Why is the East Siberian Sea so called. East-Siberian Sea
November 26, 20061. ARCTIC OCEAN…………………………………………….3
2. EAST SIBERIAN SEA………………………………………………4
2.1. Shores………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.2. Bottom structure…………………………………………………………………………6
2.3. Characteristic climate……………………………………………………………7
2.4. Hydrological regime……………………………………………………..9
2.5. Ice regime………………………………………………………………13
2.6. Biology…………………………………………………………………………14
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………….15
1. THE ARCTIC OCEAN.
The Arctic Ocean is small compared to other parts of the World Ocean: its area is about 13.1 million km 2 (3.6% of the area of the World Ocean). Nevertheless, the practical and scientific significance of research in the Arctic Ocean is very great. The shortest, but also one of the most difficult sea route in terms of ice conditions, runs through it. In addition, it serves as the only sea route to supply the booming industry of Siberia.
Due to its remoteness, harsh climate, and permanent ice cover, the Arctic Ocean has proven to be the least explored of the oceans. By the end of the 19th century almost all of its coastline was mapped in some detail, but most of the ocean itself remained unexplored. The northern tip of Greenland and the group of islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago were completely unexplored. Geographers did not have a single point of view regarding the distribution of land and sea. Some scientists, including the German geographer Petermann, believed that Greenland stretched across North Pole to Wrangel Land (now Wrangel Island); others believed that the central polar region was composed of numerous islands separated by shallow areas.
During the expedition on the ship Jeannette (1879-1881) it was found that Fr. Wrangel is not adjacent to Greenland. In 1893-1896. Nansen's ship "Fram" drifted with multi-year ice through the Arctic Basin (A. b.) from the Novosibirsk Islands to Spitsbergen. Analysis of the data of eleven measurements of the depths made during this drift showed that the depth of A. b. in this area varies from 3400 to 4000 m. So for the first time it was established that at least part of A. b. occupies a deep basin.
The Arctic Ocean is also interesting from a hydrometeorological point of view. In the North European Basin, there is the most powerful center on Earth of "isoanomalous overheating" of the atmosphere due to the heat of the ocean, the effect of which on atmospheric processes and climatic conditions manifest up to Baikal. The Arctic Ocean, especially its Arctic Basin, plays the role of one of the planetary "sinks" of heat both in the atmosphere and in the ocean.
2. EAST SIBERIAN SEA
The East Siberian Sea is located between the New Siberian Islands and about. Wrangel. Its western border is the eastern border of the Laptev Sea, it runs from the point of intersection of the meridian of the northern tip of about. Boiler house with the edge of the continental shoal (79°N, 139°E) to the northern tip of this island (Cape Anisii), then along the eastern shores of the New Siberian Islands to Cape Svyatoy Nos (Dmitry Laptev Strait). The northern boundary runs along the edge of the continental shelf from the point with coordinates 79°N. sh., 139 ° in. to the point with coordinates 76° N. latitude, 180° east etc., and the eastern border - from the point with these coordinates along the meridian 180 ° to about. Wrangel, then along its northwestern coast to Cape Blossom and further to Cape Yakan on the mainland. The southern border runs along the mainland coast from Cape Yakan to Cape Svyatoy Nos.
The East Siberian Sea belongs to the type of continental marginal seas. Its area is 913 thousand km 2, volume - 49 thousand km 3, average depth - 54 m, maximum depth - 915 m, i.e. this sea lies entirely on the continental shelf.
2.1. Shores.
The coastline of the East Siberian Sea forms rather large bends, in some places going into the land, in some places protruding into the sea, but there are also areas with a flat coastline. Small meanders are usually confined to the mouths of small rivers.
The landscapes of the western part of the coast of the East Siberian Sea differ sharply from the eastern part. In the section from the New Siberian Islands to the mouth of the Kolyma, the coasts are very low and monotonous. Here the swampy tundra approaches the sea. To the east of the mouth of the Kolyma, beyond Cape Bolshoy Baranov, the coast becomes mountainous. From the mouth of the Kolyma to about. Aion directly to the water approach low hills, abruptly breaking off in some places. The Chaun Bay is framed by low, but steep, even banks. Different in relief and structure, the coast of the sea in different areas refers to different morphological types of coasts.
Suspended precipitation carried by rivers causes a change in depths in coastal areas and the formation of bars in the mouths of rivers. The Indigirka River carries out 16.7 million tons of suspended sediments per year, the Kolyma - 8.3 million tons. The liquid runoff of the Kolyma is 132 * 10 3 m 3 / year.
As a result of the warming effect of river waters on the adjacent coastal areas, intense thermal abrasion of the estuarine sections of the coast occurs. According to available data, the rate of abrasion ranges from 1-5 to 10-15m/year.
Where the coast is composed of bedrock (the region of Cape Baranov and Cape Shelagsky, the western coast of Wrangel Island, etc.), a denudation type of coast is usually developed, since the impact of waves is weakened and physical weathering processes predominate. Accumulative shores with wide sand and pebble bars separating chains of lagoons are found on the southern coast of the Long Strait.
2.2. Bottom structure.
The underwater relief of the shelf that forms the bed of the sea, in general terms, is a plain, very slightly inclined from the southwest to the northeast. The bottom of the sea has no noticeable depressions and hills. Depths up to 20-25 m predominate. The area of shallow depths in the western part of the sea forms the Novosibirsk shoal. The greatest depths are concentrated in the northeastern part of the sea. A noticeable increase in depth occurs in the horizon from 100 to 200 m.
Most of the sea floor is covered with a thin sedimentary cover. In the Tertiary period and at the beginning of the Quaternary, the bottom surface was an almost flat plain, composed of alluvium of the ancient river systems of the paleo-Indigirka and paleo-Kolyma, traces of which can still be discerned on the seabed. Most of the archipelagos and individual islands found in the shelf area are composed of rocks of this basement (Medvezhiy, Rautan, Shalaurova Islands, part of Ayon Island, etc.). In the region of the De Long Islands and in the northern part of the sea, there is the so-called Hyperborean platform (according to Shatsky). Aeromagnetic surveys confirm the presence in this area of a solid crystalline basement, overlapped and bordered by Mesozoic rocks, in places crumpled into folds.
The bottom sediments of the shelf consist mainly of sandy silt containing crushed boulders and pebbles; some of them are fragments of rocks about. Wrangel or other islands brought by ice.
2.3. Characteristic climate.
Located in high latitudes, the East Siberian Sea is located in the zone of atmospheric influences of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Cyclones of Atlantic origin (although rarely) penetrate into the western part of the sea, and Pacific cyclones penetrate into the eastern regions. The climate of the East Siberian Sea is polar maritime, but with signs of continentality.
In winter, the main influence on the sea is exerted by the spur of the Siberian High, which goes to the coast, and the crest of the polar anticyclone is weakly expressed. In this regard, south-westerly and southerly winds prevail over the sea at a speed of 6-7 m/s. They bring cold air from the continent, so the average monthly air temperature in January is about -28-30°. In winter, there is calm, clear weather, which on some days is disturbed by cyclonic intrusions. Atlantic cyclones in the west of the sea cause increased winds and some warming, while Pacific cyclones, which have cold continental air in the rear, only increase wind speed, cloudiness and cause snowstorms in the southeastern part of the sea. In mountainous areas of the coast, the passage of Pacific cyclones is associated with the formation of a local wind - foehn. It usually reaches storm strength, causing some increase in temperature and a decrease in air humidity.
In summer, the pressure over the mainland of Asia is lowered, and over the sea it is increased, so the northerly winds prevail. At the beginning of the season they are very weak, but during the summer their speed gradually increases, reaching an average of 6-7 m/s. By the end of summer Western part The East Siberian Sea is becoming one of the most turbulent sections of the Northern Sea Route. Often the wind blows at a speed of 10-15 m/s. The strengthening of the wind here is associated with hair dryers. The southeastern part of the sea is much calmer. Steady northern and northeastern winds cause low air temperature. The average July temperature is 0-1 ° in the north of the sea and 2-3 e in coastal areas. AT summer time over the East Siberian Sea, the weather is mostly cloudy with light drizzling rain, sometimes it is sleet.
In autumn, there are almost no heat returns, which is explained by the remoteness of the sea from the oceanic centers of atmospheric action and their weak influence on atmospheric processes. Relatively cold summers throughout the sea, stormy weather at the end of summer and especially in autumn in the marginal regions of the sea, and calm in its central part are the characteristic climatic features of the sea. The speed of northwestern and northeastern winds often reaches 20-25 m/s. They cause waves up to 4-5 m high. Western winds contribute to the formation of a warm current going eastward from the Kolyma region. It is this warm current that clears the Long Strait of ice. Away from the coast, storm wind speeds often reach 40-45 m/s.
Most the sea is covered with ice. In its eastern part, floating ice often remains close to the coast even in summer. Observations carried out at high-latitude stations showed that the direction of ice drift depends on the distribution of atmospheric pressure. In winter, when a high pressure area develops near the pole, the anticyclonic (clockwise) circulation of water increases, which forces the ice to drift in a northwesterly direction. The average daily ice drift speed is 3-8 km.
When the polar anticyclone weakens, the area of cyclonic water circulation expands, which prevents the removal of ice from the area and, conversely, favors the inflow of multi-year ice from high latitudes and the accumulation of ice in the Long Strait.
2.4. hydrological regime.
The annual precipitation is 100-200 mm, and the river runoff, unlike the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea, is not very large. Several significant rivers flow into the East Siberian Sea, the largest of which is the river. Kolyma. Its annual runoff is 132 km3. The second largest runoff river. Indigirka brings 59 km 3 of water. The total continental runoff to the East Siberian Sea is about 250 km 3 /year, which is only 10% of the total river runoff to all Arctic seas. All river water enters the southern part of the sea, and approximately 90% of the runoff falls, as in other Arctic seas, during the summer months.
Given the very vast size of the East Siberian Sea, coastal runoff does not significantly affect its general hydrological regime, but only determines some hydrological features of coastal areas in summer. High latitudes, free communication with the Central Arctic Basin, high ice coverage and low river flow determine the main features of the hydrological conditions of the East Siberian Sea.
The current system of the East Siberian Sea has been poorly studied. The general circulation of the sea waters is cyclonic in nature. From the Sannikov and Dmitry Laptev straits, water moves along the coast to the east. Near about. Wrangel part of the current turns to the north, continuing to move counterclockwise, and the other part passes to the east through the strait. Long (between Wrangel Island and the continental coast). The northward current is drawn into the Transarctic Current, turning to the northwest. Along eastern shores New Siberian Islands, apparently, there is a current directed to the south and closing the cyclonic circulation.
Due to the shallow water and the absence of deep trenches extending beyond the northern limits of the East Siberian Sea, the vast majority of its spaces from the surface to the bottom are occupied by surface Arctic waters. Only in relatively limited estuarine areas is a kind of water formed as a result of mixing river and sea waters. It is characterized by high temperature and low salinity.
Constant currents on the surface of the East Siberian Sea form a weakly expressed cyclonic circulation. Along the mainland coast, there is a steady transfer of water from west to east. At Cape Billing, part of the waters is directed to the north and northwest and carried to the northern margins of the sea, where it is included in the streams going to the west. In different synoptic situations, the movement of waters also changes. Part of the water from the East Siberian Sea is carried out through the Long Strait into the Chukchi Sea. Permanent currents are often disturbed by wind currents, which are often stronger than permanent currents. The influence of tidal currents is relatively small.
Tides. Regular semidiurnal tides are observed in the East Siberian Sea. They are caused by a tidal wave that enters the sea from the north and moves towards the coast of the mainland. Its front is stretched from the north-north-west to the east-south-east from the New Siberian Islands to about. Wrangel.
The tides are most pronounced in the north and northwest. As they move south, they weaken, as the ocean tidal wave is largely damped in the vast shallow water. Thus, in the section from Indigirka to Cape Shelagsky, tidal level fluctuations are almost not noticeable. To the west and east of this area, the tide is also small - 5-7 cm. At the mouth of the Indigirka, the configuration of the banks and the bottom topography contribute to an increase in tides to 20-25 cm. Level changes caused by meteorological reasons are much more developed on the coast of the mainland.
The annual course of the level is characterized by its highest position in June - July, when there is an abundant inflow of river waters. The decrease in continental runoff in August leads to a decrease in the level by 50-70 cm. As a result of the predominance of surge winds in autumn, in October, the level rises.
In winter, the level drops and in March - April reaches its lowest position.
AT summer season surge phenomena are very pronounced, in which level fluctuations are often 60-70 cm. At the mouth of the Kolyma and in the Dmitry Laptev Strait, they reach maximum values for the entire sea - 2.5 m. characteristic features coastal areas of the sea.
Significant waves develop in the ice-free areas of the sea. It is strongest during stormy northwestern and southeastern winds, which have the largest accelerations over the surface of clear water. The maximum wave heights reach 5 m, usually their height is 3-4 m. Strong waves are observed mainly in late summer - early autumn (September), when the ice edge recedes to the north. The western part of the sea is more stormy than the eastern one. Its central regions are relatively calm.
Water temperature on the surface in all seasons generally decreases from south to north. In winter, it is close to the freezing point and is equal to -0.2-0.6° near the mouths of the rivers, and 1.7-1.8° near the northern borders of the sea. In summer, the distribution of surface temperature is determined by the ice conditions. The water temperature in bays and bays reaches 7-8°, in open, ice-free areas 2-3°, and near the ice edge it is close to 0°.
The change in water temperature with depth in winter and spring is hardly noticeable. Only near the mouth major rivers it drops to -0.5° in the subglacial horizons and to -1.5° near the bottom. In summer, in free ottold spaces, the water temperature drops slightly from the surface to the bottom in the coastal zone in the west of the sea. In its eastern part, surface temperature is observed in the 3-5 m layer, from where it drops sharply to 5-7 m horizons and then gradually decreases to the bottom. In the zones of influence of coastal runoff, a uniform temperature covers a layer up to 7-10 m, between horizons of 10-20 m it sharply, and then gradually decreases to the bottom. The shallow, slightly warm East Siberian Sea is one of the coldest Arctic seas.
Salinity on the surface generally increases from southwest to northeast. In winter and spring it is 4 -5°/00 near the mouths of the Kolyma and Indigirka, reaches values of 24-26°/00 near the Bear Islands, increases to 28-30°/00 in central regions sea and rises to 31-32 ° / 00 on its northern outskirts. In summer, as a result of the inflow of river waters and the melting of ice, the surface salinity decreases to 18-22°/00 in the coastal zone, 20-22°/00 near the Bear Islands, to 24 - 26 ° / 00 in the north, at the edge of melting ice.
In winter, in most of the sea, salinity slightly increases from the surface to the bottom. Only in the northwestern region, where ocean waters penetrate from the north, salinity increases from 23°/00 in the upper layer 10-15 m thick to 30°/00 near the bottom. Near the mouth areas, the upper desalinated layer up to horizons of 10-15 m is underlain by more saline waters. From the end of spring and during summer, a desalinated layer 20–25 m thick forms on ice-free spaces, under which salinity increases with depth. Consequently, in shallow areas (down to depths of 10-20 and even up to 25 m), freshening covers the entire water column. In deeper areas in the north and east of the sea, at horizons of 5-10 m, and in some places 10-15 m, salinity increases sharply, and then gradually and slightly rises to the bottom.
In the autumn-winter season, the density of water is higher than in spring and summer. The density is greater in the north and east than in the west of the sea, where desalinated waters from the Laptev Sea penetrate. However, these differences are small. Generally density increases with depth. Its vertical distribution is similar to the course of salinity.
The different degree of water overstratification creates different conditions for the development of mixing in different areas of the East Siberian Sea. In relatively weakly stratified and ice-free spaces, strong winds in summer mix water up to 20-25 m horizons. Consequently, in areas limited by a depth of 25 m, wind mixing extends to the bottom. In places of sharp stratification of waters in density, wind mixing penetrates only to horizons of 10-15 m, where it is limited by significant vertical density gradients.
Autumn-winter convection in the East Siberian Sea at depths of 40-50 m, which occupy more than 70% of its entire area, penetrates to the bottom. By the end of the cold season, the winter vertical circulation extends to horizons of 70-80 m, where it is limited by the great vertical stability of the waters.
2.5. Ice regime
The East Siberian Sea is the most arctic of the seas of the Soviet Arctic. From October - November to June - July it is completely covered with ice. At this time, the flow of ice from the Arctic Basin to the sea prevails, in contrast to other seas of the Arctic, where outward ice drift prevails. A characteristic feature of the ice of the East Siberian Sea is the significant development of fast ice in winter. At the same time, it is most widely distributed in the western, shallow part of the sea and occupies a narrow coastal strip in the east of the sea. In the west of the sea, the width of fast ice reaches 400-500 km. Here it joins the fast ice of the Laptev Sea. In the central regions its width is 250-300 km and to the east of Cape Shelagsky - 30-40 km. The fast ice boundary approximately coincides with the 25 km isobath, which runs 50 km north of the New Siberian Islands, then turns to the southeast, approaching the coast of the mainland near Cape Shelagsky. By the end of winter, the thickness of fast ice reaches 2 m. From west to east, the thickness of fast ice decreases. Drifting ice is located behind the fast ice. Usually this is one-year and two-year ice 2-3 m thick. In the very north of the sea, multi-year Arctic ice is found. The prevailing southerly winds in winter often carry drifting ice away from the northern edge of the fast ice. As a result of this, significant areas of clear water and young ice appear, forming in the west the Novosibirsk and in the east the Zavrangelev stationary ice polynyas.
At the beginning of summer, after the breakup and destruction of fast ice, the position of the ice edge is determined by the action of winds and currents. However, ice is always found north of the band about. Wrangel - New Siberian Islands. In the western part of the sea, on the site of extensive fast ice, the Novosibirsk ice massif is being formed. It consists mainly of first-year ice and usually breaks up by the end of summer. The vast majority of space in the east of the sea is occupied by the spur of the Ayon oceanic ice mass, which largely forms heavy multi-year ice. Its southern periphery during the whole year almost adjoins the coast of the mainland, determining the ice situation in the sea.
2.6. Biology.
The flora and fauna of the East Siberian Sea are qualitatively poor compared to neighboring seas, mainly due to severe ice conditions. However, in the areas of the mouths of the rivers, in addition to the omul, whitefish and grayling, there are large schools of white fish. (coregonidae). Other fish species have also been found there, which include polar smelt, saffron cod, polar cod, polar flounder and salmon fish: arctic char and nelma. Mammals are represented by walruses, seals and polar bears, birds - guillemots, sea gulls, cormorants. Cold-loving brackish-water forms are found in the central regions. Fishing is of local importance.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Bogdanov D.V. Oceans and seas on the eve of the XXI century. – M.: Nauka, 1991. – 128 p.
2. Sukhovey F.S. Seas of the oceans. - L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1986. - 288 p.
3. Oceanographic encyclopedia.- L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1974. - 632 p.
4. Zalogin B. S., Kosarev A. N. Seas. - M.: Thought, 1999. - 400 p.
5. Nikiforov E. G., Shpayher A. O. Patterns of formation of large-scale fluctuations in the hydrological regime of the Arctic Ocean. - L .: Gidrometeoizdat, 1980. - 270 p.
It is called the most severe among all the northern seas, located at a large distance from the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The East Siberian Sea, washing the northern coast of Russia in the East, with all its shallow water, literally freezes.
The sea, marginal to the Arctic Ocean, is located along the northern coast of Eastern Siberia between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island, conditionally administrative coasts belong to Yakutia and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Most of it is outlined by conditional lines, and only from the side adjacent to Russia, nature has created its own borders. The total area of the sea is quite large: 944,600 sq. km, provided that you cannot call it deep (the average is 54 m).
The borders are considered to be at the points of intersection of the meridian with the islands of Kotelny, Wrangel and capes Anisy, Blossom, Yakan and Svyatoy Nos. There are practically no islands here, the entire coastline is deeply cut into the land or protrudes from the sea and forms large bends, small meanders lead to the mouths of the rivers.
As for nature coastline, then the eastern one is not at all like the western one. So, in the area of the New Siberian Islands and the mouth of the Kolyma, there is a tundra dotted with swamps, the relief is quite gentle and low, but closer to the island of Ayon, the coast takes on a mountainous landscape. Almost low mounds approach the banks of the water, in some places abruptly breaking off.
The underwater relief is flat and uniform throughout the territory. Only in some areas there is a depth of up to 25 m. Experts call them the remains of ancient river valleys.
Often this sea is called an important part of the trade route through which goods are transported to the northern regions of Eastern Siberia. The large port of Pevek operates here, and it carries out transit movements from the West to the East of the country.
(Sea trade and transport port of Pevek)
The East Siberian Sea can hardly be called a fishing hub in Russia. For the most part, sea animals are harvested here in the waters adjacent to land. locals European smelt, capelin, cod and herring are caught here. Near the mouths of the rivers, valuable whitefish, sturgeon and salmon are caught. However, this type of activity does not make a serious economic contribution to the development of the country and the region.
The largest share of the Arctic Ocean is occupied by the Arctic basin, by the nature of its bottom, half is shelf (the underwater margin of the mainland is called the shelf). The East Siberian Sea belongs precisely to its shelf half, and this determines a lot in it. The silt at its bottom is mixed with sand, crushed small stones, occasionally boulders are witnesses of the geological history of the sea. She continues. The bottom relief is almost even, with a slight slope from the southwest to the northeast, there are no seismic and volcanic centers, significant depressions or rises. Ideally, maps of the coasts of the East Siberian Sea should be corrected every year. The main part of the coast (in the west and in the center) is a swampy tundra, seized by permafrost. In recent decades, the permafrost layer has gradually become thinner and the coastline has changed its shape. The same applies to most of the islands, whose sandy soils are covered and punctuated by layers and fragments of fossil ice.
The most general characteristics location of the East Siberian Sea - between the New Siberian Islands and the island. Through the straits of Dmitry Laptev, Eterikan, Sannikov and the strait north of the island The boiler room (Anzhu archipelago) in the west is connected to the Laptev Sea, in the east - through the Long Strait - with. The conditional northern boundary coincides with the edge of the continental shelf. From the east, the boundary of the sea runs along the meridian of 180 ° east longitude to Wrangel Island, then along the northwestern coast of this island to Cape Blossom and along a conditional line connecting it with Cape Yakan on the Arctic coast of Chukotka. From the south, the coastal boundary of the sea extends from Cape Svyatoi Nos in the west to Cape Yakan.
Most of the year the sea is covered with ice, navigation is possible from August to October. The direction of ice drift depends on cyclonic processes in the atmosphere, which affects both the speed and direction of currents. In winter, a high-pressure area develops near the pole; in addition, cyclones from the Atlantic penetrate to the western margin of the sea, although occasionally, not too often, but into its eastern regions with Pacific Ocean more often than the Atlantic ones. Plus, the spur of the Siberian High (an extensive anticyclone), which goes to the coast and carries cold air from the continent, exerts its influence. In summer, ice drifts to the northwest at a speed of 3-8 km per day. The most ice-free space is formed by the end of summer in the western part of the sea, when the so-called Novosibirsk (named after the islands) fast ice in the eastern part melts. The ice that separates from the Ayon oceanic ice mass stays near the eastern shores of the sea, as a rule, all summer, receding to the north only near the mouths of the rivers with their warmer waters.
The sea acquired its current name only in 1935 at the suggestion of the Russian Geographical Society. Prior to that, it was called either Indigirsky or Kolyma. Due to the harsh climate, the flora and fauna of the sea itself and the earth's firmament in its region are not very diverse and lag behind even the neighboring seas. And yet, at the end of summer (the warmest period in the tundra), even daisies appear along the banks of the rivers. Among the ice, polar bears prey on the walruses and seals that live here, herds of reindeer roam the tundra, arctic foxes run, guillemots, gulls, and cormorants nest on the rocks. In the mouths of the rivers there are omul, whitefish, white salmon, polar smelt, salmon char and nelma, and other species. At the same time, it should be noted that the waters of the sea and the rivers flowing into it are primordially clean, pollution that is not critical for the environment is noted in the area of the Pevek port, where there are no treatment facilities yet, and the Chaun Bay. 
As for the history of human settlement of the shores of this sea, all the information here is based mainly on the theoretical calculation of the migration routes of the ancestors of the Evens, Evenks, Yakuts and Chukchi. Fantastic figures are called up to 3 million years ago. But another figure seems to be more reliable, supported by archaeological finds in the mainland of Yakutia - about 10 thousand years ago. Although the question is, did these people get to the ocean in prehistoric times? This is indirectly confirmed by rock carvings near Pevek, but their age has not yet been established.
Since the 17th century Kochi of Russian Cossacks went by sea. They were brave, experienced and gambling people, but also pragmatic, and they, of course, already knew something about the fur-bearing animals of these regions, and about placer deposits of gold and tin in Indigirka and Kolyma. There is a mythology that the Pomors walked on the "open water" near these shores as early as the 13th century, but there is no exact evidence of these events. Between the mouths of the Indigirka and the Kolyma, the Cossack Mikhailo Stadukhin was the first to sail in 1644 and founded the Nizhnekolymsky prison. In 1648, his assistant Semyon Dezhnev went from the mouth of the Kolyma and further through the Long Strait and to the Gulf of Anadyr, where he founded the city of Anadyr. The history of the discovery of the islands of the sea begins in 1712, when Mercury Vagin and Yakov Permyakov discovered the Big and Small Lyakhovsky Islands. During the Great Northern Expedition (1733-1743) the first maps of the sea were drawn up. In 1849, the Briton Henry Kellett discovered Wrangel Island (belonging to the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas) and named it after his ship - Herald. But in 1867, the American whaler Thomas Long gave him a different name: in honor of the Russian navigator Ferdinand Wrangel. Wrangel himself knew about the existence of the island from the Chukchi, but could not find it. The last of the archipelagos of the sea were the islands of de Long, as a result of the drift of the American schooner Jeannette with captain J. De Long. In 1878-1879, the Swede N. Nordenskiöld became the first navigator who, in 1875, managed to pass the Northern by sea along the entire coast of Asia (with one wintering). At the beginning of the XX century. the sea was studied by geologist K. A. Vollosovich (1900-1901) and hydrographer G. Ya. Sedov (1909), as well as a hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean on the icebreakers Vaigach and Taimyr (1911-1915). For the first time in one navigation, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) was passed by the expedition of O. Yu. Schmidt in 1932 on the icebreaking steamer Sibiryakov, transport transportation began in 1935 nuclear icebreakers series "Arctic".
The first port of the East Siberian Sea was Ambarchik. In 1932, “enemies of the people”, mostly former “kulaks”, were brought here along the Kolyma from Vladivostok. In 1935, several thousand people already lived here, however, the word “lived” in this case is not entirely accurate, it was not a village, but a camp of Dalstroy, an industrial division of the Gulag. In 1935, the most important hydrometeorological station for monitoring this region of the Arctic was opened here. And a transit prison for the repressed. ... And here is the evidence of 2011. Six people live at the station, the port no longer exists, although ships sometimes anchor in the Ambarchik Bay. There are still some ruins of the Gulag era, entangled in rusty barbed wire, but the modest monument to the victims of repressions has not been abandoned. The port of Pevek was built in 1951, by the same forces, a city developed around it. But the economic cataclysms of the last 20 years have also affected him, work has become less and less, life is becoming more expensive, the city's infrastructure is getting worse. And, of course, people leave. However, Pevek still has prospects. First, it works in conjunction with the port Green Cape in Kolyma, which gives room for maneuver, secondly, it has deep-sea berths, and most importantly, a program for the industrial development of Chukotka until 2020 has been adopted, and the development of significant gold deposits of Maiskoye and Kupol has begun.
general information
A sea in northeastern Russia, located entirely above the Arctic Circle, in the Arctic Basin of the Arctic Ocean.
Location: between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island.
Major bays: Chaun Bay, Kolyma Bay, Omulyakh Bay.
Major flowing rivers: Kolyma, Indigirka, Alazeya, Big Chukochya.
Major islands: Novosibirsk, Bear, Aion Island.
The most important port: Pevek, 130 km from the mouth of the Kolyma, near the village of Chersky, is the port of Zeleny Mys.
Numbers
Area: 913,000 km2.
Volume: 49,000 km3.
Average depth: 54 m.
Water temperature in summer: from +4°С to +8°С (near river mouths), to 0°С and -1°С (in the open sea).
Water temperature in winter: from -1.2°C to -1.8°C.
Salinity: from 5-10% ° in the south to 30% ° in the north.
The area of water freshened by rivers is more than 36% of total area seas.
More than 70% of the sea basin has average depths (about 50 m).
Tides - up to 0.3 m, semi-diurnal.
Annual runoff of river waters: about 250 km 3 .
Economy
Part of the Northern Sea Route.
Fishing in the mouths of rivers.
Fishing walrus, seal in the sea.
Climate and weather
Arctic.
January average temperature: 30°C.
July average temperature:+2°С.
Average annual rainfall: 200 mm.
Attractions
■ Wrangel Island Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site;
■ Pevek: Chaun Regional Museum of Local Lore, rock paintings on the banks of the Pegtylil River;
■ Ambarchik: monument to the victims of repressions; in the Ambarchik Bay - a memorial sign "Wind Rose" in honor of G.Ya. Sedov.
Curious facts
■ Kochs of Russian coast-dwellers were first described by the British in the 16th century. The bottom, as well as the cut bow and stern, saved these wooden ships from being squeezed by ice. Kochi XVI-XVII centuries. were about 20 m long and about 6 m wide on average, could carry up to 40 tons of cargo. During the day they covered 150-200 km, while the English ships - about 120 km. A small draft - up to 2 m - made it possible to transport the kochi by land or ice by dragging, to walk on them in shallow water. The design features of the koche were first used by Fridtjof Nansen when creating his Fram, on which in 1893-1912. made three expeditions. Admiral S. O. Makarov, developing the design of the world's first icebreaker of the Arctic class "Ermak" in 1897, on the advice of Nansen, also applied the shipbuilding ideas of the Pomors. They are also used in modern icebreakers.
■ Passing Cape Stolbovoy on a rocky island near the Ambarchik Bay, all ships give a long horn when they see the three-meter metal sign "Wind Rose", installed in 1977 in memory of the polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov (1877-1914). Sedov is one of the prototypes of Ivan Tatarinov in V. Kaverin's novel "Two Captains", along with Robert Scott, Georgy Brusilov and Vladimir Rusanov.
■ Pomors before going to sea always turned to him with a prayer, calling him "father". And they never talked about a comrade who died on a campaign, "drowned" or "died", only like this: "the sea took."
The East Siberian Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. The name was given at the suggestion of Yu.M. The eastern boundary of the sea passes through Wrangel Island and the Long Strait. In the north from the northernmost point of Wrangel to Henrietta, Jeannette Island and further to the northern point of Kotelny Island. The southern border runs along the coast of the mainland from Cape Svyatoi Nos in the west to Cape Yakan in the east. The sea is connected by straits with the Chukchi Sea and the Laptev Sea. It connects with the Laptev Sea through the Sannikov, Eterikan and Dmitry Laptev straits. It connects with the Chukchi Sea through the Long Strait. The area of the sea is about 940 thousand sq. km. This sea is completely located on the shelf, as a result of which its bottom is a plain, gradually lowering to the north. The depth is small and averages about 55 m. The shores are indented by bays (Kolyma Bay, Omulyakhskaya and Chaunskaya bays). West Coast the mainland is gently sloping, the eastern one is mountainous with cliffs. A few islands form groups: the New Siberian Islands, the Bear Islands, the Shalaurov Islands. Some islands are collapsing as they are made entirely of sand and ice. Rivers flowing into the sea: Indigirka, Lapcha, Khroma, Kolyma, Alazeya, etc.
Climate of the East Siberian Sea
The climate is arctic, influenced by air masses two oceans: the Pacific and the Atlantic. In winter, southwestern and southern winds blow, carrying cold air from Siberia, therefore average temperature in winter is -30 degrees Celsius. They blow in the summer northern winds, and the air temperature is 0-1 degrees Celsius in the open sea and 2-3 degrees Celsius on the coast. The sky is cloudy with frequent rain and sleet. The coast is covered with fog, it can last up to 70 days. The annual rainfall is 200 mm.
wind regime
In winter, the Siberian maximum determines the predominance of southwestern and southern winds, the speed of which reaches 6 - 7 m/s. These winds move from the continent and therefore contribute to the spread of cold air. Winds bring storms with waves 3-5 meters high in the western part of the sea region, and in the east it is relatively calm. Storms usually last 1-2 days in summer and 3-5 days in winter.
Atlantic cyclones, which prevail in the western part of the sea, contribute to increased wind and temperature rise. Pacific cyclones, which dominate the southeastern part of the sea, bring strong winds, snowstorms and cloudy weather. On the coasts with a mountainous landscape, the Pacific cyclone contributes to the formation of a strong wind - foehn. As a result of this storm wind, the temperature rises, while the humidity of the air becomes less. In summer, high pressure zones form over the sea, and low pressure zones over land. In this regard, the winds blow mainly from the north. At the beginning of the warm season, the winds are not yet gaining sufficient strength, but by the middle of summer their average speed is 6-7 m/s. By the end of summer, the western part of the sea turns into zones of strong storms. At this time, this section becomes the most dangerous along the entire route of the Northern Sea Route. Very often the wind speed reaches 10 - 15 m/s. Such strong winds are not observed in the southeastern part of the sea. The wind speed here can only increase in connection with the hair dryers.
Air temperature
The average temperature in January is about -28 - 30°C. In winter, the weather is mostly clear. Constant winds of northern and northeastern directions contribute to the preservation of low air temperatures.
In summer, in the northern part of the sea, the average July temperature is about 0 - +1°C, in coastal areas the temperature is slightly higher than +2 - 3°C. The decrease in temperature in the northern part of the sea is affected by the influence of Arctic ice. In the southern part of the sea, proximity to a warm mainland contributes to an increase in temperature. In autumn, the influence of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans weakens, resulting in a decrease in air temperature. Thus, the East Siberian Sea is characterized by a cold summer; unstable windy weather in the western and eastern regions of the sea in the summer-autumn period.
Water temperature
Sea water temperatures are low, in the north they are close to −1.8°C both in winter and summer. To the south, in summer, the temperature rises in the upper layers to 5 C. At the edge of the ice fields, the temperature is 1-2 C. The maximum water temperature reaches the end of summer in the mouths of the rivers. In general, water surface temperatures decrease from south to north. In winter, in river deltas, it is -0.2 and -0.6 degrees Celsius. And in the northern part of the sea it drops to -1.8 degrees Celsius. In summer, in the bays, the water warms up to 7-8 degrees Celsius, and in ice-free sea areas it is 2-3 degrees Celsius.
The change in water temperature with depth in winter and spring is hardly noticeable. Only near the mouths of large rivers does it decrease to -0.5° in the subglacial horizons and to -1.5° near the bottom. In summer, in ice-free spaces, the water temperature drops slightly from the surface to the bottom in the coastal zone in the west of the sea. In its eastern part, the surface temperature is observed in the 3-5 m layer, from where it drops sharply to 5-7 m horizons and then gradually decreases to the bottom. In the zones of influence of coastal runoff, a uniform temperature covers a layer up to 7-10 m, between horizons of 10-20 m it sharply, and then gradually decreases to the bottom.
In general, the shallow, slightly warm East Siberian Sea is one of the coldest Arctic seas.
Salinity of water
The salinity of the water is different in the western and eastern parts seas. In the eastern part of the sea near the surface, it is usually about 30 ppm. River runoff in the eastern part of the sea leads to a decrease in salinity to 10-15 ppm, and in the mouths of large rivers to almost zero. Near ice fields, salinity increases to 30 ppm. With depth, salinity rises to 32 ppm.
In surface waters, salinity increases from the southwest to the northeast. In the area of river deltas in winter and spring it is 4-5 ppm. In open waters it reaches 28-30 ppm, and in the north up to 31-32 ppm. In summer, salinity decreases by 5% due to snowmelt.
Ice regime
Almost the whole year the sea is covered with ice. The thickness of the ice by the end of winter reaches 2 meters and decreases from west to east.
In the eastern part of the sea, floating perennial ice (up to 2-3 meters thick) remains even in summer. From the coast, they can be driven north by winds from the mainland.
Ice drifts in a northwesterly direction as a result of water circulation under the influence of anticyclones near the pole. After the weakening of the anticyclone, the area of cyclonic circulation increases and multi-year ice enters the sea.
The melting of ice begins in May from the delta of the Kolyma River. In summer, the coastal part in the west is freed from ice, in the east, floating ice floes are characteristic.
The sea freezes completely in October-November.
Hydrochemical conditions
The characteristic features of the hydrochemical conditions of the East Siberian Sea illustrate the content and distribution of oxygen and phosphates in it. In autumn and winter, the waters of the East Siberian Sea are well aerated. Relative oxygen content over time
The East Siberian Sea belongs to the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded from the west by the New Siberian Islands, and from the east by Wrangel Island. This reservoir is the least studied in comparison with other northern seas. These places are characterized by a cold climate with poor flora and fauna and low salinity of sea water.
Sea currents are slow, tides reach no more than 25 cm. Frequent fogs are observed in summer, the ice stays almost all year round, it recedes only in August-September. The sea coast was inhabited thousands of years ago by the Chukchi and Yukagirs, and then by the Evenks and Evens. These peoples were engaged in hunting, fishing and reindeer herding. Later, the Yakuts appeared, and then the Russians.
East Siberian Sea on the map
Geography
The area of the water surface of the East Siberian Sea is 942 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water reaches 60.7 thousand cubic meters. km. The average depth is 45 meters, and the maximum is 155 meters. The length of the coastline is 3016 km. The western boundary of the reservoir passes through the New Siberian Islands. The northernmost of these is Henrietta Island, part of the De Long Islands group.
The eastern border passes through Wrangel Island and the Long Strait. In the north from the northernmost point of Wrangel to Henrietta, Jeannette Island and further to the northern point of Kotelny Island. The southern border runs along the coast of the mainland from Cape Svyatoi Nos in the west to Cape Yakan in the east. The reservoir connects with the Laptev Sea through the Sannikov, Eterikan and Dmitry Laptev straits. And communication with the Chukchi Sea is carried out through the Long Strait.
Rivers and bays
The most important rivers flowing into the reservoir are the Indigirka with a length of 1726 km, the Kolyma with a length of 2129 km, the Chaun with a length of 205 km, the Pegtymel with a length of 345 km, the Bolshaya Chukochya with a length of 758 km, and the Alazeya with a length of 1590 km.
On the coast there are bays such as Chaunskaya Bay, Omulyakhskaya Bay, Goose Bay, Khromskaya Bay, Kolyma Bay. All these bays run deep into the land. There is also the Kolyma Bay, bounded from the north by the Bear Islands: Krestovsky, Pushkareva, Leontiev, Lysova, Andreev and Chetyrekhstolbovoy.
The river flow is small and amounts to 250 cubic meters. km per year. Of these, the Kolyma River gives 132 cubic meters. km of water. Indigirka discharges 59 cubic meters into the East Siberian Sea. km of water. 90% of the total runoff occurs during the summer period. Fresh water concentrated near the shore due to a weak current and does not have a significant impact on the hydrology of the reservoir. But there is water exchange with neighboring seas and the Arctic Ocean.
The surface temperature of the water decreases from south to north. In winter, in river deltas, it is -0.2 and -0.6 degrees Celsius. And in the northern part of the sea it drops to -1.8 degrees Celsius. In summer, in the bays, the water warms up to 7-8 degrees Celsius, and in ice-free sea areas it is 2-3 degrees Celsius.
The salinity of surface waters increases from the southwest to the northeast. In the area of river deltas in winter and spring it is 4-5 ppm. In open waters it reaches 28-30 ppm, and in the north up to 31-32 ppm. In summer, salinity decreases by 5% due to snowmelt.
The annual fluctuation in the level of the East Siberian Sea is 70 cm due to summer river flows. Winds bring storms with waves 3-5 meters high in the western part of the sea region, and in the east it is relatively calm. Storms usually last 1-2 days in summer and 3-5 days in winter.
The thickness of the ice by the end of winter reaches 2 meters and decreases from west to east. In addition, there are drifting ice floes with a thickness of 2-3 meters. The melting of ice begins in May from the delta of the Kolyma River. And completely the reservoir freezes in October-November.
Climate
The climate is arctic. In winter, southwestern and southern winds blow, carrying cold air from Siberia, so the average temperature in winter is -30 degrees Celsius. The weather is cloudy with storms and snowstorms.
In summer, northern winds blow, and the air temperature is 0-1 degrees Celsius in the open sea and 2-3 degrees Celsius on the coast. The sky is cloudy with frequent rain and sleet. The coast is covered with fog, it can last up to 70 days. The annual rainfall is 200 mm.
Flora and fauna are scarce, as the climate is harsh. There are a lot of plankton and crustaceans in the water. Ringed seals, bearded seals, walruses, polar bears live in coastal zones. Of the birds there are gulls, cormorants. The East Siberian Sea is frequented by bowhead and gray whales. Belugas and narwhals are found. Of the fish there are grayling, muksun, whitefish, smelt, polar cod, arctic char, saffron cod, flounder.
Shipping
Shipping is practiced for the transportation of goods along the northern coast of Russia in the month of August-September. At the same time, navigation is difficult even in summer due to floating ice floes that bring wind to the shores. Fishing and hunting for marine animals is local.
The main port is Pevek with a population of about 5 thousand people. It is the northernmost city in Russia and is located in the Chaun Bay. Cargo turnover seaport is 190 thousand tons with a throughput capacity of 330 thousand tons. There are 3 berths with a length of 500 meters. Cargo transportation is carried out mainly between Pevek and Vladivostok.
The reservoir received its modern name in June 1935 in accordance with the decree of the Soviet government. Prior to that, it was called the Indigirsky, then the Northern, then the Kolyma, then the Siberian, then the Arctic Sea.
