The area of the Sea of Okhotsk is 1.603 million sq. km. Average depth 1780 m maximum depth 3521 m. The western part of the sea is shallow and located on the continental shelf. In the center of the sea are the Deryugin Basins (in the south) and the TINRO Basin. In the eastern part there is the Kuril basin, in which the depth is maximal.
From October to May-June, the northern part of the sea is covered with ice. The southeastern part practically does not freeze.
The coast in the north is heavily indented, in the northeast of the Sea of Okhotsk is its largest bay - Shelikhov Bay. Of the smaller bays in the northern part, the most famous are the Eirineyskaya Bay and the bays of Sheltinga, Zabiyaka, Babushkina, Kekurny, Odessa Bay on Iturup Island. In the east, the coastline of the Kamchatka Peninsula is practically devoid of bays. Aniva and Terpeniya bays are the largest in the southwest.
Fishing (salmon, herring, pollock, capelin, navaga, etc.).
Main ports: on the mainland - Magadan, Ayan, Okhotsk (port point); on Sakhalin Island - Korsakov, on the Kuril Islands - Severo-Kurilsk.
The Sea of Okhotsk is named after the Okhot River, which in turn comes from the Even Okat - "river". The Japanese traditionally called this sea "Hokkai" (北海), literally "North Sea". But since this name now refers to the North Sea Atlantic Ocean, then they changed the name of the Sea of Okhotsk to "Okhotsuku-kai" (オ ホ ー ツ ク 海), which is an adaptation of the Russian name to the norms of Japanese phonetics.
The sea is located on the Okhotsk sub-plate, which is part of the Eurasian plate. The crust under most of the Sea of Okhotsk is of the continental type.
The Sea of Okhotsk, whose resources are of great importance for states, is one of the most large seas related to the Pacific Ocean basin. Located off the coast of Asia. It is separated from the ocean by the islands - Hokkaido, the eastern coast of Sakhalin and the chain of Kuril lands.
It is worth noting that this sea is considered the coldest of all located on Far East... Even in summer, the temperature above it does not exceed 18 degrees from the south side, and in the northeast the thermometers show 10 degrees - this is the maximum figure.
Brief description of the Sea of Okhotsk
It is cold and powerful. The Sea of Okhotsk washes the shores of Japan and Russia. In its outlines, the reservoir resembles an ordinary trapezoid. The sea stretches from the southwest to the northeast. The maximum length is 2,463 km and the maximum width is 1,500 km. Coastline with a length of more than 10,000 km. The depth of the Sea of Okhotsk (indicator of the maximum depression) is almost 4,000 km. The type of reservoir adjacent to the outskirts of the mainland is mixed.
Volcanic activity extends both to the surface and to the bottom of the sea. When seismic movement occurs underwater or an underwater volcano explodes, it can cause huge tsunami waves.
Hydronym
The Sea of Okhotsk, whose resources are used in the national economic spheres of two countries (Russia and Japan), got its name from the name of the Okhota River. By official sources earlier it was called Lamsky and Kamchatsky. In Japan, for a long time, the sea was called the "North". But due to confusion with another reservoir of the same name, the hydronym was adapted and now the sea is called Okhotsk.
Significance of the Sea of Okhotsk for Russia
It cannot be overestimated. Since 2014, the Sea of Okhotsk belongs to inland waters Russian Federation. The state makes full use of its resources. First of all, it is the main supplier of salmonids. These are chum salmon, salmon, chinook salmon and other members of the family. Caviar production is organized here, which is highly valued. It is not for nothing that Russia is considered one of the largest suppliers of this product.
The problems of the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as of other water bodies, led to a significant decrease in populations. It was for this state that it was necessary to limit the catch of fish. And this applies not only to the salmon family, but also to other species such as herring, flounder, cod.
Industry
Russia has achieved great results in the development of industry on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk. First of all, these are ship repair enterprises and, of course, fish processing factories. These two areas were modernized in the 90s and are now of great importance for economic development the state. Many commercial enterprises have sprung up here these days.
Also, the industry on the island is developing quite well. Sakhalin. Earlier, in tsarist times, it was perceived negatively, since it served as a place for exiles of people unwanted by the government. Now the picture has changed radically. The industry is booming, people themselves strive to come here in order to earn big money.
Kamchatka seafood processing enterprises entered the world market. Their products are highly regarded abroad. It meets the standards and is quite popular in many countries.
Thanks to oil and gas fields, Russia is a monopoly in this area. There is not a single state that could supply the same volumes of oil and gas to Europe. That is why a lot of money from the state treasury is invested in these enterprises.
Islands
There are few islands in the Sea of Okhotsk, the largest of which is Sakhalin. Its coastline is heterogeneous: there is lowland in the northeast, slightly elevated in the southeast, and a sandbank in the west.
The Kuril Islands are of particular interest. They are small in size, there are about 30 large ones, but there are also smaller ones. Together they form a seismic belt - the largest on the planet. There are about 100 volcanoes on the Kuril Islands. Moreover, 30 of them are active: they can constantly “excite” the Sea of Okhotsk.
Resources Shantar Islands- seals. The largest concentration of this species is observed here. Recently, however, their production has been regulated in order to avoid complete extermination.
Gulfs
The coastline of the reservoir is weakly indented, although it is long. There are practically no bays and bays in this area. The Sea of Okhotsk basin is divided into three basins: Kuril, TINRO and Deryugin basin.
The largest bays: Sakhalin, Tugursky, Shelikhova, etc. There are also several lips here - sea bays deeply cut into the land, which form the depression of large rivers. Among them are Penzhinskaya, Gizhiginskaya, Udskaya, Tauiskaya. Thanks to the bays, water exchange in the seas also takes place. And on this moment scientists call this issue quite problematic.
Straits
They are part of the Okhotsk Basin. This is the one important element, which connects the reservoir with as well as the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are low and shallow water and Nevelskoye. They do not play a special role, since they are quite small. But the Kruzenshtern and Bussol straits differ large area, while their maximum depth reaches 500 meters. In many ways, it is they who regulate the salinity of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Bottom and coastline
The depths of the Sea of Okhotsk are not uniform. From the side of Sakhalin and the mainland, the bottom is represented by a shoal - a continuation of the Asian part of the mainland. Its width is approximately 100 km. The rest of the bottom (about 70%) is represented by the continental slope. Near Kuril Islands, next to about. Iturup is a diseased cavity. In this place, the depth of the Sea of Okhotsk reaches 2,500 meters. At the bottom of the reservoir, two large towering sections of relief with rather original names are distinguished: the hill of the Institute of Oceanology and the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.
The coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk belongs to different geomorphological forms. Most of them are high and steep slopes. Only the western territory of Kamchatka and the east of about. Sakhalin are low-lying. But the northern coast is significantly indented.
Water exchange
The continental runoff is small. This is due to the fact that all the rivers flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk are not full of water and cannot play a significant role. The most important is p. Cupid, it is on her that more than half of the total indicator of effluents falls. There are also other relatively large rivers. This is Hunt, Uda, Bolshaya, Penzhina.
Hydrological characteristics
The reservoir is completely because the salinity of the Sea of Okhotsk is quite high. It is 32-34 ppm. It decreases closer to the coast, reaching 30 ‰, and in the intermediate layer - 34 ‰.
Most of the territory is covered with floating ice in winter. Maximum low temperature water in the cold season ranges from -1 to +2 degrees. In summer, the sea depths warm up to 10-18ºC.
An interesting fact: at a depth of 100 meters there is an intermediate layer of water, the temperature of which does not change throughout the year and is 1.7 ° C below zero.
Climate features
The Sea of Okhotsk is located in temperate latitudes... This fact has a great influence on the mainland, providing In the cold part of the year, the Aleutian minimum dominates on the territory of the reservoir. It greatly influences the northerly winds, causing storm storms that last throughout the winter.
In the warm season, weak southeast winds come from the mainland. Thanks to them, the air temperature rises to a large extent. However, cyclones come along with them, which can subsequently form typhoons. The duration of such a typhoon can be from 5 to 8 days.
Sea of Okhotsk: resources
We will talk about them further. It is known that the natural resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are still poorly explored. The sea shelf with its hydrocarbon reserves is of the greatest value. Nowadays, 7 are open in Sakhalin, Kamchatka, in the Khabarovsk Territory and Magadan administrative center... The development of these deposits began in the 70s. However, in addition to oil, the main wealth of the Sea of Okhotsk is flora and fauna. They are very diverse. Therefore, fishing is significantly developed here. The most valuable salmon species are found in the Sea of Okhotsk. In the depths, squid is harvested, and the reservoir is in first place in the world for the catch of crabs. Recently, mining conditions have become more stringent and harsh. And restrictions were imposed on the catch of some fish.
The northern waters of the sea are inhabited by seals, whales, and seals. Catching these representatives of the animal world is strictly prohibited. In recent years, fishing has been gaining popularity - fishing sea urchins and shellfish. From the plant world, they matter different types sea waters sprinkle. Speaking about the use of the sea, it is worth noting its importance in the transport sector. It is a priority. Important sea trade routes have been laid here, which connect big cities Korsakov (Sakhalin), Magadan, Okhotsk and others.
Ecological problems
The Sea of Okhotsk, like other waters of the World Ocean, suffers from human activities. Here, environmental problems were recorded in the form of a runoff of oil products and residues of gas compounds. Waste from industrial and household enterprises is also quite problematic.
The coastal zone began to get polluted since the time of the development of the first shelf deposits, but until the end of the 1980s it did not have such a large-scale size. Now anthropogenic human activity has reached a critical point and requires immediate resolution. The greatest concentration of waste and pollution is concentrated off the coast of Sakhalin. This is mainly due to the rich oil fields.
Sea of Okhotsk is located in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Asia and is separated from the ocean by the chain of the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula. From the south and west, it is bounded by the coast of Hokkaido Island, the eastern coast of Sakhalin Island and the coast of the Asian continent. The sea is significantly elongated from southwest to northeast within a spherical trapezoid with coordinates 43 ° 43 "- 62 ° 42" N. sh. and 135 ° 10 "–164 ° 45" E. The greatest length of the water area in this direction is 2,463 km, and the width reaches 1,500 km. The area of the sea surface is 1603 thousand km2, the length of the coastline is 10 460 km, and the total volume of sea waters is 1316 thousand km3. According to its geographical position, it belongs to the marginal seas of the mixed continental-marginal type. The Sea of Okhotsk is connected with the Pacific Ocean by numerous straits of the Kuril island ridge, and with the Sea of Japan - through the La Perouse Strait and through the Amur estuary - by the Nevelskoy and Tatarsky straits. The average value of the sea depth is 821 m, and the greatest value is 3521 m (in the Kuril Basin).
The main morphological zones in the bottom topography are: the shelf (continental and island shoals on Sakhalin Island), the continental slope, on which separate seamounts, depressions and islands are distinguished, and a deep-water basin. The shelf zone (0-200 m) is 180-250 km wide and occupies about 20% of the sea area. A wide and gentle, in the central part of the basin, the continental slope (200–2000 m) occupies about 65%, and the deepest basin (more than 2500 m), located in the southern part of the sea - 8% of the sea area. Within the limits of the continental slope, several uplands and depressions are distinguished, where the depths change sharply (the rise of the Academy of Sciences, the uplift of the Institute of Oceanology and the Deryugin Basin). The bottom of the deep-sea Kuril Basin is a flat abyssal plain, and Kuril ridge is a natural threshold separating the sea basin from the ocean.
The straits of the Amursky Estuary, Nevelskoy in the north and La Perouse in the south, the Sea of Okhotsk connects with the Sea of Japan, and the numerous Kuril straits with the Pacific Ocean. The chain of the Kuril Islands is separated from the island of Hokkaido by the Strait of Treason, and from the Kamchatka Peninsula by the First Kuril Strait. The straits connecting the Sea of Okhotsk with the adjacent areas of the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean provide the possibility of water exchange between basins, which, in turn, have a significant impact on the distribution of hydrological characteristics. The straits of Nevelskoy and La Perouse are relatively narrow and shallow, which is the reason for the relatively weak water exchange with the Sea of Japan. The straits of the Kuril Island Ridge, which stretches for about 1200 km, on the contrary, are deeper, and their total width is 500 km. The deepest straits are Bussol (2318 m) and Krusenstern (1920 m).
The northwestern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk is practically devoid of large bays, and the northern one is significantly indented. The Tauyskaya Bay juts out into it, the shores of which are indented by bays and bays. The bay is separated from the Sea of Okhotsk by the Koni Peninsula.
The largest bay of the Sea of Okhotsk lies in its northeastern part, going 315 km into the mainland. This is the Shelikhov Bay with the Gizhiginsky and Penzhinsky bays. Gizhiginskaya and Penzhinskaya bays are separated by the elevated Taigonos Peninsula. In the southwestern part of the Shelikhov Bay, north of the Pyagin Peninsula, there is a small Yamskaya Bay.
The western coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula is leveled and practically devoid of bays.
They are complex in shape and form shallow bays on the shores of the Kuril Islands. On the Okhotsk Sea side, the largest bays are located near Iturup Island, which are deep-water and have a very complexly dissected bottom.
Quite a lot of mainly small rivers flow into the Sea of Okhotsk, therefore, with a significant volume of its waters, the continental runoff is relatively small. It is equal to about 600 km3 per year, while about 65% of the runoff comes from the Amur River. Other relatively large rivers - Penzhina, Okhota, Uda, Bolshaya (in Kamchatka) - bring much less fresh water to the sea. The effluent comes mainly in spring and early summer. At this time, its greatest influence is felt mainly in the coastal zone, near the estuarine areas of large rivers.
The shores The Sea of Okhotsk in different areas belong to different geomorphological types, mostly abrasive, altered by the sea, and only on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Island there are accumulative shores. Basically, the sea is surrounded by high and steep shores. In the north and northwest, rocky ledges slope down straight to the sea. The shores are low along the Sakhalin Bay. The southeastern coast of Sakhalin is low, and the northeast is low. The shores of the Kuril Islands are very steep. The northeastern coast of Hokkaido is mostly low-lying. The coast of the southern part of Western Kamchatka is of the same character, but the shores of its northern part rise somewhat.
By the characteristics of the composition and distribution bottom sediments three main zones can be distinguished: the central one, which is composed mainly of diatomaceous silt, silty-clayey and partly clayey silts; the zone of distribution of hemipelagic and pelagic clays in the western, eastern and northern parts of the Sea of Okhotsk; as well as the zone of distribution of different-grained sands, sandstones, gravel and silt - in the northeast of the Sea of Okhotsk. Coarse-grained material is ubiquitous, which is the result of ice spread.
The Sea of Okhotsk is in the monsoon climate temperate latitudes. A significant part of the sea in the west juts deep into the mainland and lies relatively close to the cold pole of the Asian land, therefore the main source of cold for the Sea of Okhotsk is to the west of it. The relatively high ridges of Kamchatka impede the penetration of warm Pacific air. Only in the southeast and in the south is the sea open to the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, from where a significant amount of heat enters it. However, the influence of cooling factors is stronger than that of warming, therefore the Sea of Okhotsk is generally cold.
In the cold part of the year (from October to April), the sea is affected by the Siberian anticyclone and the Aleutian minimum. The influence of the latter extends mainly to the southeastern part of the sea. This distribution of large-scale baric systems causes strong, sustained northwesterly and northerly winds, often reaching stormy force. In winter, the wind speed is usually 10–11 m / s.
In the coldest month - January - average temperature air in the northwest of the sea is –20 ...– 25 ° С, in central regions- –10 ...– 15 ° С, and in the southeastern part of the sea - –5 ...– 6 ° С.
In autumn and winter, cyclones are of predominantly continental origin. They bring with them an increase in wind, sometimes a decrease in air temperature, but the weather remains clear and dry, as continental air comes from the cooled mainland. In March - April, large-scale baric fields are rearranged, the Siberian anticyclone collapses, and the Hawaiian maximum increases. As a result, during the warm season (from May to October), the Sea of Okhotsk is under the influence of the Hawaiian maximum and the area of low pressure located above Eastern Siberia... At the same time, weak southeastern winds prevail over the sea. Their speed usually does not exceed 6-7 m / s. These winds are most often observed in June and July, although stronger northwest and northerly winds are sometimes observed during these months. In general, the Pacific (summer) monsoon is weaker than the Asian (winter) monsoon, since the horizontal pressure gradients are smoothed in the warm season.
In summer, the average monthly air temperature in August decreases from the southwest to the northeast (from 18 ° C to 10–10.5 ° C).
In the warm season, tropical cyclones - typhoons quite often pass over the southern part of the sea. They are associated with an increase in wind to a stormy one, which can last up to 5–8 days. The prevalence of southeastern winds in the spring-summer season leads to significant cloudiness, precipitation, and fog.
Monsoon winds and stronger winter cooling of the western part of the Sea of Okhotsk as compared to the eastern part are important climatic features of this sea.
Geographical position, great length along the meridian, monsoon change of winds and a good connection between the sea and the Pacific Ocean through the Kuril straits are the main natural factors that most significantly affect the formation of hydrological conditions Sea of Okhotsk.
The inflow of surface waters from the Pacific Ocean into the Sea of Okhotsk occurs mainly through the northern straits, in particular through the First Kuril Strait.
In the upper layers of the southern part of the Kuril ridge, the runoff of the Okhotsk Sea waters prevails, and in the upper layers of the northern part of the ridge, the inflow of Pacific waters occurs. In the deep layers, the influx of Pacific waters predominates.
The inflow of Pacific waters significantly affects the distribution of temperature, salinity, the formation of the structure and general circulation of the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk.
The following water masses are distinguished in the Sea of Okhotsk:
- surface water mass with spring, summer and autumn modifications. It is a thin heated layer 15–30 m thick, which limits the upper maximum of stability, mainly due to temperature;
- the Sea of Okhotsk water mass is formed in winter from surface water and in spring, summer and autumn manifests itself in the form of a cold intermediate layer lying between the horizons of 40–150 m. This water mass is characterized by rather uniform salinity (31–32 ‰) and different temperatures;
- the intermediate water mass is formed mainly due to the release of waters along the underwater slopes, within the sea, ranging from 100–150 to 400–700 m, and is characterized by a temperature of 1.5 ° C and a salinity of 33.7 ‰. This body of water is almost everywhere;
- the deep Pacific water mass is the water of the lower part of the warm layer of the Pacific Ocean, entering the Sea of Okhotsk at horizons below 800-1000 m. This water mass is located at the horizons of 600-1350 m, has a temperature of 2.3 ° C and a salinity of 34.3 ‰.
The water mass of the southern basin is of Pacific origin and represents the deep water of the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean near the 2300 m horizon.This water mass fills the basin from the 1350 m horizon to the bottom and is characterized by a temperature of 1.85 ° C and a salinity of 34.7 ‰, which only slightly change with depth.
Water temperature on the sea surface it decreases from south to north. In winter, almost everywhere the surface layers are cooled to a freezing point of –1.5 ... –1.8 ° С. Only in the southeastern part of the sea does it keep about 0 ° С, and near the northern Kuril straits, under the influence of the Pacific waters, the water temperature reaches 1–2 ° С.
Spring warming up at the beginning of the season is mainly spent on ice melting, only towards the end of it the water temperature begins to rise.
In summer, the distribution of water temperature on the sea surface is quite varied. In August, the warmest (up to 18–19 ° С) waters are adjacent to the island of Hokkaido. In the central regions of the sea, the water temperature is 11–12 ° С. The coldest surface waters are observed near Iona Island, near Cape P'yagina and near the Kruzenshtern Strait. In these areas, the water temperature is kept within 6–7 ° С. The formation of local foci of increased and decreased water temperature on the surface is mainly associated with the redistribution of heat by currents.
The vertical distribution of water temperature is not the same from season to season and from place to place. In the cold season, the change in temperature with depth is less complex and varied than in the warm seasons.
In winter, in the northern and central regions of the sea, the cooling of water extends to the horizons of 500–600 m. The water temperature is relatively uniform and varies from –1.5 ... –1.7 ° С on the surface to –0.25 ° С at the horizons of 500– 600 m, deeper it rises to 1–0 ° С, in the southern part of the sea and near the Kuril straits the water temperature from 2.5–3 ° С on the surface drops to 1–1.4 ° С at the horizons of 300–400 m and beyond gradually increases to 1.9–2.4 ° С in the bottom layer.
In summer, surface waters are warmed up to temperatures of 10–12 ° С. In the subsurface layers, the water temperature is slightly lower than on the surface. A sharp drop in temperature to –1 ... –1.2 ° С is observed between the horizons of 50–75 m, deeper, to horizons of 150–200 m, the temperature rapidly rises to 0.5–1 ° С, and then it rises more smoothly , and at horizons of 200–250 m is equal to 1.5–2 ° С. Further, the water temperature almost does not change to the bottom. In the southern and southeastern parts of the sea, along the Kuril Islands, the water temperature from 10-14 ° C on the surface drops to 3-8 ° C at the 25 m horizon, then to 1.6-2.4 ° C at the 100 m horizon and up to 1.4–2 ° С at the bottom. The vertical temperature distribution in summer is characterized by a cold intermediate layer. In the northern and central regions of the sea, the temperature in it is negative, and only near the Kuril straits does it have positive values. In different areas of the sea, the depth of the cold intermediate layer is different and varies from year to year.
Distribution salinity in the Sea of Okhotsk, relatively little changes with the seasons. Salinity rises in the eastern part, influenced by the Pacific waters, and decreases in the western part, which is freshened by continental runoff. In the western part, the salinity on the surface is 28–31 ‰, and in the eastern part - 31–32 ‰ and more (up to 33 ‰ near the Kuril ridge).
In the northwestern part of the sea, due to desalination, the salinity on the surface is 25 ‰ or less, and the thickness of the desalinated layer is about 30–40 m.
Salinity increases with depth in the Sea of Okhotsk. At the horizons of 300–400 m in the western part of the sea, salinity is 33.5 ‰, and in the eastern part it is about 33.8 ‰. At a horizon of 100 m, salinity is 34 ‰ and further to the bottom it increases slightly, only by 0.5–0.6 ‰.
In some bays and straits, the salinity and its stratification may differ significantly from the waters of the open sea, depending on local conditions.
In accordance with temperature and salinity, denser waters are observed in winter in the northern and central regions of the sea covered with ice. The density is somewhat lower in the relatively warm Kuril region. In summer, the density of water decreases, its lowest values are confined to the zones of influence of coastal runoff, and the highest are observed in the areas of distribution of Pacific waters. In winter, it rises slightly from the surface to the bottom. In summer, its distribution depends on temperature in the upper layers, and on salinity in the middle and lower layers. In summer, a noticeable vertical density stratification of water is created, the density increases especially noticeably at the 25–50 m horizons, which is associated with the warming up of waters in open areas and desalination near the coast.
Intense ice formation in most of the sea stimulates enhanced thermohaline winter vertical circulation. At depths of up to 250–300 m, it spreads to the bottom, and below it, it is hindered by the maximum stability existing here. In areas with a rugged bottom topography, the spread of density mixing to the lower horizons is facilitated by the sliding of waters along the slopes.
Under the influence of winds and the influx of water through the Kuril straits, specific traits systems of non-periodic currents Sea of Okhotsk. The main one is a cyclonic system of currents, covering almost the entire sea. It is caused by the prevalence of cyclonic atmospheric circulation over the sea and the adjacent part of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are stable anticyclonic gyres in the sea.
Strong currents bypass the sea along the coastline counterclockwise: the warm Kamchatka Current, the stable East Sakhalin Current, and the rather strong Soya Current.
And finally, one more feature of the Sea of Okhotsk water circulation is bilateral stable currents in most of the Kuril straits.
The currents on the surface of the Sea of Okhotsk are most intense near western shores Kamchatka (11–20 cm / s), in the Sakhalin Bay (30–45 cm / s), in the area of the Kuril straits (15–40 cm / s), above the Kuril Basin (11–20 cm / s) and along the Soya (up to 50–90 cm / s).
In the Sea of Okhotsk, various types of periodic tidal currents: semi-daily, daily and mixed with a predominance of semi-daily or daily components. The velocities of tidal currents are from a few centimeters to 4 m / s. Far from the coast, the current velocities are low - 5–10 cm / s. In straits, bays and off the coast, their speeds increase significantly. For example, in the Kuril Straits, current velocities reach 2–4 m / s.
In general, tidal level fluctuations in the Sea of Okhotsk are very significant and have a significant impact on its hydrological regime, especially in the coastal zone.
In addition to tidal fluctuations, surge level fluctuations are well developed here. They occur mainly when deep cyclones pass over the sea. Surge surges of the level reach 1.5–2 m. The largest surges were recorded on the coast of Kamchatka and in the Terpeniya Bay.
The significant size and great depths of the Sea of Okhotsk, frequent and strong winds over it cause the development of large waves here. The sea is especially stormy in autumn, and in some areas also in winter. These seasons account for 55–70% of storm waves, including those with wave heights of 4–6 m, and highest heights waves reach 10–11 m. The most restless are the southern and southeastern regions of the sea, where the average frequency of storm waves is 35–40%, and in the northwestern part it decreases to 25–30%.
In ordinary years, the southern border is relatively stable ice sheet bends to the north and runs from La Perouse Strait to Cape Lopatka.
Extreme southern part the sea never freezes. However, thanks to the winds, significant masses of ice are carried into it from the north, often accumulating near the Kuril Islands.
The ice cover in the Sea of Okhotsk lasts for 6–7 months. More than 75% of the sea surface is covered with floating ice. The dense ice of the northern part of the sea presents serious obstacles to navigation, even for icebreakers. The total duration of the ice period in the northern part of the sea reaches 280 days a year. Part of the ice from the Sea of Okhotsk is carried into the ocean, where it collapses and melts almost immediately.
Forecast resources hydrocarbons The Sea of Okhotsk is estimated at 6.56 billion tons in oil equivalent, the explored reserves are over 4 billion tons. The largest deposits on the shelves (along the coast of Sakhalin Island, the Kamchatka Peninsula, Khabarovsk Territory and Magadan Region). The most studied are the deposits of Sakhalin Island. Exploration work on the island's shelf began in the 70s. XX century, by the end of the 90s seven large deposits(6 oil and gas condensate and 1 gas condensate) and small gas field in the Tatar Strait. The total gas reserves on the Sakhalin shelf are estimated at 3.5 trillion m3.
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Vegetation and animal world
are very diverse. In terms of stocks of commercial crab, the sea ranks first in the world. Salmon fish are of great value: chum salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, sockeye salmon - a source of red caviar. Intensive fishing is carried out for herring, pollock, flounder, cod, navaga, capelin, etc. The sea is inhabited by whales, seals, sea lions, and fur seals. The fishing of molluscs and sea urchins is gaining more and more interest. Various algae are ubiquitous in the littoral.
In connection with the poor development of the adjacent territories, maritime transport has acquired primary importance. Important sea routes lead to Korsakov on Sakhalin Island, Magadan, Okhotsk and other settlements.
The greatest anthropogenic load Areas of the Tauiskaya Bay in the northern part of the sea and the shelf areas of Sakhalin Island are exposed. The northern part of the sea receives about 23 tons of oil products annually, 70–80% of which comes from river runoff. Pollutants enter the Tauiskaya Bay from onshore industrial and municipal facilities, and Magadan's effluents enter the coastal zone practically without treatment.
The offshore zone of Sakhalin Island is polluted by coal, oil and gas enterprises, pulp and paper mills, fishing and processing vessels and enterprises, waste water from municipal facilities. The annual flow of oil products into the southwestern part of the sea is estimated at about 1.1 thousand tons, with 75–85% of it with river runoff.
Oil carbons enter the Sakhalin Bay mainly with the Amur River runoff, therefore, their maximum concentrations are usually observed in the central and western parts of the Bay along the axis of the Amur water inflow.
The eastern part of the sea - the shelf of the Kamchatka Peninsula - is polluted by river runoff, with which the main part of oil-carbons enters the marine environment. In connection with the reduction of work at the fish canning enterprises of the peninsula since 1991, there has been a decrease in the volume of wastewater discharged into the coastal zone of the sea.
The northern part of the sea - Shelikhov Bay, Tauiskaya and Penzhinskaya bays - is the most polluted area of the sea with an average content of petroleum hydrocarbons in the water 1–5 times higher than the limit of permissible concentration. This is determined not only by the anthropogenic load on the water area, but also by the low average annual water temperatures and, consequently, by the low ability of the ecosystem to self-purify. Most high level pollution of the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk was noted in the period from 1989 to 1991.
The southern part of the sea - the La Perouse Strait and the Aniva Bay - are subject to intense oil pollution in the spring-summer period by merchant and fishing fleets. On average, the content of petroleum carbons in the La Perouse Strait does not exceed the permissible concentration limit. Aniva Bay is slightly more polluted. The highest level of pollution in this area was observed near the port of Korsakov, once again confirming that the port is a source of intense pollution of the marine environment.
Pollution of the coastal zone of the sea along the northeastern part of Sakhalin Island is mainly associated with the exploration and production of oil and gas on the shelf of the island and until the end of the 1980s did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration.
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This natural reservoir is considered one of the deepest and largest in Russia. The coolest Far Eastern sea is located between the waters of the Bering Sea and the Sea of Japan.
The Sea of Okhotsk separates the territories of the Russian Federation and Japan and represents the most important port point for our country.
After reviewing the information in the article, you can learn about the richest resources of the Sea of Okhotsk and the history of the formation of the reservoir.
About the name
Previously, the sea had other names: Kamchatka, Lamskoe, Hokkai among the Japanese.
The sea received its present name from the name of the Okhota River, which in turn derives from the Even word "okat", which translates as "river". The former name (Lamskoe) also came from the Even word "lam" (translated as "sea"). Japanese Hokkai literally translates to "North Sea". However, due to the fact that this Japanese name now refers to the sea of the North Atlantic Ocean, its name was changed to Okhotsuku-kai, which is an adaptation of the Russian name to the norms of Japanese phonetics.
Geography
Before proceeding to the description of the richest resources of the Sea of Okhotsk, let us briefly present its geographical position.
Located between the Bering and the Sea of Japan, the body of water goes deep into the land of the mainland. The arc of the Kuril Islands separates the waters of the sea from the waters of the Pacific Ocean. For the most part, the reservoir has natural boundaries, and its conditional boundaries are with the Sea of Japan.
The Kuril Islands, which are about 3 dozen small areas of land and separating the ocean from the sea, are located in an earthquake-prone zone due to the presence of a large number of volcanoes on them. In addition, the waters of these two natural reservoirs are separated by the island of Hokkaido and Kamchatka. Largest island Sea of Okhotsk - Sakhalin. The largest rivers flowing into the sea are the Amur, Okhota, Bolshaya and Penzhina.
Description
The sea area is approximately 1603 thousand square meters. km, the volume of water - 1318 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 3916 meters, the average is 821 meters. The sea type is mixed, continental-marginal.
Several bays run along the fairly flat coastal boundary of the reservoir. The northern part of the coast is represented by many rocks and rather sharp cliffs. Storms are common and common in this sea.
The peculiarities of nature and all the resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are partly related to climate conditions and unusual terrain.
For the most part, the coast of the sea is rocky, high. From the sea, from afar on the horizon, they stand out in black stripes, framed on top with brownish green spots of rare vegetation. Only in some places (the western coast of Kamchatka, the northern part of Sakhalin) the coastline is low-lying, rather wide areas.
The bottom is in some respects similar to the bottom of the Sea of Japan: in many places under water there are hollows, which indicate that the area of the present sea in the Quaternary period was above sea level, and at this place huge rivers - Penzhina and Amur flowed.
Sometimes, during earthquakes in the ocean, waves appear, reaching several tens of meters in height. An interesting historical fact is connected with this. In 1780, during an earthquake, one of these waves brought the ship "Natalia" into the interior of Urup Island (300 meters from the coast), which remained on land. This fact is confirmed by the record preserved from that time.
Geologists believe that the territory of the eastern part of the sea is one of the most "troubled" regions on the globe... And today quite large movements of the earth's crust are taking place here. In this part of the ocean, underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are often observed.
A bit of history
The rich natural resources of the Sea of Okhotsk began to attract the attention of people from its very discovery, which occurred during the periods of the first campaigns of the Cossacks to the Pacific Ocean through Siberia. It was then called the Lamsk Sea. Then, after the discovery of Kamchatka, hikes by sea and coast to this richest peninsula and to the mouth of the river. Penjins have become more frequent. In those days, the sea was already called Penzhinskoe and Kamchatka.
After leaving Yakutsk, the Cossacks moved east not straight through the taiga and mountains, but along the winding rivers and channels between them. As a result, such a caravan trail led them to a river called Okhota, and along it they were already moving to the seashore. That is why this reservoir was named Okhotsk. Since then, many significant and important large centers have emerged on the coast. The name that has survived since then testifies to the important historical role of the port and the river, from which people began to develop this huge richest sea region.
Features of nature
The natural resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are quite attractive. This is especially true for the regions of the Kuril Islands. It is a very special world with a total of 30 islands large and small. This range also includes rocks of volcanic origin. Today, the islands have active volcanoes (about 30), which clearly indicates that the bowels of the earth are here and now restless.
On some islands there are underground hot springs (temperatures up to 30-70 ° C), many of which have healing properties.
Very harsh climatic conditions for life on the Kuril Islands (especially in the northern part). Fogs persist here for a long time, and very often severe storms occur in winter.
The rivers
Many rivers flow into the Okhotsk Sea, mostly small ones. This is the reason for the relatively small continental runoff (about 600 cubic kilometers per year) of waters into it, and about 65% of it belongs to the Amur River.
Others regarding large rivers are Penzhina, Uda, Okhota, Bolshaya (in Kamchatka), which carry a much smaller volume of fresh water to the sea. Water is supplied to a greater extent in spring and early summer.
Fauna
The biological resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are very diverse. This is the most biologically productive sea in Russia. It provides 40% of domestic and more than half of the Far Eastern catches of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. At the same time, it is believed that the biological potential of the sea is underutilized today.
A huge variety of depths and bottom topography, hydrological and climatic conditions in some parts of the sea, good food supply for fish - all this determined the richness of the ichthyofauna of these places. The northern part of the sea contains 123 species of fish in its waters, the southern part - 300 species. About 85 species are endemic. This is the Sea - real paradise for lovers of sea fishing.
Fishing, seafood extraction and salmon caviar production are actively developing on the territory of the sea. Inhabitants of the sea waters of this region: pink salmon, chum salmon, cod, sockeye salmon, flounder, coho salmon, pollock, herring, navaga, chinook salmon, squid, crabs. On the Shantar Islands, hunting (limited) for seals is conducted, and the extraction of kelp, molluscs and sea urchins is also becoming popular.
Of the animals, beluga whales, seals and seals are of particular commercial value.
Flora
The resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are inexhaustible. The flora of the reservoir: in the northern part, arctic species prevail, in the southern part, species of the temperate region predominate. Plankton (larvae, molluscs, crustaceans, etc.) provide abundant food for fish throughout the year. The phytoplankton of the sea is mainly represented by diatoms, and the benthic flora contains many species of red, brown and green algae, as well as vast meadows of sea grass. In total, there are about 300 species of vegetation in the coastal flora of the Sea of Okhotsk.
In comparison with the Bering Sea, the bottom fauna is more diverse here, and in comparison with the Japanese Sea, it is less rich. The main feeding areas for deep-sea fish are the northern shallow waters, as well as the eastern Sakhalin and western Kamchatka shelves.
Mineral resources
The mineral resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are especially rich. Only the sea water contains practically all the elements of DI Mendeleev's table.
The bottom of the sea has exceptional reserves of globigerin and diamond oozes, consisting mainly of the shells of unicellular tiny algae and animal protozoa. Sludge is a valuable raw material for the production of high quality insulating building materials and cement.
The sea shelf is also promising for prospecting for hydrocarbon deposits. The rivers of the Aldan-Okhotsk watershed and the lower reaches of the Amur have been famous for their placers of valuable metals for a long time, which suggests that there is a possibility that underwater ore deposits... Perhaps there are many more unexplored raw materials Sea of Okhotsk.
It is known that the lower shelf horizons and part of the continental slope adjacent to them are enriched in phosphorite nodules. There is another more realistic prospect - the extraction of rare elements contained in the bone remains of mammals and fish, and such accumulations are found in the deep-sea sediments of the South Okhotsk basin.
It is impossible to remain silent about amber. The very first finds of this mineral on the east coast of Sakhalin date back to the middle of the 19th century. At that time, representatives of the Amur expedition were working here. It should be noted that Sakhalin amber is very beautiful - it is perfectly polished, cherry-red and highly appreciated by experts. The largest pieces of woody fossil resin (up to 0.5 kg) were discovered by geologists near the village of Ostromysovsky. Amber is also contained in the oldest deposits of the Taigonos Peninsula, as well as in Kamchatka.
Conclusion
In short, the resources of the Sea of Okhotsk are extremely rich and diverse, all of them cannot be enumerated, much less described.
Today the value of the Sea of Okhotsk in national economy determined by the use of its richest natural resources and transport by sea. The main wealth of this sea is game animals, primarily fish. However, even today, a rather high level of danger of pollution of the fishing zones of the sea with oil products as a result of discharges of oily waters by fishing vessels creates a situation that requires certain measures to increase the level of environmental safety of the work being carried out.
The sea has predominantly natural boundaries and is separated only with the waters by conditional boundaries. The Sea of Okhotsk is a fairly large and deep sea in our country. Its area is about 1603 thousand km2, the volume of water is 1318 thousand km3. The average depth of this sea is 821 m, the maximum depth is 3916 m. By its characteristics, this sea is a marginal sea of a mixed continental-marginal type.
There are few islands in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, among which the largest. The Kuril ridge consists of 30 different sizes. Their location is seismically active. There are over 30 active and 70 extinct ones here. Zones of seismic activity can be located both on islands and under water. If the epicenter is under water, then huge ones rise.
The coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk, with a considerable length, is fairly equal. There are many large bays along the coastline: Aniva, Terpeniya, Sakhalinsky, Akademii, Tugursky, Ayan and Shelikhova. There are also several lips: Tauiskaya, Gizhiginskaya and Penzhinskaya.
Sea of Okhotsk
The bottom is a wide range of different seamounts. The northern part of the sea is located on the continental shelf, which is a continuation of the land. In the western zone of the sea there is a Sakhalin bank located near the island. Kamchatka is located in the east of the Sea of Okhotsk. Only a small part is located in the shelf zone. A significant part of the water space is located on the continental slope. The depth of the sea here varies from 200 m to 1500 m.
The southern edge of the sea is the deepest zone, the maximum depth here is more than 2500 m. This part of the sea is a kind of bed, which is located along the Kuril Islands. The southwestern part of the sea is characterized by deep depressions and slopes, which is not typical for the northeastern part.
In the central zone of the sea there are two hills: the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and the Institute of Oceanology. These hills divide the underwater space into 3 basins. The first basin is the northeastern TINRO basin, which is located to the west of Kamchatka. This depression is notable for its shallow depths, about 850 m. The bottom has. The second depression, the Deryugin depression, is located to the east of Sakhalin, the depth of the waters here reaches 1700 m. The bottom is a plain, the edges of which are somewhat elevated. The third basin is the Kuril basin. It is the deepest (about 3300 m). is a plain that extends 120 miles to the west and 600 miles to the northeast.
The Sea of Okhotsk is under the influence. The main source of cold air is located in the west. This is due to the fact that the western part of the sea is strongly cut into the mainland and is located near the Asian cold pole. Relatively high from the east mountain ranges Kamchatka impede the advancement of warm Pacific. The greatest amount of heat comes from the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan through the southern and southeastern borders. But the influence of cold air masses dominates over warm air masses, therefore, in general, the Sea of Okhotsk is rather severe. The Sea of Okhotsk is the coldest in comparison with the Sea of Japan.
Sea of Okhotsk
During the cold period (which lasts from October to April), the Siberian and Aleutian minima have a significant impact on the sea. As a result, north and northwest winds prevail in the Sea of Okhotsk. The power of these winds often reaches stormy power. Especially strong winds observed in January and February. Their average speed is about 10 - 11 m / s.
In winter, the cold Asian monsoon contributes to a strong depression in the northern and northwestern parts of the sea. In January, when the temperature reaches its minimum limit, on average the air cools down to –20–25 ° С in the northwestern part of the sea, to –10–15 ° С in the central part and to –5–6 ° С in the southeastern part. The last zone is affected by the influence of the warm Pacific air.
In autumn and winter, the sea is influenced by the continental. This leads to increased wind, and in some cases to a cold snap. On the whole, it can be characterized as clear with reduced. These climatic features are influenced by the cold Asian air. In April - May, the Siberian anticyclone ceases to operate, and the impact of the Honoluli maximum increases. In this regard, during the warm period, small southeastern winds are observed, the speed of which rarely exceeds 6 - 7 m / s.
In summer, there are different temperatures depending on. In August, the most heat recorded in the southern part of the sea, it equals + 18 ° С. In the central part of the sea, the temperature drops to 12-14 ° С. In the northeast, the coldest summer, the average temperature does not exceed 10 -10.5 ° С. During this period, the southern part of the sea is subject to numerous oceanic cyclones, due to which the strength of the wind increases, and storms rage for 5 - 8 days.
Sea of Okhotsk
A large number of rivers carry their waters to the Sea of Okhotsk, but all of them are mostly small. In this regard, it is not large, it is about 600 km 3 throughout the year. , Penzhina, Okhota, Bolshaya are the largest, flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk. Freshwater has little impact on the sea. The waters of the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean are of great importance for the Sea of Okhotsk.
