The Barents Sea is located on the continental shelf. The southwestern part of the sea does not freeze in winter due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current. The southeastern part of the sea is called the Pechora Sea. The Barents Sea has great importance for transport and for fishing - large ports are located here - Murmansk and Vardø (Norway). Before World War II, Finland also had access to the Barents Sea: Petsamo was its only ice-free port. A serious problem is the radioactive contamination of the sea due to the activities of the Soviet / Russian nuclear fleet and Norwegian radioactive waste processing plants. Recently, the sea shelf of the Barents Sea in the direction of Svalbard has become the object of territorial disputes between the Russian Federation and Norway (as well as other states).

The Barents Sea is rich various types fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos. Seaweeds are common off the south coast. Of the 114 species of fish living in the Barents Sea, 20 species are the most important for commercial purposes: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, etc. Mammals are found: polar bear, seals, harp seals, white whales, etc. Seals are hunted. Bird colonies abound on the coasts (guillemots, guillemots, kittiwakes). In the 20th century, the king crab was introduced, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to multiply intensively.

Finno-Ugric tribes - the Sami (Lapps) - have lived off the coast of the Berents Sea since ancient times. The first visits of non-autochthonous Europeans (Vikings, then Novgorodians) began, probably, from the end of the 11th century, and then intensified. The Barents Sea was named in 1853 in honor of the Dutch navigator Willem Barents. The scientific study of the sea was started by the expedition of F. P. Litke 1821-1824, and the first complete and reliable hydrological characteristic sea ​​was compiled by N. M. Knipovich at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Barents Sea is the marginal water area of ​​the Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean, between the northern coast of Europe in the south and the Vaygach Islands, New Earth, Franz Josef Land in the east, Svalbard and Bear Island in the west.

In the West it borders on the Norwegian Sea basin, in the south - on the White Sea, in the east - on the Kara Sea, in the north - on the Arctic Ocean. The area of ​​the Barents Sea, located to the east of Kolguev Island, is called the Pechora Sea.

The shores of the Barents Sea are predominantly fjord-like, high, rocky, and heavily indented. The largest bays are: Porsanger Fjord, Varangian Bay (also known as Varanger Fjord), Motovsky Bay, Kola Bay, etc. To the east of the Kanin Nos Peninsula, the coastal relief changes dramatically - the coasts are mostly low and slightly indented. There are 3 large shallow bays here: (Cheshskaya Bay, Pechora Bay, Khaipudyrskaya Bay), as well as several small bays.

The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are Pechora and Indiga.

The surface currents of the sea form a counterclockwise circulation. Along the southern and eastern periphery, the Atlantic waters of the warm North Cape current (a branch of the Gulf Stream system) move east and north, the influence of which can be traced to the northern shores of Novaya Zemlya. The northern and western parts of the circulation are formed by local and Arctic waters coming from the Kara Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In the central part of the sea there is a system of intracircular currents. The circulation of sea waters changes under the influence of changes in winds and water exchange with adjacent seas. Of great importance, especially near the coast, are tidal currents. The tides are semi-diurnal, their greatest value is 6.1 m near the coast of the Kola Peninsula, in other places 0.6-4.7 m.

Water exchange with neighboring seas is of great importance in water balance Barents Sea. During the year, about 76,000 km³ of water enters the sea through the straits (and the same amount leaves it), which is approximately 1/4 of the total volume of sea water. The largest number water (59,000 km³ per year) carries a warm North Cape current, which provides exclusively big influence on the hydrometeorological regime of the sea. The total river flow to the sea is on average 200 km³ per year.

The salinity of the surface layer of water in the open sea during the year is 34.7-35.0 ppm in the southwest, 33.0-34.0 in the east, and 32.0-33.0 in the north. AT coastal strip sea ​​in spring and summer, salinity drops to 30-32, by the end of winter it rises to 34.0-34.5.

The Barents Sea occupies the Barents Sea Plate of the Proterozoic-Early Cambrian age; anteclise bottom elevations, depressions - syneclises. Of the shallower landforms, there are remnants of ancient coastlines, at depths of about 200 and 70 m, glacial-denudation and glacial-accumulative forms, and sand ridges formed by strong tidal currents.

The Barents Sea is located within the continental shallows, but, unlike other similar seas, most of it has a depth of 300-400 m, an average depth of 229 m and a maximum depth of 600 m. depth 63 m)], depressions (Central, maximum depth 386 m) and trenches (Western (maximum depth 600 m) Franz Victoria (430 m) and others). southern part The bottom has a depth of mainly less than 200 m and is distinguished by a leveled relief.

From the cover of bottom sediments in the southern part of the Barents Sea, sand prevails, in some places - pebbles and crushed stone. On the heights of the central and northern parts of the sea - silty sand, sandy silt, in depressions - silt. An admixture of coarse clastic material is noticeable everywhere, which is associated with ice rafting and the wide distribution of relict glacial deposits. The thickness of the sediments in the northern and middle parts is less than 0.5 m, as a result of which ancient glacial deposits are practically on the surface on some hills. The slow rate of sedimentation (less than 30 mm per 1 thousand years) is explained by the insignificant influx of terrigenous material - due to the features of the coastal relief, not a single major river(except for the Pechora, which leaves almost all of its alluvium within the Pechora Estuary), and the land shores are composed mainly of solid crystalline rocks.

The climate of the Barents Sea is influenced by the warm Atlantic Ocean and the cold Arctic Ocean. Frequent intrusions of warm Atlantic cyclones and cold Arctic air determine the greater variability weather conditions. In winter, southwest winds prevail over the sea, in spring and summer - northeast winds. Frequent storms. The average air temperature in February varies from -25 °C in the north to -4 °C in the southwest. The average temperature in August is 0 °C, 1 °C in the north, 10 °C in the southwest. Cloudy weather prevails over the sea during the year. Annual rainfall varies from 250 mm in the north to 500 mm in the southwest.

Severe climatic conditions in the north and east of the Barents Sea determine its large ice coverage. In all seasons of the year, only the southwestern part of the sea remains free of ice. The ice cover reaches its greatest distribution in April, when about 75% of the sea surface is occupied by floating ice. In extremely unfavorable years at the end of winter, floating ice comes directly to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. The least amount of ice occurs at the end of August. At this time, the ice boundary moves beyond 78°N. sh. In the northwest and northeast of the sea, ice usually stays all year round, but in separate, favorable years, the sea is completely freed from ice.

The inflow of warm Atlantic waters determines the relatively high temperature and salinity in the southwestern part of the sea. Here, in February - March, the water temperature on the surface is 3 °C, 5 °C, in August it rises to 7 °C, 9 °C. North of 74° N. sh. and in the southeastern part of the sea in winter the surface water temperature is below -1 °C, and in summer in the north 4 °C, 0 °C, in the southeast 4 °C, 7 °C. Summer in coastal zone the surface layer of warm water 5-8 meters thick can warm up to 11-12 °C.

The sea is rich in various species of fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos, so the Barents Sea is of great economic importance as an area of ​​intensive fishing. In addition, the sea route is very important, connecting the European part of Russia (especially the European North) with the ports of the western (from the 16th century) and Eastern countries(from the 19th century), as well as Siberia (from the 15th century). The main and largest port is the non-freezing port of Murmansk, the capital of the Murmansk region. Other ports in Russian Federation- Teriberka, Indiga, Naryan-Mar (Russia); Vardø, Vadso and Kirkenes (Norway).

The Barents Sea is the region where not only the merchant fleet, but also the Russian Navy, including nuclear submarines, is deployed.

BARENTS SEA(Norwegian Barentshavet, until 1853 the Murmansk Sea, Murman) is a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean. It washes the shores of Russia and Norway. The sea is limited by the northern coast of Europe and the archipelagos of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. The area of ​​the sea is 1424 thousand km², the depth is up to 600 m. The sea is located on the continental shelf. The southwestern part of the sea does not freeze in winter due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current. The southeastern part of the sea is called the Pechora Sea. The Barents Sea is of great importance for transport and for fishing - large ports are located here - Murmansk and Vardø (Norway).

Border of the White and Barents Seas. The Barents Sea is the marginal water area of ​​the Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean, between the northern coast of Europe in the south and the islands of Vaigach, Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land in the east, Svalbard and Bear Island in the west.

maritime borders. In the West it borders on the Norwegian Sea basin, in the south - on the White Sea, in the east - on the Kara Sea, in the north - on the Arctic Ocean. The area of ​​the Barents Sea, located to the east of Kolguev Island, is called the Pechora Sea.

Coastline. The southwestern shores of the Barents Sea are predominantly fjord-like, high, rocky, and heavily indented. The largest bays are: Porsanger Fjord, Varangian Bay (also known as Varanger Fjord), Motovsky Bay, Kola Bay, etc. To the east of the Kanin Nos Peninsula, the coastal relief changes dramatically - the coasts are mostly low and slightly indented. There are 3 large shallow bays here: (Cheshskaya Bay, Pechora Bay, Khaipudyrskaya Bay), as well as several small bays.

Archipelagos and islands. There are few islands within the Barents Sea. The largest of them is Kolguev Island. From the west, north and east, the sea is bounded by the Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya archipelagos.

Hydrography. The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are Pechora and Indiga.

currents.Surface currents of the sea form a cycle counterclockwise. Along the southern and eastern periphery, the Atlantic waters of the warm North Cape current (a branch of the Gulf Stream system) move east and north, the influence of which can be traced to the northern shores of Novaya Zemlya. The northern and western parts of the circulation are formed by local and Arctic waters coming from the Kara Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In the central part of the sea there is a system of intracircular currents. The circulation of sea waters changes under the influence of changes in winds and water exchange with adjacent seas. Of great importance, especially near the coast, are tidal currents. The tides are semi-diurnal, their greatest value is 6.1 m near the coast of the Kola Peninsula, in other places 0.6-4.7 m.

Water exchange. Water exchange with neighboring seas is of great importance in the water balance of the Barents Sea. During the year, about 76,000 km³ of water enters the sea through the straits (and the same amount leaves it), which is approximately 1/4 of the total volume of sea water. The largest amount of water (59,000 km³ per year) is carried by the warm North Cape current, which has an exceptionally great influence on the hydrometeorological regime of the sea. The total river flow to the sea is on average 200 km³ per year.

Salinity. The salinity of the surface layer of water in the open sea during the year is 34.7-35.0‰ in the southwest, 33.0-34.0‰ in the east, and 32.0-33.0‰ in the north. In the coastal strip of the sea in spring and summer, salinity drops to 30-32 ‰, by the end of winter it rises to 34.0-34.5 ‰.

Climate.The climate of the Barents Sea is influenced by the warm Atlantic Ocean and the cold Arctic Ocean. Frequent intrusions of warm Atlantic cyclones and cold Arctic air determine the great variability of weather conditions. In winter, southwest winds prevail over the sea, in spring and summer - northeast winds. Frequent storms. The average air temperature in February varies from -25 °C in the north to -4 °C in the southwest. The average temperature in August is 0 °C, 1 °C in the north, 10 °C in the southwest. Cloudy weather prevails over the sea during the year. Annual rainfall varies from 250 mm in the north to 500 mm in the southwest.

ice coverage. Severe climatic conditions in the north and east of the Barents Sea determine its large ice coverage. In all seasons of the year, only the southwestern part of the sea remains free of ice. The ice cover reaches its greatest distribution in April, when about 75% of the sea surface is occupied by floating ice. In extremely unfavorable years at the end of winter, floating ice comes directly to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. The least amount of ice occurs at the end of August. At this time, the ice boundary moves beyond 78°N. sh. In the northwest and northeast of the sea, ice usually stays all year round, but in some favorable years the sea is almost completely or even completely free of ice.

Temperature. The inflow of warm Atlantic waters determines the relatively high temperature and salinity in the southwestern part of the sea. Here, in February - March, the water temperature on the surface is 3 °C, 5 °C, in August it rises to 7 °C, 9 °C. North of 74° N. sh. and in the southeastern part of the sea in winter the surface water temperature is below -1 °C, and in summer in the north 4 °C, 0 °C, in the southeast 4 °C, 7 °C. In summer, in the coastal zone, the surface layer of warm water 5-8 meters thick can warm up to 11-12 °C.

Flora and fauna. The Barents Sea is rich in various fish species, plant and animal plankton and benthos. Seaweeds are common off the south coast. Of the 114 species of fish living in the Barents Sea, 20 species are the most important for commercial purposes: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, etc. Mammals are found: polar bear, seal, harp seal, beluga whale, etc. The seal is being hunted. Bird colonies abound on the coasts (guillemots, guillemots, kittiwakes). In the 20th century, the king crab was introduced, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to multiply intensively. Many different echinoderms, sea urchins and starfish of different species are distributed along the bottom of the entire water area of ​​the sea.

Economic value. The Barents Sea is of great economic importance both for the Russian Federation and for Norway and other countries.

food industry and shipping. The sea is rich in various fish species, plant and animal plankton and benthos, so the Barents Sea is an area of ​​intensive fishing. In addition, the sea route is very important, connecting the European part of Russia (especially the European North) with the ports of the western (from the 16th century) and eastern countries (from the 19th century), as well as Siberia (from the 15th century). The main and largest port is the non-freezing port of Murmansk, the capital of the Murmansk region. Other ports in the Russian Federation - Teriberka, Indiga, Naryan-Mar (Russia); Vardø, Vadso and Kirkenes (Norway).

Naval potential. The Barents Sea is the region where not only the merchant fleet, but also the Russian Navy, including nuclear submarines, is deployed.

WHITE SEA(until the 17th century Studenoe, Solovetsky, Northern, Calm, White Bay) - an inland sea in the north of the European part of Russia, belongs to the Arctic Ocean.

Among the seas washing Russia, the White Sea is one of the smallest (only the Sea of ​​Azov is smaller). Its surface area is 90 thousand km² (with numerous small islands, among which the Solovetsky Islands are the most famous, - 90.8 thousand km²), that is, 1/16 of the area of ​​the Barents Sea, the volume is only 4.4 thousand km³. The greatest length of the White Sea from Cape Kanin Nos to Kem is 600 km.

Greatest depth sea ​​340 meters, the average - 67 meters.

The border between the White and Barents Seas is the line drawn from Cape Svyatoy Nos (Kola Peninsula) to Cape Kanin Nos (Kanin Peninsula).

The large rivers Kem, Mezen, Onega, Ponoi, Northern Dvina and many small rivers flow into the White Sea.

Main ports: Arkhangelsk, Belomorsk, Kandalaksha, Kem, Mezen, Onega, Severodvinsk.

The White Sea-Baltic Canal connects the White Sea with the Baltic Sea and with the Volga-Baltic Waterway.

The entire White Sea is inland waters Russia.

The water area of ​​the White Sea is divided into several parts: Basin, Throat (the strait connecting the White Sea with the Barents Sea; the Throat of the White Sea is called “Girlo” by the Pomors, this word in just such a vowel is cited in his story “Imprinted Glory” by B. V. Shergin), Funnel, Onega Bay, Dvinskaya Bay, Mezenskaya Bay, Kandalaksha Bay. The shores of the White Sea have their own names and are traditionally divided (in order of enumeration counterclockwise from the coast of the Kola Peninsula) into Tersky, Kandalaksha, Karelsky, Pomorsky, Onega, Summer, Winter, Mezensky and Kaninsky; sometimes the Mezensky coast is divided into the Abramovskiy and Konushinsky coasts, and part of the Onega coast is called the Lyamitsky coast.

The shores of the sea (Onega and Kandalaksha bays) are indented by numerous bays and bays. The western banks are steep, the eastern ones are low.

On the hydrological regime seas are influenced by climatic conditions, water exchange with the Barents Sea, tidal phenomena, river runoff and bottom topography.

The tidal wave from the Barents Sea has a semidiurnal character. The average height of spring tides ranges from 0.6 (Winter Zolotitsa) to 3 meters, in some narrow bays it reaches 7 meters (7.7 meters in the Mezen Bay, the mouth of the Semzha River). The tidal wave penetrates upstream the rivers flowing into the sea (up to 120 kilometers on the Northern Dvina).

In spite of small area On the surface of the sea, storm activity is developed on it, especially in autumn, when during storms the wave height reaches 6 meters.

Surge phenomena in the cold season reach a value of 75-90 centimeters at sea.

Every year for 6-7 months the sea is covered with ice. Fast ice forms near the coast and in the bays, the central part of the sea is usually covered with floating ice, reaching a thickness of 35-40 centimeters, and in severe winters - up to one and a half meters.

Temperature surface layer of sea water varies greatly depending on the season in different parts seas. During the summer surface water bays and the central part of the sea warm up to 15-16 °C, while in the Onega Bay and Gorlo - no higher than 9 °C. In winter, the temperature of surface waters drops to −1.3…-1.7 °C in the center and in the north of the sea, in the bays - to −0.5…-0.7 °C.

Deep water layers (below a depth of 50 meters) have a constant temperature, regardless of the season of the year, from −1.0 ° C to +1.5 ° C, while at the Gorla, due to intense tidal turbulent mixing, the vertical temperature distribution is uniform.

Salinity sea ​​water associated with the hydrological regime. big tributary river waters and insignificant exchange with the Barents Sea have led to a relatively low salinity of the surface waters of the sea (26 ppm and below). The salinity of deep waters is much higher - up to 31 ppm. Desalinated surface water moves along the eastern shores of the sea and enters the Barents Sea through the Gorlo, from where saltier waters enter the White Sea along the western shores. In the center of the sea there is an annular counterclockwise current.

Flora and fauna. The fauna of the White Sea is dominated by arctic species, which are clearly manifested already in the lower horizon of the sublittoral (45-150 m). Here, the salinity of the water is almost unchanged, the temperature is low and the amount of light is small. On rarely scattered rocky areas, red algae are still found, for example, odonthalia, polysiphonia, anfeltia with all their inherent biocenoses, groups of hydroids, bryozoans, and sponges. But basically this area is occupied by soft soils, on which cold-loving forms settle, such as molluscs, northern joldia, cardium, maqoma, northern and oval astartes, many polychaetes, starfish and brittle stars.

Starting from 150 m and further into the depth, the zone of the White Sea pseudo-abyssal stretches. It is distinguished by the absence of light and vegetation, constant temperature and salinity of the water. Here, in semi-liquid silts, the mollusks arctic portlandia and ice become the predominant forms. From the sublittoral, starfish of the genus Asterias and brittle ophiacanthus descend here. In addition, this area is characterized by such deep-water White Sea species as the sessile jellyfish alfalfa, the transparent ascidia eugur, the molluscs Lionsia and modiolaria, the crustacean acanthostefeira and high-arctic fish species, such as the leptagon and the Arctic Sea chanterelle - Ulcina.

Among the inhabitants of the oxen mass form of arctic origin are planktonic crustaceans Calanus and Mitridia. the winged mollusk clione, and mammals - harp seals, sea hares and beluga whales. The main commercial fish of the sea, such as cod, cod, navaga, and sea flounder, also belong to cold-water species.

The Barents Sea is located in the westernmost part of the Eurasian shelf. The area of ​​the Barents Sea is 1,300,000 km2. According to the International Hydrographic Bureau, the Barents Sea is separated from the Arctic basin by the Svalbard archipelago, Bely Island, Victoria Island and the Franz Josef Land archipelago.

In the east, its border with the Kara Sea runs from Graham Bell Island to Cape Zhelaniya and along the straits of Matochkin Shar (Novaya Zemlya Island), Kara Gates (between the islands of Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach) and Yugorsky Shar (between the Vaigach Islands and the mainland).
In the south, the Barents Sea is bounded by the coast of Norway, the Kola Peninsula and the Kanin Peninsula. To the east is the Czech Bay. To the west of the Kanin Peninsula is the Gorlo Strait of the White Sea.

In the southeast, the Barents Sea is bounded by the Pechora Lowland and the northern tip of the Pai-Khoi Ridge (an offshoot of the Ural Ridge in the north). To the west, the Barents Sea opens wide into the Norwegian Sea and hence into the Atlantic Ocean.

Temperature and salinity of the Barents Sea

The location of the Barents Sea between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic basin determines its hydrological features. From the west, between Bear Island and Cape North Cape, a branch of the Gulf Stream passes - the North Cape Current. Heading east, it gives a number of branches, following the bottom topography.

The temperature of the Atlantic waters is 4-12°C, the salinity is about 35 ppm. When moving to the north and east, the Atlantic waters cool and mix with the local ones. The salinity of the surface layer drops to 32-33 ppm, and the temperature at the bottom to -1.9 ° C. Small streams of Atlantic waters through deep straits between the islands enter the Barents Sea from the Arctic basin at a depth of 150-200 m. Cold surface waters from the Arctic The pools are brought by polar waters. The waters of the Barents Sea are carried out by a cold current going south from Bear Island.

Ice conditions in the Barents Sea

Good isolation from the ice masses of the Arctic Basin and the Kara Sea is of particular importance for the hydrological conditions of the Barents Sea. Its southern part does not freeze, with the exception of some fjords of the Murmansk coast. The edge of floating ice runs 400-500 km from the coast. In winter, it adjoins the southern coast of the Barents Sea to the east of the Kola Peninsula.

In summer, floating ice usually melts and remains only in the coldest years in the middle and northern parts of the sea and near Novaya Zemlya.

Chemical composition of the waters of the Barents Sea

The waters of the Barents Sea are well aerated as a result of intense vertical mixing caused by temperature changes. In summer, surface waters are supersaturated with oxygen due to the abundance of phytoplankton. Even in winter, in the most stagnant areas near the bottom, oxygen saturation is not lower than 70-78%.

Due to the low temperature, the deep layers are enriched with carbon dioxide. In the Barents Sea, at the junction of cold Arctic and warm Atlantic waters, the so-called "polar front" is located. It is characterized by the rise of deep waters with a high content of biogenic elements (phosphorus, nitrogen, etc.), which leads to an abundance of phytoplankton and, in general, organic life.

Tides in the Barents Sea

The maximum tides are noted near the North Cape (up to 4 m), in the Gorlo of the White Sea (up to 7 m) and in the fjords of the Murmansk coast; further north and east, the tides decrease to 1.5 m near Svalbard and to 0.8 m near Novaya Zemlya.

Climate of the Barents Sea

The climate of the Barents Sea is very variable. The Barents Sea is one of the most stormy seas in the world. Warm cyclones from the North Atlantic and cold anticyclones from the Arctic pass through it, which is the reason for a slightly higher air temperature compared to other Arctic seas, moderate winters and heavy precipitation. An active wind regime and a vast open water area near the southern coast create conditions for maximum storm waves up to 3.5–3.7 m high.

Bottom relief and geological structure

The Barents Sea has a slight slope from east to west. Depth for the most part 100-350 m, and only near the border with the Norwegian Sea increases to 600 m. The bottom relief is complex. Many gently sloping seamounts and depressions cause a complex distribution of water masses and bottom sediments. As in other sea basins, the relief of the bottom of the Barents Sea is determined by the geological structure associated with the structure of the adjacent land. The Kola Peninsula (Murmansk coast) is part of the Precambrian Fenno-Scandnavian crystalline shield, consisting of metamorphic rocks, mainly of Archean granite-gneisses. A Proterozoic folded zone stretches along the northeastern margin of the shield, composed of dolomites, sandstones, shales, and tillites. The remnants of this folded zone are located on the Varanger and Rybachy peninsulas, Kildin Island and in a number of underwater elevations (banks) located along the coast. Proterozoic folds are also known to the east, on the Kanin Peninsula and the Timan Ridge. Submarine rises in the southern part of the Barents Sea, the Pai-Khoi ridge, northern tip Ural mountains and the southern part of the Novaya Zemlya fold system extend in the same northwest direction. The extensive Pechora depression between the Timan Ridge and Pai-Khoi is covered with a thick layer of sediments up to Quaternary; to the north, it passes into the flat bottom of the southeastern part of the Barents Sea (Pechora Sea).

The flat Kolguev Island, located northeast of the Kanin Peninsula, consists of horizontally deposited Quaternary deposits. in the west, in the area of ​​Cape Mordkap, the Proterozoic deposits are cut off by the Caledonian structures of Norway. They stretch to the NNE along the western edge of the Fenno-Scandian shield. The Caledonides of the same submeridional strike form the western part of Svalbard. The Medvezhino-Spitsbergen shallow water, the Central Upland, as well as the Novaya Zemlya fold system and adjoining banks are traced in the same direction.

Novaya Zemlya is composed of folds of Paleozoic rocks: phyllites, clay shales, limestones, sandstones. Manifestations of Caledonian movements are found along the western coast, and it can be assumed that here the Caledonian structures are partially buried by young deposits and hidden under the seabed. The Vaigach–Novaya Zemlya fold system of the Hercynian age is S-curved and probably envelops ancient rock massifs or crystalline basement. The Central Trench, the Northeast Trench, the Franz Victoria Trench west of Franz Josef Land, and the St. Anna Trench (Gulf of the Arctic Basin) to the east have the same submeridional strike with an S-shaped bend. The same direction is inherent in the deep straits of Franz Josef Land and submarine valleys, located on their continuation to the north into the Arctic basin and south to the north of the Barents Sea plateau.

The islands in the northern part of the Barents Sea have a platform character and are composed mainly of sedimentary rocks, which lie slightly obliquely or almost horizontally. On Bear Island, this is the Upper Paleozoic and Triassic; on Franz Josef Land, the Jurassic and Cretaceous; in the eastern part of Western Svalbard, the Mesozoic and Tertiary. The rocks are detrital, sometimes weakly carbonate; in the late Mesozoic, basalts intruded into them.

Hydrological regime of the Barents Sea - Temperature map of the Barents Sea

The hydrological regime of the Barents Sea is very diverse and is formed as a result of the circulation of waters of various origins and with different properties: 1. warm waters coming from the North Atlantic Ocean; 2. warm waters of river origin; 3. relatively cold local waters 4. cold polar waters.

In the previous section, it was shown that thermohaline conditions in the Barents Sea are formed under the influence of both heat advection by currents and radiation factors. Some elements of this influence determine the stability of the climatic characteristics of temperature and salinity, while others (for example, the nonstationarity of currents and ice conditions) form their spatial and temporal variability.

Let us consider the structure of the temperature and salinity fields in their annual course, as well as the main processes that determine their distribution.

6.1. Water temperature. In the Barents Sea, the water temperature to a much greater extent than in other Arctic seas determines all processes associated with the density structure of water (convection, formation of a shock layer, etc.). In addition, in the Barents Sea, water temperature is the main indicator characterizing the distribution of warm Atlantic waters, which in turn determine the ice conditions and climate of the Atlantic sector of the Arctic.

The thermal regime of the Barents Sea is formed under the influence of a number of processes, of which the leading ones are autumn-winter convection, which equalizes the temperature from the surface to the bottom, and summer heating of the surface layer, which causes the emergence of a seasonal thermocline.

A large influx of warm Atlantic waters makes the Barents Sea one of the warmest in the Arctic Ocean. A significant part of the sea from the coast to 75°N. It does not freeze all year round and has positive surface temperatures. The influence of the advection of the heat of the Atlantic waters is especially noticeable in the southwestern part of the sea and insignificant in the southeast due to shallow depths in this area. here it reaches 8°C.

In the surface layer, the maximum temperature is observed in the southwestern part of the sea (9°C in June-September), the minimum (0°C) is at the ice edge. From July to October, the region of maximum temperatures also extends to the southeastern part of the sea, the position of the isotherms becomes close to the latitudinal one (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. Medium long-term temperature surface water in summer and winter.

The seasonal change in water temperature is generally small, in the southwest and in the northern part of the sea it does not exceed 5-6°C and only in the southeast does it reach 10°C. In the Atlantic water mass in the extreme southwest of the sea, the surface water temperature in winter does not fall below 3°C and does not exceed 6°C, in summer it lies in the range from 7 to 13°C. In areas where ice is likely to occur, the absolute minimum is limited to a freezing point of -1.8°C. Summer maximum temperatures in the surface layer reach 4-7°C in the northwestern part of the sea, southeast 15°С in the open part of the sea and 20-23 in the Pechora Bay.

With depth, fluctuations in water temperature decrease. In the southeastern part of the sea, at a 50 m horizon, they are about 2/3 of their value on the surface.

The distribution of water temperature on the underlying horizons reflects the development of convection processes (in winter) and summer heating in the sea. In summer, a seasonal thermocline is formed, which begins with the transition heat balance sea ​​surface to positive values ​​and continues until August-September, when the depth of the shock layer reaches such values ​​at which mixing in the surface layer can no longer significantly affect the conditions in the thermocline layer. In most of the water area of ​​the Barents Sea, the thickness of the quasi-homogeneous layer and the depth of the upper boundary of the thermocline reach 30 m by this time, and the largest gradients fall on the 30-50 m layer.

In the southwest of the sea, the maximum water temperature gradients do not exceed 0.1°C/m, while in the rest of its deep water area they reach 0.2°C/m; in the southeastern part of the sea and in coastal areas, the maximum gradients fall on the layer 10-25 and 0-10 m and amount to 0.4°С/m

To a large extent, the temperature distribution in the water column of the Barents Sea depends on the penetration of warm Atlantic waters, on winter cooling and on the bottom topography. Therefore, the change in water temperature along the vertical occurs unequally.

In the southwestern part, which is most subject to the influence of Atlantic waters, the temperature gradually and within small limits decreases with depth, remaining positive to the very bottom. In the northeast of the sea in winter negative temperature extends to the horizon of 100-200 m, deeper it rises to +1°C. In summer, the sea surface has a low temperature, which quickly drops to 25-50 m, where the low temperatures (-1.5°С) achieved during winter cooling remain. Below, in the layer of 50-100 m, not affected by the winter vertical circulation, the temperature increased to -1°C. Thus, between 50 and 100 m there is a cold intermediate layer. In those depressions where warm waters do not penetrate and strong cooling occurs, for example, the Novaya Zemlya Trench, the Central Basin, etc., the water temperature is uniform throughout the thickness in winter, and in summer it drops from small positive values ​​​​on the surface to -1.75 ° C at the bottom .

Underwater heights serve as obstacles to the movement of Atlantic waters, so the latter flow around them. In places of flow around the rises, low temperatures rise close to the surface of the water. In addition, above the hills and on their slopes, the water cools more. As a result, "caps" characteristic of the banks of the Barents Sea are formed. cold water".

In the Central Highlands in winter, the water temperature is equally low from the surface to the bottom. In summer it decreases with depth and in the layer of 50-100 m has the minimum values. Below, the temperature rises again, but remains negative all the way to the bottom. Thus, here, too, there is an intermediate layer of cold water, but it is not underlain by warm Atlantic waters. In the southeastern part of the sea, temperature changes with depth have a pronounced seasonal course.

In winter, the temperature of the entire water column is negative. In spring, the upper 10-12-meter layer is covered with heating, below its temperature drops sharply to the bottom. In summer, the warming of the surface layer reaches its greatest values; therefore, the decrease in temperature between the horizons of 10 and 25 m occurs with a sharp jump. In autumn, cooling equalizes the temperature throughout the layer, which becomes almost vertically uniform by winter.

Figure 4 shows the vertical profiles of water temperature in four regions (western, northern, Novaya Zemlya and northeastern Fig. 3), characterizing the period of formation and destruction of the thermocline (May-November). It can be seen from them that despite the significant differences in the hydrological regime of the regions, they are characterized by a number of common patterns, in particular, the delay in the annual maximum of water temperature with increasing depth and a slower drop in temperature in autumn compared to spring growth. Under real conditions, these generalized water temperature distribution profiles are complicated by the existence of diurnal and synoptic thermoclines, uneven heat advection, internal waves, the influence of river runoff, and ice melting. For example, in the southeastern part of the sea in July, at a horizon of 10 and 20 m, a significant decrease in water temperature is observed, due to the fact that in June-July this area is characterized by a pronounced density stratification due to the inflow of a large volume of river water.
In summer, changes in water temperature in layers with different vertical gradients are practically unrelated. The exceptions are the wind mixing layer (0-10 m) and the seasonal thermocline layer (20-30 or 30-50 m), there is no connection between these layers.

The characteristic values ​​of water temperature fluctuations due to tidal variability are 0.2–0.5°C in a uniform

barents sea, barents sea on the map
Barents Sea(Nor. Barentshavet, until 1853 Murmansk sea, Murman) is a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean. It washes the shores of Russia and Norway. The sea is limited by the northern coast of Europe and the archipelagos of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. The area of ​​the sea is 1424 thousand km², the depth is up to 600 m. The sea is located on the continental shelf. The southwestern part of the sea does not freeze in winter due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current. The southeastern part of the sea is called the Pechora Sea. The Barents Sea is of great importance for transport and for fishing - large ports are located here - Murmansk and Vardø (Norway). Before World War II, Finland also had access to the Barents Sea: Petsamo was its only ice-free port. A serious problem is the radioactive contamination of the sea due to the activities of the Norwegian factories for the processing of radioactive waste. Recently, the sea shelf of the Barents Sea in the direction of Svalbard has become the object of territorial disputes between the Russian Federation and Norway (as well as other states).

• 1 Research history
• 2 Geographic location
  • 2.1 Oceanic and land boundaries
  • 2.2 Maritime boundaries
  • 2.3 Coastline
  • 2.4 Archipelagos and islands
• 3 Hydrography
  • 3.1 Currents
  • 3.2 Water exchange
  • 3.3 Salinity
• 4 Geology
  • 4.1 Bottom topography
  • 4.2 Soils
• 5 Climate
  • 5.1 Ice cover
  • 5.2 Temperature
• 6 Flora and fauna
• 7 Economic importance
  • 7.1 First Arctic oil
  • 7.2 Food industry and shipping
  • 7.3 Naval potential
• 8 philately
• 9 Notes
• 10 Literature
• 11 Links

Research History

The Murmansk Sea (above, left) on the map of Tartaria compiled by N. Witsen in 1705 by Willem Barents

Finno-Ugric tribes, the Saami (Lapps), have lived off the coast of the Barents Sea since ancient times. The first visits of non-autochthonous Europeans (Novgorodians, then Vikings) began, probably, at the end of the 11th century, and then intensified.

In the old days, sailors and cartographers called the sea the Northern, Siver, Moscow, Russian, Arctic, Pechora and most often Murmansk.

The Barents Sea was named in 1853 in honor of the Dutch navigator Willem Barents.

The scientific study of the sea was started by the expedition of F. P. Litke 1821-1824, and the first complete and reliable hydrological description of the sea was compiled by N. M. Knipovich at the beginning of the 20th century.

Geographical position

Oceanic and land boundaries

Border of the White and Barents Seas

The Barents Sea is the marginal water area of ​​the Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean, between the northern coast of Europe in the south and the islands of Vaigach, Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land in the east, Svalbard and Bear Island in the west.

maritime borders

In the west it borders on the Norwegian Sea basin, in the south - on the White Sea (the border on the coast is Cape Svyatoy Nos), in the east - on the Kara Sea, in the north - on the Arctic Ocean. The area of ​​the Barents Sea, located to the east of Kolguev Island, is called the Pechora Sea.

Coastline

The southwestern shores of the Barents Sea are predominantly fjord-like, high, rocky, and heavily indented. The largest bays are: Porsanger Fjord, Varangian Bay (also known as Varanger Fjord), Motovsky Bay, Kola Bay, etc. To the east of the Kanin Nos Peninsula, the coastal relief changes dramatically - the coasts are mostly low and slightly indented. There are 3 large shallow bays here: (Cheshskaya Bay, Pechora Bay, Khaipudyrskaya Bay), as well as several small bays.

Archipelagos and islands

Hydrography

The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are Pechora and Indiga.

currents

The surface currents of the sea form a counterclockwise circulation. Along the southern and eastern periphery, the Atlantic waters of the warm North Cape current (a branch of the Gulf Stream system) move east and north, the influence of which can be traced to the northern shores of Novaya Zemlya. The northern and western parts of the circulation are formed by local and Arctic waters coming from the Kara Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In the central part of the sea there is a system of intracircular currents. The circulation of sea waters changes under the influence of changes in winds and water exchange with adjacent seas. Of great importance, especially near the coast, are tidal currents. The tides are semi-diurnal, their greatest value is 6.1 m near the coast of the Kola Peninsula, in other places 0.6-4.7 m.

Water exchange

Water exchange with neighboring seas is of great importance in the water balance of the Barents Sea. during the year, about 76,000 km³ of water enters the sea through the straits (and the same amount leaves it), which is approximately 1/4 of the total volume of sea water. The largest amount of water (59,000 km³ per year) is carried by the warm North Cape current, which has an exceptionally great influence on the hydrometeorological regime of the sea. The total river flow to the sea is on average 200 km³ per year.

Salinity

The salinity of the surface layer of water in the open sea during the year is 34.7-35.0‰ in the southwest, 33.0-34.0‰ in the east, and 32.0-33.0‰ in the north. in the coastal strip of the sea in spring and summer, salinity drops to 30-32 ‰, by the end of winter it increases to 34.0-34.5 ‰.

Geology

The Barents Sea occupies the Barents Sea Plate of the Proterozoic-Early Cambrian age; anteclise bottom elevations, depressions - syneclises. Of the shallower landforms, there are remnants of ancient coastlines, at depths of about 200 and 70 m, glacial-denudation and glacial-accumulative forms, and sand ridges formed by strong tidal currents.

Bottom relief

The Barents Sea is located within the mainland shallows, but, unlike other similar seas, most of it has a depth of 300-400 m, the average depth is 222 m and the maximum depth is 600 m in the trough of Bear Island (73°32′ N 22° 38′ E / 73.533° N 22.633° E / 73.533; 22.633 (G) (O)). There are plains (Central Plateau), uplands (Central, Perseus (minimum depth 63 m), depressions (Central, maximum depth 386 m) and trenches (Western (maximum depth 600 m) Franz Victoria (430 m) and others). South part of the bottom has a depth of mostly less than 200 m and is characterized by a leveled relief.

soils

From the cover of bottom sediments in the southern part of the Barents Sea, sand prevails, in some places - pebbles and crushed stone. On the heights of the central and northern parts of the sea - silty sand, sandy silt, in depressions - silt. An admixture of coarse clastic material is noticeable everywhere, which is associated with ice rafting and the wide distribution of relict glacial deposits. The thickness of the sediments in the northern and middle parts is less than 0.5 m, as a result of which ancient glacial deposits are practically on the surface on some hills. The slow rate of sedimentation (less than 30 mm per 1 thousand years) is explained by the insignificant influx of terrigenous material - due to the features of the coastal relief, not a single large river flows into the Barents Sea (except for the Pechora, which leaves almost all of its alluvium within the Pechora Estuary), and the coasts of the land are composed mainly of strong crystalline rocks.

Climate

The climate of the Barents Sea is influenced by the warm Atlantic Ocean and the cold Arctic Ocean. Frequent intrusions of warm Atlantic cyclones and cold Arctic air determine the great variability of weather conditions. In winter, southwest winds prevail over the sea, in spring and summer - northeast winds. Frequent storms. The average air temperature in February varies from -25 °C in the north to -4 °C in the southwest. The average temperature in August is 0 °C, 1 °C in the north, 10 °C in the southwest. cloudy weather prevails over the sea during the year. Annual rainfall varies from 250 mm in the north to 500 mm in the southwest.

ice coverage

Severe climatic conditions in the north and east of the Barents Sea determine its large ice coverage. In all seasons of the year, only the southwestern part of the sea remains free of ice. The ice cover reaches its greatest distribution in April, when about 75% of the sea surface is occupied by floating ice. exceptionally unfavorable years at the end of winter, floating ice comes directly to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. The least amount of ice occurs at the end of August. At this time, the ice boundary moves beyond 78°N. sh. In the northwest and northeast of the sea, ice usually stays all year round, but in some favorable years the sea is almost completely or even completely free of ice.

Temperature

The inflow of warm Atlantic waters determines the relatively high temperature and salinity in the southwestern part of the sea. Here, in February - March, the water temperature on the surface is 3 °C, 5 °C, in August it rises to 7 °C, 9 °C. North of 74° N. sh. and in the southeastern part of the sea in winter the surface water temperature is below -1 °C, and in summer in the north 4 °C, 0 °C, in the southeast 4 °C, 7 °C. In summer, in the coastal zone, the surface layer of warm water 5-8 meters thick can warm up to 11-12 °C.

Average water temperature by horizons °C
(for a point with coordinates 73.5° N 30.5° E; data for 1893-2001):

Horizon m	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
0	3,80	3,20	3,20	3,32	3,32	4,76	6,35	8,60	7,15	5,94	4,76	4,26
10	3,82	3,27	3,22	3,22	3,28	4,71	6,25	8,56	7,11	5,86	4,78	4,24
20	3,94	3,31	3,17	3,32	3,30	4,65	6,03	8,07	7,13	5,94	4,78	4,16
50	3,95	3,34	3,20	3,25	3,22	4,19	4,48	4,87	5,99	5,82	4,78	4,19
100	3,96	3,35	3,17	3,27	3,13	3,80	3,97	4,35	4,90	5,03	4,78	4,20
200	3,83	3,30	3,14	3,10	2,78	3,30	3,31	3,61	4,30	4,15	4,47	4,13
300	3,36	2,86	2,72	2,36	2,17	2,28	2,52	2,65	3,57	3,08	3,68	3,43

Flora and fauna

The Barents Sea is rich in various fish species, plant and animal plankton and benthos. Seaweeds are common off the south coast. Of the 114 species of fish living in the Barents Sea, 20 species are the most important for commercial purposes: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, etc. Mammals are found: polar bear, seal, harp seal, beluga whale, etc. The seal is being hunted. Bird colonies abound on the coasts (guillemots, guillemots, kittiwakes). In the 20th century, the king crab was introduced, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to multiply intensively. Many different echinoderms, sea urchins and starfish of different species are distributed along the bottom of the entire water area of ​​the sea.

Economic importance

The Barents Sea is of great economic importance both for the Russian Federation and for Norway and other countries.

First Arctic Oil

The water area of ​​the southeastern part of the Barents Sea (Pechora Sea) is one of the most explored hydrocarbon reserves on the Russian shelf. It was at the Prirazlomnoye field, located on the shelf of the Pechora Sea, that the first Arctic oil was produced in 2013. in total, 300,000 tons of oil were shipped from the Prirazlomnaya platform in 2014. The Prirazlomnoye field is currently the only field on the Russian Arctic shelf where oil production has already begun. Oil of the new Russian grade was named ARCO (Arctic oil) and was first shipped from Prirazlomnoye in April 2014. The deposit is located 55 km north of the village of Varandey and 320 km northeast of the city of Naryan-Mar (Pechora river). The sea depth in the area of ​​the deposit is 19-20 meters. Prirazlomnoye was discovered in 1989 and contains more than 70 million tons of recoverable oil reserves. The development license is held by Gazprom Neft Shelf (a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft).

Main article: Prirazlomnoye field

Prirazlomnoye is a unique Russian project for hydrocarbon production on the Arctic shelf. For the first time, hydrocarbon production on the Arctic shelf is carried out from a fixed platform - the offshore ice-resistant fixed platform (OIRFP) Prirazlomnaya. The platform allows you to perform all technological operations - drilling, production, storage, offloading oil to tankers, etc.

Food industry and shipping

The sea is rich in various fish species, plant and animal plankton and benthos, so the Barents Sea is an area of ​​intensive fishing. In addition, the sea route is very important, connecting the European part of Russia (especially the European North) with the ports of the western (from the 16th century) and eastern countries (from the 19th century), as well as Siberia (from the 15th century). The main and largest port is the non-freezing port of Murmansk, the capital of the Murmansk region. Other ports in the Russian Federation - Teriberka, Indiga, Naryan-Mar (Russia); Vardø, Vadso and Kirkenes (Norway).

Naval potential

The Barents Sea is the region where not only the merchant fleet, but also the Russian Navy, including nuclear submarines, is deployed.

In philately

• Postage stamps of Russia, 2006: Lighthouses of the Barents Sea

Kaninsky lighthouse

Kildinskiy-Northern Lighthouse

Vaidagub lighthouse

Notes

1. Assessment and conservation of marine biodiversity Barents Sea
2. ESIMO. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011.
3. Alexey Miller: Gazprom has become a pioneer in the development of the Russian Arctic shelf. Message from the Information Department of OAO Gazprom dated 2013-12-20.
4. Year in the Company
5. Press-release "The first oil of the Arctic shelf of Russia was shipped

Literature

• Barents Sea // encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron: 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
• Vize V. Yu., Seas of the Soviet Arctic, 3rd ed., Vol. 1, 1948;
• Esipov V.K., Commercial fish of the Barents Sea, L.-M., 1937;
• Tantsgora A.I., On the currents of the Barents Sea, in the book: Hydrological research in the Barents Sea. Norwegian and Greenland Seas, M., 1959.
• I. S. Zonn, A. G. Kostyanoy. Barents Sea: Encyclopedia / Ed. G. G. Matishova. - M.: International relationships, 2011. - 272 p., ill., ISBN 978-5-7133-1404-0

Links

• Maps of the Murmansk Coast of the Barents Sea
• The Barents Sea in the book: A. D. Dobrovolsky, B. S. Zalogin. Seas of the USSR. Moscow publishing house. un-ta, 1982.
• Key to the algae of the Barents Sea Shoshina E.V.

Arctic Ocean
Seas and major bays	Barents Baffin White Beaufort Wandel East Siberian Greenland Hudson Gustav-Adolf Bay Kara Laptev Lincoln Norwegian Chukchi
Major straits	Vilkitsky Hudsonov Dmitry Laptev Karskie Vorota Long Matochkin Shar Parry (Lancaster, Barrow, Waycount-Melville, McClure) Sannikov Hinlopen Shokalsky Yugorsky Shar
Bottom relief	Возвышенность Адмиралтейства Поднятие Альфа Котловина Амундсена Плато Воринг Жёлоб Воронина Хребет Гаккеля Гренландская котловина Демидовская банка Плато Ермак Исландское плато Канадская котловина Хребет Книповича Хребет Кольбейнсей Хребет Ломоносова Лофотенская котловина Котловина Макарова Каньон Маккензи Медвежинское плато Хребет Менделеева Хребет Мона Котловина Нансена Новоземельный жёлоб Норвежская котловина Норвежский хребет Нординская банка Perseus Rise Podvodnikov Basin Reykjanes Ridge Samoilov Trough St. Anna Trough Franz Victoria Trough Central Karya Upland Chukchi Plateau Jan Mayen Range
Major islands and archipelagos	Aion Bely Bolshoi Begichev Vaigach Vesterolen Wrangel Greenland Disco Clavering Canadian Arctic Kolguev Archipelago Lofoten Islands Milna Land Novaya Zemlya New Siberian Islands Oleniy Severnaya Zemlya Senya Franz Josef Land Hinnoyya Shannon Spitsbergen

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