Oceans
Table of Contents
If you look at a map of the world you will see that the various oceans make up a significant proportion of the landscape. They are defined as a continuous body of water the circles the earth or land mass. These features are divided into principal demarcations. At the moment the globe is dominated by no less than five oceanic divisions including the Pacific, the Indian, the Atlantic, the Southern and the Arctic areas. Some of these oceans are consolidated into one mass but in reality when they are twer cycle. This then has important implications for the level of rainfall, especially in the coastal areas. At a time when the world is waking up to the real dangers of global warming, it is imperative that these water masses are protected from some of the excess that forms modern life. Oceans can then ensure that global temperatures do not go beyond the acceptable levels for human life. The alternative is a complete catastrophe Oceans might change the face of the earth.
The Oceans: Nature’s Vast and Intricate System
The world’s oceans, encompassing about 71% of the Earth’s surface, remain a crucial element of our planet’s ecosystem. These vast bodies of water not only regulate climate, but they also house a myriad of marine life, influencing global biodiversity.
A Deep Dive into Ocean Composition
Oceans, primarily composed of saline water, are intricate solutions of mineral salts and dissolved gases. They are the birthplace of life and a constant source of nourishment for countless organisms.
Salinity: A Defining Characteristic
Salinity, the measure of salt concentration in water, is an essential feature of the ocean. On average, ocean water has a salinity of about 3.5%. This salt predominantly originates from rock weathering on land, carried to the ocean by rivers.
Layers of the Ocean
Oceans are stratified into various layers, each with its unique properties:
- Epipelagic Zone (0-200m): This sunlit layer, also known as the sunlight zone, is where photosynthesis predominantly occurs.
- Mesopelagic Zone (200-1000m): Known as the twilight zone, light fades in this layer, and temperatures plunge.
- Bathypelagic Zone (1000-4000m): In this midnight zone, darkness prevails and the water is icy cold.
- Abyssopelagic Zone (4000-6000m): The abyss holds some of the most mysterious creatures, adapted to extreme pressure conditions.
- Hadalpelagic Zone (6000m+): This layer is mostly found in deep sea trenches and canyons.
Marine Biodiversity: The Heartbeat of Oceans
The oceans harbor an incredible array of life, from the tiniest plankton to the massive blue whale.
Coral Reefs: Rainforests of the Sea
Coral reefs, often dubbed the “rainforests of the sea”, are biodiversity hotspots. They provide shelter, breeding grounds, and feeding areas for a plethora of marine species.
The Deep Sea: A World of Mysteries
In the ocean’s depths, bioluminescent creatures, like anglerfish and giant squids, reign supreme. Their peculiar adaptations, such as emitting light or having large eyes, allow them to thrive in the abyss.
The Ocean’s Role in Climate Regulation
Oceans play a pivotal role in maintaining the Earth’s climate. They absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, helping to mitigate the impacts of global warming.
Currents and Climate
Ocean currents, driven by the wind and differences in water density, help distribute heat around the planet. For instance, the Gulf Stream transports warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, moderating climates.
Threats Facing Our Oceans
From overfishing to pollution, oceans confront a multitude of threats. The rise in ocean temperatures due to global warming is leading to the bleaching of coral reefs. Additionally, excessive plastic pollution is harming marine life, from tiny plankton to large whales.
Harnessing Ocean Power
Oceans offer untapped potential for renewable energy, particularly through tidal and wave energy. These energy sources can play a pivotal role in our transition to a more sustainable future.
Ocean Exploration: The Final Frontier
Despite our advancements, much of the ocean remains unexplored. It’s believed that more than 80% of the world’s oceans are unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored.
y the extreme ice conditions have prevented a proper study of the Arctic Ocean floor, when compared to the other oceans. Some attempts to measure the depths by the bathymetry system which has been improvised through attaching echo sounding system with bathymetry. These studies have given a fairly good account of the Arctic Ocean depths, though many areas of the Arctic Ocean remain un-estimated The depth of the Arctic Ocean basin is, in the minimum, five times the CN Tower’s height, meaning it could be anywhere around 2500 to 4400 meters. Remember all the other Ocean basis have only an average depth of 2000 meters, though there are exceptions like some specific points in the Pacific Ocean recording more depth.
The Arctic Ocean is characteristically comprised of ice as prominent feature of its
aquatic ecosystems. Since Ice here is engaged continuously in sculpting and shaping the coastal setting, it is a major factor for restricting biological activity in the Ocean.
Based on the ice formation, the Arctic Ocean has been divided into two different zones, namely the Arctic Basin Marine region, which has sea ice all through the year, while the arctic sub regions enjoy ice-free time ranging from a few days to four months annually. The Arctic Ocean Coastline exhibits a whole range of landforms specially chiseled by the various coastal factors like glaciers, volcanoes, faulting and folding.
The two main currents of the Arctic Ocean include the Beaufort Gyre, which is the dominant one. In fact this current is the reason behind the polar ice cap to endlessly rotate clockwise, even as it brings warm water to the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean, through the Greenland Sea. But the exchange of waters takes place only on surface, since there are huge towering ridges forming as walls across and around the Arctic Ocean, preventing exchange of water.
The Greenland Ice cap contributes the most of icebergs to the Arctic Ocean, though some of them could have originated from Ellesmere Glaciers, and glaciers of Baffin and Devon Islands. In the eastern Arctic Ocean’s waters there will be more than ten thousand icebergs at any particular time, especially around the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay waters. Come winter, the icebergs in the Arctic Ocean freeze into pack ice, to melt away when they drift southwards.
The Arctic Ocean is covered by ice during winter to the extent of about 12-13 million square km. More sea ice covers Hudson Bay, Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea. Through the winter months most of the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic coasts are icebound. In summer, this ice is reduced to about 9 million square km. It is during the late summer, loose pack ice moves from Arctic Ocean towards Greenland Coasts, and towards the Atlantic Ocean.
About one third’s of earth’s surface (1181,300,000 sq. km.) is covered by the deepest and largest ocean, the Pacific Ocean. The Ocean derives its name from the Latin Tepre Pacificum, meaning “peaceful sea” in 1520-21 by Spanish explorer, Magellan.
The floor has a depth of 4,300m average and is mostly a deep-sea plain, the maximum known depth of 10,911.5m is located in the Challenger Deep.
The islands situated in the south and west of the Pacific were inhabited by Asian wanderers who explored the seas, crossing huge distances in the open ocean. Marco Polo and other European explorers had hinted its existence around late 15th Century. Commercial traders sailed around Africa to the ocean’s western edge, though the first recognition of the Pacific, from Atlantic Ocean came only when Balbao sighted the eastern shore in 1513.
It was the Spanish and Portuguese who dominated the Pacific Ocean in 16th Century. By the 17th English and Dutchmen took over, and in 18th Century the Japanese and Germans sailed through. While it was only in the 19th Century the American whalers and Sealers sailed the Pacific.
The Ocean covers a huge area, extending from the Arctic to Antarctic between South and North America on the eastern side, while on the west, Australia and Asia. The International Date Line passes through, and Bering Strait connects the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean. The Drake Passage links it with Atlantic Ocean, as the Magellan Strait and Panama Canal connects it with the Indian Ocean.
The coastline rises from a deep seafloor to mountains on land, along the eastern shore of the Pacific. Comparatively the Asian coastline of the Pacific is low, indented and on the fringes of which islands rise through a wide continental shelf. There are numerous volcanoes called the Pacific Ring of Fire, edging the basin of the Pacific Ocean.
In the Pacific Ocean, major oceans currents form huge whirls, which are found near the southern and northern equator. The Ocean has a number of feeder currents which constantly circulate the waters, giving them varying temperature and saline profiles.
The main commercial fishing centers are located in the continental shelf’s shallow waters, where the main catch are halibut, salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna. Many transpacific sea-lanes go through the Islands of Hawaii, while the chief ports in the Pacific Ocean are brisk trading centers.