Characteristics of the Barents Sea
The Barents Sea has clear boundaries in the south and partly in the east, in other parts of the border they pass along conventional lines drawn along the shortest distances between coastal points. The western border of the sea is the line of Cape Yuzhny (Spitsbergen) - about. Bearish - m. North Cape. The southern border of the sea runs along the coast of the mainland and the line of Cape Svyatoi Nos - Cape Kanin Nos, which separates it from the White Sea. From the east, the sea is limited by the western coast of the Vaygach Islands and New earth and further along the line of Cape Desires - Cape Kolzat (Graham Bell Island). In the north, the sea border runs along the northern edge of the islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago to Cape Mary Harmsworth (Alexandra Land Island) and further through the Victoria and Bely Islands goes to Cape Lee Smith on the island. North-East Land (Svalbard).
Located on the North European shelf, almost open to the Central Arctic Basin and open to the Norwegian and Greenland seas, the Barents Sea belongs to the type of continental marginal seas... This is one of the largest seas in terms of area. Its area is 1,424 thousand km2, the volume is 316 thousand km3, the average depth is 222 m, the maximum depth is 600 m.
There are many islands in the Barents Sea. Among them are the archipelagos of Svalbard and Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, the islands of Nadezhda, King Karl, Kolguev, etc. Small islands are mainly grouped into archipelagos located near the mainland or larger islands, for example Krestovye, Gorbov, Gulyaevy Koshki, etc. Its complex dissected coastline forms numerous capes, fjords, bays and bays. Selected areas The Barents Sea coast belongs to different morphological types of coast. The shores of the Barents Sea are mostly abrasive, but there are accumulative and icy ones. The northern shores of Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula are mountainous and abruptly drop off to the sea, they are cut by numerous fjords. The southeastern part of the sea is characterized by low-lying, gentle shores. The western coast of Novaya Zemlya is low and hilly, and in its northern part glaciers approach the sea. Some of them drain directly into the sea. Similar shores are found on Franz Josef Land and on about. The northeastern land of the Spitsbergen archipelago.
Climate
The position of the Barents Sea in high latitudes beyond the Arctic Circle, direct connection with the Atlantic Ocean and the Central Arctic Basin determine the main features of the sea climate. In general, the sea climate is polar marine, characterized by long winters, short cold summers, low annual changes in air temperature, and high relative humidity.
Arctic air dominates in the northern part of the sea, temperate air in the south. At the border of these two main streams, there is an atmospheric Arctic front, directed generally from Iceland through about. Bearish towards the northern tip of Novaya Zemlya. Cyclones and anticyclones are often formed here, affecting the nature of the weather in the Barents Sea.
In winter, with the deepening of the Icelandic minimum and its interaction with the Siberian maximum, the Arctic front is sharpened, which entails an intensification of cyclonic activity over the central part of the Barents Sea. As a result, a very changeable weather is established over the sea with strong winds, large fluctuations in air temperature, precipitation "charges". In this season, mainly south-westerly winds blow. In the northwest of the sea, northeastern winds are also often observed, and in the southeastern part of the sea - winds from the south and southeast. The wind speed is usually 4-7 m / s, but sometimes increases to 12-16 m / s. The average monthly temperature of the coldest month - March - is -22 ° in Svalbard, -2 ° in the western part of the sea, in the east, at about. Kolguev, -14 ° and in the southeastern part -16 °. This air temperature distribution is associated with the warming effect of the Norwegian Current and the cooling effect of the Kara Sea.
In summer, the Icelandic minimum becomes less deep, and the Siberian anticyclone is destroyed. A stable anticyclone is forming over the Barents Sea. As a result, it is relatively stable, cool and overcast with weak, mainly northeasterly, winds.
In the warmest months - July and August - in the western and central parts of the sea, the average monthly air temperature is 8-9 °, in the southeastern region it is slightly lower - about 7 ° and in the north it drops to 4-6 °. The usual summer weather is disrupted by the invasion of air masses from Atlantic Ocean... At the same time, the wind changes direction to the southwest and increases to 10-12 m / s. Such incursions occur mainly in the western and central parts of the sea, while relatively stable weather continues to persist in the north.
During the transitional seasons (spring and autumn), there is a restructuring of the baric fields; therefore, unstable cloudy weather with strong and variable winds prevails over the Barents Sea. In spring, precipitation is not uncommon, falling out "charges", the air temperature rises rapidly. In autumn, the temperature decreases slowly.
Water temperature and salinity
The river runoff in relation to the area and volume of the sea is small and is equal on average to about 163 km3 / year. 90% of it is concentrated in the southeastern part of the sea. The largest rivers of the Barents Sea basin carry their waters to this region. The Pechora discharges about 130 km3 of water in an average water content year, which is about 70% of the total coastal runoff into the sea per year. Several small rivers also flow here. The northern coast of Norway and the coast of the Kola Peninsula account for only about 10% of the runoff. Here, small mountain-type rivers flow into the sea.
The maximum continental runoff is observed in the spring, the minimum - in the fall and winter. River runoff significantly affects the hydrological conditions of only the southeastern, shallowest part of the sea, which is sometimes called the Pechora Sea (more precisely, the Pechora Sea Basin).
The decisive influence on the nature of the Barents Sea is exerted by water exchange with neighboring seas, and mainly with warm Atlantic waters. The annual inflow of these waters is about 74 thousand km3. They bring about 177 · 1012 kcal of heat to the sea. Of this amount, only 12% is absorbed during the exchange of waters of the Barents Sea with other seas. The rest of the heat is consumed in the Barents Sea, so this is one of the most warm seas Arctic Ocean. In significant areas of this sea from the European shores to 75 ° N lat. all year round there is a positive water temperature on the surface, and this area does not freeze.
There are four water masses in the structure of the Barents Sea waters.
1. Atlantic waters (from surface to bottom) coming from the southwest, from the north and northeast from the Arctic basin (from 100-150 m to the bottom). These are warm and salty waters.
2. Arctic waters entering in the form of surface currents from the north. They have negative temperatures and low salinity.
3. Coastal waters coming with continental runoff from the White Sea and with coastal current along the coast of Norway from the Norwegian Sea. In summer, these waters are characterized by high temperature and low salinity, in winter - low temperature and salinity. The characteristics of winter coastal waters are close to those of the Arctic.
4. Barents Sea waters are formed in the sea itself as a result of transformation Atlantic waters under the influence local conditions... These waters are characterized by low temperatures and high salinity. V winter time the entire northeastern part of the sea from the surface to the bottom is filled with Barents Sea waters, and the southwestern part is filled with Atlantic waters. Traces of coastal waters are found only in the surface horizons. Arctic waters are absent. Due to intensive mixing, the water entering the sea is rather quickly transformed into the Barents Sea water.
In the summer, all Northern part The Barents Sea is filled with Arctic waters, the central one with the Atlantic, and the southern one with coastal waters. At the same time, arctic and coastal waters occupy surface horizons. At depths in the northern part of the sea, there are Barents Sea waters, and in the south, Atlantic waters. Surface water temperatures generally decrease from southwest to northeast.
In winter, in the south and south-west the temperature on the water surface is 4-5 °, in the central regions 0-3 °, and in the northern and northeastern parts it is close to the freezing point.
In summer, the temperatures on the surface of the water and the air temperature are close. In the south of the sea, the surface temperature is 8-9 °, in the central part, 3-5 °, and in the north it drops to negative values. In transitional seasons (especially in spring), the distribution and values of water temperature on the surface differ little from winter ones, and in autumn - from summer ones.
The distribution of temperature in the water column largely depends on the spread of warm Atlantic waters, on winter cooling extending to a considerable depth, and on the bottom topography. In this regard, the change in water temperature with depth occurs in different areas of the sea in different ways.
In the southwestern part, which is most exposed to the influence of Atlantic waters, the temperature gradually and relatively weakly decreases with depth to the bottom.
Atlantic waters spread to the east along troughs, the water temperature in them decreases from the surface to the horizon of 100-150 m, and then slightly rises to the bottom. In the northeast of the sea in winter low temperature extends to the horizon of 100-200 m, deeper it rises to 1 °. In summer, the low surface temperature drops to 25-50 m, where its lowest (–1.5 °) winter values remain. Deeper, in the 50-100 m layer, not affected by the winter vertical circulation, the temperature slightly rises and is equal to about –1 °. Atlantic waters pass through the underlying horizons, and the temperature here rises to 1 °. Thus, a cold intermediate layer is observed between 50-100 m. In the basins, where warm waters do not penetrate, strong cooling occurs, for example, in the Novaya Zemlya Trench, Central Basin, etc. positive values on the surface it drops to about -1.7 ° at the bottom.
Seamounts impede the movement of Atlantic waters. In this regard, above the bottom rise, low water temperature is observed at horizons close to the surface. In addition, a longer and more intense cooling occurs over the hills and on their slopes than in deep regions. As a result, “cold water caps” are formed at the bottom of the upland, typical of the banks of the Barents Sea. In the area of the Central Upland, in winter, very low water temperatures can be traced from surface to bottom. In summer, it decreases with depth and reaches minimum values in the 50-100 m layer, and deeper it rises slightly again. In this season, a cold intermediate layer is observed here, the lower boundary of which is formed not by the warm Atlantic, but by the local Barents Sea waters.
In the shallow southeastern part of the sea, seasonal changes in water temperature are well pronounced from the surface to the bottom. In winter, the water temperature is low throughout the entire thickness. Spring warming up extends to horizons of 10-12 m, from where the temperature drops sharply to the bottom. In summer, the thickness of the upper heated layer increases to 15-18 m, and the temperature decreases with depth.
In autumn, the temperature of the upper layer of water begins to level out, and the distribution of temperature with depth follows the type of seas of temperate latitudes. In most of the Barents Sea, the vertical temperature distribution is oceanic.
Due to the good connection with the ocean and the low continental runoff, the salinity of the Barents Sea differs little from the average salinity of the ocean.
The highest salinity on the sea surface (35 ‰) is observed in the southwestern part, in the region of the North Cape Trench, where the salty Atlantic waters pass and there is no ice. To the north and south, salinity drops to 34.5 ‰ due to the melting of ice. The waters are even more freshened (up to 32-33 ‰) in the southeastern part of the sea, where ice melts and where fresh water flows from land. The salinity on the sea surface changes from season to season. In winter, salinity is quite high throughout the sea - about 35 ‰, and in the southeastern part - 32.5-33 ‰, since at this time of the year the influx of Atlantic waters increases, continental runoff decreases and intense ice formation occurs.
In spring, high salinity values remain almost everywhere. Only in a narrow coastal strip near the Murmansk coast and in the Kaninsko-Kolguevsky region is salinity low.
In summer, the influx of Atlantic waters is reduced, ice melts, river water spreads, so salinity decreases everywhere. In the southwestern part, the salinity is 34.5 ‰, in the southeastern part - 29 ‰, and sometimes 25 ‰.
In autumn, at the beginning of the season, salinity remains low throughout the sea, but later, due to a decrease in continental runoff and the beginning of ice formation, it increases and reaches winter values.
The change in salinity in the water column is associated with the bottom topography and with the influx of Atlantic and river waters. Mostly it increases from 34 ‰ at the surface to 35.1 ‰ at the bottom. In smaller limits, the vertical salinity changes over the seamounts.
Seasonal changes in the vertical distribution of salinity in most of the sea are rather weakly expressed. In summer, the surface layer is freshened, and from the horizons of 25-30 m, a sharp increase in salinity begins with depth. In winter, the salinity jump on these horizons is somewhat smoothed out. The salinity values change more noticeably with depth in the southeastern part of the sea. The difference in salinity on the surface and at the bottom here can reach several ppm.
In winter, salinity is almost equalized throughout the entire water column, and in spring, river waters desalinate the surface layer. In summer, its freshening is intensified also due to the melted ice, therefore, a sharp salinity jump is formed between the horizons of 10 and 25 m.
In winter, the densest waters on the surface of the Barents Sea are in the northern part. In summer, an increased density is observed in the central regions of the sea. In the north, its decrease is associated with the desalination of surface waters due to the melting of ice, in the south - with their warming up.
In winter, in shallow areas, the density from the surface to the bottom increases slightly. The density noticeably increases with depth in areas where deep Atlantic waters are distributed. In spring and especially in summer, under the influence of desalination of the surface layers, the density stratification of waters along the vertical is quite clearly expressed throughout the sea. As a result of autumn cooling, the density values equalize with depth.
Relatively weak density stratification with usually strong winds determines the intensive development of wind mixing in the Barents Sea. It covers here a layer of up to 15-20 m in the spring-summer time and penetrates to the horizons of 25-30 m in the autumn-winter season. Only in the southeastern part of the sea, where the vertical stratification of waters is sharply expressed, does the wind mix only the uppermost layers up to horizons of 10-12 m. In autumn and winter, convective mixing is also added to the wind mixing.
In the north of the sea, due to cooling and ice formation, convection penetrates up to 50-75 m. But it rarely extends to the bottom, since melting ice, which occurs here in summer, creates large density gradients, which prevents the development of vertical circulation.
On the bottom uplifts located to the south - the Central Upland, Goose Bank, etc. - the winter vertical circulation reaches the bottom, since in these areas the density is rather uniform throughout the entire water column. As a result, very cold and heavy waters are formed over the Central Upland. From here they gradually slide down the slopes into the depressions surrounding the upland, in particular, into the Central Basin, where cold bottom waters are formed.
Bottom relief
The bottom of the Barents Sea is a complexly dissected underwater plain, slightly inclined to the west and northeast. The deepest regions, including the maximum sea depth, are located in the western part of the sea. The bottom relief as a whole is characterized by an alternation of large structural elements- seamounts and troughs with different directions, as well as the existence of numerous small (3-5 m) irregularities at depths less than 200 m and terraced ledges on the slopes. The difference in depths in the open sea reaches 400 m. The rugged bottom topography significantly affects the hydrological conditions of the sea.
Bottom and current relief of the Barents Sea
Currents
The general circulation of the Barents Sea waters is formed under the influence of the inflow of water from neighboring basins, the bottom topography and other factors. As in the neighboring seas of the northern hemisphere, the general counterclockwise movement of surface waters prevails here.
The most powerful and stable stream, which largely determines the hydrological conditions of the sea, forms the warm North Cape current. It enters the sea from the south-west and moves eastward in the coastal zone at a speed of about 25 cm / s, further offshore its speed decreases to 5-10 cm / s. At about 25 ° E this current is divided into the Coastal Murmansk and Murmansk currents. The first of them, 40-50 km wide, spreads to the southeast along the shores of the Kola Peninsula, penetrates into the White Sea Throat, where it meets the outgoing White Sea current and follows to the east at a speed of 15-20 cm / s. Kolguev Island divides the Murmansk Coastal Current into the Kaninskoe Current, which goes to the southeastern part of the sea and further to the Kara Vorota and Yugorskiy Shar straits, and the Kolguevskoe current, which runs first to the east and then to the northeast, to the coast of Novaya Zemlya. The Murmansk current with a width of about 100 km at a speed of about 5 cm / s spreads much more seaward than the Coastal Murmansk current. Near the meridian of 40 ° E, having met an increase in the bottom, it turns to the northeast and gives rise to the West Novaya Zemlya Current, which, together with a part of the Kolguev Current and the cold Litke current flowing through the Kara Gates, forms the eastern periphery of the cyclonic gyre common for the Barents Sea ... In addition to the branched system of the warm North Cape Current, cold currents are clearly expressed in the Barents Sea. The Perseus current runs along the Perseus Upland, from northeast to southwest, along the Medvezhinsky shallow water. Merging with cold waters at about. Hopefully, it forms the Medvezhinsky current, the speed of which is approximately 50 cm / s.
The currents in the Barents Sea are significantly influenced by large-scale baric fields. Thus, with the localization of the Polar Anticyclone off the coast of Alaska and Canada and with the relatively western location of the Icelandic minimum, the West Novaya Zemlya Current penetrates far to the north, and part of its waters goes into the Kara Sea. Another part of this current deviates to the west and is strengthened by waters coming from the Arctic basin (east of Franz Josef Land). The inflow of surface Arctic waters, carried by the East Spitsbergen Current, is increasing.
With a significant development of the Siberian Maximum and at the same time a more northerly location of the Icelandic minimum, the outflow of water from the Barents Sea prevails through the straits between Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, as well as between Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen.
The general picture of currents is complicated by local cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres.
Tides in the Barents Sea are mainly caused by the Atlantic tidal wave that enters the sea from the southwest, between the North Cape and Svalbard, and travels east. Near the entrance to Matochkin Shar, it turns partly to the northwest, partly to the southeast.
The northern edge of the sea is influenced by another tidal wave coming from the Arctic Ocean. As a result, the Atlantic and northern waves interfere with the north-eastern shores of Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land. The tides of the Barents Sea are almost everywhere of the correct semidiurnal character, as well as the currents caused by them, but the change in the directions of tidal currents occurs differently in different regions of the sea.
Along the Murmansk coast, in the Czech Bay, in the west of the Pechora Sea, tidal currents are close to reversible. In the open parts of the sea, the direction of currents in most cases changes clockwise, and on some banks - counterclockwise. The change in the direction of tidal currents occurs simultaneously in the entire layer from the surface to the bottom.
The highest speed of tidal currents (about 150 cm / s) is observed in the surface layer. High velocities are characteristic of tidal currents along the Murmansk coast, at the entrance to the White Sea Funnel, in the Kaninsko-Kolguevsky region and in the South Spitsbergen shallow water. In addition to strong currents, tides cause significant changes in the level of the Barents Sea. The height of the tide near the shores of the Kola Peninsula reaches 3 m.In the north and northeast, the tide becomes less and near the coast of Spitsbergen it is 1-2 m, and on the southern shores of Franz Josef Land it is only 40-50 cm. This is due to the peculiarities bottom topography, coastal configuration and interference of tidal waves coming from the Atlantic and North Arctic oceans.
In addition to tidal fluctuations in the Barents Sea, seasonal changes in the level are also traced, mainly caused by the impact atmospheric pressure and winds. The difference between the maximum and minimum position of the average level in Murmansk can reach 40-50 cm.
Strong and prolonged winds cause surge level fluctuations. They are most significant (up to 3 m) off the Kola coast and at Spitsbergen (about 1 m), smaller values (up to 0.5 m) are observed off the coast of Novaya Zemlya and in the southeastern part of the sea.
Large spaces pure water, frequent and strong steady winds favor the development of waves in the Barents Sea. Particularly strong waves are observed in winter, when, with prolonged (at least 16-18 hours) westerly and southwestern winds (up to 20-25 m / s) in the central regions of the sea, the most developed waves can reach heights of 10-11 m. In the coastal zone waves are smaller. With prolonged northwestern storm winds, the wave height reaches 7-8 m. Starting from April, the intensity of the waves decreases. Waves 5 m and more in height are rarely repeated. The sea is most calm in the summer months, the frequency of 5-6 m storm waves does not exceed 1-3%. In autumn, the intensity of waves increases and in November approaches the winter.
Ice cover
The Barents Sea is one of the ice-covered ones, but it is the only one of the Arctic seas that, due to the inflow of warm Atlantic waters into its southwestern part, never completely freezes. Due to weak currents from the Kara Sea to the Barents Sea, ice practically does not flow from there.
Thus, local ice is observed in the Barents Sea. In the central and southeastern parts of the sea, it is annual ice that forms in autumn and winter, and melts in spring and summer. Only in the far north and northeast are old ice found, sometimes including the Arctic pack.
Ice formation in the sea begins in the north in September, in the central regions in October and in the southeast in November. The sea is dominated by floating ice, including icebergs. Usually they are concentrated near Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and Svalbard. Icebergs are formed from glaciers descending to the sea from these islands. Occasionally, icebergs are carried far to the south by currents, up to the coast of the Kola Peninsula. Usually the Barents Sea icebergs do not exceed 25 m in height and 600 m in length.
Fast ice in the Barents Sea is poorly developed. It occupies relatively small areas in the Kaninsko-Pechora region and near Novaya Zemlya, and near the shores of the Kola Peninsula it is found only in the lips.
In the southeastern part of the sea and on the western shores of Novaya Zemlya, dry ice holes persist throughout the winter. Ice is most widespread in the sea in April, when it covers up to 75% of its area. Flat thickness sea ice of local origin in most areas does not exceed 1 m. The thickest ice (up to 150 cm) is found in the north and northeast.
In spring and summer, first-year ice melts quickly. In May, the southern and southeastern regions are free of ice, and by the end of summer, almost the entire sea is cleared of ice (with the exception of the regions adjacent to Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and the southeastern shores of Spitsbergen).
The ice cover of the Barents Sea varies from year to year, which is associated with the different intensity of the North Cape Current, with the nature of large-scale atmospheric circulation and general warming or cooling of the Arctic as a whole.
Economic value
Barents Sea- the marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located beyond the Arctic Circle between the northern coast of Europe, the islands of Vaigach, Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and Svalbard. The southern border of the sea is the mainland coast and the water border with the White Sea, passing along the line Svyatoy Nos - Kanin Nos. The Barents Sea washes most of the coast of Russia, partly of Norway.
Sea area 1 million 424 thousand sq. km, the average depth is 222 m, the greatest is up to 600 m (the Medvezhiy Island trench in the southwestern part of the sea). The relief of the seabed as a whole is characterized by alternation of seamounts and troughs crossing it in different directions. The deepest areas, including the maximum depths, are located in the western part of the sea.
Of the islands (except for the border ones), the largest is Kolguev. Small islands are mostly grouped into archipelagos located close to the mainland. This arrangement of the islands is one of the geographical features of the sea. The complex coastline of the sea forms numerous capes, fjords, bays and coves of amazing beauty. The Pechora River flows into the Barents Sea, carrying 70% of the coastal runoff into the sea per year.
Diving conditions
Water temperature by seasons and depths
A branch of the warm North Atlantic Current called the North Cape enters the Barents Sea, the waters of which have temperatures from + 8о to + 12о С in summer and + 3- + 4оС in winter. Thanks to the warm current, the Barents Sea is one of the warmest seas of the Arctic Ocean, up to 75о N. positive water temperatures are observed on the sea surface all year round.
At diving sites in June the water temperature is + 6 ... + 7оС, in July the water temperature is + 8 ... + 12оС to a depth of 40 m.
Air temperature
In summer, a stable anticyclone forms over the sea; on sunny days, the air temperature in the western part can reach 20-25 ° C.
Relief and depth
The relief at the dive sites is different - these are vertical walls, steeply or by steps going to a depth of 30 m and deeper, flat rocky plateaus at depths of 20 to 50 m and places where the bottom is sloping and the depth gradually increases to 100 meters or more.
Visibility
At diving sites, visibility in the water ranges from 15 to 40 m.
Salinity
The salinity of water in the Barents Sea is 32-35% o.
Currents
In most of the dive sites, the currents are weak, only the Semiostrovye is famous for its strong bottom currents.
Ebb and flow
The tides in the Barents Sea are regular semi-diurnal and are mainly caused by the Atlantic tidal wave. Tidal currents along the Murmansk coast and at the entrance to the White Sea are characterized by high velocities.
The height of the tides reaches 4 m.
Dive sites
Long lip
Dolgaya Guba is located 300 km north of the Arctic Circle, three miles west of the port where the participants of the diving safari boarding the ship "KARTESH".
The lip is closed from all winds except the north. The entrance to the lip is narrow and shallow, due to this diving is possible in almost any weather. The depths in the bay are different: up to 15-20 meters in the throat of the bay and up to 90-100 meters in the central part of the bay. The bottom relief allows for various dives in this place, both introductory and educational dives, as well as more complex ones. At depths of up to 50 meters, the bottom of the bay is sandy; at great depths, silty soil predominates. Some of the dives are carried out at a vertical rock wall extending to a depth of more than 90 m. The rock is covered with a carpet of multicolored anemones reaching 50 cm in diameter. Combs are attached to the rock ledges, shrimps and sea bass hide in the crevices. At the entrance to Dolgaya Bay there are several small canyons overgrown with 4-5 meter kelp and others brown algae... Among the fish you can find schools of cod and pollock, as well as pinagoras and sculpin goby. If you're lucky, you might see a seal underwater. Bottom inhabitants: giant king crab, hairy crab, chias crab, sea cucumbers, scallops, many sea urchins and stars different types.
Lip Red
Guba Krasnaya has a unique underwater landscape, its bottom is indented by canyons, covered with dense thickets of kelp and other brown algae. Kamchatka crabs, scallops and sea cucumbers live in large numbers at the bottom. Of the fish, there are cod and pollock, pinagor and sculpin goby. Bird colonies are located on the coastal rocks, reindeer are found in the Krasnaya River valley, harp seals rest and hunt on the islands, and a large cormorant colony is also located here.
Semiostrovye archipelago
The Semiostrovye Islands are part of the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve. The MSU Underwater Club has official permission from the administration of the reserve to visit this natural park... On its territory there are huge bird colonies, nesting sites for skuas, terns, eiders, guillemots. When approaching the bird colonies, a bird's hubbub is already heard from afar. Walking in the reserve is allowed only along specially designated paths in order to minimize the human impact on the biocenosis of the natural park. On both sides of the trail there is a typical tundra vegetation, pleasing to the eye with its multicolor, well-camouflaged skua nests are also located here. It's worth seeing! There are also excursions on the main island of the archipelago, where the coastal artillery battery of the times of the Great Patriotic War... The cannon caponiers and battery dugouts are perfectly preserved thanks to the northern climate. Seal rookeries are located on the islands of the reserve, and beluga whales are also found here. Minke whales can be seen from the ship in the Semiostrovye region. In the straits between the islands of the reserve, in the feeding grounds of guillemots, special dives are carried out.
Dalnie Zelentsy
The entrance to the Dalnie Zelentsy Bay is closed by a group of islands, so diving is possible even in windy weather. The bay is famous for the beauty of its underwater landscapes. Among the underwater inhabitants there are crabs, sea cucumbers, scallops, many sea urchins and stars of different types and colors.
Animal world
The mixture of warm Atlantic and cold, nutrient-rich Arctic waters leads to the rapid development of the underwater life of the Barents Sea.
On the seaward side of the islands, rocky ledges covered with gardens of giant kelp go under the water, anemones, holothurians, huge stars, sea urchins, Kamchatka crabs and many other animals appear on the rocks with depth. Kamchatka crabs deserve special attention - they were brought to the Barents Sea by Soviet scientists as an experiment, and soon they not only took root and multiplied, but also began to displace the Barents Sea species. To date, the problem remains unresolved. And yet, despite the negative coloring of the experiment, a meeting under water with a Kamchatka crab, reaching 2 meters in scope, pleases any submariner.
In the straits between the islands, there are mainly shell soils, on which there are accumulations of huge sea urchins of various species, as well as scallops, holothurians, starfish, and ascidians. Of the fish, cod, navaga, goby, flounder, catfish, and sea bass are often found.
During a diving safari in the Barents Sea, it is possible to meet seals, belugas, killer whales and minke whales.
Unforgettable visits to bird colonies in the Semiostrovye reserve - gulls, guillemots, cormorants and puffins nest here. All of them, chicks and adult birds, are not at all afraid of humans and let them come close to them. During ground excursions around the Seven Island, you can also see the anti-aircraft fortifications of the Second World War. Seal rookeries are located on the islands, and a herd of reindeer can be observed from afar. In the straits between the islands of the reserve, in the feeding grounds of guillemots, special dives are carried out. Getting their own food, guillemots dive and in search of fish soar in the water column. During dives, dozens of birds, attracted by air bubbles, circle around the divers, not at all afraid of people.
Whales- a group of mammals whose ancestors long ago traded land for the ocean. In the guise of whales, there is more fish than animal, but they breathe with lungs, not gills, and feed their young with milk. Some species of whales are the undisputed champions in free diving in the animal kingdom: they dive a kilometer in depth and can stay under water for about two hours. The air that the whale exhales is very humid. Escaping from the nostrils on the dorsal side, it cools down and turns into a column of tiny droplets of water. Then it seems that the animal is releasing a real fountain. Science divides whales into two groups: baleen whales and toothed whales. Several species of baleen whales swim in the waters of the Arctic. Among them - blue and humpback whales, but the most common and living off the coast - minke(Balaenoptera acutorostrata), reaching "only" 9 m in length and 10 tons in weight. Stripes keep singly or in pairs, feeding on crustaceans and fish. As for toothed whales, or dolphins, the most numerous and widespread in both the White and Barents Seas are belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). They are very talkative, so a group of belugas can be heard from afar. White dolphins live in family groups, but in summer they gather in numerous herds for huge concentrations of fish. Another representative of toothed whales - killer whale(Orcinus orca). Killer whales are formidable predators. They usually feed on fish, but do not mind eating other whales or seals. It is believed that killer whales are peaceful towards humans.
Pinnipeds- a detachment of carnivorous mammals, perfectly adapted to life in water, but needing land. Most of them prefer areas with cold climates, but some can be found in coastal waters of warm seas. the globe... Pinnipeds have perfectly adapted to the aquatic environment. The streamlined body shape and striking flexibility contribute to quick and agile movement in the water. The limbs are turned into flippers, and the hind animal uses as rowing blades, and the front ones steer. A thick subcutaneous layer of fat protects against hypothermia, and the eyes are designed to see well underwater. Clumsy on land, pinnipeds spend most of their lives in water, but to breed they return to solid ground or large ice floes. Almost all pinnipeds keep in groups. Males guard harems of 5-10 females from their fellows, from time to time sorting out relations with rivals.
These animals feed on fish, cephalopods and other molluscs, crustaceans, large plankton, seabirds, other pinnipeds, and sometimes even cetaceans. Their main enemies besides humans are sharks, killer whales and polar bears.
Several species of pinnipeds live in the White and Barents Seas.
Seal(Phoca vitulina) - indigenous to the White Sea. Over the centuries, she has become accustomed to living side by side with a person whom she is afraid of, but whose nets she uses as an easy source of fish. It is very rare to see a seal under water. In order to remain unnoticed, the animal swims up to the person from behind, sometimes even examines him with its whiskers - vibrissae, but does not show itself to the eyes.
On the Barents Sea, they are common gray seals(Halychoeerus grypus). They keep in groups and do not go far into the open sea, resting on deserted islands. By their nature, these animals are very sociable and curious. For them, a man under water is an unusual creature that requires study. Emerging from the thickets of kelp (seaweed), then from the surf foam, the seals accompany the divers throughout the dive. They diligently pretend that they are swimming past people quite by accident, only expressive eyes on a mustachioed muzzle betray their interest.
Dean of the most beautiful seals - harp seal(Pagophoca groenlandica). It is widespread in the waters of the Arctic and makes seasonal migrations hundreds of kilometers away, linking the Barents Sea and the White Sea. In winter, harp seals move to the edge of the White Sea ice to produce offspring. In the spring, when the ice melts and the seals grow up, the animals in huge herds rush back to the Barents Sea.
In the Barents Sea, the water temperature is much higher than in others arctic seas determines all processes associated with the density structure of waters (convection, formation of a shock layer, etc.). In addition, in the Barents Sea, water temperature is the main indicator characterizing the spread of warm Atlantic waters, which in turn determine ice conditions and the climate of the Atlantic sector of the Arctic.
The thermal regime of the Barents Sea is formed under the influence of a number of processes, of which the leading ones are autumn - winter convection, which equalizes the temperature from the surface to the bottom, and summer heating of the surface layer, which causes the appearance of a seasonal thermocline.
The large influx of warm Atlantic waters makes the Barents Sea one of the warmest in the Arctic Ocean. A significant part of the sea from the coast to 75 ° N. does not freeze all year round and has positive surface temperatures. The influence of the heat advection of Atlantic waters is especially noticeable in the southwestern part of the sea and insignificantly in the southeast due to the shallow depths in this area. here it reaches 8 ° C.
In the surface layer, the maximum temperature is observed in the southwestern part of the sea (9 ° С in June-September), the minimum (0 ° С) - at the ice edge. From July to October, the region of maximum temperatures also extends to the southeastern part of the sea, the position of the isotherms becomes close to latitudinal (see Figures 1a, 1b).
Figure 1a
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Figure 1b
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BARENTS SEA(Norwegian Barentshavet, until 1853 the Murmansk Sea, Murman) - the marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It washes the shores of Russia and Norway. The sea is bounded by the northern coast of Europe and the archipelagos of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. The sea area is 1424 thousand km², depth is up to 600 m. The sea is located on the continental shelf. The southwestern part of the sea does not freeze in winter due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current. The southeastern part of the sea is called the Pechora Sea. The Barents Sea is of great importance for transport and for fishing - there are large ports - Murmansk and Vardø (Norway).
Border of the White and Barents Sea... The Barents Sea is the marginal water area of the Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean, between the northern coast of Europe in the south and the islands of Vaigach, Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land in the east, Spitsbergen and Bear Island in the west.
Maritime boundaries... In the West it borders on the Norwegian Sea basin, in the south - on the White Sea, in the east - on the Kara Sea, in the north - on the Arctic Ocean. The region of the Barents Sea, located to the east of Kolguev Island, is called the Pechora Sea.
Coastline. The southwestern shores of the Barents Sea are predominantly fjord, high, rocky, heavily indented. The largest bays: Porsanger Fjord, Varanger Bay (also known as Varanger Fjord), Motovsky Bay, Kola Bay, etc. To the east of the Kanin Nos Peninsula, the coastal relief changes dramatically - the shores are mostly low and slightly indented. There are 3 large shallow bays: (Cheshskaya Bay, Pechora Bay, Khaipudyrskaya Bay), as well as several small bays.
Archipelagos and islands... There are few islands within the Barents Sea. The largest of them is Kolguev Island. From the west, north and east, the sea is limited by the archipelagos of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya.
Hydrography... The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are Pechora and Indiga.
Currents.Surface currents of the sea form a counterclockwise gyre. Along the southern and eastern periphery, the Atlantic waters of the warm North Cape Current (a branch of the Gulf Stream system) move to the east and north, the influence of which can be traced to the northern shores of Novaya Zemlya. The northern and western parts of the cycle are formed by local and Arctic waters coming from the Kara Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In the central part of the sea, there is a system of intracircular currents. The circulation of sea waters changes under the influence of changes in winds and water exchange with adjacent seas. Tidal currents are of great importance, especially off the coast. The tides are semi-daily, their greatest value is 6.1 m near the coast of the Kola Peninsula, in other places 0.6-4.7 m.
Water exchange. Water exchange with neighboring seas is of great importance in the water balance of the Barents Sea. During the year, about 76,000 km³ of water flows into the sea through the straits (and the same amount leaves it), which is about 1/4 of the total volume of sea water. The largest amount of water (59,000 km³ per year) is carried by the warm North Cape current, which has an extremely large impact on the hydrometeorological regime of the sea. The total river flow into the sea averages 200 km³ per year.
Salinity... The salinity of the surface layer of water in the open sea during the year is 34.7-35.0 ‰ in the southwest, 33.0-34.0 in the east, and 32.0-33.0 in the north. In the coastal zone of the sea in spring and summer, salinity decreases to 30-32 ‰, by the end of winter it increases to 34.0-34.5 ‰.
Climate The Barents Sea climate is influenced by the warm Atlantic Ocean and the cold Arctic Ocean. Frequent incursions of warm Atlantic cyclones and cold arctic air determine great variability weather conditions... In winter, south-westerly winds prevail over the sea, in spring and summer - north-easterly winds. Storms are frequent. average temperature air in February varies from −25 ° C in the north to −4 ° C in the southwest. The average temperature in August is 0 ° C, 1 ° C in the north, 10 ° C in the southwest. Cloudy weather prevails over the sea throughout the year. Annual precipitation ranges from 250 mm in the north to 500 mm in the southwest.
Ice cover... Severe climatic conditions in the north and east of the Barents Sea determine its large ice extent. In all seasons of the year, only the southwestern part of the sea remains ice-free. Most widespread the ice cover reaches in April, when about 75% of the sea surface is occupied by floating ice. In exclusively not good years at the end of winter, floating ice comes directly to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. The smallest amount of ice falls at the end of August. At this time, the ice boundary moves away for 78 ° N. NS. In the north-west and north-east of the sea, ice is usually kept all year round, but in some favorable years the sea is almost completely or even completely free of ice.
Temperature... The influx of warm Atlantic waters determines the relatively high temperature and salinity in the southwestern part of the sea. Here in February - March the surface water temperature is 3 ° C, 5 ° C, in August it rises to 7 ° C, 9 ° C. North of 74 ° N. NS. and in the southeastern part of the sea in winter the surface water temperature is below -1 ° C, and in the summer in the north 4 ° C, 0 ° C, in the southeast 4 ° C, 7 ° C. In summer, in the coastal zone, the surface layer of warm water 5-8 meters thick can warm up to 11-12 ° C.
Flora and fauna. The Barents Sea is rich different kinds fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos. Seaweed is common off the southern coast. Of the 114 fish species inhabiting the Barents Sea, 20 species are the most commercially important: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, etc. The following mammals are found: polar bears, seals, harp seals, beluga whales, etc. Seals are hunted. Bird colonies abound on the coasts (guillemots, guillemots, kittiwakes). In the XX century, the Kamchatka crab was introduced, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to multiply intensively. Many different echinoderms, sea urchins and sea stars of various species are distributed along the bottom of the entire water area of the sea.
Economic value. The Barents Sea is of great economic importance for both Russian Federation and for Norway and other countries.
Food industry and shipping. The sea is rich in various types of fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos, therefore the Barents Sea is an area of intensive fishing. In addition, the sea route connecting the European part of Russia (especially the European North) with the ports of western (from the 16th century) and eastern countries (from the 19th century), as well as Siberia (from the 15th century) is very important. The main and largest port is the ice-free port of Murmansk, the capital of the Murmansk region. Other ports in the Russian Federation - Teriberka, Indiga, Naryan-Mar (Russia); Vardø, Vadsø and Kirkenes (Norway).
Naval potential. The Barents Sea is a region where not only the merchant, but also the Russian Navy, including nuclear submarines, is deployed.
WHITE SEA(until the 17th century Studenoye, Solovetskoye, Severnoye, Spokonoye, White Bay) - an inland sea in the north of the European part of Russia, belongs to the Arctic Ocean.
Among the seas washing Russia, the White Sea is one of the smallest (only the Sea of Azov is smaller). Its surface area is 90 thousand km² (with numerous small islands, among which the most famous are the Solovetsky Islands - 90.8 thousand km²), that is, 1/16 of the area of the Barents Sea, the volume is only 4.4 thousand km³. The greatest length of the White Sea from Cape Kanin Nos to Kem is 600 km.
Deepest the sea is 340 meters, the average is 67 meters.
The border between the White and Barents Seas is the line drawn from Cape Svyatoy Nos (Kola Peninsula) to Cape Kanin Nos (Kanin Peninsula).
The large rivers Kem, Mezen, Onega, Ponoy, Northern Dvina and many small rivers flow into the White Sea.
The main ports are Arkhangelsk, Belomorsk, Kandalaksha, Kem, Mezen, Onega, Severodvinsk.
The White Sea-Baltic Canal connects the White Sea with the Baltic and Volga-Baltic waterways.
The entire White Sea is entirely inland waters of Russia.
The water area of the White Sea is divided into several parts: the Basin, the Throat (the strait connecting the White Sea with the Barents Sea; the throat of the White Sea is called "Girlo" by the Pomors, this word is cited in this way in his story "The Sealed Glory" by BV Shergin), Funnel, Onega Bay, Dvinskaya Bay, Mezenskaya Bay, Kandalaksha Bay. The shores of the White Sea have own names and are traditionally divided (in the order of listing counterclockwise from the coast of the Kola Peninsula) into Tersky, Kandalaksha, Karelsky, Pomorsky, Onezhsky, Letniy, Zimny, Mezensky and Kaninsky; sometimes the Mezensky coast is divided into the Abramovsky and Konushinsky shores, and part of the Onega coast is called the Lyamitsky coast.
The shores of the sea (Onega and Kandalaksha bays) are cut by numerous lips and bays. The western banks are steep, the eastern ones are low-lying.
On hydrological regime seas are influenced by climatic conditions, water exchange with the Barents Sea, tidal events, river runoff and bottom topography.
The tidal wave from the Barents Sea is semi-diurnal. Average height syzygy tides ranges from 0.6 (Zimnyaya Zolotitsa) to 3 meters, in some narrow bays it reaches 7 meters (7.7 meters in the Mezen Bay, the mouth of the Seomzha River). The tidal wave penetrates upstream of rivers flowing into the sea (on the Northern Dvina at a distance of up to 120 kilometers).
In spite of small area storm activity is developed on the sea surface, especially in autumn, when during storms the wave height reaches 6 meters.
Surge events in the cold season reach 75-90 centimeters at sea.
The sea is covered with ice for 6-7 months every year. Fast ice forms near the coast and in bays, the central part of the sea is usually covered with floating ice, reaching a thickness of 35-40 centimeters, and in severe winters - up to one and a half meters.
Temperature The surface layer of sea water varies greatly depending on the season in different parts of the sea. In summer, the surface waters of the bays and the central part of the sea warm up to 15-16 ° C, while in the Onega Bay and Gorla - no higher than 9 ° C. In winter, the surface water temperature drops to -1.3 ... -1.7 ° C in the center and in the north of the sea, in bays - to -0.5 ... -0.7 ° C.
The deep water layers (below a depth of 50 meters) have a constant temperature regardless of the season of the year from −1.0 ° C to +1.5 ° C, while in Gorla, due to intense tidal turbulent mixing, the vertical temperature distribution is uniform.
Salinity sea water is associated with a hydrological regime. A large inflow of river waters and an insignificant exchange with the Barents Sea have led to a relatively low salinity of the surface waters of the sea (26 ppm and below). The salinity of deep waters is much higher - up to 31 ppm. Desalinated surface water moves along the eastern shores of the sea and flows through the Gorlo into the Barents Sea, from where more saline waters enter the White Sea along the western shores. An annular counterclockwise current is observed in the center of the sea.
Flora and fauna. The fauna of the White Sea is dominated by arctic species, which are clearly manifested already in the lower horizon of the sublittoral (45-150 m). Here, the salinity of the water is almost unchanged, the temperature is low and the amount of light is low. On sparsely scattered stony areas, red algae are still found, for example, odontalia, polysiphony, anfeltia with all their inherent biocenoses, groups of hydroids, bryozoans, and sponges. But basically this area is occupied by soft soils, on which cold-loving forms settle, such as the mollusks of northern yoldia, cardium, maqoma, northern and oval astartas, many polychaetes, starfish and ophiuras.
Starting from 150 m and further in depth, the zone of the White Sea pseudoabyssal stretches. It is distinguished by the absence of light and vegetation, constant temperature and salinity of water. Here, in semi-liquid silts, the predominant forms are the arctic portlandia and ice mollusks. From the sublittoral, starfish of the genus Asterias and the ophiura of the ophiakanta two-toothed descend here. In addition, this area is characterized by such deep-sea White Sea species as sessile jellyfish alfalfa, transparent ascidian eugura, molluscs Lyonsia and Modiolaria, crustacean Acanthostefeira and high-Arctic fish species, such as leptagon and Arctic fox - ultsina.
Among the inhabitants of the strata, the planktonic crustaceans calanus and mitridia are the mass form of arctic origin. the pterygoped mollusk Klione, and among the mammals - harp seals, bearded seals and beluga whales. Cold-water species also include the main commercial fish of the sea, for example, cod, Arctic cod, navaga, and sea flounder.
- one of the many great seas. It is located in the westernmost part of the ocean and is located in the North European Shelf. This is the largest sea in Russia, its area is 1,424 thousand square kilometers, the average depth is 228 m, the maximum depth does not exceed 600 m.
Barents Sea waters wash the shores of Russia and Norway. In the West, the sea is bordered by, in the east - with the Kara Sea, in the north - with the Arctic Ocean, with the White Sea in the south. The sea area in the southeast is sometimes called the Pechora Sea.
Islands in the Barents Sea a little, among them the largest - the island of Kolguev.
The coast of the sea is mostly rocky, high. The coastline is uneven, indented by bays, bays, the largest of which are Motovskaya Bay, Varyazhsky, Kola, etc. Barents Sea bottom has a complex relief, where hills give way to gutters and valleys. 
Climate in the Barents Sea is influenced by the currents of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. In general, it corresponds to the polar maritime climate: long winters, cold summers, high humidity... But because of warm current the climate is subject to sharp temperature changes.
The waters of the Barents Sea are rich in numerous fish species (114 species), animal and plant plankton and benthos. The southern coast is rich in seaweed. The most important fish species are industrially: herring, cod, haddock, halibut, etc. Along the coast of the Barents Sea, there are polar bears, seals, beluga whales, seals, etc. The coast of the sea is a place of bird colonies. The permanent inhabitants of these places are kittiwakes, guillemots, guillemots. Also, the Kamchatka crab, which was introduced in the 20th century, has taken root in the sea.
V Barents Sea fishing is widely developed, and the sea is also an important sea route between Russia and Europe.
For a long time, the thunderstorm has amazed the imagination of a person. Thunderstorms horrified our ancestors, poorly protected from the weather. Fires and deaths from lightning strikes have made and will continue to make a strong, stunning impression on people. The ancient Slavs honored the god Perun - the creator of lightning, the ancient Greeks - Zeus the Thunderer. There seems to be no more formidable and majestic phenomenon in the atmosphere than a thunderstorm.