic Institute, the Vladivostok Hydrometeorological Administration, and other institutions.

Lit.: Makarov S. O., “Vityaz” and the Pacific Ocean, vol. 1-2, St. Petersburg, 1894; Leonov A.K., Regional oceanography, part 1, Leningrad, 1960.

T. I. Supranovich, V. F. Kanaev.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

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Sea of ​​Okhotsk ... Wikipedia

Pacific Ocean, near the east. coast of the Asian part of Russia. The name appeared in the middle of the 18th century. Given after the Okhotsk fort (modern Okhotsk), which was named after the Okhota River (distorted Evensk okat river). In the XVII-XVIII centuries. also called Tunguska... ... Geographical encyclopedia

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Sea of ​​Okhotsk- (Tunguzskoye or Lamutskoye), borders the shores of Sakhalin, Primorsky region. and Kamchatka and the Kurilsk chain. oh wow; Tatarsky and Laperuzov. It connects with Japan through straits. sea, and nearby straits between Kurilsk. about you and Tikh. ok m. V… … Military encyclopedia

Semi-enclosed sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Asia. Separated from the ocean by the Kamchatka Peninsula, the ridge of the Kuril Islands and the island. Hokkaido. Prol. Nevelskoy, Tatarskiy and La Perouse are connected to the Japanese metro station and the Kuril Strait. with Quiet approx. 1603 thousand km².… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The semi-enclosed sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Asia. Separated from the ocean by the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands and the island. Hokkaido. The Nevelsk, Tatar and La Perouse straits communicate with the Sea of ​​Japan, the Kuril Straits with the Pacific Ocean... encyclopedic Dictionary

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SEA OF OKHOTSK- a marginal sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean, separated from it by the Kamchatka Peninsula, the chain of the Kuril Islands and the Hokkaido Island. It is connected to the Japanese Cape by narrow and shallow straits. Nevelskoy and La Perouse, with the Quiet approx. prol. Kuril ridge. Avg. depth 821 m, max... Marine encyclopedic reference book