Oceans are body waters that all together cover 72% of the planet. This is really exciting, and interesting. But how many things do we know about them?
Today we are about to find out some info about the Arctic ocean.
- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world’s five major oceans.
- It is also known as the coldest of all the oceans.
- Some oceanographers don’t accept it as an ocean due to its size.
- As a result of that it is sometimes mentioned as “Arctic Sea”.
- It is sometimes classified as an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.
- It is also seen as the northernmost part of the all-encompassing World Ocean.
- The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean though.
- It is located mostly in the Arctic north polar region in the middle of the Northern Hemisphere, besides its surrounding waters the Arctic Ocean is surrounded by Eurasia and North America.
- It is partly covered by sea ice throughout the year and almost completely in winter.
- The Arctic Ocean’s surface temperature and salinity vary seasonally.
- This happens because the ice cover melts and freezes.
- Its salinity is the lowest on average of the five major oceans, due to low evaporation, heavy fresh water inflow from rivers and streams, and limited connection and outflow to surrounding oceanic waters with higher salinities.
- The summer shrinking of the ice has been quoted at 50%.
- The US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) uses satellite data to provide a daily record of Arctic sea ice cover and the rate of melting compared to an average period and specific past years.
- Much of the Arctic Ocean is covered by sea ice that varies in extent and thickness seasonally.
- The mean extent of the ice has been decreasing since 1980.
- It has gone from the average winter value of 15,600,000 km2 (6,023,200 sq mi) at a rate of 3% per decade.
- The seasonal variations are about 7,000,000 km2 (2,702,700 sq mi) with the maximum in April and minimum in September.
- The sea ice is affected by wind and ocean currents, which can move and rotate very large areas of ice.
- Zones of compression also arise, where the ice piles up to form pack ice.
- The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, the USA, Greenland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland.Scientists usually define the Arctic as the area above the “Arctic Circle”.
- The “Arctic Circle” is an imaginary line that circles around the top of the globe.
- In that place of the world there is one whole day of… darkness!
- And one of sunshine!
- This happens because of the Earth’s tilt.
- Temperatures as low as –70°C have been recorded in northern Greenland.
- Greenland is also covered by the North Atlantic.
- Greenland is the largest island in the world.
- Approximately four million people live somewhere in the Arctic ocean.
- The indigenous people of the Arctic, called the ‘Inuits‘.
- They’ve found ingenious ways to survive in one of the harshest environments on our planet.
- In 1958, a submarine called the USS Nautilus sailed beneath the frozen ice of the Arctic Ocean.
- This proved that the enormous ice sheet rests on water and not land.
- he Arctic is home to lots of wonderful wildlife, including polar bears, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals and whales!
- One unique species found only in the Arctic is the narwhal, often referred to as the ‘unicorn of the sea’. .
- Male narwhals have a straight tusk projecting from the front of their head that can grow to over 3m in length! This justifies their nickname.
- The word ‘Arctic’ comes from the Greek word for bear, Arktos.
- It’s believed the name refers to two constellations that can be seen in the northern sky — ‘Ursa Minor’ (Little Bear) and ‘Ursa Major’ (Great Bear).
- The ice of the Arctic contains around ten percent of the world’s fresh water.
- This giant, white, frozen reservoir reflects sunlight, helping keep the region cool. It also plays a super-important role in keeping our global climate stable
Read more: Oceans trivia | 40 facts about the Indian (part 3)
