The average depth is 3988 m. The deepest point of the ocean (it is also the deepest point in the world) is located in the Mariana Trench and is called the Challenger Deep (11.022 m).
. Average temperature: 19-37°C. The widest part of the Pacific Ocean is located in the equatorial-tropical latitudes, so the surface water temperature is much higher than in other oceans.
. Dimensions: area - 179.7 million sq. km, volume - 710.36 million sq. km.

Numbers are enough to imagine how big the Pacific Ocean is: it occupies a third of our planet and makes up almost half of the world's oceans.

Salinity - 35-36 ‰.

Currents of the Pacific Ocean

Alaskan- washes the western coast of North America and reaches the Bering Sea. It spreads to great depths, down to the bottom. Flow speed: 0.2-0.5 m/s. Water temperature: 7-15°C.

East Australian- the largest off the Australian coast. It starts at the equator (Coral Sea), runs along the east coast of Australia. The average speed is 2-3 knots (up to 7). Temperature - 25°C.

Kuroshio(or Japanese) - washes the southern and eastern shores of Japan, transferring the warm waters of the South China Sea to the northern latitudes. It has three branches: East Korean, Tsushima and Soya. Speed: 6 km/h, temperature 18-28°C.

North Pacific- continuation of the Kuroshio current. It crosses the ocean from west to east, near the coast of North America it branches into Alaska (leaves to the north) and California (to the south). Near the coast of Mexico, it turns and crosses the ocean in the opposite direction (North Passat Current) - up to Curoshio.

South Passatnoye- flows in the southern tropical latitudes, stretches from east to west: from the coast of South America (Galapogos Islands) to the coast of Australia and New Guinea. Temperature - 32°C. Gives rise to the Australian current.

Equatorial countercurrent (or Intertrade)- stretches from west to east between the North Passat and South Passat currents.

Cromwell current- a subsurface countercurrent that passes under the South Passatny. Speed ​​70-150 cm/sec.

Cold:

california- the western branch of the North Pacific Current, flows along the western coasts of the United States and Mexico. Speed ​​- 1-2 km / h, temperature 15-26 ° С.

Antarctic Circumpolar (or West Wind Current)- envelops the entire globe between 40 ° and 50 ° S.l. Speed ​​0.4-0.9 km/h, temperature 12-15 °С. This current is often referred to as the "roaring forties" because powerful storms rage here. The Peruvian current branches off from it in the Pacific Ocean.

Peruvian Current (or Humboldt Current)- flows from south to north from the coast of Antarctica along the western coast of Chile and Peru. Speed ​​0.9 km/h, temperature 15-20 °С.

The underwater world of the Pacific Ocean

The flora and fauna of the underwater world in the Pacific Ocean is the richest and most diverse. Almost 50% of all living organisms of the World Ocean live here. The most densely populated area is considered to be the area near the Great Balier Reef.

All the living nature of the ocean is located according to climatic zones - in the north and south it is poorer than in the tropics, but the total number of each species of animal or plant is greater here.

The Pacific Ocean provides more than half of the world's seafood. Of the commercial species, the most popular are salmon (95% of the world catch), mackerels, anchovies, sardines, horse mackerels, halibuts. There is a limited whale fishery: baleen and sperm whales.

The richness of the underwater world is eloquently evidenced by the numbers:

• more than 850 types of algae;
• more than 100 thousand species of animals (of which over 3800 species of fish);
• about 200 species of animals living at a depth of more than 7 thousand km;
• more than 6 thousand species of mollusks.

The largest number of endemics (animals that are found only here) live in the Pacific Ocean: dugongs, fur seals, sea otters, sea lions, holothurians, polychaetes, leopard sharks.

The nature of the Pacific Ocean has been studied only by 10 percent. Every year, scientists discover more and more new species of animals and plants. For example, in 2005 alone, more than 2,500 new species of molluscs and more than 100 species of crustaceans were found.

Pacific exploration

According to scientists, the Pacific Ocean is the oldest on the planet. Its formation began in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic, that is, more than 140 million years ago. The development of the ocean began long before the advent of writing. People who lived on the shores of the greatest water area used the gifts of the ocean for thousands of years ago. So, Thor Heyerdahl's expedition on the Kon-Tiki balsa raft confirmed the scientist's theory that the islands of Polynesia could be settled by people from South America who were able to cross the Pacific Ocean on the same rafts.

For Europeans, the history of ocean exploration is officially calculated from September 15, 1513. On this day, the traveler Vasco Nunez de Balboa first saw the water surface, stretching to the horizon, and dubbed it the South Sea.

According to legend, the ocean got its name from F. Magellan himself. During his trip around the world, the great Portuguese for the first time rounded South America and ended up in the ocean. Having sailed over it for more than 17 thousand kilometers and having not experienced a single storm during all this time, Magellan dubbed the Pacific Ocean. And only later studies proved that he was wrong. The Pacific Ocean is actually one of the most turbulent. It is here that the largest tsunamis occur, and typhoons, hurricanes and storms are more frequent here than in other oceans.

Since then, active research has begun on the largest ocean on the planet. We list only the most significant discoveries:

1589 - A. Ortelius publishes the world's first detailed map of the ocean.

1642-1644 - the ocean conquers A. Tasman and opens a new continent - Australia.

1769-1779 - D. Cook's three round-the-world voyages and exploration of the southern part of the ocean.

1785 - J. Laperouse voyage, exploration of the southern and northern parts of the ocean. The mysterious disappearance of the expedition in 1788 still haunts the minds of researchers.

1787-1794 - the journey of A. Malaspina, who compiled a detailed map of the western coast of America.

1725-1741 - two Kamchatka expeditions led by V.I. Bering and A. Chirikov, study of the northern and northwestern parts of the ocean.

1819-1821 - round-the-world trip of F. Bellingshausen and M. Lazarev, discovery of Antarctica and islands in the southern part of the ocean.

1872-1876 - organized the world's first scientific expedition to study the Pacific Ocean on the corvette "Challenger" (England). Maps of depths, bottom topography were drawn up, a collection of flora and fauna of the ocean was collected.

1949-1979 - 65 scientific voyages of the vessel "Vityaz" under the flag of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (measurement of the depth of the Mariana Trench and detailed maps of the underwater relief).

1960 - the first dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

1973 - creation of the Pacific Oceanological Institute (Vladivostok)

Since the 1990s, a comprehensive study of the Pacific Ocean has begun, which combines and systematizes all the data obtained. Currently, the priority areas are geophysics, geochemistry, geology and commercial use of the ocean floor.

Since the discovery of the Challenger Deep in 1875, only three people have descended to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench. The last dive took place on March 12, 2012. And the brave diver was none other than the famous film director James Cameron.

Gigantism is characteristic of many representatives of the fauna of the Pacific Ocean: giant mussels and oysters, the clam tridacna (300 kg).

There are over 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, more than all other oceans combined. Here is also the oldest island on the planet - Kauai, whose age is estimated at 6 million years.

More than 80% of tsunamis are "born" in the Pacific Ocean. The reason for this is the large number of underwater volcanoes.

The Pacific Ocean is full of secrets. There are many mystical places here: the Devil's Sea (near Japan), where ships and planes disappear; the bloodthirsty island of Palmyra, where everyone who remains there perishes; Easter Island with its mysterious idols; Truk Lagoon, where the largest cemetery of military equipment is located. And in 2011, a sign island, Sandy Island, was discovered near Australia. It appears and disappears, as evidenced by numerous expeditions and Google satellite photos.

In the north of the ocean, the so-called Garbage Continent was discovered. It is a large garbage heap containing over 100 million tons of plastic waste.

Goals:

• To acquaint students with the physical and geographical features of the Pacific Ocean, the features of nature, and human economic activity in the ocean.
• To develop the ability to work in a group, analyze, summarize and systematize the material, the ability to work independently. Systematize the ability to work with a map, develop speech, thinking of students.
• Cultivate a sense of responsibility, independence, the ability to hear others. To instill love for the beauty of the nature of the ocean, the ability to see it.

Equipment:

• Texts with assignments for students, markers, drawing paper.
• Atlases, wall map of the world.
• Tasks for each group, questionnaires for students.

During the classes

1. Org. moment.

Guys, do you like when guests come to your house? So today we have guests. Today at the lesson we will all work in interest groups. Each group will have their own assignment, and our guests also have an assignment to work on during today's lesson.

1. Call stage

Today we will study a geographical object, and which one, try to determine for yourself. slide 1.

1. Part of this geographical feature is the dirtiest sea on Earth - the Yellow.
2. This geographical feature also includes the deepest sea on Earth - the Philippine.
3. Only in this geographical feature can you see the Great Barrier Reef, built by small animals, and it is so huge that it can even be seen from the moon.
4. It is here that you can observe the most gigantic destructive waves - the tsunami.
5. This geographical object is so huge in area that it can fit all the land on itself, and there will still be a place.

Many of you have probably guessed what geographical object we are talking about. Pacific Ocean.

Slide 2. Picture of the Pacific Ocean, the sound of the sea, the teacher reads the text: Colorful ocean! In a calm, the mirror-like surface of the water, flooded with bright sunlight, looks whitish, especially near the horizon, which is perceived as fuzzy and blurry. But as soon as a weak breeze pulls the ocean with light ripples, a juicy blue will immediately appear and play on it. A cloud will run into the sun, and the water will darken. Heavy rain clouds will close the sky - and the ocean will become like the sky - gray and gloomy. In the evening, when the sun begins to set, the water lights up with a crimson flame.

Problematic question of the lesson:

Often this ocean is also called the Great. And today in the lesson we will try to correlate the characteristic features of this ocean with its names, and also agree or disagree with the names of this ocean. Since we have already explored some of the oceans, propose a plan for exploring the ocean based on the data you already know.

Slide 3 (FGP Cluster)

Pacific Ocean:

1. What continents washes.
2. What oceans is it connected to?
3. Located relative to:

• equator;
• zero meridian;
• tropics;
• polar circles;

1. Climatic zones
2. Research history.
3. Relief.
4. Climate.
5. organic world.
6. Types of economic activity.

What information can be obtained using only a geographical map? (The student answers at the blackboard with a map.)

Slide 4:

1. What continents does it wash?

• Eurasia
• North America
• South America
• Australia
• Antarctica

Slide 5.

1. What oceans is it associated with?

• Arctic
• Indian
• Atlantic

slide 6.

1. Located relative to:

• Equator - S.p. and Yu.p.;
• zero meridian - Z. p., V. p.;
• tropics - cross S.t., Yu.t.;
• polar circles - crosses S.p.k.;

Slide 7.

1. Climatic zones:

• S.P. - everything except the arctic
• Yu.P. - all.

Slide 8 (general branched cluster)

Outcome:

See how much we've already said about the Pacific by being able to read a map. What good fellows we are! Why do you think the study of any object begins with its geographical location? Why can't we expand the cluster further? (Lack of knowledge.)

1. The stage of realization of the meaning (comprehension of the content)

Work in interest groups.

Yes, precisely because you still do not have enough knowledge on this topic, you will extract them yourself. It was for this purpose that in the last lesson you were divided into interest groups, and some of you chose an additional task of a leading nature. And today in the lesson you will have the opportunity to demonstrate the result of your work to the class.

Distribution of roles in the group:

Please note that the roles are written on your table on a yellow sheet, distribute them among themselves within 30 seconds.

• Speaker: Speaks on behalf of the group, Presents the result of your joint work.
• Coordinator: ensures equal participation of group members, monitors working hours, so that everyone participates in the work.
• Secretary: writes down ideas expressed and decisions made.
• SOS - director: asks the teacher for help.
• Invigorates: inspires the members of the group, encourages, encourages all the ideas expressed in the group and the efforts made by the members of the group.

Task explanation: (written on a piece of paper for each group)

So, the task of each group is as follows:

1. Everyone in the group gets acquainted with the text proposed to your group, in the course of reading makes some notes for themselves.
2. Together with the group, they try to draw up their own cluster or plan on a drawing paper using markers.
3. Present the results of your work.

Working time is limited to 10 minutes. The coordinator must keep track of the time.

Have questions? Get to work.

Texts for the group:

• 1 group: Composes a cluster on the topic: “Research history.”

Many peoples inhabiting the Pacific shores and islands from ancient times made voyages on the ocean, mastered its riches. The beginning of the penetration of Europeans into the Pacific Ocean coincided with the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. The ships of F. Magellan for several months of navigation crossed a huge body of water from east to west. All this time, the sea was surprisingly calm, which gave Magellan reason to call it the Pacific Ocean.

Much information about the nature of the ocean was obtained during the voyages of J. Cook. A great contribution to the study of the ocean and islands in it was made by Russian expeditions led by I.F. Kruzenshtern, M.P. Lazareva, V. M. Golovnina, Yu.F. Lisyansky. In the same 19th century comprehensive studies were carried out by S.O. Makarov on the ship "Vityaz". Regular scientific voyages since 1949 were made by Soviet expeditionary ships. A special international organization is engaged in the study of the Pacific Ocean.

• 2 group: Composes a cluster on the topic: “The relief of the Pacific Ocean.”

The relief of the ocean floor is complex. The continental shelf (shelf) is well developed only off the coast of Asia and Australia. Continental slopes are steep, often stepped. Large uplifts and ridges divide the ocean floor into basins. Near America is the East Pacific Rise, which is part of the system of mid-ocean ridges. At the bottom of the ocean there are more than 10 thousand individual seamounts, mostly of volcanic origin.

The lithospheric plate, on which the Pacific Ocean lies, interacts with other plates at its boundaries. The edges of the Pacific Plate plunge into a tight space of trenches that encircle the ocean. These movements give rise to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Here lies the famous “Ring of Fire” of the planet and the deepest Mariana Trench (11,022 m).

• 3rd group: Makes a cluster on the topic: “Climate of the Pacific Ocean.”

The climate of the ocean is varied. The Pacific Ocean is located in all climatic zones except the Arctic. Above its vast expanses, the air is saturated with moisture. Up to 2000 mm of precipitation falls in the equator region. The Pacific is protected from the cold Arctic Ocean by land and underwater ridges, so its northern part is warmer than the southern.

The Pacific Ocean is the most restless and formidable among the oceans of the planet. Trade winds blow in its central parts. In the western - monsoons are developed. In winter, a cold and dry monsoon comes from the mainland, which has a significant impact on the climate of the ocean; some of the seas are covered with ice. Often devastating tropical hurricanes - typhoons ("typhoon" means "strong wind") sweep over the western part of the ocean. In temperate latitudes, storms rage throughout the cold half of the year. Westerly transport of air prevails here. The highest waves up to 30 m high were noted in the north and south of the Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes raise entire water mountains in it.

The properties of water masses are determined by the characteristics of the climate. Due to the large extent of the ocean from north to south, the average annual water temperature on the surface varies from -1 to +29 °C. In general, precipitation in the ocean prevails over evaporation, so the salinity of surface waters in it is somewhat lower than in other oceans.

• 4th group: Makes a complex plan on the topic “Ocean economic activities.”

More than 50 coastal countries are located on the shores and islands of the Pacific Ocean, in which approximately half of humanity lives.

The use of the natural resources of the ocean began in antiquity. Several centers of navigation arose here - in China, in Oceania, in South America, on the Aleutian Islands.

The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the life of many nations. Half of the world's fish catch comes from this ocean . Except fish part of the catch is made up of various shellfish, crabs, shrimps, krill. In Japan, algae and mollusks are grown on the seabed. In some countries, salt and other chemicals are extracted from sea water and desalinated. Metal placers are being developed on the shelf. Oil is being produced off the coast of California and Australia. Ferromanganese ores have been found at the bottom of the ocean. Important sea routes pass through the greatest ocean of our planet, the length of these routes is very large. Navigation is well developed, mainly along the coasts of the mainland.

Human economic activity in the Pacific Ocean has led to the pollution of its waters, to the depletion of certain types of biological wealth. So, by the end of the XVIII century. mammals were exterminated - sea cows (a type of pinnipeds), discovered by one of the participants in the expedition of V. Bering. On the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. there were seals, the number of whales decreased. Currently, their fishery is limited. A great danger in the ocean is water pollution by oil, some heavy metals and waste from the nuclear industry. Harmful substances are carried by currents throughout the ocean. Even off the coast of Antarctica, these substances have been found in the composition of marine organisms.

Presentation by each group of their work,

Before the groups begin their presentations, I want to remind you that the purpose of our lesson is to: Match the characteristics of this ocean with its names, and try to agree or disagree with the names of this ocean.

And for this, each group has a sheet, which is divided into sectors “+” and “-”. As you listen to your comrades talk about the ocean, you write arguments for or against the name. You can also ask questions to clarify or clarify the material.

1. Stage of reflection and reflection.

Summary of work: The climax of our work with you has come: Let's hear your arguments for or against the names “Quiet” and “Great”. Which band is ready to start their performance?

There are guys in our class who have chosen an individual task of a leading-edge nature and now they will present to your attention the result of their work, and at the same time we will consolidate the material we have already studied.

Working with the reference outline “Pacific Ocean.”

Teacher question:

• What are the features of the Pacific Ocean?
• What was the most interesting part of today's lesson? Struck?
• What else would you like to know about the Pacific Ocean?

Reflection. (anonymous profile)

I invite you to analyze your work in groups. To do this, each of you has orange sheets with questions, answer them. The questionnaire is anonymous, so it is not necessary to sign the sheets. Underline your answer

1. Did you enjoy working in groups?

• Don't know

1. Did you enjoy your role in the group?

• I don't know (yes and no)

1. How did your group cope with the task?

• Fully.
• Partially not done.
• Failed to complete the task.

1. Evaluate your activity in the work of the group.

• He was active (tried to participate everywhere).
• Was active most of the time.
• Not very active.
• Passive.

Thank you for the lesson.

When you leave the lesson, attach to the mood tree the sheet that matches your mood today in the lesson.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest, deepest, and oldest of all oceans. Its area is 178.68 million km2 (1/3 of the surface of the globe), all the continents taken together would be located in its open spaces. F. Magellan traveled around the world and was the first to explore the Pacific Ocean. His ships never got into a storm. The ocean was resting from the usual rampages. Therefore, F. Magellan mistakenly called it the Quiet.

Geographical position of the Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is located in the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Hemispheres and has an elongated shape from northwest to southeast. (Determine on the physical map of the world which continents the Pacific Ocean washes and in which part it is especially wide.) Marginal seas (more than 15) and bays stand out in the northern and western parts of the Pacific Ocean. Among them, the Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow Seas are confined to Eurasia. In the east, the coastline of America is flat. (Show on a physical map of the Pacific Ocean.)

The relief of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean complex, the average depth is about 4000 m. The Pacific Ocean is the only one that is almost completely located within the boundaries of one lithospheric plate - the Pacific. When it interacted with other plates, seismic zones were formed. They are associated with frequent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and - as a result - the occurrence of tsunamis. (Give examples of what disasters a tsunami turns into for residents of coastal countries.) Off the coast of Eurasia, the maximum depth of the Pacific and the entire World Ocean is noted - the Mariana Trench (10,994 m).

The western part of the Pacific Ocean is characterized by deep-sea trenches (Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Japanese, etc.). The Pacific Ocean contains 25 of the 35 deep-sea trenches of the World Ocean with a depth of more than 5000 m.

Climate of the Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the warmest ocean on Earth. In low latitudes, it reaches a width of 17,200 km, and with the seas - 20,000 km. The average surface water temperature is about +19 °C. The water temperature of the Pacific Ocean in the equatorial latitudes during the year is from +25 to +30 ° С, in the north from +5 to +8 ° С, and near Antarctica it drops below 0 С. (In what climatic zones is the ocean located?)

Dimensions of the Pacific Ocean and maximum temperatures of its surface waters in tropical latitudes create conditions for the birth of tropical cyclones or hurricanes. They are accompanied by destructive winds and downpours. At the beginning of the 21st century, an increase in the frequency of hurricanes was noted.

The prevailing winds have a great influence on the formation of the climate. These are trade winds in tropical latitudes, westerly winds - in temperate latitudes, monsoons - off the coast of Eurasia. The maximum amount of precipitation per year (up to 12,090 mm) falls on the Hawaiian Islands, and the minimum (about 100 mm) - in the eastern regions in tropical latitudes. The distribution of temperatures and precipitation is subject to latitudinal geographic zonality. The average salinity of ocean water is 34.6‰. currents. The formation of ocean currents is influenced by the system of winds, the features of the bottom topography, the position and outlines of the coast. The most powerful current of the World Ocean is the cold current of the West Winds. This is the only current that goes around the entire globe, carrying 200 times more water per year than all the rivers of the world. The winds that generate this current - the westerly transfer - are of extraordinary strength, especially in the region of the southern 40th parallel. These latitudes are called the "Roaring Forties".

In the Pacific Ocean, there is a powerful system of currents generated by the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres: the Northern Equatorial and Southern Equatorial Currents. The Kuroshio Current plays an important role in the movement of the waters of the Pacific Ocean. (Study the direction of the currents on the map.)

Periodically (after 4-7 years) in the Pacific Ocean, the El Niño current (“Holy Child”) occurs, one of the factors of global climate fluctuations. The reason for its occurrence is a decrease in atmospheric pressure in the South Pacific Ocean and an increase over Australia and Indonesia. During this period, warm waters rush east to the coast of South America, where the temperature of ocean water becomes abnormally high. This causes intense downpours, large floods and landslides on the coast of the mainland. And in Indonesia and Australia, on the contrary, dry weather is established.

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues in the Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is rich in a variety of mineral resources. In the process of geological development, deposits of oil and natural gas were formed in the shelf zone of the ocean. (Study the location of these natural resources on the map.) At a depth of more than 3000 m, ferromanganese nodules were found with a high content of manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. It is in the Pacific Ocean that deposits of nodules occupy the most significant areas - more than 16 million km2. Placers of tin ores and phosphorites were found in the ocean.

Nodules are rounded formations up to 10 cm in size. Nodules represent a huge reserve of mineral raw materials for the development of the metallurgical industry in the future. More than half of the living matter of the entire World Ocean is concentrated in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The organic world is distinguished by species diversity. The fauna is 3-4 times richer than in other oceans. Representatives of whales are widespread: sperm whale, baleen whale. Seals and fur seals are found in the south and north of the ocean. Walruses live in northern waters, but are on the verge of extinction. Thousands of exotic fish and algae are common in the shallow waters off the coast.

The Pacific Ocean accounts for almost half of the world's catch of salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, tuna, and Pacific herring. Large quantities of cod, halibut, saffron cod, and macrorus are caught in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the ocean (Fig. 42). Sharks and rays are found everywhere in warm latitudes. In the southwestern part of the ocean, tuna, swordfish spawn, sardines, blue whiting live. A feature of the Pacific Ocean are giant animals: the largest bivalve mollusk tridacna (shell up to 2 m, weight over 200 kg), king crab (up to 1.8 m in length), giant sharks (gigantic - up to 15 m, whale - up to 18 m in length), etc.

The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the life of the peoples of many countries. About half of the world's population lives on its coast. The Pacific Ocean is the second largest in the world in transportation. The largest ports of the world are located on the Pacific coast in Russia and China. As a result of economic activity, an oil slick has formed on a significant part of its surface, which leads to the death of animals and plants. Oil pollution is most common along the Asian coast, where the main oil production and transport routes pass.

Features of the nature of the Pacific Ocean are determined by its size and geographical location. In human life, the mineral wealth of the ocean and its biological resources are used. The Pacific Ocean ranks first in marine fisheries.

There is a truly unique geographical object of the planet Earth in the world - it is the Pacific Ocean. Like the mainland of Eurasia, it can be called the largest, most populated, and so on. In 1513, it was first discovered by the Spanish conquistador de Balboa for Europeans. The ocean then bore the name "South Sea".

After seven years, another Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan, a famous navigator, sailed here. He managed to cross the Pacific Ocean from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands directly in just four months. During the trip, the weather was calm and calm, without storms and storms, so the explorer called the ocean "Pacific".

Some scientific experts wished to call it "Great", based on its incredible size. But this name has not received recognition and any support. Until 1917, on all Russian maps, this geographical object was referred to as the "Eastern Ocean" or "Pacific Sea". This name was given to him by Russian explorers who first reached the ocean.

Features of geographical parameters

This ocean is considered the largest ocean of our entire planet. More than 178,000,000 km² is the area of ​​the water table. And this is equal to 49% of the total area of ​​the oceans directly. This geographical feature washes almost all the continents of the Earth, except for Africa. The width of the ocean in the equatorial region is 20 thousand kilometers. If we take into account its length from north to south, then it is located from the Arctic waters right up to the coast of Antarctica

More than ten thousand islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. All of them have a different size and origin. The largest number of them is located in the central and western parts.

25 seas and three huge bays stand out in this ocean. In the western region of the ocean, the largest number of seas. Among all, the following marginal seas can be distinguished:

Beringovo;

East China;

Japanese;

Okhotsk;

It is also worth highlighting the seas of the Indonesian islands:

Javanese;

Sulawesi;

Moluccan.

In the Pacific Ocean itself, there are seas, such as:

coral;

Philippine;

New Guinean;

Amundsen;

Tasmanovo;

Bellingshausen;

Features of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

From the point of view of the structure of the ocean, three main parts can be distinguished:

Shelf or continental margin;

transition zone.

Only 10% of the total area of ​​the Pacific Ocean belongs to the shelf zone. In the east, it is practically absent. The Mariana Trench is 11,000 meters deep and is the deepest in the world.

A continuous ring around the Pacific Ocean forms a transition zone. 65% of the bottom area is on the ocean floor. Many underwater ridges cross it. Such ridges create basins on the ocean floor directly along the entire perimeter. An extensive area of ​​tectonic faults is located in the transition zone. They formed the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone.

Water properties

The ocean is well warmed up due to its length in equatorial latitudes. It is considered the warmest ocean in the country. 34.7 ‰ - salinity of the water of the Pacific Ocean.

Also characteristic is a complex system of various ocean currents, which was formed with the help of vast expanses and the influence of the continents. The biggest contradictions are: Kuroshio, Intertrade, Northern Tradewind, Peruvian, Southern Tradewind.

The waters of the Pacific Ocean are densely populated. This geographical feature is called the "ocean of giants and endemics". The depths of the ocean are little explored by specialists.

Due to the properties of water, plankton are quite productive. It is an excellent food base for marine mammals and fish. Tropical latitudes are characterized by colonies of coral polyps. Such formations form systems of coral islands and reefs.

Ocean area - 178.7 million square kilometers;
Maximum depth - Mariana Trench, 11022 m;
Number of seas - 25;
The largest seas are the Philippine Sea, the Coral Sea, the Tasman Sea, the Bering Sea;
The largest bay is Alaska;
The largest islands are New Zealand, New Guinea;
The strongest currents:
- warm - Northern Equatorial, Southern Equatorial, Kuroshio, East Australian;
- cold - West Winds, Peruvian, Californian.
The Pacific Ocean occupies a third of the entire earth's surface and half of the area of ​​the World Ocean. Almost in the middle it crosses the equator. The Pacific Ocean washes the shores of five continents:
- Eurasia from the northwest;
- Australia from the southwest;
- Antarctica from the south;
- South and North America from the west.

In the north, through the Bering Strait, it connects to the Arctic Ocean. In the southern part, the conditional boundaries between the three oceans - the Pacific and Indian, Pacific and Atlantic - are drawn along the meridians, from the extreme southern continental or island point to the Antarctic coast.
The Pacific Ocean is the only one that is located almost entirely within the boundaries of one lithospheric plate - the Pacific. In places where it interacts with other plates, seismically active zones arise, which create the Pacific seismic belt, known as the Ring of Fire. Along the edges of the ocean, at the boundaries of the lithospheric plates, there are its deepest parts - oceanic trenches. One of the main features of the Pacific Ocean are tsunami waves that result from underwater eruptions and earthquakes.
The climate of the Pacific Ocean is due to its location in all climatic zones, except for the polar one. Most precipitation occurs in the equatorial zone - up to 2000 mm. Due to the fact that the Pacific Ocean is protected by land from the influence of the Arctic Ocean, its northern part is warmer than the southern.
Trade winds reign in the central part of the ocean. Devastating tropical hurricanes - typhoons, which are characteristic of monsoonal air circulation, are characteristic of the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Storms are frequent in the north and south.
There is almost no floating ice in the North Pacific, as the narrow Bering Channel limits communication with the Arctic Ocean. And only the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Bering Sea are covered with ice in winter.
The flora and fauna of the Pacific Ocean is characterized by richness and diversity. One of the richest organisms in terms of species composition is the Sea of ​​Japan. The coral reefs of tropical and equatorial latitudes are particularly rich in life forms. The largest coral structure is the Great Barrier Reef (Great Coral Reef) off the east coast of Australia, where tropical fish species, sea urchins, stars, squids, octopuses live ... Many types of fish are of commercial importance: salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, tuna, herring, anchovies...
In the Pacific Ocean, there are also ssavtsy: whales, dolphins, fur seals, sea beavers (found only in the Pacific Ocean). One of the features of the Pacific Ocean is the presence of animal giants: blue whale, whale shark, king crab, tridacna mollusk ...
The territories of more than 50 countries, in which almost half of the world's population lives, go to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
The beginning of the development of the Pacific Ocean by Europeans was laid by Ferdinand Magellan (1519 - 1521), James Cook, A. Tasman, V. Bering. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the expeditions of the English ship Challenger and the Russian ship Vityaz had particularly important results. In the second half of the 20th century, the Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl and the Frenchman Jacques-Yves Cousteau carried out interesting and versatile studies of the Pacific Ocean. At the present stage, specially created international organizations are engaged in the study of the nature of the Pacific Ocean.