The largest and most ancient of all oceans. Its area is 178.6 million km2. It can easily accommodate all the continents combined, which is why it is sometimes called the Great. The name “Quiet” is associated with the name of F., who committed trip around the world and sailed through Pacific Ocean under favorable conditions.
This ocean is truly great: it occupies 1/3 of the surface of the entire planet and almost 1/2 of the area. The ocean has an oval shape, it is especially wide at the equator.
Here are our "Ten Pacific Ocean" Facts for Children with a large number useful information For school projects and inspiration for your next trips. Read here what you definitely should know about the Pacific Ocean. Fiji Island in the Pacific Ocean. Location: Where is the Pacific Ocean? The Pacific Ocean lies between the Americas and the East Pacific, with the Asian and Australian continents to the west. The equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Below you can see a world map showing the Pacific Ocean.
Size: How big is the Pacific Ocean? The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on Earth and covers more than 30% earth's surface. Did you know that the size of the Pacific Ocean is larger than the total size of the mainland of all continents? Depth: How deep is the Pacific Ocean? This is the lowest part earth's crust and is formed by the collision of two tectonic plates.
The peoples inhabiting the Pacific coasts and islands have been sailing the ocean for a long time and exploring its riches. Information about the ocean was accumulated as a result of the voyages of F. Magellan, J. . The beginning of its wide study was laid in the 19th century by the first round-the-world Russian expedition of I.F. . Currently, a special one has been created for the study of the Pacific Ocean. For recent years New data on its nature were obtained, the depth was determined, currents and the topography of the bottom and ocean were studied.
Seas located between the islands of Southeast Asia
Volcanoes: What is a ring of fire? Most of the volcanoes on Earth are located in the Pacific Ocean basin, the volcanoes actually form a ring around the basin and that is why it is called ring of fire. Many earthquakes occur in this area due to volcanic activity, and then the ocean plate moves under tectonic plates continents. Tsunamis, which cause terrible destruction when they hit the ground, occur especially in this area.
Pacific climate. General characteristics and description of the Pacific Ocean
Temperature: How warm are the waters in the Pacific Ocean? Temperatures in the Pacific Ocean vary by location. The closer to the equator, the warmer the water. Pacific Facts: Atolls are coral islands in the ocean surrounded by a lagoon. Most of the world's atolls are located in the Pacific Ocean. Since atolls are found only in warm ocean water, the southernmost atoll is the Coral Sea Islands west of the Barrier Reef in Australia.
The southern part of the ocean from the shores of the Tuamotu Islands to the shores is an area of calm and stable. It was for this calm and silence that Magellan and his companions called the Pacific Ocean. But west of the Tuamotu Islands the picture changes dramatically. Calm weather is rare here; stormy winds usually blow, often turning into... These are the so-called southern squalls, especially fierce in December. Tropical cyclones are less frequent but more intense. They arrive at the beginning of autumn from, at the northern tip they turn into warm westerly winds.
Archipelagos: There are many beautiful island islands in the Pacific Ocean. These islands form an archipelago, like the Fiji Archipelago or the Hawaiian Archipelago. Largest countries, consisting mainly of archipelagos or island clusters, are located in the Pacific Ocean: these are Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and New Zealand. In fact, Indonesia is the largest archipelagic state in the world.
Corals, tiny marine animals, also form many atolls in the Pacific Ocean. Did you know that most Are the world's fish stocks ending up in the Pacific Ocean? The largest body of water on the planet, the Pacific Ocean covers about 64 million square miles, or about 28 percent of the Earth's surface, more than the combined area of the world's continents. Its width at the equator is about half the circumference of the world. By size, for Pacific Ocean followed by the Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic oceans.
The tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean are clean, transparent and have medium salinity. Their deep dark blue color amazed observers. But sometimes the waters here get green. This is due to the development sea life. The equatorial part of the ocean has favorable weather conditions. The temperature over the sea is about 25°C and remains almost unchanged throughout the year. Winds of moderate strength blow here. At times there is complete calm. The sky is clear, the nights are very dark. The balance is especially stable in the area of the Polynesian islands. In the calm belt there are frequent heavy but short-term showers, mainly in the afternoon. Hurricanes are extremely rare here.
Strategically important waterways access from other oceans include the areas of La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore and Torres. For geographical convenience, the equator divides the Pacific region into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Pacific Islands in the south and west were settled by Asian migrants who crossed long distances open sea in primitive boats. In the late 15th century, merchant ships sailed around Africa on the western edge of the Pacific, but recognition of the Pacific Ocean as distinct from the Atlantic Ocean dates back to Balboa east coast Pacific Ocean.
The warm waters of the ocean contribute to the work of corals, of which there are many. The Great Reef stretches along the eastern coast of Australia. This is the largest “ridge” created by organisms.
The western part of the ocean is under the influence of the monsoons with their sudden vagaries. Terrible hurricanes arise here and... They are especially ferocious in the northern hemisphere between 5 and 30°. Typhoons are frequent from July to October, with up to four per month in August. They originate in the area of the Caroline and Mariana Islands and then “make raids” on the shores, and. Since the western tropical part of the ocean is hot and rainy, the islands of Fiji, the New Hebrides, and New Hebrides are not without reason considered one of the most unhealthy places on the globe.
The Magellanic crossing of the Philippines prompted a number of explorations of imperial Europe, including Drake, Tasman, Dampier, Cook, Bering and Vancouver, which revealed the coastline and main islands by the end of the 18th century. Keelies and seals have been sailing the Pacific since the late 18th century, and Yankee clippers entered the Pacific trade routes in the early 19th century. The Pacific region is a major contributor to the global economy, especially for those countries directly touched by waters. It provides low-cost shipping between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, sea oil and gas fields, minerals, sand and gravel for the construction industry.
The northern regions of the ocean are similar to the southern ones, only as if in mirror image: circular rotation of waters, but if in the southern part it is counterclockwise, then in the northern part it is clockwise; Unsettled weather in the west, where typhoons set in north of the relief ocean floor - confinement greatest depths to its outskirts. Deep-sea depressions stretch in the form of narrow long trenches in the western and eastern parts ocean. Large uplifts divide the ocean floor into basins. In the east of the ocean is the East Pacific Rise, which is part of the system of mid-ocean ridges.
Seas along the coast of Eurasia
The exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is increasingly important important role in energy supplies in the US, Australia, New Zealand, China and Peru. Major Pacific ports include. The interior of the passage, from southeastern Alaska to Puget Sound in Washington state, offers largely stormy navigable waters.
The Pacific Basin is surrounded by a zone of intense volcanism and earthquakes, sometimes called the Ring of Fire. Tropical cyclones may form south of Mexico and impact Central America, in the southwestern United States. The Pacific Ocean can be peaceful at times, but it is also known for its destructive storms. The fragile crust beneath this ocean suffers from frequent earthquakes; more than 300 underwater volcanoes are still active.
Currently, the Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the life of many countries. Half of the world's fish catch comes from this water area, a significant part of it being various mollusks, crabs, shrimp, and krill. In some countries on seabed They grow shellfish and various algae and use them for food. Placer metals are being mined on the shelf, and oil is being extracted off the coast of the California Peninsula. Some countries are desalinizing sea water and use it. Important passages across the Pacific Ocean sea routes, the length of these routes is very large. Shipping is well developed, mainly along the continental coasts.
Where is the Pacific Ocean
El Nisco is the name of the ocean current on south coast off the coast of Peru and Ecuador. Cyclical changes in its flow patterns cause environmental and climate disruptions that cause widespread damage every few years. The current one usually appears around Christmas, so it was called El Nisco, a Spanish term for "child" referring to Jesus Christ. The El Niño current generally flows south of the equatorial countercurrent to the east and then converges with the northern current of Peru a few degrees south of the equator.
Human economic activity has led to the pollution of ocean waters and the extermination of some animal species. Thus, in the 18th century, sea cows were exterminated, discovered by one of the participants in V.’s expedition. Seals and whales are on the verge of extinction. Currently, their fishing is limited. Water pollution from industrial waste poses a great danger to the ocean.
Features of the economic and geographical position of the Pacific Ocean
Climate effects of large-scale disturbances El Nisco can also cause floods or droughts over a wide area, including the western United States and sometimes as far as the South Pacific, Europe, Africa and Asia. In a normal year, the trade winds blow west and push warm surface waters near Australia and New Guinea. When does it accumulate in the Western Pacific? warm water, rich nutrients cold water formed on the west coast South America and contributes to the growth of fish populations.
Location: limited by the east coast, west coast of North and South America, north, south.
Square: 178.7 million km2
Average depth: 4,282 m.
Greatest depth: 11022 m (Mariana Trench).
Bottom relief: East Pacific Rise, Northeast, Northwestern, Central, Eastern, Southern and other basins, deep-sea trenches: Aleutian, Kurile, Mariana, Philippine, Peruvian and others.
Endangered marine species include dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles and whales. Oil pollution in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea is a major threat to Pacific species. Marco Polo saw it, Balboa claimed it for Spain, Captain Cook explored it extensively, Magellan named it, Drake walked around it, and Vancouver matched it.
Main features of the bottom topography
Quotations regarding the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is one of the five oceans of the world. It is the largest with an area of 6 million square miles and extends from the North Arctic Ocean from north to south. Because of large size The Pacific Ocean, like the rest of the world's oceans, was formed millions of years ago and has a unique topography. It also plays an important role in weather conditions around the world and in the modern economy.
Inhabitants: large number unicellular and multicellular microorganisms; fish (pollock, herring, salmon, cod, sea bass, beluga, chum salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon, chinook salmon and many others); seals, seals; crabs, shrimp, oysters, squid, octopus.
Formation and geology of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is believed to have formed about 250 million years ago. It formed from the Panthalassa Ocean, which surrounded Pangea. However, there is no specific date for when the Pacific Ocean developed. This is because the ocean floor constantly recycles itself as it moves and conforms. Currently, the oldest known area of the Pacific Ocean is about 180 million years old.
In geological terms, the area encompassing the Pacific Ocean is sometimes called the Pacific Ring of Fire. The region has this name because it is the world's largest area of volcanism and earthquakes. The Pacific region is susceptible to this geological activity, because much of its seafloor lies above subduction zones, where the edges of the Earth's columns are forced below others after a collision. There are also some areas of volcanic hot spot activity where magma from the Earth's mantle is forced through the crust, creating undersea volcanoes that can eventually form islands and seamounts.
: 30-36.5 ‰.
Currents: warm - , North Pacific, Alaskan, South Trade Wind, East Australian; cold - Californian, Kuril, Peruvian, Western winds.
Additional information: The Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world; Ferdinand Magellan crossed it for the first time in 1519, the ocean was called “Pacific” because during the entire three months of the journey, Magellan’s ships did not encounter a single storm; The Pacific Ocean is usually divided into northern and southern region, the border of which runs along the equator.
Topography of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean has a highly varied topography, consisting of oceanic ridges, trenches, and long underwater networks formed by hotspot volcanoes beneath the Earth's surface. Other seamounts are sometimes below the surface, and they look like underwater islands.
- An example of these are seamounts that are above the surface of the ocean.
- The coast of Monterey, California is just one example.
- along the northern edge of the Strait of Malacca, west bank Sumatra Islands, south coast the islands of Java, Timor and New Guinea through the Torres and Bass Straits, along the east coast of Tasmania and further along the ridge of underwater rises to Antarctica, with the Atlantic Ocean - from the Antarctic Peninsula (Antarctica) along the rapids between the South Shetland Islands to Tierra del Fuego.
Once the new crust is pushed upward, it spreads away from these areas. In these areas, the ocean floor is not as deep and it is very young compared to other areas further from the ridges. An example of a ridge in the Pacific Ocean is the East Pacific Rise.
In contrast, the Pacific Ocean has oceanic trenches that are home to very deep habitats. Thus, the Pacific Ocean is home to the deepest ocean point in the world. Finally, the topography of the Pacific Ocean changes much more dramatically near large massifs and islands.
General information . The area of the Pacific Ocean with seas is about 180 million km 2 (1/3 of the surface globe and 1/2 of the World Ocean), the volume of water is 710 million km 3. The Pacific Ocean is the deepest basin of the World Ocean, average depth 3980 m, maximum in the trench area - 11,022 m (Mariana Trench). Includes the marginal seas in the north and west: Bering, Okhotsk, Japan, Yellow, East and South China, Philippine, Sulu, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Seram, Banda, Flores, Bali, Javanese, Savu, New Guinea, Coral, Fiji, Tasmanovo ; in the south - Ross, Amundsen, Bellingshausen. Most large bays- Alaska, California, Panama. Feature The Pacific Ocean - numerous islands (especially in the central and southwestern parts of Oceania), in terms of the number (about 10,000) and area (3.6 million km 2) of which this ocean ranks 1st among the basins of the World Ocean.
Some coastlines along the Pacific Ocean are rugged and have high cliffs and nearby mountain ranges, such as west coast United States. Some areas, such as the coast of Chile, have deep, rapidly falling trenches off the coast, while others have gradual trenches. Other coastlines have smoother, shallower shorelines. . In the North Pacific it more land than in the South Pacific. However, there are many island networks and small islands, such as in Micronesia and the Marshall Islands in the ocean.
Historical sketch . First scientific information about the Pacific Ocean were obtained at the beginning of the 16th century by the Spanish conquistador V. Nunez de Balboa. In 1520-21, F. Magellan first crossed the ocean from the strait named after him to the Philippine Islands. During the 16th-18th centuries. The ocean was studied on numerous voyages by naturalists. Russian sailors made a significant contribution to the study of the Pacific Ocean: S. I. Dezhnev, V. V. Atlasov, V. Bering, A. I. Chirikov and others. Systematic studies carried out since the beginning of the 19th century. ( geographical expeditions I. F. Kruzenshtern, Yu. F. Lisyansky on the ships "Nadezhda" and "Neva", O. E. Kotzebue on the "Rurik" and then the "Enterprise", F. F. Bellingshausen and M. P. Lazarev on the "Mirny" "). A major event in the history of ocean exploration was the voyage of Charles Darwin on the Beagle (1831-36). The first actual oceanographic expedition - circumnavigation on the English ship "Challenger" (1872-76), in which extensive information was obtained about physical, chemical, biological and geological features Pacific Ocean. The greatest contribution to the study of the Pacific Ocean at the end of the 19th century was made by scientific expeditions on ships: "Vityaz" (1886-89, 1894-96) -, "Albatross" (1888-1905) -; in the 20th century: on the ships "Carnegie" (1928-29) - USA, "Snellius" (1929-30) - the Netherlands, "Discovery II" (1930) - Great Britain, "Galatea" (1950-52) - Denmark and "Vityaz" (since 1949 it has carried out over 40 flights) - . New stage Research of the Pacific Ocean began in 1968, when deep-sea drilling began with the American vessel Glomar Challenger.
Boundaries and climate of the Pacific Ocean. What is the Pacific Ocean like?
Most big island in the Pacific Ocean - the island of New Guinea. . Pacific climate, presence of land masses and types air masses moving through its waters. Sea surface temperature also plays a role in climate because it affects the availability of moisture in different regions.
Near the equator, the climate is tropical, humid and warm for most of the year. Far northern part Pacific Ocean and far away southern part The Pacific Ocean is more temperate and has greater seasonal differences in weather conditions. In addition, in some regions there are seasonal trade winds that influence the climate.
Hydrological regime. In circulation surface waters In the Pacific Ocean, zonal currents predominate; meridional coastal currents are clearly visible only off the eastern and northwestern coasts. The largest circulation systems are the Antarctic Circular Current and the Northern and Southern Subtropical Gyres. Average temperature surface water 19.37°C. The average temperature in the north (without seas) does not fall below 4°C, in Southern Hemisphere off the coast of Antarctica it is 1.85°C. The average salinity of surface waters is 34.61 ‰ (maximum in subtropical region in the Northern Hemisphere - 35.5‰). Desalinated waters (up to 33‰ and below) are common in the subpolar and equatorial-tropical zones of the ocean. At intermediate depths, subantarctic and subarctic waters of low salinity are distinguished; waters of Antarctic origin are located deeper than 1500-1800 m. Ice forms in the northwestern seas (Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow), in the north in the Gulf of Alaska and in the south off the coast of Antarctica. Floating ice V southern latitudes They spread in winter up to 61-64°, in summer up to 70°, icebergs in late summer up to 46-48° south latitude.
Relief and geological structure . Within the Pacific Ocean, a wide (up to several hundred kilometers) shelf is developed in marginal seas and along the coast of Antarctica.
Off the coast of North and South America the shelf is very narrow - up to several kilometers. The depth of the shelf is generally 100-200 m, off the coast of Antarctica up to 500 m. To the north-west of Cedros Island there is a unique area of the underwater margin of North America (California Borderland), represented by a system of underwater ridges and basins formed as a result of the attachment of alien blocks to the mainland (zone of accretionary tectonics) and rearrangement of plate boundaries during collision North America with the spreading axis of the East Pacific Rise. The continental slope from the shelf edge descends steeply to pelagic depths, the average slope steepness is 3-7°, the maximum is 20-30°. Active continental margins frame the ocean from the north, west and east, forming specific transition zones of underthrust lithospheric plates. In the north and west transition zones represent a combination of marginal seas, island arcs and deep-sea trenches. Most marginal seas were formed as a result of spreading that developed between island arcs and adjacent continental masses (back-arc spreading). In some cases, spreading zones passed along the edge of continental masses and their fragments were moved away and separated from the continents by marginal seas (New Zealand, Japan). The island arcs that frame the seas are ridges of volcanoes, bounded on the ocean side by deep-sea trenches - narrow (tens of kilometers), deep (from 5-6 to 11 km) and extended depressions. On the eastern side, the ocean is framed by the active margin of the continent, where the oceanic plate is directly subducted under the continent. Subduction-related volcanism develops directly at the continental margin.
Within the ocean floor there is a system of active mid-ocean ridges (rift systems), located asymmetrically with respect to the surrounding continents (see map). The main ridge consists of several links: in the north - Explorer, Juan de Fuca, Gorda, to the south 30 ° northern latitude— East Pacific Rise. The Galapagos and Chilean regions also stand out. rift systems, which, approaching the main ridge, form specific areas of the triple junction. The rate of expansion of the ridges generally exceeds 5 cm/year, sometimes up to 16-18 cm/year. The width of the axial part of the ridge is several kilometers (extrusive zone), the depth is on average 2500-3000 m. At a distance of about 2 km from the ridge axis, the bottom is broken by a system of faults and grabens (tectonic zone). At a distance of 10-12 km, tectonic activity practically stops, the slope of the ridge gradually passes into the adjacent deep-sea basins of the bed. The depth of the basalt ocean floor increases with distance from the ridge axis to the subduction zones, simultaneously with an increase in the age of the ocean crust. Areas of the ocean floor with a maximum bed age of about 150 million years are characterized by a depth of about 6000 m. The ocean floor is divided into basins by a system of uplifts and ridges (Northwestern, Northeastern, Central, Eastern Mariana, Western Carolina, East Carolina , Melanesian, Southern, Bellingshausen, Guatemala, Peruvian and Chilean, etc.). The bottom relief of the basins is predominantly wavy. About 85% of the area is occupied by very gentle hills up to 500 m high. Most of the uplifts, ridges, island systems separating the basins are of volcanic origin (islands; Hawaiian, Cocos, Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, Tuvalu, Line, Phoenix, Tokelau, Cook, Tubuai, Marquesas, Tuamotu, Galapagos, etc.) - the volcanic rocks composing them are younger than the rocks of the ocean floor.
The section of the oceanic crust is represented (from bottom to top) by a cumulative complex of dunites and locally serpentinized pyroxenites, a homogeneous or stratified sequence of gabbro, a basaltic layer (about 2 km thick) consisting of a dike complex (vertically standing parallel dikes) and submarine lavas, overlain by a sedimentary layer. case . With distance from the ridge, the age of the ocean floor and the thickness of sedimentary deposits increase. IN open ocean the thickness of precipitation is 100-150 m and increases in the northern and westward, in the equatorial zone the thickness of sediments is up to 500-600 m. The thickness of sediments is sharply increased (up to 12-15 km) at the base of the continental slope and in marginal seas, which are traps of sedimentary material supplied from land.
Along the continents, mainly terrigenous sediments are developed (glacial and coastal in high latitudes, fluviogenic in temperate latitudes, aeolian in arid latitudes). In the pelagic zone of the ocean at a depth of less than 4000 m, carbonate foraminiferal and coccolithic rocks are almost universally developed, in temperate zones— siliceous diatomaceous oozes. Deeper, within the equatorial highly productive zone, they are replaced by siliceous radiolarian and diatom sediments, and in tropical low-productive zones by red deep-sea clays, cobalt and platinum gas deposits. Large deposits of sulfide ores containing zinc, copper, lead and rare metals(East Pacific Rise, Galapagos Rift). Phosphorite deposits are known on the shelves of California and the island of New Zealand. In many shallow areas of the shelf, deposits of non-metallic minerals have been identified and are being exploited.
