Kara Sea interesting facts. Kara sea in russia
And the straits: the Red Army, Shokalsky and Vilkitsky. From the south, the border of the sea is the coast of the mainland. The Kara Sea is well open to the waters. The sea is located mainly on the continental shelf. These features make it possible to attribute the sea to the mainland types of marginal seas.
The Kara Sea belongs to the largest seas Russian Federation. Its area is approximately 883 thousand km2. The volume of water reaches about 98 thousand km3. The average depth of the sea is 111 m, the maximum is 600 m. There are a large number of islands in the waters, most of which are small in size. Small islands are combined into archipelagos (Skerries, Minina) and are located along the coast of the mainland. Larger islands (Bely, Shokalsky, Vilkitsky, Sibiryakov, Russian) are located alone.
The coastline of the Kara Sea is uneven. The shores of Novaya Zemlya, which wash the waters of this sea, are indented by a large number of fjords. The mainland coast is also strongly dissected: in a number of places the sea sharply protrudes into the land, forming the Baidaratskaya and Obskaya bays. protrudes strongly into the sea. Along the coastline there are large bays (Gydansky, Yeniseisky and Pyasinsky), as well as a number of small bays.
The Kara Sea is characterized by a polar maritime climate, which is due to the northern location of the sea and its direct contact with the ocean. , located relatively close to the Kara Sea, softens.
But the island New Earth prevents the penetration of a large amount of warm air masses. The Kara Sea is in more severe climatic conditions than. Due to the large extent of the sea, climatic differences are observed in its different parts.
In autumn and winter it dominates the sea. At the beginning of the cold season, the direction of the wind depends on the position. In the northern part of the sea, there are predominantly, and in the southern part - winds of a changeable direction. The wind speed reaches 5 - 7 m/s. In winter, south, southwest and southeast winds prevail over most of the sea area. North winds dominate only in the north-east of the sea.
Storms most often occur in the western part of the sea. Near the island of Novaya Zemlya, wind constantly arises (Novaya Zemlya bora). The duration of this is short 2 - 3 hours, but in winter time it may take several days. South winds bring cold ones from the mainland. In March, on average, it reaches -28.6°C at Cape Chelyuskin and -20°C at Cape Zhelaniya. The lowest that can be at sea is - 45 - 50 ° С. In the western part of the sea, it sometimes brings warm masses of polar sea air. This cyclone moves from the west but deviates to the south as it collides with the mountains of Novaya Zemlya. Such intrusions of sea air most often occur in February. As a result, the weather in the western part of the sea is unstable in winter. In northern and eastern parts the sea prevails almost all the time clear and cold.
Kara Sea. Gulf of Ob
In the spring, the sea is marked by winds of different directions. Their speed, as a rule, is 5 - 6 m / s. The cyclone stops. In a short time, the air warms up quickly enough. But still in spring the temperature does not exceed -7°C. In summer, an elevated area forms over the sea, which is why north winds begin to dominate here. Their speed is 4 - 5 m / s. During the warmest period (in July), the air warms up on average by 5–6 °С in the western part of the sea and by 1–2 °С in the east and northeast. Near the mainland coast, the air can warm up to +18 and +20 °C. But despite the high summer temperature, snow can fall at any summer time. In general, the short summer is marked by low temperatures and cloudy weather with a lot of rain.
A large amount carries its waters into the Kara Sea. In one year, this sea receives about 1290 km 3, which is approximately 55% of the total river flow to all seas located in the Siberian Arctic. The volume of fresh water that it brings is about 450 km3. brings about 600 km 3 of water, Plyasina - 80 km 3. River water enters the sea unevenly, depending on the season. In late summer - early autumn, rivers give 80% of all waste water. In winter, only large rivers bring their water to the sea. The distribution of fresh water across the sea is not the same, every year it happens in different ways. River water can enter the western, eastern regions of the sea or be distributed in a fan-like manner. Almost 40% of the sea is under the influence of the river. Continental waters influence climatic conditions Kara Sea. The water supplied from the rivers has a higher temperature than sea waters. It contributes to the weakening of the ice in the spring and prevents the waters from freezing in the autumn. Also a large amount of continental water reduces the sea.
The rivers that flow into the Kara Sea have a relatively low level of pollution. However, the waters and the Yenisei have a high concentration of heavy metals, which adversely affects the ecosystem of the sea. Vessels have a negative impact on the ecological state of the sea. The places of their frequent movement are polluted with oil products. The waters belonging to the bays of the Kara Sea are characterized by specialists as moderately polluted.
The Kara Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. The name of the sea comes from the name of the river Kara, which flows into it. The sea is limited by the northern coast of Eurasia and the islands: Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, Geiberg. In the northern part of the sea is Vize Land, an island theoretically discovered in 1924. Also in the sea are the islands of the Arctic Institute, the islands of Izvestia of the Central Executive Committee. The sea is located mainly on the shelf; many islands. Depths of 50-100 meters prevail, the greatest depth is 620 meters. Area 893,400 km2. Full-flowing rivers flow into the sea: Ob, Yenisei, so salinity varies greatly. The Kara Sea is one of the coldest seas in Russia, only near the mouths of the rivers the water temperature in summer is above 0 °C. Frequent fogs and storms. Most of the year the sea is covered with ice.
The Kara Sea is considered marginal, cold and belongs to the Arctic Ocean. Located in the north of the Russian Federation.
Origin
Narzemsky - this name existed by the sea earlier. The reason for this interpretation has not been found. The name "Karskoe" came from the Baidaratskaya Bay. Why Karskoe? Because the river Kara used to flow into this area.
However, dictionaries define such a name as derived from the word in the Nenets language - "khara", it is called hummocky ice in translation. Some scientists say that this is the Ice Sea, others - the Arctic.
The first on the map called this sea Kara - the scientist Seliftonov. Even in etymology there is a definition as "kar" - this is a deepening in mountain systems. Marvelous! - but there are no mountains! However, in the Paleolithic era, there may have been powerful mountain systems here, and following this principle, the sea was called Kara. Since everything was different before - where the seas are now - there are mountains, and vice versa.
Characteristics of the Kara Sea
- The greatest depth - 620m
- The smallest depth - 50m
- Average depth 112m
- Sea area - 893,400 square kilometers
- Salinity 34 ppm
- Climate - polar
- The bottom of the sea is sand or silt
- From the end of September to May, the sea is covered with ice. Thickness, in some places, can reach 4 meters
currents
There are very small, but different currents in the Kara Sea, which control all the life processes of organisms, and also affect the temperature regime and climatic conditions. Among the currents, the largest ones should be distinguished:
- Novaya Zemlya
- Yamal
- Ob-Yenisei.
All of them determine the hydrological regime of a given sea.
Historical events
It is not known when navigation on the Kara Sea began. The only known fact is that the Russian sailors found Stephen Borrow, who was English tourist. His sailors escorted him to the mouth of the Ob. This happened in 1556. Unfortunately, there is no other information about the first trips. They resumed navigation after short-term cruises of foreigners in the middle of the 18th century.
There are theories that German troops used this sea during World War II to encircle the USSR from the north. However, it was very difficult to get here. Although despite everything, they managed to create a couple of points for attack. There they used submarines. The whole struggle was sharpened near the island of Novaya Zemlya. At the end of 1943 Soviet troops defeated the enemy. The remnants of the Nazi units were finished off until 1950, these invaders were hiding in the vicinity of the said island.
What rivers flow into the Kara Sea
The following rivers flow into the Kara Sea:
- Yenisei;
- Yuribei;
- Lower Taimyr;
- Hutudabigay;
- Pyasina;
- Mordeyakha.
Relief and minerals
The Red Sea is shallow. The shelf is located at a depth of about a hundred meters. According to paleontological studies, this region is promising for the extraction of oil and natural gas. Thanks to exploration data, it is possible in the future to produce gas and condensate on the shelf, the reserves of which are about 1 trillion cubic meters. Quite a lot for such a small sea. Is not it?
The Anna Trench is the deepest point on the seafloor. The depth is 620 meters. The East Zemelsky Trench and the Voronin Trench run along Novaya Zemlya Island. Between the trenches there is a shallow Kara plateau. Iron-manganese nodules were found in the central part of the sea shelf. The main part of the bottom is formed by silts of various origins from clayey to sandy types.
Cities
In addition to all these features, each sea has ports - the Kara Sea is no exception. There are few of them, but there are still a few:
- Sabetta;
- Igarka;
- Dudinka;
- Port Dickson;
- Amderma.
Flora and fauna
There are many species of fish in the sea - 54. Char, saffron cod, smelt, capelin, flounder, pink salmon - this is only the minimum number local inhabitants. Fish from the salmon class live in the rivers. Sometimes they sail out to sea. Although, according to research, they do not swim into the northern expanses, but stay near the mouths of the rivers. So they are safer.
Kara Sea. polar bear photo
Of the animals live here: whales, walruses, seals, polar bears. Little auks, auks and guillemots are the most widespread birds of the Kara Sea. The polar bear and arctic fox are the largest predators. Polar sharks are the only shark species here.
The flora is represented by brown, red and green algae.
- There is an assumption that thanks to the existence of the Kara Sea, the idea arose to create the "Tale of Tsar Saltan"
- It is the coldest sea in the world.
- Secrets of the Bloody pagan images can be found on Vaygach Island. Tourists claim that by visiting this island, all the ailments of the disease will disappear.
- "Ice Cellar" is another name for the Kara Sea.
- In winter, the air temperature is lower than 46 degrees below zero, in summer - 16 maximum.
The southern part of the sea is bounded by the mainland, in the west by several islands (Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya), from the north the island is Vize Land.
This marginal sea is located on the continental shelf, so it is classified as a continental type.
The Kara Sea is the largest of all seas. Its area reaches 883t. km2, and the volume of water is 100 tons. km3.
The relief of the bottom of the sea
The average depth reaches 110 m, but mostly it is just over 50 m. One of the deepest places is 620 m deep. Two comparatively deep trenches run from north to south. This is St. Anna's trench, where the maximum depth is 620m and Voronin (depth is 410m). Not far from the islands of Novaya Zemlya is the East Novaya Zemlya Trench (depth up to 400 m). Between these trenches is the Kara Plateau.
The bottom of the plateau is covered with sandy silt and sand, and gray, blue and brown silt is found in troughs and basins.
There are many islands in the sea, which are united in archipelagos (Skerries, Nordenskiöld, Minin). They are close to the coastline. And the large islands are located alone (Sibiryakov, Shokalsky, Nansen, Bely, Russian).
Surrounded by many islands, among which, for example, Novaya Zemlya, on the northern coast of Eurasia, the Kara Sea is conveniently located, into which the Ob, Taz and Yenisei flow, where an abundant number of fish live, a white whale and a polar bear live. The sea changed its name more than once, and was not only Kara, but also Narzem, Nyarzom, Tartar, Arctic, Ice. The history of its origin is connected with the last ice age, when the increase and decrease of ice sheets was carried out. The sea appeared on the map in 1736. Today it is a particularly significant object in the Russian Federation.
Territory of the Kara Sea in Russia
The average depth of the Kara Sea is from 50 to 100 meters, the maximum depth is 620 meters. The area is about 900 thousand km², the volume is about 100 thousand km².
In fact, the reservoir is located on a plume with a depth of less than 100 m, which is cut in the direction from north to south by the trenches of St. Anna and Voronin. The East Novaya Zemlya Trench runs along the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya. In the area between the gutters, the Central Plateau is comfortably located with a total depth of less than 50 m.
The reservoir is one of the coldest seas in our country. Near the mouths of rivers, the temperature values of water in the warm season of the year exceed 0 °C. In winter, these values drop to almost 2°C, which is essentially the freezing point. Fog often forms over the surface of the sea, storms are also a constant companion here. The degree of salinity of water varies over a wide range.
In the eastern region of the reservoir there is the Great Arctic Reserve with rare fauna and flora - flower plants, birds, fish and mammals.
The saturation of the Kara reservoir with fauna and flora in many respects exceeds the Laptev Sea. So, if more than 50 species of fish live in the first, then about 40 in the second. The most suitable objects for fishing are bays, bays and lower reaches of rivers, where hunting for salmon, whitefish, cod and smelt families is possible. In addition, seals, sea hares and sometimes walruses can be found in the waters of the sea.
In the cold, rather long season, the Kara Sea is covered with ice, which forms in early autumn. The thickness of the ice in some places reaches up to 4 meters. Fast ice can be seen along the sea coast, and in the central part - floating ice.
In the warm season of the year, the ice is divided into lonely massifs. The bottom of the reservoir is covered primarily with sand and sandy silt, the gutters, as well as the basins, are gray, blue and brown silts.
Navigation in the Kara Sea is traditionally considered quite difficult.
Cities on the Kara Sea
(Port settlement Dixon, northernmost locality in Russia)
An urban-type settlement and the only port on the Kara Sea - Dikson, was established in 2015. More than 500 people live in the village, there is unfavorable weather and a large number of tourists. Travelers are attracted by the virtues of nature, a wide range of attractions, in particular, the local local history museum, polar station and a fish factory. The unofficial name of the city is "Capital of the Arctic".
