Amundsen Sea: geology, climate, fauna

The northernmost water area of the Pacific Ocean on one side is surrounded by glaciers, and on the other - the western coast of Antarctica. The entire surface of the reservoir is covered with age-old ice.

In the neighborhood of it, the sharp-pointed Cape Dart cuts into the permafrost. In the east is the island of Thurston. Landmark - Mary Byrd Land. As you can see, you should not flatter yourself by asking once, where the Amundsen Sea is in the Pacific Ocean? The Hawaiian Islands are in a completely different part of it, like all popular tourist destinations for beach and excursion recreation.

Geological characteristics

The basin is bordered by other northern parts of the ocean, such as the Bellingshausen and Ross Sea . Its area exceeds 98,000 km², the average depth is just over 250 meters. The relief resembles a shell, which has a slight slope towards the mainland coast. On the outskirts of the glacier, there are piles of glaciers.

The outer extremity of the Amundsen Sea shelf in the Pacific lies at a depth of five hundred meters. Descent into the water is different in steepness, but the landscape is even, without cracks and steps. Its length reaches four kilometers.

The salinity index of the water area changes regularly. The maximum concentration of sodium chloride is reached in the winter and is 33 ppm. In July, when the melting of glaciers is in full swing, fresh water reduces the NaCl content.

Research and discovery

The name of the pond was given by the famous pioneer and scientist Rual Amundsen. The Norwegian has studied the Nordic and Polar regions of Antarctica for a long period of time. And it was here, in the edge of the dead wilderness, his last journey ended.

James Cook, who visited these places in the second half of the 18th century, also attempted to get close to the shore. The North American icebreaker Palmer was most close to the mainland in the Antarctic expedition in 1993.

To this day, information about the Amundsen Sea is meager and contradictory. Despite the development of technology, so far no one has managed to get to the opposite shore. Its basin is considered the most severe and impregnable.

The coastline is a cluster of huge ice blocks. They are continually replaced by bottomless cliffs. The water area of the Amundsen Sea serves as a natural shield for Antarctic lands. He takes a direct part in the process of forming the motion of icebergs. Annually this region produces 250 cubic kilometers of ice.

Weather

The reservoir is located in the Antarctic climate. Air space is formed by masses coming from the mainland. Its water area has an intense communication with the currents of the ocean. The minimum temperature is noted in the summer months. The most students are July and August. In the southern part of the region at this time of year, the thermometer is at -18 ° C. In the northern it drops below -28 ° C.

On the shore even colder. Indications of -50 ° C are not uncommon. Warming brings to these latitudes Nordic winds. Thaw accounts for the winter season, which lasts from December to February. At this time, the temperature fluctuates between -8 ... -16 ° C. Ocean currents are capable of heating water to -1.5 ° C.

For these months, there is a navigational season. The surface of the Amundsen Sea is covered by drifting icebergs, between which polynyas are formed. There are only three:

• One in the Gulf of Russell;
• Two in the area of the Thwaites Glacier.

The maximum area available for traffic is 55,000 square kilometers. The water in it warms up to 0 ° C. However, it cools down quickly. This is due to the fact that the drifting ice covers cover the meltwater zone that has been discovered.

Inhabitants of the north

The frosted ice, steep rocks, protruding above the frozen abyss, seem lifeless. But this is not so. In the waters of the Amundsen Sea there are fish of the Notothenia family. There live northern penguins and albatrosses. Seals are noticed, which are nestled in the rays of the cold sun on ice shelves.

Sea leopards, whales, seals, killer whales and dolphins, which feed on flesh, are found in these places. The eight-meter-long killer whale closest to the shoreline.

Ecological problems

Over the past decade, scientists are sounding the alarm, stating the extreme melting of Antarctic ice. According to information received from space satellites, the ground line, which indicates the boundary between the water and land parts of the reservoir, is regularly reduced. This is how the sea of Amundsen looks today.

Only in ten years it retreated thirty kilometers into Antarctica. If we compare the rate of reduction of this zone with the readings of 1973, then it increased by almost 80%. The scheme of the movement of the glacial masses has also changed for the worse. Current measurements show that within twelve months the Nordic latitudes lose up to 160 billion tons of frozen liquid. This is a third more than in 2011.