The marginal sea is a body of water belonging to the mainland, but not separated or partially separated from the ocean by islands. As a rule, these are water bodies located on the slope of the mainland or on its shelf. All sea regimes, including climatic and hydrological and bottom sediments, are influenced not only by the ocean itself, but also by the mainland. Often, water bodies do not differ in depth and relief of the bottom.

The marginal seas include such as the Barents, Kara, East Siberian, Laptev Sea and others. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Seas of Russia: marginal and inland

The Russian Federation owns a fairly large area on which rivers, lakes and seas are located.

Many historical figures of our country, after whom the water streams are named, are included in the book of world geographical history.

Russia is washed by 12 seas. They belong to the Caspian Sea, as well as 3 oceans.

All water bodies of the state can be divided into two types: marginal and internal.

Marginal seas (the list will be presented below) are mainly located near the borders of Russia. They wash the northern and eastern coasts of the country and are separated from the oceans by archipelagos, islands and island arcs.

Domestic - located on the territory of the country to which they belong. Relating to certain basins, they are located at a great distance from the oceans, while being connected to them by straits.

Russian marginal seas (list):

• Pacific Ocean: Sea of ​​Japan, Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Bering Sea.
• Arctic Ocean. Its basin includes the Laptev, Barents, Kara, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas.

Barents Sea

Belongs to the Arctic Ocean. On its shores is the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Norway. The marginal sea has an area of ​​more than 1 thousand km2. Its depth is 600 m. Due to the strong current from the ocean, the southwest of the reservoir does not freeze.

In addition, the sea plays an important role for the state, mainly in the field of trade, catching fish and other seafood.

Kara Sea

The second marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean is the Kara Sea. It has several islands. It is located on the shelf. The depth varies from 50 to 100 m. In some zone, this figure increases to 620 m. The area of ​​the reservoir is more than 883 thousand km 2.

The Ob and Yenisei flow into - two full-flowing streams. Because of this, the salinity level in it varies.

The reservoir is known for its uncomfortable climate. Here, the temperature rarely rises above 1 degree, it is constantly foggy and storms often occur. Almost all the time the reservoir is under the ice.

Laptev sea

Examples of the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean would be incomplete without the Laptev Sea. It brings great benefits to the state and has a sufficient number of islands.

The name comes from the names of two Russian explorers (the Laptev brothers).

The climatic conditions here are quite severe. The temperature drops below zero degrees. The salinity of the water is minimal, the animal and plant world does not shine with diversity. A small number of people live on the coast. The ice here is all year round, except for August and September.

On some islands, to this day, the remains of mammoths are found, which are well preserved.

East-Siberian Sea

The sea has a bay and a port. It belongs to Yakutia. Thanks to some straits, it connects with the Chukchi Sea and the Laptev Sea. The minimum depth is 50 m, the maximum is 155 m. The salinity is kept at around 5 ppm, in some northern regions it increases to 30.

The sea is the mouth for the Indigirka. It has several large islands.

The ice is permanent. In the center of the reservoir you can see large boulders that have been here for several years. The temperature for the whole year varies from -1 0 С to +5 0 С.

Chukchi Sea

The last marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean is the Chukchi Sea. Here you can often observe sharp storms and high tides. Ice comes here from the western and northern sides. The southern part of the sea is free from glaciation only in the summer season. Due to climatic conditions, in particular, strong winds, waves up to 7 m can rise. In summer, in some areas, the temperature rises to 10-12 0 С.

Bering Sea

Some marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean, such as the Bering Sea, wash not only the Russian Federation, but also the United States of America.

The area of ​​the reservoir is more than 2 million km 2. The maximum depth of the sea is 4 thousand meters. Thanks to this reservoir, the North American and Asian continents are divided into parts.

The sea is located in the North Pacific Ocean. The southern coast resembles an arc. It has several bays, capes and islands. The latter are mainly located near the USA. There are only 4 islands on the territory of Russia. Yukon and Anadyr, major rivers of the world, flow into the Bering Sea.

The air temperature is +10 0 C in summer and -23 0 C in winter. Salinity is kept within 34 ppm.

Ice begins to cover the surface of the water in September. The opening takes place in July. The Gulf of Laurentia is practically not freed from ice. also most of the time it is completely covered, even in summer. The sea itself is under ice for no more than 10 months.

The relief is different in different regions. For example, in the northeastern part, the bottom is shallow, and in the southwestern zone, it is deep. The depth rarely exceeds 4 km. The bottom is covered with sand, shells, silt or gravel.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Kamchatka, Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands. Washes the Russian Federation and Japan. The area is 1500 km 2, the depth is 4 thousand m. Due to the fact that the west of the reservoir is gentle, it does not deepen much. To the east is a basin. Here the depth reaches its maximum mark.

The sea is covered with ice from October to June. The southeast does not freeze due to the climate.

The coastline is indented. Some areas have bays. Most of them are in the northeast and west.

Fisheries flourish. Salmon, herring, navaga, capelin and others live here. Sometimes there are crabs.

The sea is rich in raw materials, which are produced by the state on Sakhalin.

The Amur flows into the Okhotsk basin. There are also several main ports of Russia.

The temperature in winter ranges from -1 0 С to 2 0 С. In summer - from 10 0 С to 18 0 С.

Often only the surface of the water warms up. At a depth of 50 m there is a layer that does not receive sunlight. Its temperature does not change throughout the year.

Waters with temperatures up to 3 0 C come here from the Pacific Ocean. Near the coast, as a rule, the sea warms up to 15 0 C.

Salinity is 33 ppm. In coastal areas, this figure is halved.

Japanese Sea

It has a temperate climate. Unlike the north and west, the south and east of the reservoir are quite warm. The temperature in winter in the north is -20 0 C, in the south at the same time it is +5 0 C. Due to the summer monsoon, the air is quite warm and humid. If in the east the sea warms up to +25 0 С, then in the west only up to +15 0 С.

In the autumn season, the number of typhoons, which are caused by strong winds, reaches a maximum. The highest waves reach 10 m, in emergency situations their height is more than 12 m.

The Sea of ​​Japan is divided into three parts. Two of them periodically freeze, the third does not. Tides often occur, especially in the southern and eastern parts. Salinity practically reaches the level of the World Ocean - 34 ppm.

Which lies almost entirely south of the Arctic Circle. Difficult in terms of coastline outlines, the White Sea is deeply cut into the continent. It has natural land borders, and only a conditional border separates it from the Barents Sea - the line Cape Svyatoy Nos on - Cape Kanin Nos on the Kanin Peninsula.

The White Sea belongs to the inland seas. Its area is 90.1 thousand km2, volume - 6 thousand km2, average depth - 67 m, maximum depth - 351 m.

Different in external forms and landscapes, the shores of the White Sea have local names - Summer Coast, Winter Coast, Tersky Coast, etc. and belong to different geomorphological types.

According to the shape of the coastline and the nature of the bottom, seven regions are distinguished in the sea: Funnel, Throat, Basin and bays: Kandalaksha, Mezenskaya Bay, Dvinskaya Bay, Onega Bay.

The deepest areas of the sea are the Basin and the Kandalaksha Bay. The depths gradually decrease from the Basin (about 200 m deep) to the top of the Dvinskaya Bay. The bottom of the shallow bay of Onega Bay is somewhat elevated above the bowl of the Basin. The bottom of the Throat of the Sea is an underwater trench with a depth of 50 to 100 m, stretched along the strait somewhat closer to the Tersky coast.

The northern part of the sea is the most shallow. The bottom here is very uneven (especially near the Kaninsky coast), the depths do not exceed 50 m.

The climate of the White Sea is transitional from oceanic to continental. Winter is long and severe. Summers are cool and moderately humid.
In the White Sea, for almost the entire year, there is no long-term stable weather, and the seasonal change in the prevailing winds is monsoonal in nature.

The structure of the White Sea waters is formed mainly under the influence of desalination by continental runoff and water exchange with , as well as tidal mixing (especially in the Gorlo and Mezen Bay) and winter vertical circulation. The Barents Sea waters stand out here (in their pure form only in the Voronka), desalinated waters of the tops of the bays, waters of the upper layers of the Basin, deep waters of the Basin, and Gorla waters.

The distribution at the surface and at depth is characterized by great diversity and significant seasonal variability.
The presence of a warm intermediate layer is a characteristic feature of the White Sea.

The rivers flowing into the White Sea annually bring about 215 km3 of fresh water. More than 3/4 of the total flow falls on rivers flowing into bays: Onega Bay, Dvinskaya Bay, Mezenskaya Bay. In high-water years, the rivers: the Northern Dvina contributes about 170 km3, the Mezen - 38 km3, the Onega - 27 km3 of water per year. The Kem and Vyg rivers flowing on the western coast of the sea provide 12 km3 and 11 km3 of water per year, respectively. Other rivers provide only 9% of the flow.

Large rivers release 60–70% of their water in spring. The runoff maximum is observed in spring and amounts to 40% of the annual runoff. For the sea as a whole, the maximum flow occurs in May, the minimum - in February - March. During the year, more than 2/3 of the entire mass of deep (below 50 m) White Sea water is renewed.

The horizontal circulation of the White Sea waters is formed under the influence of wind, tides and compensatory flows. The resulting movement of the waters of the White Sea occurs counterclockwise, which is typical of the seas of the northern hemisphere.

The velocities of surface currents are low and usually equal to 10–15 cm/s; in narrow places and near capes they reach 30–40 cm/s. Tidal currents have much higher speeds in some areas. They reach 250 cm/s in Gorlo and Mezen Bay, 30–35 cm/s in Kandalaksha Bay and 80–100 cm/s in Onega Bay.

The level of the White Sea experiences non-periodic surge changes. The greatest surges are observed in the autumn-winter season with northwestern and northeastern winds. The level rise can reach 75–90 cm. The strongest surges are observed in winter and spring with southwestern winds. The level at this time drops to 50–75 cm.

Every winter the White Sea is covered with ice, and in spring it completely disappears, so the sea belongs to the seas with seasonal ice cover. The White Sea ice is 90% floating ice. A very significant feature of the ice regime of the White Sea is the constant removal of ice into the Barents Sea. Floating ice has a thickness of 35–40 cm, but in severe winters it can reach 135 cm, even 150 cm. Fast ice in the White Sea occupies a very small area. Its width does not exceed 1 km.

The world ocean consists of many parts, such as seas. These areas of water space can wash the continents or even be far from land. This article will focus on the marginal seas. What it is? What marginal seas are the most famous? You will find answers to these questions below.

Definition

The marginal sea, according to the encyclopedic dictionary of 1998, is a sea that is adjacent to any mainland. It is isolated from the rest of the ocean, usually by islands or peninsulas. It is located, most likely, in the shelf part. According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the marginal sea is adjacent to the continents, while it is slightly separated from the ocean. In general, the definitions are very similar.

Despite the fact that seas of this kind are most often located on shelves and continental slopes, in exceptional cases they can also capture deep-water areas of the ocean. The location of these parts of the water space determines all their features, for example, the climatic regime, organic life, as well as the nature of bottom sediments.

List

Marginal seas are quite common. The most famous of them are the following:

• Barents.
• Bellingshausen.
• Karskoe.
• Norwegian.
• Laptev.
• Chukchi.
• Japanese.

Barents Sea

It belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. Washing the shores of Russia and Norway, it is limited by the European coast and several archipelagos, such as Novaya Zemlya. Its area is 1424 thousand square kilometers, the maximum depth reaches 600 meters.

This marginal sea is located in the area of ​​the continental shelf. Due to the influence of a rather warm current in winter, the southwestern part does not freeze. The sea is of great importance for fishing and transport. So, it is here that such ports as Vardo and Murmansk are located.

Bellingshausen Sea

This marginal sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean is located off the coast of West Antarctica. It is separated from the rest of the body of water by such peninsulas as Thurston and the Antarctic Peninsula. Its area is almost 500 thousand km 2, namely - 487. The farthest point is located at a depth of 4115 meters. It was discovered in the 19th century by a Russian expedition led by F. F. Bellingshausen and M. P. Lazarev.

Ice carries material from the land, which covers the seabed in the shelf part. The deepest areas are rich in diatomaceous silt. The currents that pass here are twisted into a cycle in a clockwise direction. In the north, the water temperature is approximately 0 o C, and in the south -1 o C. Almost all year round, floating ice and icebergs move along the surface.

Kara Sea

This sea is also located on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded by the coast of Eurasia and several archipelagos. It is located mainly in the shelf zone, the greatest depth is 620 meters. Since many rivers flow into this sea, such as the Ob and the Yenisei, its salinity varies greatly in different places.

Long ago, people equated sailing this sea with a deadly feat. Indeed, few people managed to return from a trip along it alive: the minimum temperature is -46 degrees, and the maximum is only 16. In the winter season, storms do not calm down here, in the summer fogs rise and snow charges occur. Almost all year round, the water surface is covered with ice, which modern icebreakers cannot always break through.

norwegian sea

The marginal sea is the Norwegian Sea. It belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin, located in its northern part. The sea is in the northwest direction from Norway. It is separated from the Atlantic by an underwater ridge that stretches from Iceland to the Faroe Islands. A stretch of land called Jan Mayen separates it from the waters of the Greenland Sea.

The sea is not located in the shelf part, so its depth is quite large. Its average value is 2 kilometers. The maximum depth is 3970 meters. Oil and natural gas can be found on the seabed. The fauna here is also very rich. So, cod swims through the Norwegian Sea to spawn. Since the water temperature is quite high, it is ice-free throughout the year.

Laptev sea

This part of the World Ocean is located between the New Siberian Islands, the Taimyr Peninsula and the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. Its coastline is very uneven, it is limited by islands and peninsulas, as well as bays. Some parts of the coast are not very high mountains, while others are lowlands. The ecological state of the sea is terrible. It is very polluted due to sunken tree species. In addition, untreated water is discharged here, it also contains oil products.

The depth of the sea is not very large, only 50-100 meters. At the same time, there are sections with a depth of 2000 meters. They are located in the northern part of the sea. The sea has no significance for fishing and hunting for marine animals. These fisheries are developed only at the mouths of rivers such as the Lena, Yana and Khatanga. However, there are trade routes along which transportation is carried out. The port of Tiksi is of particular economic importance.

Chukchi Sea

The Chukchi Sea belongs to the marginal seas. It washes the shores of the United States of America and the Russian Federation, which is why it is called the border between West and East, the Old and the New World. To be more precise, it separates Alaska and Chukotka. It belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. Its area is only 589.6 km2. On average, the depth reaches 40-50 meters, but there are also points located at around 1256 meters.

The fauna of this sea is represented by populations of polar bears, seals and walruses. Polar cod, Far Eastern navaga and even whales live in the water. In summer, you can see real bird markets, where gulls, ducks and geese are most often found. Natural gas and oil are already being produced on the American coast, and development is being carried out in Russian. In addition, there are reserves of tin, alluvial gold, marble and coal.

Japanese Sea

So, we continue to answer the question "Which seas are marginal?". These include the Sea of ​​Japan, which washes the shores of Japan, Russia, North and South Korea. This reservoir is isolated from the Pacific Ocean, which affects the salinity of the water and fauna. The area is 979 thousand km 2. The length of the coastline is 7600 kilometers. Almost half of them belong to Russia. This is 3240 kilometers.

Fishing is the main economic activity of the people in the area. Tuna, herring, sardines are caught here. Squid live in the central sea areas, and salmon live off the northwestern coast. In addition, algae production is carried out here.

Seas of Russia

Our country has both inland and marginal seas. The first is the Caspian Sea. Another 14 reservoirs wash the shores of our state. 7 of them belong to the Arctic Ocean, 3 - to the Atlantic, and 4 - to the Pacific. Here is a list of the marginal seas of Russia:

• Baltic.
• Black.
• Azov.
• Barents.
• Pechora.
• White.
• Karskoe.
• Laptev.
• East Siberian.
• Chukchi.
• Beringovo.
• Okhotsk.
• Shantar.
• Japanese.

So, these were the internal and marginal seas of Russia.

Posted Thu, 09/04/2015 - 22:41 by Cap

If you want to see a miracle, then the easiest way is to raft along the Karelian Keret River with access to the White Sea! The sight is indescribable when you skip the last threshold and slowly enter the Chupa lip! There was a long northern sunset, the water was calm and very clear. We tried the water from the paddle - real sea, salty!
Suddenly we saw a sea jellyfish in the water column! White Sea gulls were crying above us, and beyond the islands the endless sea stretched!
Ahead was the island of Keret, where we were to spend the night, and around the sea, islands, shores and the unset sun with thousands of reflections!
So the Nomads got acquainted with the White Sea!

When we sailed along the White Sea on a boat, there was a real gloom over the sea. It was raining lightly, fog was rising, and we were sitting in the cabin, complaining about the bad weather, and could not take a single decent photo ...

But a miracle happened - as soon as we began to approach Solovki, as in a fairy tale, the sky opened up, the sun's rays shone on the sea water, and the Solovetsky Kremlin sparkled in front of us!

Shine in all its glory! He sparkled with domes, pushed apart the gray sea distances, began to play with nearby islands!

We climbed out onto the deck and joyfully greeted the views that opened up to us!

Until the beginning of the 18th century, most Russian trade routes passed through the White Sea, but this was not very convenient, since the White Sea was covered with ice for more than six months. After the founding of St. Petersburg, the flow of goods was significantly reduced, the main sea trade routes moved to the Baltic Sea. Since the 1920s, most traffic has been diverted from the White Sea to the ice-free port of Murmansk, located on the shores of the Barents Sea.

FLAG OF THE Wanderers on the White Sea

Reflection in art
Valery Gusev, from the series of children's detectives Black Kitten, told about the adventures of two boys on the White Sea in his story Skeletons in the Fog.
Pavel Lungin's film "The Island" takes place in a monastery on the islands of the White Sea.
Soviet animated film "Laughter and Grief at the White Sea" based on the tales of Boris Shergin and Stepan Pisakhov.
The life of birds and animals of the White Sea is described in the children's fairy tale "Flying to the North" by ecologist Vadim Fedorov

Cape Svyatoy Nos, border of the White and Barents Seas

CAPE HOLY NOSE - ON THE BORDER OF TWO SEAS
Holy Nose - a cape in the east, separates the Barents and White Seas, as well as the Murmansk and Terek coasts. Located on a small peninsula, also called the Holy Nose. On the peninsula there is the village of the same name and the Svyatonossky lighthouse. The toponym Svyatoy Nos is widespread on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, according to the Swedish Arctic explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, this name was given to the Pomors by capes that protrude strongly into the sea and are difficult to overcome in coastal navigation.
The peninsula is about 15 km long and up to 3 km wide. The height is up to 179 m. There are several small lakes on the peninsula and several streams flow, including Dolgiy and Sokoliy. The bays of Stanovaya and Dolgaya of the White Sea and the bay of Lopskoye Stanovishche of the Svyatonossky Gulf cut into the peninsula. Capes Sokoliy Nos and Nataliy Navolok are located. Earlier on the peninsula there was the village of Svyatonosskaya Sirena.

Lighthouse at Cape Svyatoy Nos White Sea

Initially, the cape was called Tersky Cape or Tersky Nose. Later, the modern name was assigned to the cape. European cartographers marked the cape on their maps as early as the 16th century. Among the Norwegians, the cape was called Vegestad - from the Norwegian language, a travel post or travel rock. The name came from the fact that having reached this point of the coast, it was necessary to change course.
The Russian ambassador to Denmark and clerk Grigory Istoma wrote during his travels in 1496:
The holy nose is a huge rock protruding into the sea, like a nose; below it is visible a whirlpool cave, which every six hours absorbs water and with great noise back spews back this abyss. Some said that this is the middle of the sea, others - that this is Charybdis. …The power of this abyss is so great that it attracts ships and other objects that are nearby, twists them and absorbs them, and that they have never been in greater danger. For when the abyss suddenly and strongly began to attract the ship on which they rode, they barely escaped with great difficulty, putting all their strength on the oars.
The coast-dwellers have a saying "Where the fish does not go, but the Holy Nose does not pass." According to legend, there were huge worms around the cape that turned over sloops, but St. Varlaam of Keretsky deprived them of such power. Industrialists dragged their ships across the peninsula from the Volkova Bay to the Lapskoye Stanovishche Bay.

Rabocheostrovsk, Solovki White Sea

GEOGRAPHY OF THE WHITE SEA
Basic physical and geographical features. Located on the northern outskirts of the European part of our country, the White Sea occupies the space between 68°40′ and 63°48′ N. latitude, and 32°00′ and 44°30′ east. and is entirely located on the territory of the USSR. By its nature, it belongs to the seas of the Arctic Ocean, but this is the only one of the Arctic seas that lies almost entirely south of the Arctic Circle, only the northernmost regions of the sea go beyond this circle.
Bizarre in shape, the White Sea is deeply incised into the continent, almost everywhere it has natural land boundaries, and only from the Barents Sea it is separated by a conditional border - the line Cape Svyatoy Nos - Cape Kanin Nos. Surrounded by land on almost all sides, the White Sea belongs to the inland seas. In size, this is one of our smallest seas. Its area is 90 thousand km2, the volume is 6 thousand km3, the average depth is 67 m, the maximum depth is 350 m. The modern coasts of the White Sea, different in external forms and landscapes, have their own geographical names and belong to different geomorphological types of coasts (Fig. 17) .

The relief of the sea bottom is uneven and complex. The deepest areas of the sea are the Basin and the Kandalaksha Bay, in the outer part of which the maximum depth is noted. The depths gradually decrease from the mouth to the top of the Dvina Bay. The bottom of the shallow Onega Bay is slightly elevated above the Basin. The bottom of the Throat of the Sea is an underwater trench about 50 m deep, stretched along the strait somewhat closer to the Tersky coast. The northern part of the sea is the most shallow. Its depths do not exceed 50 m. The bottom here is very uneven, especially near the Kaninsky coast and the entrance to the Mezen Bay. This area is dotted with many cans, which are distributed in several ridges and are known by the name "Northern Cats".

The shallowness of the northern part and the Gorlo, compared to the Basin, hinders its water exchange with the Barents Sea, which affects the hydrological conditions of the White Sea. The position of this sea in the north of the temperate zone and partly beyond the Arctic Circle, belonging to the Arctic Ocean, the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the almost continuous ring of land surrounding it determine both maritime and continental features in the climate of the sea, which makes the climate of the White Sea transitional from oceanic to mainland. The influence of the ocean and land to a greater or lesser extent manifests itself in all seasons. Winter on the White Sea is long and severe. At this time, an extensive anticyclone is established over the northern part of the European territory of the Union, and intensive cyclonic activity is developed over the Barents Sea. In this regard, predominantly southwestern winds blow in the White Sea at a speed of 4–8 m/s. They bring with them cold cloudy weather with snowfall. In February, the average monthly air temperature over almost the entire sea is -14-15°, and only in the northern part does it rise to -9°, since the warming effect of the Atlantic Ocean affects here. With significant intrusions of relatively warm air from the Atlantic, southwestern winds are observed and the air temperature rises to -6-7°. The displacement of an anticyclone from the Arctic into the White Sea area causes northeasterly winds, clearing and cooling down to -24-26 °, and sometimes very severe frosts.

Borshchevy Islands White Sea

Summers are cool and moderately humid. At this time, an anticyclone usually sets up over the Barents Sea, and intense cyclonic activity develops to the south and southeast of the White Sea. Under such synoptic conditions, northeasterly winds of magnitude 2-3 prevail over the sea. The sky is overcast with frequent heavy rains. The air temperature in July is on average 8-10°. Cyclones passing over the Barents Sea change the direction of the wind over the White Sea to the western and southwestern ones and cause the air temperature to rise to 12-13°C. When an anticyclone sets up over northeastern Europe, southeasterly winds and clear sunny weather prevail over the sea. The air temperature rises on average to 17-19°, and in some cases in the southern part of the sea it can reach 30°. However, cloudy and cool weather still prevails in summer. Thus, there is no long-term stable weather in the White Sea for almost the entire year, and the seasonal change in the prevailing winds is monsoonal in nature. These are important climatic features that significantly affect the hydrological conditions of the sea.

Hydrological characteristic. The White Sea is one of the cold Arctic seas, which is associated not only with its position at high latitudes, but also with the hydrological processes occurring in it. The distribution of water temperature on the surface and in the sea column is characterized by great diversity from place to place and significant seasonal variability. In winter, the water temperature on the surface is equal to the freezing temperature and is on the order of −0.5–0.7° in the bays, up to −1.3° in the Basin, and up to −1.9° in the Gorla and the northern part of the sea. These differences are explained by unequal salinity in different areas of the sea.

In the spring, after the sea is freed from ice, the surface of the water rapidly warms up. In summer, the surface of relatively shallow bays is best heated (Fig. 18). The water temperature on the surface of the Kandalaksha Bay in August averages 14-15°, in the Basin 12-13°. The lowest temperature on the surface is observed in Voronka and Gorla, where strong mixing cools the surface waters to 7-8°. In autumn, the sea cools rapidly and spatial differences in temperature are smoothed out.

The change in water temperature with depth occurs differently from season to season in different areas of the sea. In winter, temperatures close to the surface cover the 30-45 m layer, followed by a slight increase to the 75-100 m horizon. This warm intermediate layer is the remnant of summer heating. Below its temperature decreases, and from the horizons of 130-140 m to the bottom it becomes equal to −1.4°. In spring, the surface of the sea begins to warm up. Heating extends up to 20 m. From here, the temperature drops sharply to negative values ​​at a horizon of 50–60 m.

In autumn, cooling of the sea surface extends to horizons of 15–20 m and evens out the temperature in this layer. From here to the 90-100 m horizons, the water temperature is slightly higher than in the surface layer, since the heat accumulated over the summer is still preserved in the subsurface (20-100 m) horizons. Further, the temperature drops again and from the horizons of 130-140 m to the bottom is −1.4°.

In some areas of the Basin, the vertical distribution of water temperature has its own characteristics. The rivers flowing into the White Sea annually pour into it about 215 km3 of fresh water. More than 3/4 of the total flow falls on the share of rivers flowing into the Onega, Dvina and Mezen bays. Mezen 38.5 km3, Onega 27.0 km3 of water per year. The Kem, which flows into the western coast, gives 12.5 km3 and Vyg 11.5 km3 of water per year. The remaining rivers provide only 9% of the runoff. The intra-annual distribution of the runoff of the rivers flowing into these bays, which in the spring discharge 60-70% of the water, is also characterized by great unevenness. In connection with the natural regulation by lakes of many coastal rivers, the distribution of their runoff during the year occurs more or less evenly. The runoff maximum is observed in spring and amounts to 40% of the annual runoff. Near the rivers flowing from the southeast, the spring flood is sharper. For the sea as a whole, the maximum flow occurs in May, the minimum in February-March.

Fresh waters entering the White Sea raise the water level in it, as a result of which excess water flows through the Gorlo into the Barents Sea, which is facilitated by the predominance of southwestern winds in winter. Due to the difference in densities of the waters of the White and Barents Seas, a current arises from the Barents Sea. There is an exchange of water between these seas. True, the basin of the White Sea is separated from the Barents Sea by an underwater threshold located at the exit from the Gorla. Its greatest depth is 40 m, which makes it difficult to exchange deep waters between these seas. Approximately 2200 km3 of water flows out of the White Sea annually, and about 2000 km3/year flows into it. Consequently, significantly more than 2/3 of the entire mass of deep (below 50 m) White Sea water is renewed per year.

The vertical distribution of water temperature in the Throat is fundamentally different. Due to good mixing, seasonal differences consist in the change in the temperature of the entire mass of water, and not in the nature of its change with depth. In contrast to the Basin, here external thermal effects are perceived by the entire mass of water as a whole, and not from layer to layer.

Kandalaksha Bay White Sea

SALINITY OF THE SEA
The salinity of the White Sea is lower than the average salinity of the ocean. Its values ​​are unevenly distributed on the sea surface, which is due to the peculiarities of the distribution of river runoff, half of which is the inflow of water from the Barents Sea, the transfer of water by sea currents. Salinity values ​​usually increase from the tops of the bays to the central part of the Basin and with depth, although each season has its own characteristics of salinity distribution.

In winter, salinity on the surface is everywhere increased. In the Throat and Funnel it is 29.0–30.0‰, and in the Basin it is 27.5–28.0‰. The mouth areas of the rivers are the most desalinated. In the Basin, the values ​​of surface salinity can be traced to horizons of 30-40 m, from where they increase sharply at first, and then gradually increase towards the bottom.

In spring, surface waters are significantly desalinated (up to 23.0‰, and in the Dvina Bay up to 10.0–12.0‰) in the east and much less (up to 26.0–27.0‰) in the west. This is due to the concentration of the main part of the river runoff in the east, as well as the removal of ice from the west, where they form but do not melt, and therefore do not have a desalination effect. Reduced salinity is observed in the layer 5–10 m below; it sharply increases to horizons of 20–30 m, and then gradually rises to the bottom.

In summer, salinity on the surface is lower and variable in space. A typical example of the distribution of salinity values ​​on the surface is shown in fig. 20. The range of salinity values ​​is quite significant. In the Basin, desalination extends to horizons of 10–20 m, from which the salinity first sharply and then gradually increases to the bottom (Fig. 21). In bays, desalination covers only the upper 5-meter layer, which is associated with compensatory flows that compensate for the loss of water carried by runoff surface currents. A. N. Pantyulin noted that due to the difference in the thickness of the layer of low salinity in the bays and in the Basin, the maximum of desalination, obtained by calculating the depth-integrated salinity, is associated with the latter. This means that the central part of the Basin is a kind of reservoir of relatively fresh water coming from the Dvina and Kandalaksha bays. This is a peculiar hydrological feature of the White Sea.

In autumn, salinity on the surface increases due to a decrease in river flow and the beginning of ice formation. In the Basin, approximately the same values ​​are observed up to horizons of 30-40 m, from here they increase to the bottom. In the Gorlo, Onega, and Mezen bays, tidal mixing makes the vertical distribution of salinity more uniform throughout the year. The density of the White Sea water primarily determines salinity. The highest density is observed in Voronka, Gorlo and the central part of the Basin in autumn and winter. In summer, the density is reduced. Density values ​​increase quite sharply with depth in accordance with the vertical distribution of salinity, which creates a stable stratification of waters. It hinders wind mixing, the depth of which during strong autumn-winter storms is approximately 15-20 m, and in the spring-summer season it is limited to horizons of 10-12 m.

Tersky coast of the White Sea

ICE FORMATION AT THE SEA
Despite the strong cooling in autumn and winter and intense ice formation, the layering of waters allows convection to spread over most of the sea only to horizons of 50-60 m. Somewhat deeper (80-100 m), winter vertical circulation penetrates near the Gorlo, where with strong tidal currents. The limited depth of distribution of autumn-winter convection is a characteristic hydrological feature of the White Sea. However, its deep and bottom waters do not remain in a stagnant state or extremely slow refreshment in the conditions of their difficult exchange with the Barents Sea. The deep waters of the Basin are formed annually in winter as a result of mixing of surface waters entering the Funnel from the Barents Sea and from the Throat of the White Sea. During ice formation, the salinity and density of waters mixed here increase and they slide down the slopes of the bottom from the Gorlo to the bottom horizons of the Basin. The constancy of temperature and salinity of the deep waters of the Basin is not a stagnant phenomenon, but a consequence of the uniform conditions for the formation of these waters.

The structure of the White Sea waters is formed mainly under the influence of desalination by continental runoff and water exchange with the Barents Sea, as well as tidal mixing, especially in the Gorla and Mezen Bay, and winter vertical circulation. Based on the analysis of the curves of the vertical distribution of oceanological characteristics, V. V. Timonov (1950) identified the following types of water in the White Sea: Barents Sea (in their pure form are presented only in the Voronka), desalinated waters of the tops of the bays, waters of the upper layers of the Basin, deep waters of the Basin, waters Throat.

The horizontal circulation of the White Sea waters is formed under the combined influence of wind, river runoff, tides, compensatory flows, so it is diverse and complex in detail. The resulting movement forms a counterclockwise movement of waters, which is characteristic of the seas of the Northern Hemisphere (Fig. 22).

Due to the concentration of river runoff, mainly in the tops of the bays, a waste current arises here, directed to the open part of the Basin. Under the influence of the Coriolis force, the moving waters are pressed against the right bank and leave the Dvina Bay along the Zimny ​​Coast to the Gorlo. At the Kola coast, there is a current from the Gorlo to the Kandalaksha Bay, from which the waters move along the Karelian coast to the Onega Bay and flow out of it near its right bank. In front of the entrance from the bays in the Basin, weak cyclonic gyres are created between the waters moving in opposite directions. These cycles cause anticyclonic movement of waters between them. the movement of waters is traced clockwise. The velocities of the constant currents are small and usually equal to 10-15 cm/s, in narrow places and near capes they reach 30-40 cm/s. Tidal currents have much higher speeds in some areas. They reach 250 cm/s in Gorla and Mezensky Bay, 30–35 cm/s in Kandalaksha Bay, and 80–100 cm/s in Onega Bay. In the Basin, tidal currents are approximately equal in speed to constant currents. White Sea

tides and currents
The tides are well expressed in the White Sea (see Fig. 22). A translational tidal wave from the Barents Sea propagates along the axis of the Funnel to the top of the Mezen Bay. Passing across the entrance to the Throat, it causes waves passing through the Throat into the Basin, where they are reflected from the Summer and. The addition of waves reflected from the coast and oncoming waves creates a standing wave, which creates tides in the Gorlo and the White Sea Basin. They have a regular semidiurnal character. Due to the configuration of the shores and the nature of the bottom topography, the highest tide (about 7.0 m) is observed in the Mezensky Bay, near the Kaninsky coast, Voronka and at about. Sosnovets, in the Kandalaksha Bay it slightly exceeds 3 m. In the central regions of the Basin, the Dvina and Onega bays, the tides are less.

The tidal wave travels long distances up rivers. In the Northern Dvina, for example, the tide is noticeable 120 km from the mouth. With this movement of the tidal wave, the water level in the river rises, but suddenly it stops its rise or even drops slightly, and then continues to rise again. This process is called "maniha" and is explained by the influence of various tidal waves.

In the mouth of the Mezen, which is wide open to the sea, the tide delays the river current and forms a high wave, which, like a water wall, moves up the river, its height is sometimes several meters. This phenomenon is called "rolling" here, on the Ganges - "boron", and on the Seine - "mascara".

The White Sea belongs to the stormy seas. The strongest waves are observed in October-November from the northern part and throat of the sea. At this time, excitement is predominantly 4-5 points or more. However, the small size of the reservoir does not allow the development of large waves. Waves up to 1 m high prevail in the White Sea. Occasionally they reach a height of 3 m and, as an exception, 5 m. The sea is calmest in the second half of summer, in July-August. At this time, excitement with a force of 1-3 points prevails. The level of the White Sea experiences periodic semidiurnal tidal fluctuations and non-periodic surge changes. The greatest surges are observed in the autumn-winter season with northwestern and northeastern winds. The level rise can reach 75-90 cm. The strongest surges are observed in winter and spring with southwestern winds. The level at this time drops by 50-75 cm. The seasonal course of the level is characterized by its low position in winter, a slight increase from spring to summer, and a relatively rapid increase from summer to autumn. In October, it reaches its highest position, followed by its decline.

In the mouth sections of large rivers, seasonal fluctuations in the level are determined mainly by the distribution of river runoff during the year. Every winter, the White Sea is covered with ice, which completely disappears in the spring, so it belongs to the seas with seasonal ice cover (Fig. 23). The earliest (approximately at the end of October) ice appears at the mouth of the Mezen, and the latest (in January) at the Tersky coast of the Funnel and Gorl. The ice of the White Sea is 90% floating. The whole sea is covered with ice, but this is not a continuous cover, but constantly drifting ice, thickened in places, and rarefied in places under the influence of winds and currents. A very significant feature of the ice regime of the White Sea is the constant removal of ice into the Barents Sea. Associated with it are polynyas, constantly formed in the middle of winter, which are quickly covered with young ice.

Thus, in the sea, ice formation prevails over melting, which affects the thermal state of the sea. As a rule, floating ice is 35-40 cm thick, but in severe winters it can reach 135 and even 150 cm. Fast ice in the White Sea occupies a very small area. Its width does not exceed 1 km. The earliest (at the end of March) the ice disappears in the Funnel. By the end of May, the entire sea is usually free of ice, but sometimes the sea is completely cleared only in mid-June.

hydrochemical conditions. The water of the White Sea is richly saturated with dissolved oxygen. At the beginning of summer, supersaturation with oxygen is observed in the surface layers, amounting to 110-117%. By the end of this season, under the influence of the rapid development of zooplankton, the oxygen content decreases. In the deep layers, the amount of dissolved oxygen is 70-80% saturation during the year.

The regime of biogenic substances is characterized by the preservation of stratification all year round. The amount of phosphates increases towards the bottom. An increased content of nitrates is noted in the area of ​​the "cold pole". In spring and summer, there is usually a depletion of biogenic salts in the zone of photosynthesis. In the 0–25 cm layer, biogenic elements are almost completely absent from June to September. In winter, on the contrary, they reach their maximum values. A feature of the hydrochemistry of the waters of the White Sea is their exceptional richness in silicates, which is associated with abundant river runoff, with which a lot of silicon enters the sea.

Economic use.
Economic activity on the White Sea is currently associated with the use of its biological resources and the operation of maritime transport. This sea is characterized by a variety of organic wealth extracted for economic needs. Here, fish farming, fishing for sea animals and algae are developed. The species composition of fish catches is dominated by saffron cod, White Sea herring, smelt, cod, and salmon. In recent years, fishing for harp seals on the ice of the White Sea has been resumed, and hunting for ringed seals and beluga whales continues. Algae are harvested and processed at the Arkhangelsk and Belomorsk algae plants.

In the future, it is planned to use tidal energy and build a TPP in the Mezen Bay. The White Sea is an important transport basin of the country with a significant volume of cargo transportation. The structure of cargo flows is dominated by timber and timber exported through Arkhangelsk, the largest port on the White Sea. In addition, building materials, various equipment, fish and fish products, chemical cargo, etc. are transported. Passenger transportation on domestic lines and sea tourism services occupy a significant place.

Small in size, but diverse and complex in terms of natural conditions, the White Sea has not yet been fully studied, and there are many diverse problems for its further study. The most important hydrological problems include the general circulation of waters, especially the compilation of clear ideas about constant currents, their distribution and characteristics. It is very important to find out the ratio of wind, tidal, and convective mixing in different parts of the sea, especially in the Gorlo-Basin boundary region, which will clarify the available information on the formation and ventilation of the deep waters of the sea. An essential issue is the study of the ice balance of the sea, since its thermal and ice conditions are associated with it. The deepening of hydrological and hydrochemical research will make it possible to successfully solve the problems of preventing sea pollution, which is an urgent task of our time.

Kuzov Archipelago White Sea

PLACES OF POWER AND LEGENDS OF THE WHITE SEA

In Kandalaksha, washed from the southeast by the waters of the White Sea, there is a legend about a wonderful bell that sank in the taiga river Niva. On its banks, back in the distant pagan era, there were sanctuaries dating back, perhaps, to the Stone Age. The ringing of the bell hidden here is not heard by sinners. But, as the legend says, someday they will hear this ringing. Then the original-paradise state of the local lands, fragments of the legendary Hyperborea, will return. On the map of Gerard Mercator, the outlines of the disappeared northern land are reproduced. The inscription on the map says that it is based on the testimonies of the knights of King Arthur - seekers of hidden shrines, as well as on the data of polar travelers. Mercator notes that they all reached the farthest reaches of the polar earth "by means of magical art."

If you peer into the outlines of the "Scandinavian" part of Hyperborea on the Mercator map and overlay it on the map of modern Scandinavia, you will find amazing correspondences: the mountain range that runs along Norway and coincides with the mountains of Hyperborea; and the Hyperborean river that flows from these mountains follows the contours of the Gulf of Bothnia in the northern part of the Baltic Sea. It turns out that, perhaps, the southern border of Hyperborea passed through Lake Ladoga and Onega, through Valaam and turned north to the spurs of the median ridge of the Kola Peninsula, that is, where the ancient mountains destroyed by time rise above the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea.

Thus, the shrines of the Russian North are located in Hyperborea - if the Kola Peninsula and the White Sea can really be considered its preserved part. and the magical cliffs of Valaam were once islands in the ocean bay off the coast of Hyperborea. Apparently, it was not for nothing that the mystical feeling of the northern monks found them different sacred names: New Jerusalem - for the harsh Solovetsky Islands and Northern Athos - for the hidden Valaam. It was New Jerusalem, the city that was bequeathed to the coming centuries, that monk Ipatiy saw the Solovetsky Monastery in a prophetic vision back in 1667 - shortly before the start of the tragic “Solovki sitting”. The next act of the northern mystery is the appearance of the Old Believer Vygovskaya desert (also on the ancient Hyperborean coast). Vygoretsia also perished, under the “quick mosses” of which the poet Nikolai Klyuev placed the underground “Cathedral of the Holy Fathers”. “Let our North seem poorer than other lands,” wrote N.K. Roerich, let his ancient face close. Let people know little of the truth about him. The fairy tale of the North is deep and captivating. The northern winds are cheerful and cheerful. Northern lakes are thoughtful. Northern rivers are silvery. Darkened woods are wise. Green hills experienced. The gray stones in the circles are full of miracles...” The gray stones in the circles — labyrinths — and other ancient megalithic structures located on the shores of the White Sea and on the islands of the Solovetsky Archipelago are the greatest mystery of the North.

White nights on the White Sea

The White Sea is the sacred sea of ​​the North, which holds many secrets. It is possible that the original meaning of its name, known only to a few, is related to the celestial sphere, since in semantics the “white” color is heavenly, divine. At first glance, it could have received the name White from the color of the snow and ice covering it in winter.

But this is equally true for any northern sea and therefore does not sound particularly convincing. According to the Murmansk toponymist A.A. Minkin, the White Sea has changed 15 names in its history! Let's try and figure out why it is called White. The peoples of the East have long had a color symbolism of orientation, where the black color corresponded to the north. And the Slavic peoples designated the north in white, and the south in blue. Therefore, long before the invasion of the Tatars, the Russians called the Caspian Sea - Blue. It can be assumed that, according to color symbolism, the White Sea is also the North Sea.

In the Novgorod charters of the 13th-15th centuries, the White Sea was simply called the Sea, and in the “Charter of Veliky Novgorod of the 15th century, it is indicated as the Okiya Sea. The Pomors called the White Sea the Studeny “by its natural property”, and this name was most common both in the annals and in folklore. For the first time on the map under the name of the White Sea (Mare Alburn) it was put by Peter Plaicius in 1592. In May 1553, on the ship "Eduard Bonaventure" under the command of Barrow, the British entered the White Sea for the first time, anchoring at the mouth of the Northern Dvina. The team included a cartographer who, a year after the second voyage to the White Sea, compiled a handwritten map of the sea, without giving it any name. In 1617, the Stolbov peace was concluded between Sweden and Russia, in a special "explanation" to which "the conditions for fishing" in the Seversk Sea were stipulated by both countries. So in this case the White Sea is called.

Speaking of the White Sea, one cannot ignore Russia's northernmost canal, which connected the White and Baltic Seas. Back in the 16th century, two Englishmen decided to connect the channels of the Vyga and Povenchanka rivers with a canal. Everything, as usual, remained only on paper. In the 16th-18th centuries, there was a path at this place, passing through Povenets and Sumy Posad and leading to the shrines of the Solovetsky Monastery. During the summer, up to 25,000 pilgrims traveled along this path to the monastery on light boats across lakes and rivers, and sometimes along portages. At the beginning of the 18th century, thousands of Russian men laid the famous “Sovereign's Road” in this place, along which Peter I dragged his ships, led the army and defeated the Swedes under the Noteburg fortress.

In the 19th century, the idea of ​​building a canal was raised three times under Paul I, then back in the 30s and 50s of the same century. It is interesting that in 1900 at the Paris exhibition for the canal project, Professor V.E. Timanov received a gold medal. However, the brilliant project was shelved. But the First World War proved the need for a channel for the Russian fleet, which was locked in the Baltic Sea. On February 18, 1931, the Council of Labor and Defense of the USSR decided to start building the canal. In October 1931, the construction of the canal began immediately along the entire route: from Povenets to Belomorsk. According to archival data, 679 thousand prisoners and exiles were sent to build the White Sea Canal, the White Sea Baltlag became one of the largest camps in the OGPU system. In 1933, the canal, 227 kilometers long, was included in the number of active inland routes of the USSR. It was built in just 20 months. A very short time, especially considering that the 164-kilometer Suez Canal was built in 10 years, and the half-sized (81 km) Panama Canal was built in 12 years.

Everything is mixed up on the White Sea - antiquity and modernity. Many archaic layers of the North Sea culture to this day remain inaccessible to researchers, including the secret Pomeranian knowledge and legends passed from mouth to mouth from father to son and from him to the next generations. Exactly the same tales and legends existed in the Urals from time immemorial. In the late 30s of the XX century, the well-known Ural writer Pavel Petrovich Bazhov (1879-1950) managed to publish their literary processing. The very history of the creation of Bazhov's tales is striking and instructive. It happened to some extent by accident. In 1939, Bazhov's friends and relatives were hurt by a wave of mass repressions: several people from his family and journalistic circle were arrested. The logic of events suggested that he would be next. Then Bazhov, without hesitation, disappeared from the editorial office of the newspaper, where he then worked, and hid in a secluded hut with some relative and lived there as a recluse for several months. Having nothing to do in order to somehow take time, he began to remember and write down the tales on paper, which later compiled the classic collection "The Malachite Box". Time passed, those who hunted for Bazhov themselves were arrested, and the writer returned to his daily activities and decided to publish what he had written during the forced “downtime”. To his own surprise, the publication of the Ural tales aroused tremendous interest, and Bazhov suddenly became incredibly popular and famous.

Similar tales existed among the Pomors. Unfortunately, they were not written down - especially their sacred part. Separate hints are contained in the poetry and prose of Nikolai Klyuev (1884 - 1937) - a northerner by birth and spirit, who glorified in his poems and poems, including the White Sea. This is what Klyuev wrote about himself in his autobiographical materials:
“... The coniferous lips of Pomorye spat me out to Moscow.<...>
From the Norwegian coast to Ust-Tsylma,
From the Solovki to the Persian oases, I know the crane paths. The floodplains of the Arctic Ocean, the Solovetsky wilds and the forests of the White Sea opened to me the imperishable treasures of the national spirit: words, songs and prayers. I knew that the invisible people's Jerusalem is not a fairy tale, but a close and dearest authenticity, I knew that in addition to the visible structure of the life of the Russian people as a state or human society in general, there is a secret hierarchy hidden from proud eyes, an invisible church - Holy Russia .. ."
With him to the Mother See, Klyuev brought the most important thing, the most important thing - the northern fortress of faith and the Hyperborean spirit. (The fact that the poet owned the Hyperborean theme is evidenced by his letter from the Tomsk exile to the Moscow actress N.F. Khristoforova-Sadomova dated April 5, 1937 (six months later Klyuev was shot), in which he reports on who knows what fate got to him birch bark book mentioning Hyperborea:
“...I am currently reading an amazing book. It is written on steamed birch bark [from the word "birch bark". - V.D.] with Chinese ink. The book is called Japheth's Ring. This is nothing like Russia of the 12th century before the Mongols.
The great idea of ​​Holy Russia as a reflection of the heavenly church on earth. After all, this is the very thing that Gogol foresaw in his purest dreams, and in particular he is the only one of worldly people. It is curious that in the 12th century forty were taught to speak and kept in cages in towers, like today's parrots, that the current Cheremis were taken out of Hyperborea, that is, from Iceland by King Olaf of Norway, son-in-law of Vladimir Monomakh. It was hot for them in the Kyiv land, and they were released to Kolyvan - the present Vyatka region, and at first they were kept at the Kiev court as exotic. And many more beautiful and unexpected things are contained in this Ring.
And how many such wonderful scrolls perished in hermitages and secret chapels in the boundless Siberian taiga?!” Every sentence here is precious. Even if the lost manuscript of the 12th century was rewritten at a later date, but what amazing details - both about the training of magpies and about the bringing of northern foreigners to the court of Vladimir Monomakh (as later the Spaniards brought Indians from the New World to show their kings). But the main thing is the preserved memory of Hyperborea (it doesn’t matter how it was actually called and how it correlated with the mentioned Iceland - the historical Arctida-Hyperborea also covered Iceland).

Body archipelago.

Sacred place of ancient people
Sacred place by religion village
energetically active place

The Kuzov Archipelago is located in the White Sea at a distance of approximately 30 km from Rabocheostrovsk. It includes 16 uninhabited islands, the largest of which are Russian Body, German Body and Oleshin Island. The islands, when viewed from the water, have an original spherical shape, and look like huge stone balls almost completely submerged in water. The islands are mostly tundra, in some places covered with spruce forests. The name of the Body, according to most researchers, comes from the Finnish word "kuusen" i.e. "spruce". The peaks of the islands German body (140 m) and Russian body (123 m) rise above the entire nearby water area and have attracted people's attention for a long time.
Bodies are rightfully considered one of the most mysterious places. A huge amount of evidence of the religious activities of ancient people was found on the territory of these deserted and harsh spaces. According to historians, the buildings were built approximately 2-2.5 thousand years ago by the ancient Sami, who lived on the shores of the White Sea. According to estimates, about 800 stone structures were found on the archipelago, related to the pagan cult worshiped by the inhabitants of this harsh land. A small distance from the mainland allowed the Sami to freely swim or come on foot on the ice to perform their rituals. And at the same time, it contributed to privacy and the preservation of the sacred halo. Places of permanent human habitation on the islands have not been found. Perhaps that is why a huge number of sacred stones - "seids" and unique stone idols were found here. Objects located on the territory of the archipelago are included in the list of protected historical objects
The largest is the island of Russian Body. On one of its peaks, Mount "Bald", there is a large sanctuary, in the center of which there is a vertically placed granite stone (menhir), nicknamed "Stone Baba". It is believed that this stone symbolized one of the supreme deities of the ancient Sami. Sacrifices were made to him by hunters and fishermen who left or returned from fishing. In addition, several burials were found nearby, lined with stone inside and apparently belonging to important members of the tribe.
An even larger sanctuary is located at the top of the highest point of the Great German Body. A whole pantheon of Sami deities was discovered there. Unfortunately, not everything has survived to this day, but what remains allows us to conclude that this was the Central Sanctuary of the ancient Sami. It was here that the main religious events were performed by pagan shamans. The mountain is simply dotted with "seids" and idols sticking up vertically. There is a legend that explains such a large concentration and is based on real historical events that took place in the 17th century. As they say, a detachment of Swedes (called simply "Germans" in the old days) decided to make a robbery attack on the Solovetsky Monastery, but because of the storm that had begun, they were forced to take refuge on the island of German Body. They were not destined to leave this island. Divine wrath protected the Holy Solovetsky Monastery, turning the Swedish robbers into stone idols. With a good imagination, one can imagine how the “petrified Germans” have been sitting around an invisible fire on top for many centuries and waiting for their meal to be ready. The basis of the legend, apparently, was the correspondence in size and some external similarity of idols and human figures.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to visit the most amazing and most mysterious of the islands of the Archipelago - Oleshin Island. As they say, not only seids and sanctuaries are located here, but also two ancient labyrinths Small and Large.
Both are located on a flat rocky surface at an altitude of about 20 meters above sea level (which, by the way, excludes the possibility of using them as fish traps). Small (about 6 meters in diameter) is practically invisible and can only be guessed in the dense vegetation of the tundra. Nearby is the Great Labyrinth, surprisingly well preserved, and measuring 10x12 meters. At least 1000 boulders were used for its construction and the total length of the "path" is about 190 meters. Both labyrinths are considered sacred. According to the researchers, they were used for initiation or for communication between shamans and the Higher Powers.

Address: , White Sea, Kuzov Archipelago, 15 km to the West from Rabocheostrovsk
Coordinates: 64°57"52"N 35°12"19"E (Oleshin Island)
Coordinates: 64°57"04"N 35°09"56"E (German Body Island)
Coordinates: 64°56"08"N 35°08"18"E (Russian Body Island)

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads
http://ke.culture51.ru/
White Sea // Kola Encyclopedia. In 4 vols. T. 1. A - D / Ch. ed. A. A. Kiselev. - St. Petersburg: IS; Apatity: KNTs RAS, 2008. - P. 306.
Prokh L.Z. Dictionary of winds. - L .: Gidrometeoizdat, 1983. - S. 46. - 28,000 copies.
Voeikov A.I., White Sea // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Lotion of the White Sea. 1913 / Ed. Head. Hydrograph. Ex. Mor. M-va. - Petrograd: Printing house of the Naval Ministry, 1915. - 1035 p.
http://www.vottovaara.ru/
Leonov A.K. Regional oceanography. L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1960.
Shamraev Yu. I., Shishkina L. A. Oceanology. L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1980.
Flora and fauna of the White Sea: an illustrated atlas / ed. Tsetlin A. B., Zhadan A. E., Marfenin N. N. - M .: T-vo of scientific publications of the KMK, 2010-471 pp.: 1580 ill. ISBN 978-5-87317-672-4
Naumov A.D., Fedyakov V.V. The ever-living White Sea - St. Petersburg: Izd. S-Pb. city ​​palace of youth creativity, 1993. ISBN 5-88494-064-5
Pilot of the White Sea (1964)
Map of the Tersky Coast of the White Sea
The White Sea in the book: A. D. Dobrovolsky, B. S. Zalogin. Seas of the USSR. Moscow publishing house. un-ta, 1982.
http://www.photosight.ru/
photo: V. Vyalov, A. Petrus, S. Gasnikov, L. Yakovlev, A. Bobretsov.

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General physical and geographical characteristics of the White Sea

The White Sea is located in the subpolar physiographic zone in the north of the European part of Russia. It connects to the Barents Sea, being part of the Arctic Ocean. Geomorphologically, the White Sea is a marginal shelf water body.
The question of the boundaries of the White Sea is solved by individual researchers ambiguously. Some authors include Funnel and Mezen Bay in its composition, while others do not. There are also different opinions on the issue of attributing the Throat to the sea area. There is also no unity in the use of such names as "bay", "bay", etc. In this regard, in this book, the "White Sea Pilot" is taken as the basis as an official source. According to it, the White Sea, located to the south and east of the Kola Peninsula, has a conditional border with the Barents Sea in the north along the line Cape Svyatoy Nos - Cape Kanin Nos (Fig. 3.1). The area of ​​the sea is about 91 thousand km. At the same time, the share of numerous islands accounts for 0.8 thousand km. The maximum depth is 340 m, the average depth is 67 m, and the volume is 5.4 thousand km. The length of the coastline along the mainland is 5.1 thousand km, the maximum length from Cape Kanin Nos to the city of Kem is 600 km; between the cities of Arkhangelsk and Kandalaksha, the distance is 450 km.
The White Sea is most commonly divided into the following areas: Funnel, Gorlo, Basin and four bays - Kandalaksha, Onega, Dvina and Mezen (see Fig. 3.1).
The maritime boundaries of the Funnel are usually considered to be lines connecting Cape Kanin Nos and Svyatoy Nos in the north, and in the south, on the one hand, the mouth of the river. Ponoya and Cape Voronov, and on the other - capes Voronov and Kanushin. This last line cuts off the Szensky Bay from the Funnel. Funnel - the largest area of ​​the sea. Its area is 24.7 thousand km, volume 855 km, average depth 34 m. The greatest depths - up to 140 m - are located in the western part, the coastline is slightly indented, there are few islands. Ponoya and large about. Morzhovets, located on the border with the Mezen Bay.

Throat - a relatively narrow strait (width 45-55 km), connecting the northern and southern parts of the sea. In the northeast, it adjoins the Funnel, and on the other hand (in the southwest) it is limited by a line passing from the village. Tetrino on the Tersky coast to Cape Zimnegorsky - on Zimny ​​(see Fig. 3.1). The shores of the Throat are slightly indented, even. In the northwestern part of the strait lie about. Sosnovets and Danilov. There are no other islands. The Gorla area is 102 thousand km, the volume is 380 km, the average depth is 37 m.

The next area of ​​the sea is the Basin (see Fig. 3.1). Its maritime boundaries are the lines separating the bays. One of them, separating the Basin and the Dvina Bay, connects the Zimnegorsky and Gorboluksky capes. The other, cutting off the Onega Bay, runs between Kirbey-Navolok and Cape Gorboluksky. The line delimiting the Basin and Kandalaksha Bay connects Kirbey-Navolok with Cape Ludoshny. The area of ​​the Basin is 21.8 thousand km, the volume is 2.7 thousand km. the average depth is 125 m. The shores (Tersky in the north and Karelian in the west) are slightly indented, especially the Tersky. There are few islands: Zhizhginsky, located on the border with the Dvinsky Onega bays, and several islands near the Karelian coast.
The Mezen Bay (see Fig. 3.1) adjoins the Funnel and is bounded by the Kanushinsky and Abramovsky coasts, which are very weakly indented. There are no islands in the bay, only on the border with the Funnel there is a large island. Morzhovets. The water area of ​​the bay occupies an area of ​​56 thousand km2, a volume of 75 km2, and an average depth of 13 m. One of the largest rivers, the Mezen, flows into the apex of the bay, the waters of which carry a significant amount of suspended material. The waters of the Mezen Bay are turbid due to abundant terrigenous drift and very strong tidal currents, which constantly wash and carry the bottom material,
The Dvina Bay (see Fig. 3.1) is enclosed between the Winter and Summer coasts. The largest of the White Sea rivers, the Northern Dvina, flows into its kut. There are many islands in its huge delta. The largest of them - Mudyugsky - is located at the outlet of the estuary and covers a vast shallow lagoon - the Dry Sea. The shores of the bay are slightly indented, the only large bay is the Unskaya Bay. 49 m. Bottom sediments, as in the Basin, are mainly silts.

Onega Bay (see Fig. 3.1) is shallow (average depth is about 20 m), but the largest in area (12.3 thousand KMo). Ero volume is 235 km. The eastern coast of the bay is called Onega, and its southern part has an independent name - Lyamitsky coast. The western coast between the mouths of the Onega and Kem rivers is called Kemsky and borders on the Karelian coast. Numerous island archipelagos are located along the Pomeranian and Karelian coasts of the bay. The most significant of them are the Onega, Sumy and Kem skerries. In the middle of the bay there are two large islands - Big and Small Zhuzhmuy, and in the north - the Solovetsky archipelago.

In the west, the Kandalaksha Bay adjoins the Basin (see Fig. 3.1). Its area is 65 thousand km, volume 710 km, average depth 100 m. In the middle of the bay, closer to the center of the sea, there is a deep-water trench with maximum depths for the White Sea of ​​about 340 m. The shores of the bay are indented by numerous bays. In its water area there are many islands united in archipelagos: Severny and Keretsky, Luvengsky skerries, Srednie Ludy, Kem-Ludy, etc. The largest Island is Veliky, covering the entrance to the largest White Sea lagoon - Babiye More. The Kut of the Kandalaksha Bay to the north of the Middle Lud is relatively shallow, the depths do not exceed m. This part of the bay has its own name - Kandalukha.

The shores of the White Sea differ greatly in their geological and geomorphological features. The eastern coast is low-lying and geologically represents a submerged part of the Russian platform. Quaternary deposits are widespread on the southern coasts. The western coast and islands in this part of the sea are composed of metamorphic rocks, mainly of Archean granite-gneisses. The seashores in the northwest, in the area of ​​the Kandalaksha Bay, are of tectonic origin. The coast of the Kola Peninsula in many places is limited by faults.
The shores of the northern part of the White Sea are predominantly steep. The coastal heights of the Tersky coast, covered with tundra vegetation, are not very high, rocky and gradually rise inland. For the most part, the Kaninsky coast is formed by low, but steep clay cliffs, interrupted by sandy lowlands at the mouths of the rivers. The northern part of the Konushinsky coast is relatively low, and in the southern part this coast rises sharply, becomes steep and resembles Kaninsky. The Abramovsky coast, covered at the top with tundra vegetation, is low, abounds in clay and sandy screes and rises only at Cape Voronov.

The Tersky coast of the Throat is low and gentle. The winter coast of the Gorla, at Cape Voronov, is high and steep, goes down to the south to Cape Intsy, and then rises again to Cape Zimnegorsky.

The Terek coast within the Basin becomes flatter. Bedrock outcrops give way to a coastal ledge with a gently sloping coastal terrace composed of moraine material. In the region of the mouth of the river Abundant sand deposits are widespread in the Varzugs, and Cape Tolstik, better known under the ancient name Cape, or Mountain, Ship, is composed of red Riphean sandstones.

Both the Winter and the Summer coasts of the Dvina Bay are very similar almost along their entire length. They are represented by high sandy cliffs, at the top of which are forests. The coast near the Northern Dvina delta is low-lying. Onega coast between Cape Ukht-Navolok and the mouth of the river. Zolotitsa is formed by a sandy-clay cliff, gradually descending to the south. Further from the river The coast of Zolotitsa becomes low-lying and rocky. Between Cape Chesmensky and the mouth of the river. Onega coast descends to the sea in two terraces. The Pomeranian and Karelian shores of the Onega Bay are low-lying almost throughout. The Karelian coast between the Onega and Kandalaksha bays is rocky and relatively elevated, but gently descends to the sea. The shores of the Kandalaksha Bay are mostly elevated and steep. In places, the Kandalaksha coast is formed by almost sheer cliffs. The northern part of the bay is framed by the Khibiny fortresses.

The relief of the bottom of the White Sea is uneven, the depths vary greatly both between individual regions and within them. The northern part of the sea is the shallowest. Only in the north of the Funnel do depths reach 60-70 m in some places, while the main part of the Mezen Bay water area does not go beyond the 20 m isobath. river bed Mezen. In front of the entrance to the Mezen Bay there are many sand banks located in several ridges and bearing the name Northern Cats. The size of the Northern Cats and the depths above them change over time under the influence of storms and tidal currents. In general, the soil of the northern part of the sea away from the coast is predominantly sandy, often with an admixture of shells.

The bottom relief of the Throat is even more indented. Elongated along the axis of the strait, erosional and accumulative troughs and ridges alternate with separate uplifts and closed basins. The longitudinal trench along the western coast of the strait is especially clearly pronounced, where the depths exceed 50 m. Stony soils are predominant in Gorlo.

The Central basin of the Basin with depths of more than 100 m extends from the northwest to the southeast (from Kandalaksha to Dvina Bay) and occupies approximately two thirds of the Basin's water area. Within the basin there are three basins separated by rapids. The depths of the basins are more than 250 m. The bottom relief in the Basin, as well as in the deep-water parts of the Kandalaksha and Dvina bays, is even, the soils are silty and silty-sandy. Only in the delta of the Northern Dvina near the western coast and at the top of the Kandalaksha Bay, along the Karelian coast, the bottom is very uneven. Onega Bay also has a complex bottom relief, where the bottom is dotted with numerous rocky banks, corgis, luds and shoals. Irregularities of the bottom relief in the surface part are manifested in the form of a large number of islands scattered almost all over its surface, especially in the western part of the bay. In the Onega and Kandalaksha bays, rocky soils predominate.