Pechora Sea: general description and location

Not every person can answer without hesitation the question of where the Pechora Sea is located. The fact is that it can not be found on all maps. It is a small area in the south-western part of the Barents Sea, which belongs to the waters of the Arctic Ocean.

Geographical location

The boundaries within which the Pechora Sea is located begin from Cape Costin Nos, which is part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, and pass along the eastern shore of the island of Kolguev. In the eastern direction from the mentioned cape they extend to the Yugor Peninsula and the Vaigach Island along the Timan coast. It should be noted that the structure of this reservoir does not include such straits as the Kara Gates and the Ugra globe that connect the Pechora and Kara Seas.

general description

Many centuries ago, the current location of its location was dry land. The sea itself was formed due to the melting of the glacier. This can explain the fact that the bottom level is lowered from the mainland. The Pechora Sea received its name from the eponymous name of the largest of the rivers flowing into it. The largest indicator of the depth of the reservoir is within 210 meters. Its area is about 81 square kilometers, while the total volume is about 4.38 thousand cubic meters.

Since ancient times on its shores live Nenets, Komi and Khanty. From the very beginning of the existence of these peoples, their main occupation was the fishing of beluga and seal. Some time later, Russian pomors also appeared here. The active research of the region by scientists started in the late sixteenth century.

Climate and natural conditions

The climate of the region is greatly influenced by its location outside the Arctic Circle. In the period from November to January there are long nights. The water freezes in October, after which the ice remains until the end of June. The maximum water temperature is typical for August, when it reaches a point of twelve degrees. In May, it is the coldest. As for the salinity of water, it averages 35 ppm. The average value of the daily tides is within 1.1 meters.

Compared with the neighboring Barents, the Pechora Sea has completely different natural and climatic conditions. The local meteorological regime is formed under the influence of seasonal features of the circulation of atmospheric air masses. For autumn and winter, the activation of cyclonic activity is characteristic. This explains the Western air transport at this time. In the summer, an anticyclone forms over the sea territory, resulting in the domination of a weak northeasterly wind. At this time over the water prevails overcast and cool weather. In the late autumn, south-west winds predominantly blow , the speed of which often reaches the level of storm winds .

Formation of ice

Approximately in late November, the process of formation of glaciers begins in the Pechora Sea, which lasts until April. Their edge extends in the direction from east to west in winter. It is for the middle of spring that the greatest accumulation of ice is characteristic. After this, gradual melting begins. Completely the sea thaws only in July. It should be noted that the fact that the reservoir freezes completely is extremely rare. As a rule, about one quarter of its territory remains ice-free. The barrier for the glacier, which comes from the northern direction, is warm Atlantic waters.

Bottom relief

The shelf of the Pechora Sea is a vivid proof of its formation during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. One of the main morphological elements of the relief of its bottom were underwater terraces. The most pronounced of them is the one that is located at a depth of 118 meters. In general, the bottom can be described as a submarine plain, which is slightly inclined in the direction of the Southern Novaya Zemlya Trench, which is tectonic in origin and formed under the influence of hydrodynamic processes.

Minerals

One of the main characteristics of the basin are the gas fields of the Pechora Sea. The largest of them is called the Shtokman and was discovered in the eighties of the last century. A number of studies have shown that the total local gas reserves are about 3.7 trillion cubic meters. At the same time, it should be noted that, in terms of the complexity of development, Arctic deposits can be compared with the exploration of outer space. One should not forget about the increased risk for nature. Which is associated with the active development of mineral resources. Whatever it was, as of today, the Pechora Sea boasts the presence of more than 25 deposits of gas and oil. Their active development and operation began in 2009. According to scientists, it is with this that all environmental problems that arise in the region are connected.