The most mysterious phenomena of the world's oceans. Dangerous natural phenomena in the seas of the Russian sector of the Arctic

The Bermuda Triangle is a place of mysterious disappearances of ships and aircraft and other anomalous phenomena.

The Bermuda Triangle or Atlantis is a place where people disappear, ships and planes disappear, navigation instruments fail, and almost no one ever finds the crashed. This hostile, mystical, ominous country for humans instills such great horror in the hearts of people that they often simply refuse to talk about it.

Many pilots and sailors have no other alternative but to constantly plow the water/air spaces of this mysterious territory - a considerable stream of tourists and vacationers rushes to the area, surrounded on three sides by fashionable resorts. Therefore, it is simply impossible and will not work to isolate the Bermuda Triangle from the world around it. And, although most ships pass this zone without any problems, no one is immune from the fact that one day they may not return.

What it is?

Few people knew about the existence of such a mysterious and amazing phenomenon called the Bermuda Triangle a hundred years ago. This mystery of the Bermuda Triangle began to actively occupy people's minds and force them to put forward various hypotheses and theories in the 70s. last century, when Charles Berlitz published a book in which he extremely interestingly and fascinatingly described the stories of the most mysterious and mystical disappearances in this region. After this, journalists picked up the story, developed the theme, and the history of the Bermuda Triangle began. Everyone began to worry about the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle and the place where the Bermuda Triangle or the missing Atlantis is located.

Is this wonderful place or the missing Atlantis located in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast North America- between Puerto Rico, Miami and Bermuda. Located in two climate zones at once: top part, the larger one is in the subtropics, the lower one is in the tropics. If these points are connected to each other by three lines, the map will show a large triangular figure, the total area of ​​which is about 4 million square kilometers.

This triangle is quite arbitrary, since ships also disappear outside its borders - and if you mark on the map all the coordinates of disappearances, flying and floating Vehicle, then most likely it will turn out to be a rhombus.

The term itself is unofficial; its author is considered to be Vincent Gaddis, who in the 60s. last century published an article entitled “The Bermuda Triangle is the lair of the devil (death).” The note did not cause any particular stir, but the phrase stuck and reliably entered into everyday life.

Terrain features and possible causes of crashes

U knowledgeable people The fact that ships often crash here is not particularly surprising: this region is not easy to navigate - there are many shallows, a huge number of fast water and air currents, cyclones often form and hurricanes rage.

Bottom

What does the Bermuda Triangle hide underwater? The bottom topography in this area is interesting and varied, although it is nothing ordinary and has been studied quite well, since some time ago various studies and drilling were carried out here in order to find oil and other minerals.

Scientists have determined that the Bermuda Triangle or the missing Atlantis contains mainly sedimentary rocks, the layer thickness of which is from 1 to 2 km, and it itself looks like this:

1. Deep-sea plains of oceanic basins - 35%;
2. Shelf with shoals - 25%;
3. Slope and foot of the mainland - 18%;
4. Plateau - 15%;
5. Deep ocean trenches - 5% (here are the deepest places Atlantic Ocean, as well as his maximum depth- 8742m, recorded in the Puerto Rican depression);
6. Deep straits - 2%;
7. Seamounts - 0.3% (there are six in total).

Water currents. Gulf Stream

Almost the entire western part of the Bermuda Triangle is crossed by the Gulf Stream, so the air temperature here is usually 10°C higher than in the rest of the territory of this mysterious anomaly. Because of this, in places where atmospheric fronts of different temperatures collide, you can often see fog, which often amazes the minds of overly impressionable travelers.

The Gulf Stream itself is a very fast current, the speed of which often reaches ten kilometers per hour (it should be noted that many modern transoceanic ships move not much faster - from 13 to 30 km/h). An extremely fast flow of water can easily slow down or increase the movement of a ship (it all depends on which direction it is sailing). It is not surprising that ships of weaker power in earlier times easily went off course and were carried completely in the wrong direction, as a result of which they crashed and disappeared forever in the oceanic abyss.

Other movements

In addition to the Gulf Stream, strong but irregular currents constantly appear in the Bermuda Triangle area, the appearance or direction of which is almost never predictable. They are formed mainly under the influence of tidal waves in shallow water and their speed is as high as that of the Gulf Stream - and is about 10 km/h.

As a result of their occurrence, whirlpools often form, causing trouble for small ships with weak engines. It is not surprising that if in former times a sailing ship got here, it would not be easy for it to get out of the whirlwind, and under particularly unfavorable circumstances, one might even say impossible.

Water shafts

In the area of ​​the Bermuda Triangle, hurricanes often form with wind speeds of about 120 m/s, which also generate fast currents whose speed is equal to the speed of the Gulf Stream. They, creating huge waves, rush along the surface of the Atlantic Ocean until they hit the coral reefs at great speed, breaking a ship if it had the misfortune of being in the path of giant waves.

In the east of the Bermuda Triangle is the Sargasso Sea - a sea without shores, surrounded on all sides instead of land by strong currents of the Atlantic Ocean - the Gulf Stream, North Atlantic, North Trade Wind and Canary.

Outwardly, it seems that its waters are motionless, the currents are weak and inconspicuous, while the water here is constantly moving, since water flows, pouring into it from all sides, rotate the sea water clockwise.

Another notable feature of the Sargasso Sea is the huge amount of algae in it (contrary to popular belief, areas with completely clean water are also available here). When in former times ships drifted here for some reason, they became entangled in dense sea plants and, falling into a whirlpool, albeit slowly, they were no longer able to get out.

Movement of air masses

Because this area lies in the trade winds, extremely strong winds constantly blow over the Bermuda Triangle. Stormy days are not uncommon here (according to various weather services, there are about eighty stormy days here a year - that is, once every four days the weather here is terrible and disgusting.

Here is another explanation for why missing ships and planes were discovered in the past. Nowadays, almost all captains are informed by meteorologists exactly when bad weather will happen. Previously, due to lack of information, during terrible storms, many people found their final refuge in this area. sea ​​vessels.

In addition to the trade winds, cyclones feel comfortable here, the air masses of which, creating whirlwinds and tornadoes, rush at a speed of 30-50 km/h. They are extremely dangerous because, raising warm water upward, they turn it into huge columns of water (often their height reaches 30 meters), with an unpredictable trajectory and crazy speed. Ship small sizes in such a situation there is practically no chance of survival; a large one will most likely stay afloat, but is unlikely to come out of trouble undamaged.

Infrasound signals

Experts call another reason for the huge number of disasters the ability of the ocean to produce infrasound signals that cause panic among the crew, because of which people can even throw themselves overboard. The sound of this frequency affects not only waterfowl, but also aircraft.

Researchers assign an important role in this process to hurricanes, storm winds and high waves. When the wind begins to hit the crests of the waves, a low-frequency wave is created that rushes forward almost immediately and signals the approach of a strong storm. While moving, she catches up with a sailing ship, hits the sides of the ship, then goes down into the cabins.

Once in a confined space, the infrasound wave begins to put psychological pressure on the people there, causing panic and nightmare visions, and having seen their worst nightmares, people lose control of themselves and jump overboard in despair. The ship completely leaves life, it is left without control and begins to drift until it is found (which may take more than one decade).

Infrasound waves act on aircraft somewhat differently. An airplane flying over the Bermuda Triangle is hit by an infrasound wave, which, as in the previous case, begins to put psychological pressure on the pilots, as a result of which they stop realizing what they are doing, especially since at this moment phantoms begin to appear in front of them. Then either the pilot will crash, or will be able to take the ship out of the zone that poses a danger to him, or the autopilot will save him.

Gas bubbles: methane

Researchers are constantly putting forward Interesting Facts about the Bermuda Triangle. For example, there are suggestions that in the area of ​​the Bermuda Triangle, bubbles often form filled with gas - methane, which appears from cracks in the ocean floor that were formed after the eruptions of ancient volcanoes (oceanographers discovered huge accumulations of methane crystalline hydrate above them).

After some time, for one reason or another, certain processes begin to occur in methane (for example, their appearance can cause a weak earthquake) - and it forms a bubble, which, rising to the top, bursts at the surface of the water. When this happens, the gas escapes into the air, and a funnel forms in the place of the former bubble.

Sometimes the ship passes over the bubble without problems, sometimes it breaks through it and crashes. In reality, no one has ever seen the impact of methane bubbles on ships; some researchers claim that a huge number of ships go missing precisely for this reason.

When the ship hits the crest of one of the waves, the ship begins to descend - and then the water under the ship suddenly bursts, disappears - and it falls into empty space, after which the waters close - and water rushes into it. At this time, there was no one to save the ship - when the water disappeared, concentrated methane gas was released, instantly killing the entire crew, and the ship sank and ended up on the ocean floor forever.

The authors of this hypothesis are convinced that this theory also explains the reasons for the presence of ships in this area with dead sailors, on whose bodies no damage was found. Most likely, the ship, when the bubble burst, was far enough away that something threatened it, but the gas reached the people.

As for airplanes, methane can have a detrimental effect on them too. Basically, this happens when methane that rises into the air gets into the fuel, explodes, and the plane falls down, after which, falling into a whirlpool, it disappears forever in the ocean depths.

Magnetic anomalies

In the area of ​​the Bermuda Triangle, magnetic anomalies also often occur, confusing all navigational equipment of ships. They are unstable and appear mainly when tectonic plates diverge as much as possible.

As a result, unstable electric fields and magnetic disturbances arise, which negatively affect psychological condition humans, changing instrument readings and neutralizing radio communications.

Hypotheses for the disappearance of ships

The mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle never cease to interest the human mind. Why it is here that ships crash and disappear, journalists and lovers of everything unknown put forward many more theories and assumptions.

Some believe that interruptions in navigation instruments are caused by Atlantis, namely its crystals, which were previously located precisely on the territory of the Bermuda Triangle. Despite the fact that only pitiful crumbs of information have reached us from ancient civilization, these crystals still operate today and send signals from the depths of the ocean floor that cause interruptions in navigation instruments.

Another interesting theory is the hypothesis that the Bermuda Triangle or Atlantis contains portals leading to other dimensions (both in space and time). Some are even sure that it was through them that aliens entered Earth in order to kidnap people and ships.

Military actions or piracy - many believe (even if this has not been proven) that the loss of modern ships is directly related to these two reasons, especially since such cases have happened more than once before. Human error - ordinary disorientation in space and incorrect interpretation of instrument indicators - may also well be the cause of the death of the ship.

Is there a secret?

Have all the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle been revealed? Despite the hype around the Bermuda Triangle, scientists argue that in reality this territory is no different, and a large number of accidents are mainly associated with difficult natural conditions for navigation (especially since the World Ocean contains many others that are more dangerous for humans places). And the fear that the Bermuda Triangle or the missing Atlantis causes are ordinary prejudices, constantly fueled by journalists and other sensationalists.

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Land occupies less than 30% of the surface of our planet. The rest is covered by seas and oceans. Dozens of secrets and amazing natural phenomena are associated with them. And, despite the fact that scientists have successfully explained the reasons for these phenomena, they remain magnificent works of nature that capture the imagination of people. Let's learn about 10 unusual and exciting phenomena related to the World Ocean.

Icebergs don't always look perfectly white!

It is no secret that the temperature of ocean water differs at different geographical latitudes. At the equator, the surface layer can warm up to +28°C and above, but in areas close to the poles - no more than +2°C. Therefore, large icebergs can float in the Arctic and Antarctic for decades. And sometimes they turn... into striped icebergs!

Striped icebergs form when water first thaws and then freezes again. In between, small particles of dirt, minerals, etc. get into it. After freezing, the color of the fresh layer of the iceberg is different from the others. Thanks to this process, many multi-colored stripes can be observed on the surface of the ice block. That is, not all icebergs are white or transparent, as they are shown in the pictures. In some of them we can observe an amazing play of colors and shades. Moreover, the older the iceberg, the more stripes there are on it. Looking at them, it may seem that nature itself with a skillful hand decorated these blocks of ice.
9. Whirlpool

Whirlpool - a huge funnel with a lower draft that sucks in everything that is nearby

The word “whirlpool” seems to deliberately warn people that they should be wary of this phenomenon. Interestingly, it was first used by the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe. He described it as a "destructive current." In fact, the ocean whirlpool is a powerful funnel with a lower draft, slowly but surely sucking in everything that is nearby. They are three types- permanent (existing in the same place always), seasonal (caused by certain climatic conditions) and episodic (occurring, for example, during earthquakes).

In the seas and oceans, whirlpools are most often caused by the collision of tidal waves with oncoming currents. Moreover, the water in them can move at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour.

This is interesting: The width of the whirlpools sometimes reaches 3-5 kilometers. Not only small yachts and fishing boats, but also large liners can become victims of such phenomena. You may remember the shocking incident in 2011 when a ship with hundreds of passengers on board was sucked into a whirlpool formed after an earthquake off the coast of Japan.

Previously, people believed in legends that claimed that whirlpools would certainly drag them to the very bottom of the ocean. But scientists have debunked such myths.
8. Red Tide

The largest red tide can be seen in Florida Bay

Waves of rich, bright red and orange hues are an amazingly beautiful natural phenomenon. But enjoying red tides too often is harmful to your health, because they are fraught with considerable danger.

Algae blooms (which cause the water to turn scarlet) can be so intense that the plants begin to produce all sorts of toxins and chemicals. Some of them dissolve in water, some enter the air. Toxins harm aquatic life, seabirds and even humans.

The largest Red Tide on the planet occurs annually off the Florida Gulf Coast in June and July.
7. Brynicle (salted icicle)

Brynicle spreads an ice net along the bottom of the sea, from which no living creature can escape.

An amazing work of nature - a salty icicle, is something unimaginable. When the brynicle is finally formed, it looks something like a crystal dipped into water. Salty icicles form when water from melting ice seeps into the sea. Considering that for the formation of salty icicles you need very low temperatures air and water, they can only be observed in the cold waters of the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica.

This is interesting: Brainicles pose a great danger to the flora and fauna of the ocean. At the moment of contact with them, starfish, fish and even algae either freeze and freeze, or receive significant cuts.

The generally accepted model for the formation of brainicles was described by oceanographer Silje Martin back in 1974. For more than 30 years, only scientists could witness this vibrant oceanic show. But in 2011, the process of formation of a sea icicle was filmed by a BBC cameraman.

The stream of salty water flowing from the ice block is so cold that the surrounding liquid freezes almost instantly. Within seconds of being in the ocean, Brynicle forms a fragile armor around him, consisting of porous ice. When the critical mass is reached, the icicle collapses to the bottom. Then she begins to spread her cold nets further. Any animal caught in them is doomed to death. Before the eyes of the operators, the “killer icicle” grew several meters in 3 hours and reached the ocean floor. After that, in just 15 minutes, Brynicle destroyed all marine life within a radius of four meters.
6. The longest wave on Earth

Brazilians call the process of formation of the longest wave of Viceroca

Weather conditions have a huge impact on ocean waters. It is not surprising that some natural phenomena can only be observed in a certain season with a combination of many contributing factors.

Thus, the longest wave on the planet can be seen in Brazil no more than 2 times a year. At the end of February and then at the beginning of March, a huge volume of water from the Atlantic Ocean rises up the mouth of the Amazon River. When the current of a river collides with the tidal forces of the ocean, it creates the longest wave on Earth. In Brazil this phenomenon is called Pororoca. The height of the waves formed during this phenomenon sometimes reaches 3.5-4 meters. And you can hear the sound of a wave half an hour before it hits the shore with a roar. Sometimes Pororoka destroys coastal houses or uproots trees.
5. Frosty flowers

Thousands of amazing frosty flowers in Arctic waters

Few people know about the existence of these delicate, charming flowers. Frosty flowers are formed quite rarely - only on young ice in cold sea water. Their formation occurs at low temperatures in windless weather. The diameter of such formations usually does not exceed four centimeters, and they look like crystal copies of real flowers. They contain a lot of salt, which explains the crystallized appearance of frosty flowers.

This is interesting: If millions of similar flowers form in some small area of ​​​​the sea, they begin to “release” salt into the air!

The sea can not only create conditions for life and support it. It changes itself, like a living organism. And frosty flowers are an example of one of the most beautiful objects of art created by the World Ocean.
4. Rogue waves

Rogue waves can reach heights of 25 meters or more. The reasons for their formation are not reliably known.

As a rule, determining the moment of wave formation is not difficult. But there are so-called rogue waves, which essentially appear out of nowhere and show no signs of their approach.

This is interesting: Typically, rogue waves are found in the open ocean far from land. They can appear even in clear weather in the absence strong wind. The reasons have not yet been established. Their size is simply colossal. The height of wandering rogue waves can reach 30 meters, and sometimes more!

For a long time, scientists considered wandering waves to be an invention of sailors, because they did not fit into any existing mathematical models of the occurrence and behavior of waves. The fact is that, from the point of view of classical oceanology, a wave with a height of more than 20.7 meters cannot exist in terrestrial conditions. There was also a lack of reliable evidence of their existence. But on January 1, 1995, on the Norwegian oil platform Dropner, located in the North Sea, instruments recorded a wave 25.6 meters high. It was called the Dropner wave. Research soon began as part of the MaxWave project. Experts monitored the Earth's water surface using two radar satellites launched by the European Space Agency. In just 3 weeks, 10 single wandering waves over 25 meters high were recorded in the oceans.

After this, scientists were forced to take a fresh look at the deaths of huge ships - container ships and supertankers. Rogue waves were included in the number probable causes these disasters. It was later proven that in 1980, the 300-meter English cargo ship Derbyshire sank off the coast of Japan after colliding with a giant wave that pierced the cargo hatch and flooded the holds. Then 44 people died.

Rogue waves are a sailors' nightmare, appearing in many stories and legends. There is something mysterious and sinister hidden in them. It seems incredible that it is almost impossible to predict the appearance of such a wall of water. The thought of rogue waves will definitely make you reconsider your relationship with the ocean. It is unlikely that you will continue to believe that in calm weather you can sail on a boat or yacht far from the shore without fearing for your life.
3. The meeting point of the Baltic Sea with the North Sea

On the left is the North Sea, on the right is the Baltic Sea. Surprisingly, their waters do not mix

In the Danish province of Skagen, you can observe an amazing phenomenon that previously caused a lot of controversy among scientists. In a picturesque place, 2 neighboring seas meet - the Baltic and the North. Surprisingly, they do not mix, as if being separated by an invisible wall. The color of the water in each sea is different, this allows you to visually determine the boundary between them.

According to oceanologists, the density of sea waters differs, as does their salinity (in North Sea it is 1.5 times higher). Because of this, each sea remains on its own side of the “watershed”, without mixing with the neighboring one and without yielding to it. In addition to the composition of the water, the border is so clearly expressed due to the opposing currents in the two straits. Running into each other, they form colliding waves.

Interestingly, the meeting of the North Sea with the Baltic Sea is mentioned in religious literature- in the Koran. It is not clear how the ancient Muslims reached the territory of modern Denmark to see this fantastic spectacle.
2. Bioluminescence

The glow of the ocean in coastal waters is a fantastic sight

Bioluminescence of water is a phenomenon that looks amazing in photographs and is even more spectacular in reality. The glow of the ocean is caused by the simplest algae - dinoflagellates, which make up most of the plankton.

The tiny molecule, the substrate luciferin, is oxidized by the enzyme luciferase and oxygen. The released energy does not turn into heat, but excites the molecules of the substance, which emits photons. The type of luciferin determines the frequency of light, that is, the color of the glow.

The best time to watch the ocean glow is during breeding season unicellular algae(usually no more than 3 weeks a year). There are so many tiny lights that sea ​​water it looks like milk, albeit colored bright blue. However, one should be careful when admiring the bioluminescence of the sea or ocean: many algae produce toxins dangerous to human health. Therefore, during the period of their reproduction and the greatest intensity of the glow, it will still be better to observe the bright tide while on the shore. And definitely at night! It may seem that there are huge spotlights hidden under the water, illuminating it from the depths.
1. The phenomenon of the Milky Sea

The glow of the ocean caused by the phenomenon of bioluminescence can sometimes be seen even from space!

The Milk Sea phenomenon is observed in the Indian Ocean, and this is one of the manifestations of the bioluminescence process.

This is interesting: In certain areas of the ocean they are created ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria. Then huge volumes of salt water begin to glow and are colored with light blue lights. Sometimes bacteria illuminate such large plots water that they can be easily seen even from space. Such a spectacle will not leave anyone indifferent!

This phenomenon has been observed for more than a century. The glow of water was often observed by sailors in ancient times; it made them gaze enthusiastically into the depths of the ocean. However, if earlier people could not find an explanation for this phenomenon, then in our time everything is known about its nature. But this does not prevent the glow of water from remaining a fantastic sight.

Such phenomena show the beauty and diversity of the majestic World Ocean. Watching them, you involuntarily catch yourself thinking that human civilization, no matter how developed it may be, will not be able to create anything like this! After all, people are only temporary guests on this amazing planet. And we must not destroy, but preserve all the splendor of nature for future generations.

The Atlantic Ocean is located primarily in the Western Hemisphere. From north to south it stretches for 16 thousand km. In the northern and southern parts the ocean expands, and in equatorial latitudes it narrows to 2900 km.

Atlantic Ocean- the second largest among the oceans. The ocean coastline in the Northern Hemisphere is heavily dissected by peninsulas and bays. The continents have many islands in the ocean, internal and marginal seas.

Bottom relief

The Mid-Ocean Ridge stretches across the entire ocean at approximately equal distances from the shores of the continents. The relative height of the ridge is 2 km. In the axial part of the ridge there is a rift valley with a width of 6 to 30 km and a depth of up to 2 km. Transverse faults divide the ridge into separate segments. Underwater active volcanoes, as well as the volcanoes of Iceland and the Azores, are associated with the rifts and faults of the Mid-Ocean Ridge. The ocean has the greatest depth within the Puerto Rico Trench - 8742 m. The shelf area of ​​the Atlantic Ocean is quite large - larger than in the Pacific Ocean.

Climate

The Atlantic Ocean is located in all climate zones of the Earth, so its climates are very diverse. Most of the ocean (between 40°N and 42°S) is located in subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and equatorial climate zones. The southern parts of the ocean are characterized by a severe climate, while the northern regions are somewhat less cold.

Properties of waters and ocean currents

The zonation of water masses in the ocean is very complicated by the influence of land and sea currents, manifested primarily in the temperature distribution surface waters. The northern half of the ocean is warmer than the southern half, the difference in temperatures reaches 6 ° C. The average temperature of surface waters is +16.5 ° C.

The salinity of surface waters in the Atlantic Ocean is high. Many large rivers flow into the ocean and its seas (Amazon, Coyo, Mississippi, Nile, Danube, Parana, etc.). Ice forms in the desalinated bays and seas of subpolar and temperate latitudes in winter off the eastern shores. A feature of the ocean is the numerous icebergs and floating sea ice carried here from the Northern Arctic Ocean and from the shores of Antarctica.

Due to the strong elongation of the Atlantic Ocean from north to south, ocean currents in the meridional direction are more developed in it than in the latitudinal direction. In the Atlantic, two systems of surface currents are formed. In the Northern Hemisphere, it looks like a figure eight - the North Trade Wind, Gulf Stream, North Atlantic and Ka-Nar currents form a clockwise movement of water in temperate and tropical latitudes. In the northern part, the North Atlantic Current directs the waters of the Atlantic into the Arctic Ocean counterclockwise. As cold currents, they return to the Atlantic Ocean in the northeastern part. In the Southern Hemisphere, the South Trade Wind, Brazilian, Western Winds and Benguela currents form a counterclockwise movement of water in the form of one ring.

Organic world

The Atlantic Ocean, compared to the Pacific Ocean, had a poorer species composition of living organisms. However, in terms of quantity and total biomass, the Atlantic Ocean is rich in organisms. This is primarily due to the wide distribution of the shelf, on which many bottom and bottom fish live (cod, perch, flounder, etc.).

Natural complexes

In the Atlantic Ocean, all zonal complexes are distinguished - natural zones, except for the North Polar. The waters of the northern subpolar zone are rich different kinds living organisms - especially on the shelf near the berets of Greenland and Labrador. The temperate zone is characterized by intense interaction between cold and warm waters, a large number of living organisms. These are the most fishy areas of the Atlantic. Large expanses of warm waters in the subtropical, tropical and equatorial zones are less productive than the waters of the northern temperate zone. In the northern subtropical zone, a special natural water complex of the Sargas Sea stands out. It is characterized by high water salinity - up to 37.5% and low productivity.

In the temperate zone of the Southern Hemisphere, there are (as in the northern) complexes where waters of different temperatures and densities mix. The complexes of the subantarctic and antarctic belts are characterized by the seasonal distribution of floating ice and icebergs.

Economic use

All types of maritime activities are represented in the Atlantic Ocean, among which the most important are maritime, transport, underwater oil and gas production, and only then - the use of biological resources.

Atlantic Ocean- main sea ​​route world, an area of ​​intense shipping. On the shores of the Atlantic Ocean there are more than 70 coastal countries with a population of more than 130,000,000 people.

TO mineral resources The ocean contains placer deposits of rare metals, diamonds, and gold. In the depths of the shelf, reserves of iron ore and sulfur are concentrated, large deposits of oil and gas have been discovered, which are exploited by many countries (North Sea, etc.). Some shelf areas are rich in coal. Ocean energy is used to operate tidal power plants (for example, at the mouth of the Rance River in northern France).

Many Atlantic countries extract mineral resources such as table salt, magnesium, bromine, and uranium from the ocean and its seas. Desalination plants operate in arid areas.

Intensively used and biological resources ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the largest per unit area, but its biological resources are depleted in some areas.

Due to intensive economic activity in many seas in the open ocean, there is a deterioration in natural conditions- water and air pollution, reduction of stocks of valuable commercial fish and other animals. Recreational conditions on the ocean shores are deteriorating.

The Atlantic Ocean is one of the largest. Its area is the second largest after the Quiet and amounts to 91.6 million square kilometers. It washes the shores of Europe, Africa, North and South America. The nature and relief of the Atlantic Ocean are very diverse. All the features of this part of the world's oceans have not yet been studied and therefore it is of interest to scientists and researchers around the world.

There are two versions of the origin of its name. According to one, this is connected with the ancient Greek titan Atlas, and on the other, with the mythical island of Atlantis.
The Atlantic Ocean has some individual characteristics. Its coastline is heavily indented. It is characterized by the presence of a large number of seas and bays. If we compare it with other oceans, the number of rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean is the most significant.

This part of the world's oceans is distinguished by a relatively small number of islands. The relief features multiple depressions and ridges. It can be called the most difficult. There are many pits and trenches located in the Atlantic Ocean. The bottom topography changes under the influence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which large quantities are present on its territory. Many of the volcanoes reach a height of 5 kilometers.
The Atlantic Ocean also has a special climate. This is explained by the large length along the meridian. The water temperature also depends on the influence of the Arctic Ocean, with which currents exchange. From this side, numerous icebergs enter the ocean, reaching even tropical waters.

The Atlantic Ocean stretches through all the climate zones of the Earth, so its climates are very diverse.
Why is the climate in the southern part of the ocean harsher than the climate in the north? Climate features affect the properties of water masses. The surface water temperature here is much lower (+ 16.5°C) than in the Pacific and Indian oceans. This is explained by the cooling influence of water and ice carried out from the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica, as well as intense mixing of water masses.

The salinity of water masses in some areas of the ocean is higher than average, since a significant part of the evaporated moisture, due to the relative narrowness of the ocean, is transported by winds to neighboring continents.

Atlantic Ocean. Photo: Jackie

Unlike other oceans, currents are formed in the Atlantic, most of which are directed not along latitude, but almost along the meridians. The reason for this is the large elongation of the ocean from north to south and the outline of the coastline. Currents in the Atlantic are more active than in other oceans, transporting water, heat and cold from one latitude to another.

Currents also affect ice conditions. The ocean is characterized by numerous icebergs and floating sea ice. The waters off Greenland are one of the most picturesque areas of the Atlantic. Powerful ice “tongues” emerge from the depths of the island to the ocean and hang over its cold bluish-green waters with high cliffs of transparent ice. At times they break off with a roar and large chunks fall into the water. Currents carry icebergs into the open ocean up to 40° N. w. These areas of the Atlantic are dangerous for shipping. The movement of icebergs is monitored by a special air patrol service; images are also received from artificial Earth satellites. This information is transmitted to ships of all countries.

Features of climate and relief characterize its biological world. The fauna of the Atlantic Ocean is diverse and uneven.

The Atlantic Ocean, as well as other oceans in these latitudes, is characterized by the presence of large mammals in its fauna - fur seals, several species of true seals, and cetaceans. The latter are represented here most fully compared to other parts of the World Ocean, but in the middle of the last century they were severely exterminated. Among fishes, the endemic families of nototheniids and white-blooded pike are characteristic of the South Atlantic. The number of plankton species is small, but its biomass, especially in temperate latitudes, is very significant. Zooplankton includes copepods (krill) and pteropods, while phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms. The corresponding latitudes of the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic biogeographical region) are characterized by the presence in the composition organic world the same groups of living organisms as in the southern hemisphere, but they are represented by other species and even genera. And compared to the same latitudes of the Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic is distinguished by a greater species diversity. This is especially true for fish and some mammals.

Many areas of the North Atlantic have long been and continue to be places of intense fishing. Cod, herring, halibut, sea bass, and sprat are caught on banks off the coast of North America, in the North and Baltic seas. Since ancient times, mammals have been hunted in the Atlantic Ocean, especially seals, whales and other marine animals. This led to a severe depletion of the Atlantic's fishing resources compared to the Pacific and Indian oceans.

As in other parts of the World Ocean, the greatest diversity of life forms and the maximum species richness of the organic world is observed in the tropical part of the Atlantic Ocean. The plankton contains numerous foraminifera, radiolarians, and copepods. Nekton is characterized by sea turtles, squids, sharks, and flying fish; Among commercial fish species, tuna, sardines, mackerel are abundant, and in zones of cold currents - anchovies. Among the bottom forms are various algae: green, red, brown (sargassum already mentioned above); Animals include octopuses and coral polyps.

But despite the relative species richness of the organic world in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, it is still less diverse than in the Pacific and even the Indian Oceans. Coral polyps are much less represented here, the distribution of which is limited mainly to the Caribbean; There are no sea snakes or many species of fish. This may be due to the fact that in subequatorial latitudes the Atlantic Ocean has the smallest width (less than 3000 km), which is incomparable with the vast expanses of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

The natural conditions of the Atlantic are favorable for the development of life, therefore it is the most productive of all the oceans. Most of the fish catch and production of other marine products occurs in the northern part of the ocean. However, increased fishing has recently led to a decrease in biological wealth.
The Atlantic Ocean shelves are rich in oil and other mineral deposits. Thousands of wells have been drilled offshore the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. Due to the growth of cities, the development of shipping in many seas and in the ocean itself, a deterioration in natural conditions has recently been observed. The waters and air are polluted, and conditions for recreation on the shores of the ocean and its seas have deteriorated. For example, the North Sea is covered with many kilometers of oil slicks. Off the coast of North America, the oil film is hundreds of kilometers wide. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted on Earth. The Atlantic is no longer able to clean itself of waste on its own.

The nature of the ocean is now being studied by more than 40 scientific ships from around the world. Oceanologists carefully study the interaction of the ocean and the atmosphere, observe the Gulf Stream and other currents, and the movement of icebergs. The Atlantic Ocean is no longer able to independently restore its biological resources. Treaties have already been concluded that prohibit the dumping of hazardous waste into the ocean. Preserving the nature of the Atlantic Ocean today is an international matter.

Sources of petroleum hydrocarbons entering waters include:

• removal from river waters polluted by industrial, agricultural and domestic wastewater;
• natural siphoning wells in oil- and gas-bearing areas of the shelf zone of the Arctic seas;
• construction and operation engineering structures on the shelf (including drilling and construction of exploration and production wells);
• direct discharge of liquid industrial and household waste, as well as emissions into the atmosphere in populated areas on the Arctic coast;
• operation of all types of vehicles (sea and river fleets, aviation, road and pipeline transport);
• emergency spills of oil and petroleum products;
• transfer of products of fuel combustion, decomposition and evaporation of oil in industrialized areas adjacent to the Arctic region;
• transport of pollutants by marine water masses;
• disposal of industrial waste and soils removed during dredging;
• melting sea and river ice contaminated with petroleum products.

The negative biological effects of oil and other pollution in the photic layer are most noticeable in polar ecosystems due to the fact that low air temperatures inhibit the natural processes of chemical, biochemical and microbiological oxidation of hydrocarbons even in summer period. The temperature factor is decisive in the process of decomposition of substances: the same amount of petroleum hydrocarbons at 25°C oxidizes in 1–2 weeks, at 5°C - in six months, and at negative temperatures of polar waters this phenomenon can continue for decades. At the same rate of entry of petroleum products, this can lead to pollution of polar waters that is several orders of magnitude greater than in temperate and tropical zones. There are areas in the Arctic where oil that ends up on the shores as a result of accidental spills continues to remain unchanged for decades, and the process of self-purification is extremely slow.

The threat to the ecosystems of the Barents Sea shelf is posed by the looming prospect of oil production. Today, more than 10 drilling platforms in Russia rise in the sea area. From the practice of carrying out such work, it is known that the entry of petroleum hydrocarbons into the marine environment occurs during the systematic technological discharge of oil-containing water, as well as in the event of emergency situations.

With the development of oil and gas production on the shelf and the expansion of the network of underwater pipelines for the transfer of raw materials to processing enterprises, acquire great importance problems of bottom erosion, transformation of bottom biocenoses.

The main source of pollution in the White Sea is river runoff, which carries pollutants from a number of enterprises various industries industry.

The sources of water pollution in the East Siberian seas are:

• enterprises for exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields;
• ships of the sea and river fleet;
• bases of fuels and lubricants and points for refueling and pumping fuel;
• mining enterprises;
• cities and towns of the Arctic coast;
• transport of pollutants by air currents and Arctic ice;
• accidental spills;
• sunken wood.

The bulk of organochlorine and polychlorinated biphenyls are introduced into the marine environment by river and continental runoff, and sea currents from other water areas. Powerful jets of the North Atlantic Current, penetrating the Barents Sea shelf, carry with them not only warm salty waters, but also waste from human activity. The content of pesticides (hexachlorane, lindane, DDT) carried by waters in some years is 0.001–0.02 μg/l, and in some places up to 0.3 μg/l. Maximum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides are often observed in areas where sea vessels and ships are disinfected. A significant amount of pesticides comes from the atmosphere.

It should be noted more high degree accumulation of organochlorine pesticides of the DDT group in bottom sediments, which is associated with their greater persistence.

Sources of heavy metals are divided into two groups - natural and anthropogenic origin.
Natural ones include, first of all, river flow, where chemical elements enter in dissolved and suspended form as a result of chemical and physical weathering of rocks and soils in the catchment area, with groundwater runoff, atmospheric fallout, during erosion of the banks and bottom, due to the entry of metal-rich silt waters from bottom sediments, as well as during water exchange with other water bodies.

Anthropogenic sources are the development of deposits of various ores, oil, gas; industrial, processing and repair enterprises (especially metallurgical plants); road, air and sea transport; Agriculture; seaports; municipal wastewater of cities; health resort complexes, etc. All heavy metals have one common property: They may be biologically active. Getting caught as a result anthropogenic activities into natural environments, many of them can accumulate in living organisms to such concentration levels that they begin to have toxic effects on organisms. The most toxic heavy metals for biota include lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, copper, zinc, vanadium, cobalt, chromium, etc. Pollution natural environment with some heavy metals has already become global.

The most important sources of water and sediment pollution are mining and metallurgical industries in the sea basin, especially in the territory; urban wastewater from Murmansk and other coastal cities; river flow; atmospheric fallout; fishing and transport fleet; The North Cape Current, carrying Atlantic waters with pollution from the Atlantic and Northern Europe.

The most important sources of metals entering are the runoff of the Northern Dvina, Mezen and smaller rivers. In the White Sea basin, especially on the Kola Peninsula, many mineral resources and provinces with industrial content of rare elements are concentrated. Large mining and metallurgical companies are also located here. Large port cities on the seashore - Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk, etc. - also contribute to the possible pollution of the White Sea with heavy metals.

The main source of sediment dissolved and suspended material entering the Kara Sea is, first of all, the runoff of the largest rivers of the Arctic - the Ob and Yenisei, which annually introduce 22.4 × 106 tons of suspended matter into the sea. Another important source is the entry of aerosol material into the sea and estuaries of the Ob and Yenisei rivers. Studying chemical composition aerosols over the Kara Sea showed that the concentrations of a group of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Ag, Cd, Sb) in them were higher than in remote areas of the Arctic basin.

There is very little data on the content of heavy metals in river runoff, water, suspended matter and bottom sediments of the East Siberian and Chukchi seas. The basins of these seas are remote from industrial areas; and the only serious source of pollution here is aerosol material that is brought here even from North America.
The main sources of radioactive contamination of the shelf are: globally distributed long-lived radioactive isotopes - products of nuclear weapons tests carried out in the atmosphere, in water and underground, release radioactive substances from the fourth block of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, planned and emergency releases of radioactive substances from nuclear industry enterprises; emissions into the atmosphere and discharges of radioactive substances into water systems from operating nuclear power plants during their normal operation; introduced radioactivity (radioactive sources).