Within the Pacific Ocean, all natural belts are distinguished, except for the northern polar (Arctic).

Northern subpolar ( subarctic) belt occupies most of the Bering and Okhotsk seas. In the Pacific Ocean, the northern subpolar belt It has some features. It is not directly influenced by the waters of the Arctic Basin; penetrate and powerful jets of warm high-salt waters. It is dominated by cold waters. Within the belt there are extensive shelves. On the shallow shelf, biogenic substances are not irretrievably lost at great depths, but are included in the cycle of organic substances; therefore, shelf waters are characterized by high biological and commercial productivity.

The northern temperate zone is a vast area of ​​ocean stretching from Asia to North America. Here interact cold and warm air masses, westerly winds prevail. In the north of the belt there is the Aleutian minimum of atmospheric pressure, well expressed in winter, in the south - the northern part of the Hawaiian maximum. The northern temperate zone includes the Sea of ​​Japan and the Yellow Sea.

The northern subtropical belt is represented by a relatively narrow band approximately between 23 and 35°N. sh., stretching from Asia before North America. The belt is characterized by weak and variable air and ocean currents, high atmospheric pressure, the formation of sea tropical air, clear skies, high evaporation and water salinity up to 35.5%. The East China Sea is located in the belt.

The northern tropical belt stretches from the shores of Mexico and Central America to the Philippine Islands and Taiwan, continues to the shores of Vietnam and Thailand in the South China Sea. In a significant part of the belt, the trade winds of the North and the North Trade Wind current dominate. The monsoon circulation is developed in the western part. The belt is characterized by high temperature and salinity of waters, low bioproductivity.

The equatorial belt occupies a vast and complex water area in the Pacific Ocean. The bottom topography and geological structure are most complex in the west and relatively simple in the east. This is the area of ​​attenuation of the trade winds in both hemispheres. The belt is characterized constantly warm surface layer water, complex horizontal and vertical circulation of water, a large amount of precipitation, eddy movements, relatively high bioproductivity.

The southern tropical belt is represented by a vast expanse of water between Australia and Peru, including the Coral Sea. The eastern part of the belt has a relatively simple bottom topography. Several thousand large and small islands are located in the western and middle parts. Hydrological conditions are determined by the South Equatorial Current. The salinity of the water is lower than in the northern tropical zone, especially in summer due to heavy rains. The western part of the belt is affected monsoon circulation. Tropical hurricanes are not uncommon here. They often originate between the islands of Samoa and Fiji and move west to the coast of Australia.

The southern subtropical belt stretches in a winding strip of variable width from southeastern Australia and to the east, covering a large part Tasman Sea, area of ​​New Zealand, the area between 30 and 40 ° S. latitude, closer to the coast of South America, descends to somewhat lower latitudes and approaches the coast between 20 and 35 ° S. sh. The deviation of the boundaries from the latitudinal strike is associated with the circulation of surface waters and the atmosphere. The axis of the belt in the open parts Ocean serves as a zone of subtropical convergence, where the waters of the South Equatorial Current and the northern jet of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current converge. The position of the convergence zone is unstable, depends on the season and varies from year to year, but the main processes, typical for the belt, are constant: lowering of air masses, formation of an area of ​​high pressure and marine tropical air, salinization of waters. On the eastern edge of the belt along the coast of Chile, from south to north, the coastal Peruvian current is traced, where an intense surge and rise of water occurs, resulting in the formation of a subtropical upwelling zone and the creation of a large biomass.

The temperate belt includes much of the northern part of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The northern boundary of the belt is close to 40-45°S. sh., and the south passes about 61-63 ° S. sh., i.e. along the northern border of the distribution of sea ice in September. The southern temperate zone is an area of ​​dominance of western, northwestern and southwestern winds, stormy weather, significant cloudiness, low winter and summer surface water temperatures and intense transport on the east surface masses of water.

In all climatic zones are distinguished, with the exception of the northern polar (Arctic). The western and eastern parts of the Pacific Ocean differ significantly from each other and from the central regions of the ocean. As a result, within the belts, as a rule, physiographic regions are distinguished. In each specific region, natural conditions and processes are determined by the position in relation to the continents and islands, the depth of the ocean, the peculiarity of circulation and water, etc. In the western part of the Pacific Ocean, marginal and interisland seas are usually distinguished as physiographic regions, in the eastern - zones of intense upwelling.

Northern subpolar (subarctic) belt

Unlike , the Pacific part of the belt is quite isolated from the influence. The belt occupies most of the Bering and Okhotsk Seas.

In autumn and winter, the surface layer of water cools to the freezing point, and large masses of ice form. Cooling is accompanied by salinization of waters. In summer, sea ice gradually disappears, the thin upper layer rises to 3-5°C, in the south - up to 10°C. Cold water remains below, forming an intermediate layer formed as a result of winter cooling. Thermohaline convection, summer heating and water desalination (30-33% o) as a result of ice melting, the interaction of warm jets (Aleutian) with cold subpolar waters determine the relatively high content of nutrients in surface waters and the high bioproductivity of the subarctic belt. Nutrients are not lost at great depths, since vast shelves are located within the water area. Two regions stand out in the subarctic zone: the Bering Sea and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, rich in valuable commercial fish, invertebrates and marine animals.

northern temperate zone

In the Pacific Ocean, it covers vast areas from Asia to North America and occupies an intermediate position between the main areas of formation of cold subarctic and warm subtropical and tropical waters.

In the west of the belt, the warm Kuroshio Current and the cold Kuril Current (Oyashio) interact. From the streams formed with mixed water, the North Pacific Current is formed, which occupies a significant part of the water area and carries huge masses of water and heat from west to east under the influence of the westerly winds prevailing here. Water temperatures fluctuate greatly throughout the year in the temperate zone. In winter, near the coast, it can drop to 0°C, in summer it rises to 15-20°C (up to 28°C in the Yellow Sea). Ice forms only in limited inland areas of shallow seas (for example, in the northern part of the Sea of ​​Japan). In winter, vertical thermal convection of waters develops with the participation of intense wind mixing: cyclonic activity is active in temperate latitudes. The high content of oxygen and nutrients in the water ensures a relatively high bioproductivity, and its value in the northern part of the belt (subpolar waters) is higher than in the southern part (subtropical waters). The salinity of the waters in the northern half of the water area is 33% o, in the southern half it is close to the average - 35% o. The western part of the belt is characterized by monsoon circulation, sometimes typhoons come here. Within the belt, the areas of the Japan and Yellow Seas and the Gulf of Alaska stand out.

Northern subtropical belt

It is located between the westerly winds of temperate latitudes and the trade winds of equatorial-tropical latitudes. The middle part of the water area is surrounded by the northern subtropical ring of currents.

Due to the prevailing sinking of the air and its stable stratification within the belt, there is usually a clear sky, a small amount of precipitation and relatively dry air. There are no prevailing air currents, the winds are weak and changeable, and calms are characteristic. Evaporation is very high due to the dryness of the air and high temperatures, and consequently, the salinity of the waters is increased - up to 35.5% in the open part of the ocean. The water temperature in summer is about 24-26°C. The density of waters in winter is significant, and they sink under the warmer and lighter waters of low latitudes. The sinking of surface waters is compensated not so much by the rise of deep waters as by their inflow from the north and south (subtropical convergence), which is facilitated by the anticyclonic circulation. Strong warming of the ocean in summer causes a decrease in the density of the surface layer, subsidence stops, and a stable stratification of waters is created. As a result, the belt has a low bioproductivity, since neither in winter nor in summer does the water rise, the surface layers are not enriched with nutrients. The eastern part of the belt differs sharply from the main water area. This is a zone of the California current, characterized by upwelling and high bioproductivity and allocated to a separate physical and geographical region. In the western part of the subtropical belt, the region of the East China Sea with its own specifics of atmospheric (monsoon) and hydrological regimes and the region of the Kuroshio Current stand apart.

Northern tropical belt

This belt stretches from the coast of Indochina to the coast of Mexico and Central America. Steady trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere dominate here.

In summer, when the zone of action of the trade winds shifts to the north, equatorial air enters the belt with unstable stratification, high humidity, cloudiness and heavy rains. Winter is relatively dry. Storms in tropical latitudes are infrequent, but typhoons often come here. A significant part of the water area is occupied by the Northern Equatorial Current, which carries surface waters to the western part of the water area. The heat accumulated by them also moves in this direction. On the contrary, the relatively cold waters of the compensatory California current enter the eastern part of the ocean. In general, the surface tropical waters are characterized by high temperatures - 24-26°C in winter and 26-30°C in summer. Salinity on the surface is close to average and decreases towards the equator and the eastern margin of the ocean. In summer it drops somewhat due to frequent rains. Under the surface layer of water with high temperature, medium salinity and low density lie subsurface colder waters with high salinity and high density. Even lower are intermediate waters with low temperature, low salinity and high density. As a result, stable stratification is created in the upper layers throughout the year, the vertical mixing of waters is weak, and their bioproductivity is low. But the species composition of the organic world of warm tropical waters is very diverse. In the northern tropical zone, areas of the South China, Philippine Seas and the Gulf of California are distinguished.

equatorial belt

This belt in the Pacific Ocean is widely represented. This is the zone of convergence of the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres with a calm zone, where weak easterly winds are observed. Intense thermal air convection develops here, and heavy rains fall throughout the year.

The main surface current in this belt is compensatory with respect to the trade winds. The Cromwell subsurface current is pronounced, which moves eastward (from New Guinea to Ecuador). Surface waters are very hot throughout the year (up to 26-30°C). Seasonal temperature fluctuations are insignificant. Salinity is low - 34.5-34% o and below. The rise of waters prevails in the eastern and central parts of the ocean, in some places they sink. On the whole, uplift prevails over subsidence, and the surface layers are constantly enriched with nutrients. The waters are quite fertile, and in the equatorial zone there is an exceptionally large species diversity of the organic world. But the total number of organisms in equatorial waters (as well as in tropical waters) is less than in middle and high latitudes. Within the belt, areas of the Australo-Asian seas and the Gulf of Panama are distinguished.

Southern tropical belt

It occupies a vast expanse of water between Australia and Peru. This is the trade wind zone of the Southern Hemisphere. The alternation of rainy summer and dry winter periods is quite clearly expressed. Hydrological conditions are determined by the South Equatorial Current.

Surface water temperatures are as high as in the northern tropical zone. Salinity is slightly higher than in equatorial waters (35-35.5% o). Vertical mixing in the upper layers, as in the northern analogue belt, is very weak. The primary and commercial productivity of the water area is low. The exception is the eastern part of the ocean - the zone of action of the Peruvian current with a relatively stable and intense upwelling. This is one of the most highly productive areas not only in the Pacific, but also in. Tropical waters are the kingdom of corals. In the western and middle parts of the belt there are several thousand large and small islands, most of them of coral origin. Off the coast of Australia is the Great Barrier Reef. Tropical hurricanes are not uncommon in the western part of the ocean. This part of the belt is influenced by the monsoonal circulation. In the west, the areas of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef stand out, in the east - the Peruvian region.

Southern subtropical belt

This belt extends from southeastern Australia and Tasmania to the coast of South America between 20° and 35° S. sh. The axis of the belt is the zone of subtropical convergence of the waters of the Southern Equatorial Current and the northern streams of the Western Winds Current. The water area is under the influence of the South Pacific baric maximum.

The main natural processes are the same as in the northern analogous belt: the lowering of air masses, the formation of a high pressure area with weak unstable winds, cloudless skies, dry air, low precipitation and water salinization. It is here that the maximum salinity of surface waters for the open part of the Pacific Ocean is 35.5-36% o. The main area of ​​formation of the subtropical water mass is a zone of high evaporation in the eastern part of the belt (near Easter Island). The warm and salty one spreads from here to the west and north, gradually sinking under the warmer and desalinated surface water. The biological productivity of the waters of the belt has not yet been sufficiently studied. It is believed that it cannot be high. On the eastern margin of the water area there is a zone of subtropical upwelling of the Peruvian current, where the biomass is still large, although the surge and rise of water occur in a weakened (compared to the tropical belt) form. Here, areas of the coastal waters of Northern and Central Chile are distinguished, and in the western part of the belt, the Tasman Sea region is isolated.

southern temperate zone

It includes the greater northern part of the circumpolar current of the West Winds. Its southern boundary runs along the edge of the spread of sea ice in September in the region of 61-63°S. sh. The southern temperate zone is an area dominated by western air transport, significant cloudiness, and frequent rains (especially in the autumn-winter period).

Stormy weather (“roaring forties” and no less stormy fifties latitudes) is very characteristic. Temperatures of waters on the surface in - 0-10°C, in - 3-15°C. Salinity - 34.0-34.5% o, off the coast of Southern Chile, where there is a lot of precipitation, - 33.5% o. The main process in the temperate latitudes of the southern part of the Pacific Ocean is the same as in the northern part - the transformation of warm low-latitude and cold high-latitude air and water masses coming here, their constant interaction and, as a result, greater dynamism of the ocean. The zone of convergence of two jets of the circumpolar current runs at about 57°S. sh. The waters of the belt are relatively fertile. Within the belt, the area of ​​coastal waters of Southern Chile (South Chilean) is distinguished.

Southern subpolar (subantarctic) belt

The boundaries of this belt in the Pacific Ocean are shifted to the south (by 63-75 ° S) compared to other oceans. The water area is especially wide in the area of ​​the Ross Sea, which penetrates deep into the massif of the Antarctic continent. In winter, the waters are covered with ice.

The sea ice boundary migrates 1000-1200 km during the year. In this belt, the flow of waters from west to east dominates (the southern jet of the current of the West Winds). In the southern part of the belt, a westward current is observed. The water temperature in winter is close to the freezing point, in summer - from 0 to 2°C. Salinity in winter is about 34% o, in summer, as a result of ice melting, it decreases to 33.5% o. In winter, deep waters form, which fill the basins of the ocean. In the belt, the interaction of Antarctic waters and waters of temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere takes place. Bioproductivity is high. In commercial terms, the water area has not been studied enough.

South polar (Antarctic) belt

Within the Pacific Ocean, it is quite extensive. In the Ross Sea, the waters of the ocean go far beyond the Antarctic Circle, almost to 80 ° S. sh., and taking into account ice shelves - even further. To the east of McMurdo Bay, the cliff of the Ross Ice Shelf (Great Ice Barrier) stretches for hundreds of kilometers.

The southern part of the Ross Sea is a unique water area occupied by a giant ice shelf slab 500 km long from north to south and 500 m thick on average. In the Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas, the Antarctic belt approximately coincides with the shelf zone. here it is severe, with strong winds from the continent, frequent occurrences of cyclones, storms. As a result of strong winter cooling, many very cold waters with a salinity close to normal are formed. Plunging and spreading to the north, they form the deep and bottom water masses of the ocean basins up to the equator and beyond. On the surface of the ocean, the most typical natural processes for the belt are ice phenomena and glacial runoff from the continent. The bioproductivity of cold Antarctic waters is low, and their commercial value has not been sufficiently studied. peculiar.

Magellan discovered the Pacific Ocean in the autumn of 1520 and called the ocean the Pacific Ocean, “because, according to one of the participants, during the transition from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands, more than three months, we never experienced the slightest storm.” By the number (about 10 thousand) and the total area of ​​the islands (about 3.6 million km²), the Pacific Ocean ranks first among the oceans. In the northern part - the Aleutian; in the western - Kuril, Sakhalin, Japanese, Philippine, Greater and Lesser Sunda, New Guinea, New Zealand, Tasmania; in the central and southern - numerous small islands. The bottom relief is varied. In the east - the East Pacific Rise, in the central part there are many basins (North-Eastern, North-Western, Central, Eastern, Southern, etc.), deep-water trenches: in the north - Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Izu-Boninsky; in the west - Mariana (with a maximum depth of the World Ocean - 11,022 m), Philippine, etc.; in the east - Central American, Peruvian, etc.

The main surface currents: in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean - warm Kuroshio, North Pacific and Alaska and cold California and Kuril; in the southern part - warm South Trade Winds and East Australian and cold West Winds and Peruvian. The water temperature on the surface near the equator is from 26 to 29 ° C, in the subpolar regions up to −0.5 ° C. Salinity 30-36.5 ‰. The Pacific Ocean accounts for about half of the world's fish catch (pollock, herring, salmon, cod, sea bass, etc.). Extraction of crabs, shrimps, oysters.

Important sea and air communications between the countries of the Pacific basin and transit routes between the countries of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans run through the Pacific Ocean. Major ports: Vladivostok, Nakhodka (Russia), Shanghai (China), Singapore (Singapore), Sydney (Australia), Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, Long Beach (USA), Huasco (Chile). The International Date Line runs along the 180th meridian across the Pacific Ocean.

Plant life (except bacteria and lower fungi) is concentrated in the upper 200th layer, in the so-called euphotic zone. Animals and bacteria inhabit the entire water column and the ocean floor. Life develops most abundantly in the shelf zone, and especially near the coast at shallow depths, where the flora of brown algae and a rich fauna of mollusks, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are diversely represented in the temperate zones of the ocean. In tropical latitudes, the shallow water zone is characterized by the widespread and strong development of coral reefs, and mangroves near the shore. With the advancement from cold zones to tropical ones, the number of species sharply increases, and the density of their distribution decreases. About 50 species of coastal algae - macrophytes are known in the Bering Strait, over 200 off the Japanese Islands, over 800 in the waters of the Malay Archipelago. In the Soviet Far Eastern seas there are about 4000 known species of animals, and in the waters of the Malay Archipelago - at least 40-50 thousand . In the cold and temperate zones of the ocean, with a relatively small number of plant and animal species, due to the mass development of some species, the total biomass greatly increases; in the tropical zones, individual forms do not receive such a sharp predominance, although the number of species is very large.

With distance from the coasts to the central parts of the ocean and with increasing depth, life becomes less diverse and less abundant. In general, the fauna of T. o. includes about 100 thousand species, but only 4-5% of them are found deeper than 2000 m. At depths of more than 5000 m, about 800 species of animals are known, more than 6000 m - about 500, deeper than 7000 m - slightly more than 200, and deeper than 10 thousand m - only about 20 species.

Among coastal algae - macrophytes - in temperate zones, fucus and kelp are especially distinguished by their abundance. In tropical latitudes, they are replaced by brown algae - Sargasso, green - Caulerpa and Galimeda and a number of red algae. The surface zone of the pelagial is characterized by the massive development of unicellular algae (phytoplankton), mainly diatoms, peridiniums and coccolithophorids. In zooplankton, the most important are various crustaceans and their larvae, mainly copepods (at least 1000 species) and euphausids; a significant admixture of radiolarians (several hundred species), coelenterates (siphonophores, jellyfish, ctenophores), eggs and larvae of fish and benthic invertebrates. In T. o. one can distinguish, in addition to the littoral and sublittoral zones, a transitional zone (up to 500-1000 m), bathyal, abyssal and ultraabyssal, or a zone of deep-water trenches (from 6-7 to 11 thousand m).

Planktonic and benthic animals serve as abundant food for fish and marine mammals (nekton). The fish fauna is exceptionally rich, including at least 2,000 species in tropical latitudes and about 800 in the Soviet Far Eastern seas, where, in addition, there are 35 species of marine mammals. The most commercially important fish are: anchovies, Far Eastern salmon, herring, mackerel, sardine, saury, sea bass, tuna, flounder, cod and pollock; from mammals - sperm whale, several species of minke whales, fur seal, sea otter, walrus, sea lion; from invertebrates - crabs (including Kamchatka), shrimps, oysters, scallops, cephalopods and many others; from plants - kelp (seaweed), agaronos-anfeltia, sea grass zoster and phyllospadix. Many representatives of the fauna of the Pacific Ocean are endemic (pelagic cephalopod nautilus, most Pacific salmon, saury, greenling fish, northern fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, and many others).

The large extent of the Pacific Ocean from North to South determines the diversity of its climates - from equatorial to subarctic in the North and Antarctic in the South. Most of the ocean surface, approximately between 40 ° north latitude and 42 ° south latitude, is located in the zones of equatorial, tropical and subtropical climates. The circulation of the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean is determined by the main areas of atmospheric pressure: the Aleutian Low, the North Pacific, South Pacific and Antarctic Highs. The indicated centers of action of the atmosphere in their interaction determine the great constancy of northeast in the North and southeast in the South winds of moderate strength - trade winds - in the tropical and subtropical parts of the Pacific Ocean and strong westerly winds in temperate latitudes. Especially strong winds are observed in the southern temperate latitudes, where the frequency of storms is 25-35%, in the northern temperate latitudes in winter - 30%, in summer - 5%. In the West of the tropical zone, from June to November, tropical hurricanes - typhoons are frequent. The monsoon circulation of the atmosphere is typical for the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. The average air temperature in February decreases from 26-27°C near the equator to -20°C in the Bering Strait and -10°C off the coast of Antarctica. In August, the average temperature varies from 26-28°C near the equator to 6-8°C in the Bering Strait and to -25°C off the coast of Antarctica. Throughout the Pacific Ocean, located north of 40 ° south latitude, there are significant differences in air temperature between the eastern and western parts of the ocean, caused by the corresponding dominance of warm or cold currents and the nature of the winds. In tropical and subtropical latitudes, the air temperature in the East is 4–8 °C lower than in the West. In the northern temperate latitudes, the opposite is true: in the East, the temperature is 8–12 °C higher than in the West. The average annual cloudiness in areas of low atmospheric pressure is 60-90%. high pressure - 10-30%. The average annual precipitation at the equator is more than 3000 mm, in temperate latitudes - 1000 mm in the West. and 2000-3000 mm to the east. The least amount of precipitation (100-200 mm) falls on the eastern outskirts of the subtropical regions of high atmospheric pressure; in the western parts, the amount of precipitation increases to 1500-2000 mm. Fogs are typical for temperate latitudes, they are especially frequent in the area of ​​the Kuril Islands.

Under the influence of the atmospheric circulation developing over the Pacific Ocean, surface currents form anticyclonic gyres in subtropical and tropical latitudes and cyclonic gyres in northern temperate and southern high latitudes. In the northern part of the ocean, circulation is formed by warm currents: the Northern Trade Wind - Kuroshio and the North Pacific and cold California currents. In the northern temperate latitudes, the cold Kuril Current dominates in the West, and the warm Alaska Current dominates in the East. In the southern part of the ocean, anticyclonic circulation is formed by warm currents: the South Equatorial, East Australian, zonal South Pacific and cold Peruvian. To the north of the equator, between 2-4° and 8-12° north latitude, the northern and southern circulations are separated during the year by the Intertrade (Equatorial) countercurrent.

The average temperature of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean (19.37 °C) is 2 °C higher than the temperature of the waters of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which is the result of the relatively large size of that part of the Pacific Ocean area, which is located in well-heated latitudes (over 20 kcal/cm2 per year). ), and limited communication with the Arctic Ocean. The average water temperature in February varies from 26-28 °С near the equator to -0.5, -1 °С north of 58° north latitude, near the Kuril Islands and south of 67° south latitude. In August, the temperature is 25-29 °С near the equator, 5-8 °С in the Bering Strait and -0.5, -1 °С south of 60-62 ° south latitude. Between 40 ° south latitude and 40 ° north latitude, the temperature in the eastern part of the T. o. 3-5 °C lower than in the western part. To the north of 40 ° north latitude - on the contrary: in the East, the temperature is 4-7 ° C higher than in the West. To the south of 40 ° south latitude, where zonal transport of surface waters prevails, there is no difference between water temperatures in the East and in the West. In the Pacific Ocean, there is more rainfall than evaporating water. Taking into account the river runoff, more than 30 thousand km3 of fresh water comes here annually. Therefore, the salinity of the surface waters of the T. o. lower than in other oceans (average salinity is 34.58‰). The lowest salinity (30.0-31.0‰ and less) is observed in the West and East of the northern temperate latitudes and in the coastal regions of the eastern part of the ocean, the highest (35.5‰ and 36.5‰) - respectively in the northern and southern subtropical latitudes. At the equator, water salinity decreases from 34.5‰ or less, in high latitudes - to 32.0‰ or less in the North, to 33.5‰ or less in the South.

The density of water on the surface of the Pacific Ocean increases fairly evenly from the equator to high latitudes in accordance with the general nature of the distribution of temperature and salinity: near the equator 1.0215-1.0225 g/cm3, in the North - 1.0265 g/cm3 and more, in the South - 1.0275 g/cm3 and more. The color of the water in the subtropical and tropical latitudes is blue, the transparency in some places is more than 50 m. In the northern temperate latitudes, the dark blue color of the water prevails, off the coast it is greenish, the transparency is 15-25 m. In the Antarctic latitudes, the color of the water is greenish, the transparency is up to 25 m .

Tides in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean are dominated by irregular semidiurnal (height up to 5.4 m in the Gulf of Alaska) and semidiurnal (up to 12.9 m in the Penzhina Bay of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk). Near the Solomon Islands and off part of the coast of New Guinea, daily tides, up to 2.5 m. 40° north latitude. The maximum height of wind waves in the Pacific Ocean is 15 m or more, the length is over 300 m. Tsunami waves are characteristic, especially often observed in the northern, southwestern and southeastern parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Ice in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean is formed in seas with severe winter climatic conditions (Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow) and in bays off the coast of Hokkaido, the Kamchatka and Alaska peninsulas. In winter and spring, ice is carried by the Kuril current to the extreme northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Small icebergs are found in the Gulf of Alaska. In the South Pacific, ice and icebergs form off the coast of Antarctica and are carried by currents and winds into the open ocean. The northern limit of floating ice in winter passes at 61-64 ° S latitude, in summer it shifts to 70 ° S latitude, icebergs are carried out to 46-48 ° S latitude at the end of summer. Icebergs form mainly in the Ross Sea.

HELP PLEASE URGENTLY NECESSARY (((1.Climatic zones: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean. 2.

Circles current: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean. 3. Organic world: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean.

HELP PLEASE URGENTLY NECESSARY (((1.Climatic zones: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean. 2. Circles

Current: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean. 3. Organic world: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean.

1) In the temperate climate zone lies:

a) the Central part of South America;

B) Southern and Central parts; c) the narrowed southern part of the mainland.

2) the length of the Amazon River is: a) 5971 km; 6) 6437 km; c) 6537 km.

3) On the Amazonian lowland there is a unique in its size and degree
moisturizing the natural complex of the Amazon. Which of the following reasons does not affect
its formation:

A) the flatness of the territory;

B) the penetration of the trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean into the interior of the mainland

C) position in equatorial latitudes;

D) cold Peruvian current along the Pacific coast.

4) The South American coast was mapped in the 16th-17th centuries.
mainly due to swimming:

A) the English b) Spaniards; c) the Portuguese.

5) The relief of South America is dominated by plains, but unlike Africa here:

A) lowlands prevail; b) hills and plateaus predominate;

C) lowlands and plateaus occupy approximately the same area

6) The most important distinctive feature of the geographical location of South America
from Africa and Australia is that the South American mainland:

A) crosses the equator

B) it is washed by the waters of two oceans - the Pacific and the Atlantic;

7) The Guiana Plateau is formed mainly by:

A) sedimentary cover of an ancient platform;

B) ledges of the ancient crystalline foundation of the platform

C) an area of ​​new folding.

8) Andes stretched: a) along the east coast; b) along the western
coasts; c) from west to east of South America.

9) The largest alpine lake in the Andes:

A) Cotopaxi b) Titicaca; c) Chimborazo.

10) Moist equatorial forests in Yu.A. are called: a) hylaea; b) jungle; in)
selva.

11) Descendants from marriages of Indians with blacks are: a) sambo; b) mulattoes; c) mestizos.

12) South America is located on the territory of several climatic zones.
A large area on the mainland is occupied by: a) equatorial;

B) subequatorial; c) tropical climate zone.

13) The forests of the Amazon are the focus of snakes. A giant water boa lives here:

A) anaconda b) mamba; c) gyurza.

14. The main source of moisture in the Atacama Desert are:

A) atmospheric precipitation; b) fogs; c) underground water.

15) Tropical deserts occupy a smaller area in South America than in Africa
or Australia. This is explained by:

A) a significant part of the mainland is occupied by humid equatorial forests;

B) South America has a smaller extent from west to east in tropical
belt;

C) South America has a large extent from north to south.

Pacific Features 11-1

1 The Pacific Ocean washes the eastern shores of the continents: __
2 The Pacific Ocean washes the western shores of the continents: __
3 The Pacific Ocean is located in the hemispheres: __
4 By area, this ocean is the largest on Earth. It makes up approximately _____% of the area of ​​the world's oceans.
5 The greatest depth of the ocean and the deepest point of the Earth is in the ______ trench and is ____ m
6 Deep sea trenches surround the Pacific Ocean and, together with active volcanoes and earthquake areas, form a zone called _______
7 Powerful sea currents along the equator from east to west are formed due to the winds of ______
8 In what climate zones is the Pacific Ocean located? __
9 Name the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean __
10 In what part of the ocean are coral structures most common?
Name 3 port cities along the shores of the Pacific Ocean _____

1) Average depth (in meters): Pacific Ocean, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic Ocean.

2) The temperature of the water in the surface layer: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic Ocean.
3) Straits that connect with other oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic Ocean.
4)Maximum depth: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean.
5) In what climatic zones are located: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic Ocean.
6) Position relative to the equator and prime meridian: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world. It stretches from the very north of the planet to its south, reaching the shores of Antarctica. It reaches its greatest width at the equator, in the tropical and subtropical zones. Therefore, the climate of the Pacific Ocean is more defined as warm, because most of it falls on the tropics. This ocean has both warm and cold currents. It depends on which continent the bay adjoins in one place or another and what atmospheric flows are formed above it.

atmospheric circulation

In many ways, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on the atmospheric pressure that forms over it. In this section, geographers distinguish five main areas. Among them there are zones of both high and low pressure. In the subtropics in both hemispheres of the planet, two areas of high pressure are formed above the ocean. They are called the North Pacific or Hawaiian High and the South Pacific High. The closer to the equator, the lower the pressure becomes. We also note that the atmospheric dynamics in the Western Hemisphere is lower than in the Eastern Hemisphere. In the north and south of the ocean, dynamic lows are formed - the Aleutian and the Antarctic, respectively. The northern one exists only in the winter season, while the southern one is stable all year round in terms of its atmospheric features.

Winds

Such a factor as the trade winds largely affects the climate of the Pacific Ocean. In short, such wind currents are formed in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. A system of trade winds has been established there for centuries, which cause warm currents and a stable hot air temperature. They are separated by a strip of equatorial calm. Calms prevail in this area, but light winds occasionally occur. In the northwestern part of the ocean, monsoons are the most frequent guests. In winter, the wind blows from the Asian continent, bringing cold and dry air with it. In summer, the ocean wind blows, which increases the humidity and temperature of the air. The temperate climate zone, as well as the entire southern hemisphere, starting from the subtropical climate, is subject to strong winds. The climate of the Pacific Ocean in these areas is characterized by typhoons, hurricanes, and gusty winds.

Air temperature

In order to visually understand what temperatures the Pacific Ocean is characterized by, the map will come to our aid. We see that this reservoir is located in all climatic zones, starting from the northern, icy, passing through the equator and ending with the southern, also icy. Above the surface of the entire reservoir, the climate is subject to latitudinal zonality and winds, which bring hot or cold temperatures to certain regions. In equatorial latitudes, the thermometer shows from 20 to 28 degrees in August, approximately the same indicators are observed in February. In temperate latitudes, February temperatures reach -25 Celsius, and in August the thermometer rises to +20.

Characteristics of currents, their influence on temperature

The peculiarities of the climate of the Pacific Ocean are that in the same latitudes at the same time different weather can be observed. Everything works out this way because the ocean consists of various currents that bring warm or cold cyclones here from the continents. So let's start with the Northern Hemisphere. In the tropical zone, the western part of the reservoir is always warmer than the eastern one. This is due to the fact that in the west the waters are warmed by the trade winds and the Kuroshio and East Australian currents. In the east, the waters are cooled by the Peruvian and California currents. In the temperate zone, on the contrary, the east is warmer than the west. Here the western part is cooled by the Kuril current, and the eastern part is heated by the Alaska current. If we consider the Southern Hemisphere, then we will not find a significant difference between the West and the East. Everything happens naturally here, since the trade winds and winds of high latitudes distribute the temperature over the surface of the water in the same way.

Clouds and pressure

Also, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on the atmospheric phenomena that form over one or another of its areas. An increase in air currents is observed in low pressure zones, as well as in coastal areas where there is a mountainous area. The closer to the equator, the less clouds gather over the waters. In temperate latitudes, they are contained in 80-70 percent, in the subtropics - 60-70%, in the tropics - 40-50%, and at the equator only 10 percent.

Precipitation

Now consider what weather conditions the Pacific Ocean is fraught with. A map of climatic zones shows that the highest humidity here falls on the tropical and subtropical zones, which are located north of the equator. Here the amount of precipitation is equal to 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes, this figure is reduced to 1000-2000 mm. Also note that in the West the climate is always drier than in the East. The most arid region of the ocean is the coastal zone near the California Peninsula and off the coast of Peru. Here, due to problems with condensation, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 300-200 mm. In some areas it is extremely low and is only 30 mm.

The climate of the Pacific Ocean

In the classical version, it is customary to believe that this water reservoir has three seas - the Sea of ​​Japan, the Bering Sea and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. These reservoirs are separated from the main reservoir by islands or peninsulas, they are adjacent to the continents and belong to countries, in this case Russia. Their climate is determined by the interaction of ocean and land. On average, the temperature above the water surface in February is about 15-20 below zero, in the coastal zone - 4 below zero. The Sea of ​​​​Japan is the warmest, because the temperature in it is kept within +5 degrees. The most severe winters are in the north of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Here the thermometer can show below -30 degrees. In summer, the seas heat up to an average of 16-20 above zero. Naturally, the Okhotsk in this case will be cold - +13-16, and the Japanese one can warm up to +30 or more.

Conclusion

The Pacific Ocean, which is, in fact, the largest geographical feature on the planet, is characterized by a very diverse climate. Regardless of the season, a certain atmospheric influence is formed over its waters, which generates low or high temperatures, strong winds or complete calm.