The Bering Sea is located. Bering Sea: geographical location, description. Between Asia and America

Former inland sea Russian Empire is now the easternmost possessions of our state. The northeastern territories are still waiting for their conquerors. One of the storerooms natural resources this part of the planet is the Bering Sea, geographical position which not only plays a significant role in the development of local regions, but also opens up enormous prospects for Russia’s expanding economic activity in the Arctic latitudes.

Bering Sea. Description

The northern edge of the Pacific Basin is the most extensive of all the seas washing the shores of Russia. Its area is 2,315 thousand km 2. For comparison: the surface of the Black Sea is five and a half times smaller. The Bering Sea is the deepest among coastal seas and one of the deepest in the world. The lowest point is at a depth of 4,151 m, and average depth is 1,640 m. Deep-water areas are located on the southern side of the water area and are called the Aleutian and Commander basins. It is surprising that with such indicators, about half of the seabed is only half a kilometer away from the sea surface. The relative shallowness of the water allows us to classify the sea as a continental-oceanic type. The northern Far Eastern reservoir holds 3.8 million km 3 of water. Most scientists explain the origin of the Bering Sea by being cut off from the rest of the ocean by the Commander-Aleutian ridge, which arose as a result of global tectonic processes in the distant past.

History of discovery and development

The modern hydronym comes from the name of the first European explorer Vitus Bering. The Dane, in Russian service, organized two expeditions in 1723-1943. The purpose of his travels was to search for the border between Eurasia and America. Although the strait between the continents was discovered by topographers Fedorov, Gvozdev and Mashkov, it was later named after the hired navigator. During Bering's second expedition, the territories of the northern part were explored Pacific Ocean and Alaska is discovered. On ancient Russian maps, the northern body of water is called the Bobrov Sea, or the Kamchatka Sea. The coast has been explored by Russian explorers since the beginning of the 18th century. Thus, Timofey Perevalov in the 30s compiled a map of some territories of Kamchatka and Chukotka. Thirty years later, D. Cook visited these places. The tsarist government sent expeditions here under the leadership of Sarychev, Bellinghausen and Kotzebue. Modern name was proposed by the Frenchman Fliorier. This term came into wide use thanks to the Russian navigator Admiral Golovnin.

Description of the geographical location of the Bering Sea

Geomorphological characteristics are determined by the natural boundaries of the coastline in the east and west, a group of islands in the south and a speculative boundary in the north. The northern border adjoins the waters of the strait of the same name, connecting with the Chukchi Sea. The demarcation runs from Cape Novosilsky on Chukotka to Cape York on the Seward Peninsula. From east to west the sea stretches for 2,400 km, and from north to south - 1,600 km. The southern border is marked by the archipelagos of the Commander and Aleutian Islands. Pieces of land in the ocean outline a kind of giant arc. Beyond it is the Pacific Ocean. The northernmost edge of the largest body of water on the planet is the Bering Sea. The geometric pattern of the water area is characterized by a narrowing of the water space towards the Arctic Circle. The Bering Strait separates two continents: Eurasia and North America - and two oceans: the Pacific and the Arctic. The northwestern waters of the sea wash the shores of Chukotka and the Koryak Upland, the northeastern waters wash the west of Alaska. The flow of continental waters is negligible. From the side of Eurasia, Anadyr flows into the sea, and on the shores of Alaska the legendary Yukon has its mouth. The Kuskokuim River flows into the sea in the bay of the same name.

Coast and islands

Numerous bays, bays and peninsulas form the rugged coastal pattern that characterizes the Bering Sea. The Olyutorsky, Karaginsky and Anadyrsky bays are the largest on the Siberian shores. The vast bays of Bristol, Norton and Kuskokwim are located on the shores of Alaska. The few islands are different in origin: mainland islands are small areas of land within the boundaries of continental plateaus, islands volcanic origin make up the inner, and folded type - the outer belt of the Commander-Aleutian arc. The ridge itself stretches 2,260 km from Kamchatka to Alaska. The total area of ​​the islands is 37,840 km2. The Commander Islands belong to Russia, all the rest are USA: Pribylova, St. Larentia, St. Matvey, Karaginsky, Nunivak and, of course, the Aleuts.

Climate

Significant fluctuations in average daily temperatures, more typical of continental landmasses, characterize the Bering Sea. Geographical location is a determining factor in the formation of the region's climate. Most of the sea's territory is in the subarctic zone. The northern side belongs to the Arctic zone, and the southern side to temperate latitudes. The western side is cooling more strongly. And due to the fact that the Siberian territories adjacent to the sea warm up less, this part of the water area is much colder than the eastern one. Above central part In the warm season, the sea air warms up to +10 °C. In winter, despite the penetration of Arctic air masses, it does not fall below - 23 °C.

Hydrosphere

In the upper horizons, the water temperature decreases towards northern latitudes. The waters washing the Eurasian coast are colder than the North American zone. In the coldest time of the year off the coast of Kamchatka, the sea surface temperature is +1…+3 °C. Off the coast of Alaska it is one or two degrees higher. In summer, the upper layers warm up to +9 °C. The significant depth of the straits of the Aleutian ridge (up to 4,500 m) promotes active water exchange with the Pacific Ocean at all levels. The influence of the waters of the Chukchi Sea is minimal due to the shallow depth of the Bering Strait (42 m).

In terms of the degree of wave formation, the Bering Sea also occupies first place among the seas of Russia. Which ocean is the higher water area is reflected in the characteristics of the degree of storminess of the periphery. Significant depths and storm activity are the result of strong waves. For most of the year, waves with a height of water crests of up to 2 m are observed. In winter, there are a number of storms with wave heights of up to 8 m. Over the last hundred years of observations, cases of waves with a height of up to 21 m have been recorded in ship log books.

Ice conditions

The ice cover is local in origin: the massif forms and melts in the water area itself. The Bering Sea in the northern part becomes covered with ice at the end of September. First of all, the ice shell binds closed bays, bays and the coastal zone, and the range reaches its greatest distribution in April. Melting ends only in mid-summer. Thus, the surface in the high latitude zone is covered with ice for more than nine months a year. In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off the coast of Chukotka, in some seasons the ice does not melt at all. The southern side, on the contrary, does not freeze throughout the year. Warm masses from the ocean enter through the Aleutian straits, which push the edge of the ice closer to the north. The sea strait between the continents is clogged with pack ice most of the year. Some ice fields reach a thickness of six meters. Off the coast of Kamchatka, drifting massifs are found even in August. Wiring sea ​​vessels traveling along the Northern Sea Route requires the participation of icebreakers.

Animal and plant life

Gulls, guillemots, puffins and other feathered inhabitants of the polar latitudes establish their colonies on the coastal rocks. Along the gently sloping shores you can find rookeries of walruses and sea lions. These real monsters of the Bering Sea reach a length of more than three meters. Sea otters are found in large numbers. Marine flora is represented by five dozen coastal plants. In the south the vegetation is more diverse. Phytoalgae promote the development of zooplankton, which in turn attracts many marine mammals. Humpback whales, representatives of the gray and toothed species of cetaceans - killer whales and sperm whales - come here to feed. The Bering Sea is exceptionally rich in fish: the underwater fauna is represented by almost three hundred species. Sharks also live in northern waters. The polar fish lives at great depths, and the dangerous predator - the salmon - does not show aggression towards people. Without a doubt, the depths of the sea have not yet revealed all their secrets.

Between Asia and America

Small groups of fur traders began to develop the northeastern waters in the 40s of the 18th century. The islands of the Aleutian archipelago, like a huge natural bridge, allowed traders to reach the shores of Alaska. The position of the Bering Sea, namely its ice-free part, contributed to the establishment of busy shipping between Petropavlovsk on Kamchatka and the newly built strongholds on the American mainland. True, Russian expansion in America did not last long, only about eighty years.

Territorial disputes

During the reign of M. S. Gorbachev, an agreement was concluded on concessions in favor of the United States of a significant part of the sea and continental shelf with total area almost 78 thousand km 2. In June 1990, USSR Foreign Minister E. Shevardnadze and Secretary of State D. Baker signed a corresponding agreement. The domestic trawl fleet has lost the opportunity to catch fish in the middle part of the sea. In addition, Russia has lost a significant segment of the promising oil-bearing province on the shelf. The bill was approved by the US Congress that same year. In Russia, the agreement is constantly criticized and has not yet been ratified by parliament. The dividing line was named Shevardnadze - Baker.

Economic activity

The region's economy consists of two components: the fishing industry and maritime transport. Inexhaustible fish resources contribute to the active activities of Russian fishing companies. Many processing plants have been built on the coast of Kamchatka. Herring, salmon, cod and flounder species are fished on an industrial scale. On a small scale, mainly in the interests of the indigenous population, hunting of marine animals and cetaceans is allowed. In recent years, scientific interest in this Far Eastern region has increased. This is mainly caused by the search for hydrocarbon deposits on the shelf. Three small oil basins have been discovered off the coast of Chukotka.

Klondike at the bottom of the ocean

Comprehensive research has not yet been carried out at the sea depths, the purpose of which would be to search for minerals or collect geological data for further promising searches. Within the boundaries of the water area, mineral deposits are unknown. And in coastal areas, deposits of tin and semi-precious stones have been discovered. Hydrocarbon deposits have been discovered in the Anadyr Basin. But on the opposite coast, they have been plowing up the bottom in search of yellow metal for several years. A hundred years ago, the impetus for the development of the region was gold found on the shores of the Yukon and the subsequent gold rush. The Bering Sea at the beginning of the 21st century gives new hope. The thirst for profit gives rise to ingenious technical devices. An ordinary excavator, a screen for sifting inert materials and an improvised room resembling a construction trailer in which an electric generator is placed are installed on an old barge. Such technical “monsters” of the Bering Sea are becoming increasingly widespread.

Discovery Channel Original Project

For the fifth season in a row, the American popular science television channel Discovery has been monitoring the fate of those seeking easy money. As soon as the water area is freed from ice, prospectors from all over the world gather on the coast of Alaska, and the gold rush resumes in the northern latitudes. The Bering Sea off the coast has shallow depth. This will allow you to use available tools. An improvised fleet defies the elements. The treacherous sea tests everyone's strength and courage, and the seabed is reluctant to share its treasures. Only a few lucky people were enriched by the gold rush. The ice of the Bering Sea allows some enthusiasts to continue work in winter. Over the course of several episodes of the documentary, you can watch three teams of gold miners risking their lives for the treasured handful of yellow metal.

Located in its northern part. From the endless ocean waters separated by the Aleutian and Commander Islands. In the north, through the Bering Strait, it connects with the Chukchi Sea, which is part of the Arctic Ocean. The reservoir washes the shores of Alaska, Chukotka, and Kamchatka. Its area is 2.3 million square meters. km. The average depth is 1600 meters, the maximum is 4150 meters. The volume of water is 3.8 million cubic meters. km. The length of the reservoir from north to south is 1.6 thousand km, and from west to east it is 2.4 thousand km.

Historical reference

Many experts believe that during the last ice age, sea levels were low, and therefore the Bering Strait was dry land. This is the so-called Bering Bridge, through which the inhabitants of Asia entered the territory of Northern and South America in ancient times.

This reservoir was explored by the Dane Vitus Bering, who served in the Russian fleet as captain-commander. He studied northern waters in 1725-1730 and 1733-1741. During this time I carried out two Kamchatka expeditions and discovered part of the islands of the Aleutian chain.

In the 18th century, the reservoir was called the Kamchatka Sea. It was first named the Bering Sea on the initiative of the French navigator Charles Pierre de Fleurieu at the beginning of the 19th century. This name was fully established by the end of the second decade of the 19th century.

general description

Sea bottom

In its northern part, the reservoir is shallow, thanks to the shelf, the length of which reaches 700 km. The southwestern part is deep-sea. Here the depth in some places reaches 4 km. The transition from shallow water to the deep ocean floor is carried out along a steep underwater slope.

Water temperature and salinity

IN summer time the surface layer of water warms up to 10 degrees Celsius. In winter, temperatures drop to -1.7 degrees Celsius. The salinity of the upper marine layer is 30-32 ppm. The middle layer at a depth of 50 to 200 meters is cold and practically does not change throughout the year. The temperature here is -1.7 degrees Celsius, and the salinity reaches 34 ppm. Below 200 meters, the water warms up, and its temperature rises to 4 degrees Celsius with a salinity of 34.5 ppm.

The Bering Sea hosts such rivers as the Yukon in Alaska with a length of 3100 km and the Anadyr with a length of 1152 km. The latter carries its waters throughout the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia.

Bering Sea on the map

Islands

The islands are concentrated on the boundaries of the reservoir. The main ones are considered Aleutian Islands, representing an archipelago. It stretches from the coast of Alaska towards Kamchatka and has 110 islands. Those, in turn, are divided into 5 groups. There are 25 volcanoes in the archipelago, and the largest is the Shishaldin volcano with a height of 2857 meters above sea level.

Commander Islands include 4 islands. They are located in the southwestern part of the reservoir in question. Pribilof Islands are located north of the Aleutian Islands. There are four of them: St. Paul's, St. George's, Otter and Walrus Island.

Diomede Islands(Russia) consist of 2 islands (Ratmanov Island and Krusenstern Island) and several small rocks. They are located in the Bering Strait at approximately the same distance from Chukotka and Alaska. The Bering Sea also contains St. Lawrence Island in the southernmost part of the Bering Strait. It is part of the state of Alaska, although it is located closer to Chukotka. Experts believe that in ancient times it was part of an isthmus connecting two continents.

Nunivak Island located off the coast of Alaska. Among all the islands belonging to the body of water in question, it is the second in area after St. Lawrence. In the southern part of the Bering Strait there is also St. Matthews Island, owned by the USA. Karaginsky Island located near the coast of Kamchatka. Highest point on it (Mount Vysokaya) is 920 meters above sea level.

sea ​​coast

For sea ​​coast Characteristic are capes and bays. From the bays to Russian coast can be called Anadyrsky, washing the shores of Chukotka. Its continuation is the Bay of the Cross, located to the north. Karaginsky Bay is located off the coast of Kamchatka, and Olyutorsky Bay is located to the north. The Gulf of Corfu is wedged deep into the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

U southwest coast Alaska is located in Bristol Bay. To the north there are smaller bays. This is Kuskokwim, into which the river of the same name flows, and Norton Bay.

Climate

In summer, the air temperature rises to 10 degrees Celsius. In winter it drops to -20-23 degrees Celsius. The Bering Sea is covered with ice by the beginning of October. The ice melts by July. That is, the reservoir is covered with ice for almost 10 months. In some places, such as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, ice may be present all year round.

These people live in the sea marine mammals like bowhead and blue whales, sei whales, fin whales, humpback whales, sperm whales. Northern fur seals, belugas, seals, walruses, and polar bears are also present. Up to 40 species of different birds nest on the coast. Some of them are unique. In total, about 20 million birds breed in this region. 419 species of fish are registered in the reservoir. Among them, salmon, pollock, king crab, Pacific cod, halibut, and Pacific perch are of commercial value.

The further development of the ecosystem of the reservoir in question is uncertain. IN this region over the past 30 years there has been a slight but stable increase sea ​​ice. This provided a sharp contrast to the seas of the Arctic Ocean, where the ice surface is steadily shrinking.

The Bering Sea is located in the North Pacific Ocean. It is separated from it by the Commander and Aleutian Islands and borders the Chukchi Sea through the Bering Strait. Through the Chukchi Sea you can go from the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean. In addition, this sea washes the coasts of two countries: Russian Federation and the United States of America.

Physiographic location of the Bering Sea

Coastline The sea is heavily indented by capes and bays. The most large bays, which are located on the coast of Russia, are the bays of Anadyrsky, Karaginsky, Olyutorsky, Korfa, Kresta. And on the coast of North America there are Norton, Bristol, and Kuskokwim bays.
Only two large rivers flow into the sea: Anadyr and Yukon.
The Bering Sea also has many islands. They are mainly located on the border of the sea. The Russian Federation includes the Diomede Islands (the western one is Ratmanov Island). Commander Islands, Karaginsky Island. To the territory of the United States of America - the Pribilof Islands, the Aleutian Islands, the Diomede Islands (the eastern one is Krusenstern Island), St. Lawrence Island, Nunivak, King Island, St. Matthews Island.
In summer, the air temperature over the sea waters ranges from plus 7 to plus 10 degrees Celsius. In winter it drops to minus 23 degrees. The salinity of the water varies on average from 33 to 34.7 percent.

Seabed topography

The topography of the seabed in the northeastern part is marked by the continental shelf. Its length is more than 700 kilometers. The sea is quite shallow.
The southwestern section is deep-water and has depths of up to 4 kilometers. These two zones can be divided conditionally along an isobath of 200 meters.
The transition point between the continental shelf and the ocean floor is marked by a significantly steep continental slope. The Bering Sea has its maximum depth in the southern part - 4151 meters. The bottom of the shelf is covered with a mixture of sand, shell rock and gravel. In deep-sea areas, the bottom is covered with diatomaceous silt.

Temperature and salinity

A layer at the surface of the sea, approximately 50 meters deep, over the entire water area in summer months warms up to 10 degrees Celsius. In winter, the average minimum temperature is approximately minus 3 degrees. Salinity up to 50 meters in depth reaches 32 ppm.
Below 50 and up to 200 meters there is an intermediate water layer. The water here is colder, practically unchanged in temperature all year round (-1.7 degrees Celsius). Salinity reaches 34 percent.
Below 200 meters the water becomes warmer. Its temperature ranges from 2.5 to 4 degrees, and the salinity level is approximately 34 percent.

Ichthyofauna of the Bering Sea

The Bering Sea is home to approximately 402 various types fish Among these 402 species, you can find 9 species of sea goby, 7 species of salmon fish and many others. About 50 species of fish are commercially caught. Crabs, shrimp and cephalopods are also caught in the sea waters.
Among the mammals living in the Bering Sea are ringed seals, seals, bearded seals, lionfish and walruses. The list of cetaceans is also extensive. Among them you can find the gray whale, narwhal, bowhead whale, Japanese (or southern) whale, fin whale, humpback whale, sei whale, and northern blue whale. There are many rookeries for walruses and seals on the Chukotka Peninsula.

Our planet is a beautiful blue ball, on which there are many natural and artificial reservoirs. They support the life of all living things on earth, providing shelter for many fish, shellfish and other organisms.

One of the natural bodies of water on our planet is the Bering Sea, the depth, bottom topography and fauna of which are of great interest to many naturalists, tourists and naturalists around the world. It is these indicators that will be discussed in this article.

Between two continents

What is the average depth of the Bering Sea? Before answering this question, let's find out where the reservoir is located.

The Bering Sea, which belongs to the Pacific basin, is a conventional border between two continents - Asia and North America. On the northwestern side, the reservoir washes the coasts of Kamchatka and Chukotka, and on the northeastern side - the shores of Western Alaska.

From the south, the sea is closed by a series of islands (Aleutian and Komandorsky), and from the north it is connected by the strait of the same name with the Arctic Ocean.

Here are the islands located along the border of the Bering Sea (the depth of which we will talk about below):

1. On the side of the United States of America (more precisely, the Alaska Peninsula) are territories such as Krusenstern Island, Nunivak, the Pribilof Islands, the Aleutian Islands, King Island, St. Matthew Island and others.
2. On the part of the Russian Federation, the Bering Sea washes only three island territories. This (from the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug), as well as the Commander Islands and Karaginsky Island (the latter are part of the Kamchatka Territory).

A little about geographical discoveries

What is the history of the discovery of the Bering Sea, the depth and remoteness of which at all times has brought many sailors into indescribable awe?

It is known that the reservoir received its name in honor of the first explorer who went on an expedition to Kamchatka back in the 1730s. This man was a Dane by nationality, a Russian officer by vocation - Vitus Ianassen Bering. By order of Emperor Peter I, the fleet captain was instructed to study in detail northern places and determine the border between the two continents.

The first expedition was devoted to the inspection and development eastern shore Kamchatka and south coast as well as the study of the strait that serves as the border between America and Eurasia. Bering is considered the first representative of Europe to roam these places.

After his return to St. Petersburg, the brave navigator petitioned for the equipment of the second expedition, which took place quite soon and became the largest in history. Six thousand people, led by the fearless Bering, scrupulously studied the waters all the way to Japan. Alaska, the Aleutian archipelago and many other unexplored lands were discovered.

The captain himself reached the American coast and carefully examined the island of Kayak, studying its flora and fauna.

The conditions of the Far North negatively affected the journey of a large expedition. Sailors and explorers faced incredible cold and snow drifts, and endured storms and storms several times.

Unfortunately, returning to Russia, Bering died during a forced winter on one of the islands.

Statistical Facts

What is the depth of the Bering Sea? This reservoir is considered the largest and deepest in the Russian Federation and one of the largest in the world. Why can you say this?

The fact is that the total area of ​​the sea is 2.315 million square meters. km. This is due to the fact that the length of the reservoir from north to south covers one thousand six hundred kilometers, and from east to west - two thousand four hundred kilometers. Scientists even calculated the volume sea ​​waters. It reaches 3,795,000 cubic kilometers. It is not surprising that the average depth of the Bering Sea is impressive in its numbers and values.

Briefly about the main thing

The average and maximum depth of the Bering Sea reaches one thousand six hundred meters and four thousand fifty-one meters, respectively. As you can see, the difference between the indicators is very large. This is due to the fact that most of the water space of the reservoir is occupied by an area with depth indicators of less than five hundred meters. According to the calculations of some scientists, this figure is the minimum depth of the Bering Sea. That is why it is considered a marginal reservoir of the continental-oceanic type.

Location of the most important points

Where is the average and maximum depth of the Bering Sea? As mentioned above, the average indicators of a reservoir cover about half of its entire area. As for the maximum indicators (or the maximum depth of the Bering Sea), they were recorded in the southern part of the reservoir. Here is the specific coordinate: fifty-four degrees north latitude and one hundred seventy-one degrees west longitude. This part of the sea is called deep sea. It was divided by the underwater Bowers and Shirshov ridges into three basins, whose names are: Aleutian, Komandorskaya and Bowers.

However, this also applies to the maximum depth of the Bering Sea. The minimum depth was recorded in its northeastern region. Its length, according to many researchers, reaches about seven hundred kilometers.

Bottom and its characteristics

Scientists have long determined that the structure of the seabed is very interconnected with its depth. The bottom topography of the Bering Sea has clear divisions:

1. Shelf. This zone, located in the northern and eastern sides of the sea, has depths of up to two hundred meters and occupies more than forty percent of the entire territory of the reservoir. It is a gently sloping plain with several islands, hollows and low hills.
2. Island Shoal. This area is located off the coast of Kamchatka and the Komandorsko-Aleutian island ridge. The surface topography is very complex and may undergo some changes due to the proximity of volcanic and seismic manifestations.
3. Continental slope. It is located between Cape Navarin and Unimak Island and is characterized by depth indicators from two hundred to three thousand meters. This area also has a complex sloping topography, the angle of inclination of which ranges from one to three degrees to twenty degrees and above. Here you can see beautiful underwater valleys and canyons with steep steep slopes.
4. Deep-sea basin. This zone is located in the center and southwest of the reservoir. It is characterized by small underwater ridges. Due to the complexity of its relief, the deep-sea basin ensures constant water exchange between different parts of the sea.

Temperature

What can you say about the temperature of the air and water? In summer, the water area is quite cool (about seven to ten degrees Celsius). In winter, the temperature can fluctuate from minus one to minus thirty.

average temperature water masses in many cases depends on the depth of the Bering Sea. The maximum depth has a temperature of one to three degrees Celsius (plus), while the minimum depth has warmer readings (from seven to ten degrees). At medium depths, temperatures vary between two and four degrees Celsius.

Salinity information

With regard to water salinity, the same principle applies: the greater the depth, the higher the indicators.

At minimum depths, water salinity ranges between twenty-two and thirty-two ppm. The middle zone is characterized by levels of thirty-three to thirty-four ppm, while the salinity of deep-sea waters almost reaches thirty-five ppm.

Freezing water

It is interesting that the surface of the Bering Sea is covered with ice annually in the following ratio: freezing of half of the reservoir is observed within five months, while its northern part can be under the influence of glaciers for seven months or longer.

It is noteworthy that the Gulf of Lawrence, located off the eastern shore of the Bering Sea, may not be cleared of ice masses all year round, while the waters of the Bering Strait are almost never subject to severe freezing.

Rich fauna

Despite low temperatures and deep waters, the body of water between America and Eurasia is actively inhabited. Here you can find four hundred and two types of fish, four types of crabs, four types of shrimp, two types of shellfish, and a large number of mammals, especially pinnipeds.

Let's talk more about the living creatures that inhabit the cold and deep waters of the Bering Sea.

Fish

In the reservoir, different varieties of gobies are most often found. The goby family belongs to bottom-dwelling fish that live in coastal areas.

The body of an adult individual, slightly flattened at the back, can reach forty centimeters in length. It contains dorsal fins (usually two in number) and a suction cup on the belly, with which the fish attaches to the stones. Goby spawning occurs in March-August.

Among the salmonids in the Bering Sea, whitefish and nelma stand out, as well as Pacific salmon, which are valuable commercial fish.

This family is diverse with numerous species and representatives. The body length of salmon can vary from three centimeters to two meters, and the weight of adult and large individuals can reach seven to ten kilograms.

The body of the fish is elongated, compressed at the sides. It has multi-rayed ventral and pectoral fins. There are two pectoral fins (one is normal, and the second is a leathery outgrowth of adipose tissue - a characteristic feature of all salmonids).

Spawning of this fish species occurs only in fresh waters.

Pinnipeds

The most common mammals in the Bering Sea are seals and walruses, which set up real rookeries on the shores of the reservoir.

Seals are very massive sea creatures. For example, an adult can reach about two meters in length, while its weight exceeds one hundred and thirty kilograms. Bearing offspring in this family can last about a year.

The Pacific walrus is another inhabitant of the northern reservoir. Its weight can vary from eight hundred to one thousand seven hundred kilograms. This family is highly prized for its long tusks, which can weigh about five kilograms each.

The skin of walruses is wrinkled and very thick (in some places it can reach ten centimeters in thickness). The subcutaneous layer of fat is also large - about fifteen centimeters.

Quite often, a variety of large cetaceans are found in the Bering Sea - narwhals, humpback whales, sei whales and other mammals, the length of which is measured at several tens of meters, and the weight can reach a hundred tons or more.

Yes, it is impossible to describe in detail all the inhabitants underwater depths Bering Sea. However, this body of water is famous not only for its rich underwater world, but also a fascinating history of development, a beautiful bottom topography, and an important strategic location. After all, the Bering Sea is the border of two continents, two continents, two states.

BERING SEA, a marginal sea in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean between the continents of Eurasia and North America, washes the shores of the USA and Russia (the largest of its Far Eastern seas). It is connected in the north by the Bering Strait to the Chukchi Sea, separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Aleutian chain and the Commander Islands. Area 2315 thousand km 2, volume 3796 thousand km 3. The greatest depth is 5500 m. The coastline is heavily indented, forming many bays (the largest are Karaginsky, Olyutorsky, Anadyrsky - Russia; Norton, Bristol - USA), bays, peninsulas and capes. Karaginsky Islands (Russia), St. Lawrence, Nunivak, Nelson, St. Matthew, Pribilof Islands (USA).

The shores of the Bering Sea are diverse, with predominantly high, rocky, heavily indented bay shores, as well as fjord and abrasion-accumulative shores. Leveled accumulative shores predominate in the east, where deltas are located large rivers Yukon and Kuskokwim.

Relief and geological structure bottom . According to the nature of the bottom topography, the Bering Sea is clearly divided into shallow and deep-water parts approximately along the line from Cape Navarin to Unimak Island. The northern and southeastern parts lie on a shelf with depths of up to 200 m (prevailing depths are 50-80 m) and a width in the northeast of up to 750 km (46% of the sea area) - one of the widest in the World Ocean. It is a vast plain, slightly inclined to the southwest. In the Quaternary period, the shelf periodically drained and a land bridge emerged between the continents of Eurasia and North America. Within the shelf there are large depressions - Anadyr, Navarin, Khatyr and others, filled with Cenozoic terrigenous deposits. Depressions can be reservoirs of oil and natural combustible gas. A narrow continental slope with depths of 200-3000 m (13%) and with large bottom slopes almost throughout its entire length turns into a deep-sea bed with steep ledges, in many places cut by underwater valleys and canyons. The sides of the canyons are often steep and sometimes steep. In the central and southwestern parts there is a deep-water zone with depths of over 3000 m (37%), bordered in the coastal zone by a narrow strip of shelf. The underwater Shirshov Ridge with depths above the ridge of 500-600 m, stretching south from the Olyutorsky Peninsula, divides the deep-water part of the sea into the Komandorskaya and Aleutian basins; it is separated from the island arc by the Ratmanov Trench (depth about 3500 m). The flat bottom of both basins is slightly inclined to the southwest. The Shirshov Ridge is a complex zone of junction of two lithospheric plates (Commander and Aleutian), along which until the mid-Miocene the oceanic crust piled up (possibly with underthrusting). The foundation of the Aleutian Basin is of Early Cretaceous age and is a fragment of the Mesozoic oceanic lithospheric plate Kula, which separated in the Cretaceous from the Pacific plate by a large transform fault, transformed in the Paleogene into the Aleutian island arc and the deep-sea trench of the same name. The thickness of the Cretaceous-Quaternary sedimentary cover in the central part of the Aleutian Basin reaches 3.5-5 km, increasing towards the periphery to 7-9 km. The foundation of the Commander Basin is Cenozoic in age and was formed as a result of local spreading (the spreading of the bottom with the new formation of oceanic crust), which continued until the end of the Miocene. The paleospreading zone can be traced to the east of Karaginsky Island in the form of a narrow trough. The thickness of the Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary cover in the Commander Basin reaches 2 km. In the north, the Bowers Ridge (a former Late Cretaceous volcanic arc) extends in an arc to the north from the Aleutian Islands, outlining the basin of the same name. The maximum depths of the Bering Sea are located in the Kamchatka Strait and near the Aleutian Islands.

On the shelf, bottom sediments are mainly terrigenous, near the shore - coarse sediments, then sands, sandy silts and silts. The sediments of the continental slope are also predominantly terrigenous, in the area of ​​Bristol Bay - with an admixture of volcanogenic material, and there are numerous outcrops of bedrock. The thickness of sediments in deep-sea basins reaches 2500 m, the surface layer is represented by diatomaceous silt.

Climate. Most of the Bering Sea is characterized by a subarctic climate, in a small area north of 64° north latitude it is arctic, and south of 55° north latitude it is temperate maritime. Climate formation occurs under the influence of the cold masses of the Arctic Ocean in the north, the open spaces of the Pacific Ocean in the south, adjacent land and centers of atmospheric action. In the open part of the Bering Sea, far from the influence of continents, the climate is maritime, mild, with small amplitudes of air temperature fluctuations, the weather is cloudy, with fogs and big amount precipitation. In winter, under the influence of the Aleutian Low, northwest, north and northeast winds predominate, bringing cold maritime Arctic air, as well as cold, dry continental air. Wind speed off the coast is 6-8 m/s, in the open sea - up to 12 m/s. Often, especially in the western part of the sea, stormy conditions develop with winds up to 30-40 m/s (lasting up to 9 days). The average air temperature in January - February is from 0. -4 °C in the south and southwest to -15. -23 °C in the north and northeast. Off the coast of Alaska, air temperatures dropped to -48 °C. In summer, the influence of the Hawaiian anticyclone increases, and winds prevail over the Bering Sea southern directions with speeds of 4-7 m/s. In the southern part, on average, tropical typhoons with hurricane-force winds penetrate once a month. The frequency of storms is lower than in winter. The air temperature in the open sea ranges from 4 °C in the north to 13 °C in the south; in coastal areas it is noticeably warmer. Annual precipitation ranges from 450 mm in the northeast to 1000 mm in the southwest.

Hydrological regime. The river flow is about 400 km 3 per year. Up to 70% of the flow comes from the Yukon (176 km 3), Anadyr (50 km 3), and Kuskokwim (41 km 3) rivers, with more than 85% of the flow occurring in spring and summer. Compared to the volume of the sea, the amount of fresh water flow is small, but river waters come mainly to the northern regions of the sea, leading in summer to a noticeable desalination of the surface layer. The peculiarities of the hydrological regime are determined by limited water exchange with the Arctic Ocean, relatively free connection with the Pacific Ocean, continental runoff and desalination of water when ice melts. Exchange with the Chukchi Sea is difficult due to the small cross-sectional area of ​​the Bering Strait (3.4 km 2, average depth above the threshold 39 m). Numerous straits connecting the Bering Sea with the Pacific Ocean have a cross-section with a total area of ​​730 km 2 and depths of over 4000 m (Kamchatka Strait), which contributes to good water exchange with Pacific waters.

In the structure of the Bering Sea, four water masses are mainly distinguished in the deep-sea part: surface, subsurface intermediate cold, intermediate Pacific warm and deep. Salinity changes with depth are small. Both intermediate water masses are absent only near the Aleutian Islands. In certain parts of the Bering Sea, in particular in coastal areas, other water masses are formed depending on local conditions.

Bering Sea surface currents form a counterclockwise gyre, which is significantly influenced by prevailing winds. Along the coast of Alaska to the north follows the Bering Sea branch of the warm Kuroshio currents, which partially leaves through the Bering Strait and, receiving the cold waters of the Chukchi Sea, moves along the Asian coast to the south and forms the cold Kamchatka Current, which intensifies in the summer. The speed of constant currents in the open sea is low, about 6 cm/s; in the straits the speed increases to 25-50 cm/s. In coastal areas, circulation is complicated by periodic tidal currents, reaching 100-200 cm/s in the straits. Tides in the Bering Sea are irregular semidiurnal, irregular diurnal and regular diurnal, their character and magnitude vary greatly from place to place. The average tide height is 1.5-2.0 m, the highest - 3.7 m - is observed in Bristol Bay.

The surface water temperature in February varies from -1.5 °C in the north to 3 °C in the south, in August, respectively, from 4-8 °C to 9-11 °C. Salinity surface waters in winter from 32.0‰ in the north to 33.5‰ in the south, in summer, under the influence of melting ice and river runoff, salinity decreases, especially in coastal areas, where it reaches 28‰, in the open part of the sea, respectively, from 31.0‰ in the north to 33‰ in the south. The northern and northeastern parts of the sea are covered with ice every year. The first ice appears in September in the Bering Strait, in the northwest - in October and gradually spreads to the south. During winter, the Bering Sea to 60° north latitude is covered heavy ice. All ice forms and melts in the Bering Sea. Only a small portion of sea ice is carried through the Bering Strait into the Chukchi Sea and by the Kamchatka Current into the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The ice cover collapses and melts in May - June.

History of the study. The Bering Sea is named after the captain-commander of the Russian fleet V. Bering, whose name is associated with the discoveries of the Bering Strait, Aleutian and Commander Islands in the 1st half of the 18th century. The modern name was introduced into use in the 1820s by V. M. Golovnin. Previously called Anadyrsky, Bobrovy, Kamchatsky. The first geographical discoveries of the coasts, islands, peninsulas and straits of the Bering Sea were made Russian explorers, fur traders and sailors at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries. Comprehensive studies of the Bering Sea were carried out especially intensively by Russian naval sailors, hydrographers and naturalists until the 1870s. Before the sale of Russian America (1867), the entire coast of the Bering Sea was part of the possession of the Russian Empire.

Economic use. There are about 240 species of fish in the Bering Sea, of which at least 35 are commercial species. Fishing is carried out for cod, flounder, halibut, Pacific perch, herring, and salmon. Kamchatka crab and shrimp are caught. Inhabited by walruses, sea lions, and sea otters. On the Commander and Aleutian Islands there are fur seal rookeries. The open sea is home to baleen whales, sperm whales, beluga whales and killer whales. On the rocky shores there are bird colonies. The Bering Sea is of great transport importance as part of the Northern Sea Route. Main ports- Anadyr, Provideniya (Russia), Nome (USA).

The ecological state of the Bering Sea is consistently satisfactory. The concentration of pollutants increases in river mouths, bays, and ports, which leads to a slight reduction in the size of aquatic organisms in coastal areas.

Lit.: Dobrovolsky A.D., Zalogin B.S. Seas of the USSR. M., 1982; Bogdanov N.A. Tectonics of deep-sea basins of marginal seas. M., 1988; Zalogin B.S., Kosarev A.N. Seas. M., 1999; Dynamics of ecosystems of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. M., 2000.