East-Siberian Sea. East Siberian Sea: description, resources and problems Articles on bottom temperatures of the East Siberian Sea

Due to the harsh climate, the East Siberian Sea has developed its own life. Only the most resilient representatives of flora and fauna live here, which have adapted to low temperatures. Its waters contain the same microscopic phytoalgae and organisms that are found in the neighboring Laptev Sea. Mostly diatoms are found, with red and brown algae appearing from time to time - in the coastal region of the western part of the sea. Compared to neighboring seas, there are few bottom dwellers here. After all, not every species can survive in low temperatures. Therefore, only some species of crustaceans, valves, echinoderms and coelenterates are found.

Among mammals East Siberian Sea: seals, beluga whales, cetaceans and walruses. Along with all coastal areas northern seas, walruses are hunted on its territory, but only for needs local population. After all, since 1956, walruses have been under state protection. The islands are also home to the polar bear, which is a semi-marine mammal. Smaller predators come to the shores of the East Siberian Sea for food, such as sea otters and arctic foxes.

There is no information that sharks live in the waters of this sea. Perhaps here you can meet a polar shark - an inhabitant of Arctic waters. Such a six-meter shark almost never comes to the sea surface. It feeds on tiny organisms, animal remains and small fish. The polar shark is lazy, like many other Arctic giants, so you should not expect an attack on active living creatures. Scientists say swimmers in this harsh sea need not be afraid of the teeth of man-eating sharks. Therefore, you can often meet travelers here.

Already from the name it is clear that this sea is located at north coast. Borders East Siberian Sea Mostly there are conventional lines, and only in some parts is it limited by land. From the west, the sea border runs along Kotelny and further along the eastern border. The northern boundary coincides with the edge of the continental shelf. From the east, the border of the sea runs along the meridian of 1800 east longitude before, after - along the northwestern coast of this island to Cape Blossom and Cape Yakan, located on the mainland. From the southern part it is limited by the coastline of the mainland (from Cape Yakan to Cape Svyatoy Nos).

The waters of this sea communicate well with the waters of the Arctic Ocean, therefore the East Siberian Sea belongs to the type of continental marginal seas. Within the boundaries outlined, the area of ​​this sea is 913 thousand km2. The volume of water is approximately 49 thousand km 3. The average sea depth is 54 m, maximum depth equal to 915 m.

There are very few islands in the waters of the East Siberian Sea. The sea coastline has large bends. Thus, in some places the sea pushes the boundaries of the land inland, and in some places the land protrudes into the sea. There are also areas with an almost flat coastline. Small meanders are formed mainly at river mouths. the western and eastern coasts of the East Siberian Sea are very different. The coast, which is washed by the sea from the mouth of the Kolyma, is quite monotonous. Here the sea borders on swampy areas. These places are characterized by low and gentle banks. The coast located east of Kalyma has a more varied landscape, mainly dominated by mountains. As far as the island of Aion, the sea is bordered by small hills, which sometimes have steep slopes. In the area of ​​Chaunskaya Bay there are low but steep banks.

The underwater relief of the space occupied by the East Siberian Sea represents. This plain slopes slightly from southwest to northeast. The seabed is mostly flat, without significant depressions or hills. Most of the water expanses of the East Siberian Sea have a depth of up to 20 - 25 m. The deepest ones are located on the bottom of the sea in the northeastern part from the mouths of the Indigira and Kolyma rivers. There is an assumption that these trenches used to be areas of river valleys. But later these rivers were flooded by the sea. The western part of the sea is characterized by shallow depth; this area is called the Novosibirsk Shoal. In the northeast the seas are quite deep places. But even here the depth does not exceed 100 m.

East-Siberian Sea

The East Siberian Sea is located at high latitudes, not far from permanent ice. The sea also borders a wide part of the mainland. Due to this location, the East Siberian Sea has a distinctive feature: the sea is under the influence of the Atlantic and. Cyclones formed above sometimes enter the western part of the sea. The eastern regions of the sea are accessible to Pacific origin. Thus, the climate of the East Siberian Sea can be characterized as polar marine, which is influenced by big influence continent. The peculiarities of the continental climate are significantly manifested in winter and summer. During transition seasons they do not significantly influence, since during these periods the processes are not constant.

IN winter time has a great influence on the climate of the East Siberian Sea Siberian Maximum. This determines the predominance of southwestern and southern ones, the speed of which reaches 6 - 7 m/s. These winds move from the continent and therefore contribute to the spread of cold air. The average temperature in January is approximately – 28 – 30°C. In winter, the weather is mostly clear. Only sometimes cyclones disrupt the established calm weather for several days. Atlantic cyclones, which prevail in the western part of the sea, contribute to stronger winds and higher temperatures. Pacific cyclones, which prevail in the southeastern part of the sea, bring strong winds and cloudy weather. On coasts with mountainous terrain, the Pacific cyclone contributes to the formation of a strong wind - a foehn. As a result of this storm wind, temperatures rise and there is less air.

In summer, low temperatures are formed over the sea, and low levels over land. In this regard, winds blow predominantly from the north. At the beginning of the warm season, the winds do not yet gain sufficient strength, but by mid-summer their speed averages 6 - 7 m/s. By the end of summer West Side The sea turns into zones of strong storms. At this time, this section becomes the most dangerous along the entire Northern Sea Route. Very often the wind speed reaches 10 – 15 m/s. In the southeastern part of the sea such strong winds are not observed. The wind speed here can only increase due to hair dryers. Constant winds from the north and northeast directions help maintain low air temperatures. In the northern part of the sea, the average July temperature is about 0 - +1°C, in coastal areas the temperature is slightly higher than +2 - 3°C. The decrease in temperature in the northern part of the sea is affected by the influence of ice. In the southern part of the sea, proximity to the warm continent contributes to an increase in temperature. The East Siberian Sea is characterized by cloudy weather in the summer. Very often there is light rain, and occasionally even sleet.

East-Siberian Sea

In autumn, the influence of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans weakens, which affects the decrease. Thus, the East Siberian Sea is characterized by cold summers; unstable windy weather in western and eastern regions seas in the summer-autumn period and calm in the central territories.

A small amount of river water enters the East Siberian Sea. During the year the volume is approximately 250 km 3 . (most big river, flowing into this sea) brings about 132 km 3 per year. Another Indigirka gives 59 km 3. The remaining rivers flowing into the East Siberian Sea are small, and therefore discharge small volumes of water. Largest quantity fresh water enters southern part seas. Maximum flow occurs in summer. Due to the small quantity fresh water does not enter far into the sea, but mainly spreads near river mouths. Due to the fact that the East Siberian Sea is large, river flow does not have a significant impact on it.

The waters of the East Siberian Sea are relatively clean. Only in Pevek Bay slight water pollution was noted, but in Lately The environmental situation here is improving. The waters of Chaunskaya Bay are slightly polluted with hydrocarbons.

The East Siberian Sea is a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean, located between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. The name was assigned at the suggestion of Yu.M. Shokalsky by the Russian Geographical Society, approved by a resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR on June 27, 1935. The eastern border of the sea passes through Wrangel Island and Long Strait. In the north of the northern point Wrangel to Henrietta, Zhannetta Island and further to the northern point of Kotelny Island. The southern border runs along the coast of the mainland from Cape Svyatoy Nos in the west to Cape Yakan in the east. The sea is connected through straits to the Chukchi Sea and the Laptev Sea. It is connected to the Laptev Sea through the Sannikov, Eterikan and Dmitry Laptev straits. It is connected to the Chukchi Sea through the Long Strait. The area of ​​the sea is about 940 thousand sq. km. This sea is completely located on the shelf, as a result of which its bottom is a plain, gradually descending to the north. The depth is small and averages about 55 m. The shores are indented by bays (Kolyma Bay, Omulyakhskaya and Chaunskaya Bay). West Coast The mainland is flat, the eastern part is mountainous with cliffs. A few islands form groups: the New Siberian Islands, the Bear Islands, and the Shalaurov Islands. Some islands are being destroyed because they are made entirely of sand and ice. Rivers flowing into the sea: Indigirka, Lapcha, Khroma, Kolyma, Alazeya, etc.

Climate of the East Siberian Sea

The climate is arctic, influenced by the air masses of two oceans: the Pacific and the Atlantic. In winter, southwestern and southern winds blow, carrying cold air from Siberia, so average temperature in winter it is -30 degrees Celsius. They blow in summer north winds, and the air temperature is 0-1 degrees Celsius in the open sea and 2-3 degrees Celsius on the coast. The sky is cloudy with frequent rain and sleet. The shores are covered in fog; it can last up to 70 days. The annual precipitation is 200 mm.

Wind mode

In winter, the Siberian Maximum causes the predominance of southwestern and southern winds, the speed of which reaches 6 - 7 m/s. These winds move from the continent and therefore contribute to the spread of cold air. The winds bring storms with waves 3-5 meters high in the western part of the sea region, while in the east it is relatively calm. Storms usually last 1-2 days in summer and 3-5 days in winter.

Atlantic cyclones, which prevail in the western part of the sea, contribute to stronger winds and higher temperatures. Pacific cyclones, which prevail in the southeastern part of the sea, bring strong winds, snowstorms and cloudy weather. On coasts with mountainous terrain, the Pacific cyclone contributes to the formation of a strong wind - a foehn. As a result of this storm wind, the temperature rises, while the air humidity becomes less. In summer, zones of high pressure form over the sea, and low pressure zones over land. In this regard, winds blow predominantly from the north. At the beginning of the warm season, the winds do not yet gain sufficient strength, but by mid-summer their speed averages 6 - 7 m/s. By the end of summer, the western part of the sea turns into areas of strong storms. At this time, this section becomes the most dangerous along the entire Northern Sea Route. Very often the wind speed reaches 10 - 15 m/s. In the southeastern part of the sea such strong winds are not observed. The wind speed here can only increase due to hair dryers.

Air temperature

The average temperature in January is approximately - 28 - 30°C. In winter, the weather is mostly clear. Constant winds from the north and northeast help maintain low air temperatures.

In summer in the northern part of the sea the average July temperature is about 0 - +1°C, in coastal areas the temperature is slightly higher than +2 - 3°C. The decrease in temperature in the northern part of the sea is affected by the influence of Arctic ice. In the southern part of the sea, proximity to the warm continent contributes to an increase in temperature. In autumn, the influence of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans weakens, which affects the decrease in air temperature. Thus, the East Siberian Sea is characterized by cold summers; unstable windy weather in the western and eastern regions of the sea in the summer-autumn period.

Water temperature

Temperatures sea ​​water low, in the north they are close to?1.8°C in both winter and summer. To the south, in summer the temperature rises in the upper layers to 5 C. At the edge of the ice fields, the temperature is 1-2 C. The maximum water temperature reaches the end of summer at the mouths of rivers. In general, water surface temperatures decrease from south to north. In winter, in river deltas it is -0.2 and -0.6 degrees Celsius. And in the northern part of the sea it drops to -1.8 degrees Celsius. In summer, the water in the bays warms up to 7-8 degrees Celsius, and in ice-free sea areas it is 2-3 degrees Celsius.

The change in water temperature with depth in winter and spring is little noticeable. Only near the mouths of large rivers does it drop to -0.5° in subglacial horizons and to -1.5° at the bottom. In summer, in ice-free areas, the water temperature decreases slightly from the surface to the bottom in the coastal zone in the west of the sea. In its eastern part, the surface temperature is observed in a layer of 3-5 m, from where it drops sharply to horizons of 5-7 m and then gradually decreases towards the bottom. In zones of influence of coastal runoff, a uniform temperature covers a layer of up to 7-10 m; between horizons of 10-20 m it sharply, and then gradually decreases to the bottom.

In general, the shallow, weakly warmed East Siberian Sea is one of the coldest Arctic seas.

Salinity of water

The salinity of water is different in the western and eastern parts of the sea. In the eastern part of the sea at the surface it is usually about 30 ppm. River flow in the eastern part of the sea leads to a decrease in salinity to 10-15 ppm, and at the mouths of large rivers to almost zero. Near ice fields, salinity increases to 30 ppm. With depth, salinity increases to 32 ppm.

In surface waters, salinity increases from southwest to northeast. In the area of ​​river deltas in winter and spring it is 4-5 ppm. In open waters it reaches 28-30 ppm, and in the north up to 31-32 ppm. In summer, salinity decreases by 5% due to snow melting.

Ice regime

The sea is covered with ice almost all year round. The ice thickness reaches 2 meters by the end of winter and decreases from west to east.

In the eastern part of the sea, even in summer, floating multi-year ice(with a thickness of up to 2-3 meters). From the coast they can be driven north by winds from the mainland.

The ice drifts in a northwesterly direction as a result of water circulation under the influence of anticyclones at the pole. After the anticyclone weakens, the area of ​​the cyclonic gyre increases and multi-year ice enters the sea.

Ice melting begins in May from the Kolyma River delta. In summer, the coastal part in the west is free of ice; in the east there are floating ice floes.

The sea freezes completely in October-November.

Hydrochemical conditions

The characteristic features of the hydrochemical conditions of the East Siberian Sea illustrate the content and distribution of oxygen and phosphates in it. In autumn and winter, the waters of the East Siberian Sea are well aerated. Relative oxygen content over time

It is called the harshest among all the northern seas, located at a large distance from the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The East Siberian Sea, which washes the northern shores of Russia in the East, for all its shallowness, is literally freezing.

The sea on the outskirts of the Arctic Ocean is located along northern shores Eastern Siberia between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island, conditionally administrative shores belong to Yakutia and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Most of it is delineated by conventional lines, and only on the side adjacent to Russia did nature create its borders. total area The sea is quite large: 944,600 sq. km, provided that it cannot be called deep (the average is 54 m).

Borders are usually considered at the points of intersection of the meridians with the islands of Kotelny, Wrangel and capes Anisiy, Blossom, Yakan and Svyatoy Nos. There are practically no islands here, the entire coastline is deeply cut into the land or protrudes from the sea and forms large bends, small meanders lead to river mouths.

As for nature coastline, then the eastern one is not at all similar to the western one. Thus, in the area of ​​the New Siberian Islands and the mouth of the Kolyma, there is a tundra dotted with swamps, the terrain is quite flat and low-lying, but closer to the island of Ayon the coast takes on a mountainous landscape. Almost to the shores of the water there are low hills that drop steeply in some places.

The underwater relief is flat and homogeneous throughout the entire territory. Only in some areas there is a depth of up to 25 m. Experts call them the remains of ancient river valleys.

This sea is often called an important section of the trade route through which goods are transported to the northern regions of Eastern Siberia. Works here major port Pevek, he carries out transit movements from the West to the East of the country.

(Sea trade and transport port of Pevek)

The East Siberian Sea can hardly be called a fishing hub in Russia. For the most part, sea animals are hunted here in the waters adjacent to land. Locals European smelt, capelin, cod and herring are caught here. Near river mouths, valuable whitefish sturgeon and salmon are caught. However, this type of activity does not make a serious economic contribution to the development of the country and region.

EAST SIBERIAN SEA, a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean off the northeastern coast of Asia, between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. In the west it borders on the Laptev Sea, connecting with it through the Dmitry Laptev, Eterikan and Sannikov straits, in the east - on the Chukchi Sea, with which it is connected by the Long Strait. The northern border runs along the edge of the continental shelf, approximately along an isobath of 200 m (79° north latitude). Area 913 thousand km 2, volume 49 thousand km 3. The greatest depth is 915 m.

The coastline is relatively weakly indented. Bays: Chaunskaya Bay, Kolyma Bay, Omulyakhskaya and Khromskaya Bays. Islands: Novosibirsk, Bear, Aion and Shalaurov. Some islands are composed entirely of fossil ice and sand and are subject to intense destruction. They flow into the sea large rivers: Kolyma, Alazeya, Indigirka, Khroma. The coast of the western part of the sea (up to the Kolyma River) is low-lying and composed of permafrost alluvial-marine sediments of Quaternary age, including lenses of fossil ice. East Coast(from the Kolyma River to the Long Strait) mountainous, steep in places, composed of bedrock; A denudation type of coastline is developed here.

Relief and geological structure bottom. The East Siberian Sea is located mainly within the shelf; 72% of its bottom area has depths of up to 50 m. The shelf is located within the North American lithospheric plate. The underwater relief of the shelf, which forms the bed of the sea, is a plain, slightly inclined from southwest to northeast. The bottom of the western part of the sea is a flat, shallow plain, where the Novosibirsk Shoal is located. In the southern part, shallow troughs are noted - traces of ancient river valleys of pre-glacial and glacial times. The greatest depths are in the northeastern part. The seabed is composed of folded complexes (Mesozoic in the south and, possibly, more ancient in the north), dissected by Late Mesozoic rift structures and covered by a thin cover of Cenozoic sediments. Modern bottom sediments consist mainly of sandy silt containing crushed boulders and pebbles carried by ice.

Climate. The climate of the East Siberian Sea is arctic. In winter, under the influence of the Siberian High, cold southwestern and southern winds prevail over the sea. Average air temperatures in February range from -28 to -30 °C (minimum -50 °C); in July in the southern part from 3 to 7 °C, in the northern part - from 0 to 2 °C. In summer, the weather over the East Siberian Sea is mostly cloudy with light drizzle and sometimes sleet; Northerly winds predominate. In autumn, on the coast, the speed of northwestern and northeastern winds increases to 20-25 m/s; At a distance from the coast, the strength of storm winds reaches 40-45 m/s, and hair dryers contribute to the intensification of the wind. 100-200 mm of precipitation falls annually.

Hydrological regime. The continental runoff into the East Siberian Sea is relatively small and amounts to about 250 km 3 /year, of which the flow of Kolyma is 123 km 3 /year, Indigirka is 58.3 km 3 /year. The entire river flow flows into the southern part of the sea, 90% in the summer. The main part of the East Siberian Sea is occupied by surface Arctic waters. In the estuarine areas, waters formed as a result of mixing river and sea water are common. In winter, near river mouths, the temperature of surface waters varies from -0.2 to -0.6 °C, and at the northern border of the sea from -1.7 to -1.8 °C. In summer, the temperature distribution of surface waters is determined by ice conditions. In bays and bays 7-8 °C, in ice-free areas 2-3 °C, and at the ice edge about 0 °C. The salinity of surface waters increases from southwest to northeast from 10-15‰ near river mouths to 30-32‰ at the ice edge. For most of the year, the East Siberian Sea is covered with ice. In the eastern part floating ice remain off the coast even in summer. Feature ice - the development of fast ice, which is most widely distributed in the western shallow part of the sea, where its width reaches 600-700 km; V central regions- 250-300 km, east of Cape Shelagsky it occupies a narrow coastal strip of 30-40 km. By the end of summer, the thickness of the fast ice is 2 m. Behind the fast ice there is drifting ice - annual and biennial ice, 2-3 m thick; Ice drift depends on the circulation of air masses. In the north there is multi-year Arctic ice. In the western part of the sea, between fast ice and drifting ice, there is a perennial polynya along which the Northern Sea Route passes. The existence of polynya in winter is associated with squeezing winds and tidal currents. In the eastern part, the fast ice meets the drifting ice and the polynya closes. The currents form a cyclonic gyre; in the northern part the current is directed to the west, in the southern part - to the east. The tides are regular semidiurnal, the amplitude of level fluctuations is up to 25 cm.

History of the study. The beginning of the development of the East Siberian Sea by Russian sailors dates back to the 17th century, when voyages were made along the coast between river mouths on Kochs. In 1648, S. Dezhnev and F. Popov sailed from the Kolyma River to the Bering Strait and to the Anadyr River. In the 18th century, the first works were carried out to describe the coast and islands of the East Siberian Sea, and maps were compiled. Particularly significant work was done by the participants of the Great Northern Expedition (1733-43). The contours of the coast were clarified by the Ust-Yansk and Kolyma expeditions led by P. F. Anzhu (1822) and F. P. Wrangel (1820-24), islands in the East Siberian Sea were named after them. In the 20th century, maps were updated by K. A. Vollosovich (1909) and G. Ya. Sedov (1909), as well as during the work of a hydrographic expedition in the Northern Arctic Ocean(1911-14). After 1932, when the icebreaker Sibiryakov passed the Northern Sea Route in one navigation, regular ship voyages were made to the East Siberian Sea.

Economic use. The coastal zone is characterized as an area with weak economic activity. Vegetable and animal world The East Siberian Sea is poor due to harsh ice conditions. But in the areas adjacent to the river mouths, you can find omul, whitefish, grayling, polar smelt, navaga, polar cod and flounder, salmonids - char and nelma. Mammals include the walrus, seals, and polar bear; of birds - guillemots, gulls, cormorants. Fishing is of local importance. The Northern Sea Route passes through the East Siberian Sea; the main port is Pevek (Chaun Bay). The East Siberian Sea is a promising oil and gas region, the development of which is difficult due to harsh natural conditions.

Ecological state. In general, the ecological situation in the East Siberian Sea is characterized as favorable due to the weak economic use of this area. The shallow-water shelf, exposed to the influence of river runoff, is slightly polluted, and as a result of thermal abrasion destruction of the coast, greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) enter the atmosphere.

Lit.: Zalogin B.S., Kosarev A.N. Seas. M., 1999.