Sea of ​​Okhotsk (shores in Russia). The Sea of ​​Okhotsk has become an inland sea of ​​Russia

My dream is to visit Kamchatka or Sakhalin off the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Alas, for me such a trip is long and expensive. I hope that one day I will see this beauty. And now all I can do is deepen my knowledge and watch videos about this beautiful place. I believe that my knowledge is sufficient and therefore I want describe the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Geographical characteristics of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

I remember from school when the geography teacher told us that to describe a large geographical object you need to open the atlas and find it on the map. Then you need to make Plan characteristics Sea of ​​Okhotsk:

• name of the sea;
  
• geographical position;
  
• islands and peninsulas;
  
• dimensions;
  
• depth, salinity;
  
• economic use.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is a marginal Pacific sea. It is located near the eastern coast of Eurasia, between Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and the mainland. His area is 1,603,000 km².The maximum depth is 3,916 m, and the average salinity is 32 ‰. Fishing is carried out in the sea fishing and seafood. The most commonly caught fish are salmon, herring, pollock, capelin, and navaga. Kamchatka is famous for its red and black caviar. This is also important transport route. There is ongoing oil development from the sea shelf.

Features of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

If you look at the sea from above, you can see that almost everywhere the banks are high and rockye. When you look at the shore from afar, you can only see black stripes on the horizon.

Geologists prove that the eastern part of the sea is one of the most "troubled" areas world ocean. Fluctuations in the earth's crust are a common occurrence in that area. The Kamchatka-Kuril region is one of the most interesting regions of the world. Volcanoes are constantly erupting in the sea and they call it seaquake. The Kuril Islands are of volcanic origin.

It is interesting that in 1910 a hydrographic expedition took place near Magadan. The researchers did not see the small island, which is located three kilometers from the coast, and did not put it on the map. Later he was named island of misunderstanding.

SEA OF OKHOTSK

Physiographic characteristics and hydrometeorological conditions

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is located in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Asia and is separated from the ocean by the chain of the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula. From the south and west it is limited by the coast of the island of Hokkaido, the eastern coast of the island of Sakhalin and the coast of the Asian mainland. The sea extends significantly from southwest to northeast within a spherical trapezoid with coordinates 43043"-62042" N. w. and 135010"-164045" in. d. The greatest length of the water area in this direction is 2463 km, and the width reaches 1500 km. According to some estimates, the surface area of ​​the sea surface is 1,603 thousand km2, the length of the coastline is 10,460 km, and the total volume of sea water is 1,316 thousand km3. According to its geographical location, it belongs to the marginal seas of the mixed continental-marginal type. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is connected to the Pacific Ocean by numerous straits of the Kuril island chain, and to the Sea of ​​Japan - through the La Perouse Strait and through the Amur Estuary - by the Nevelskoy and Tatar straits. The average sea depth is 821 m, and the greatest is 3374 m (in the Kuril Basin). Some sources give different maximum depth values ​​- 3475 and even 3521 m.

The main morphological zones in the bottom topography are: the shelf (the mainland and island shoals of Sakhalin Island), the continental slope, on which individual underwater hills, depressions and islands are distinguished, and the deep-sea basin. The shelf zone (0-200 m) has a width of 180-250 km and occupies about 20% of the sea area. The wide and gentle continental slope (200-2000 m) in the central part of the basin occupies about 65%, and the deepest basin (more than 2500 m), located in the southern part of the sea, occupies 8% of the sea area. Within the area of ​​the continental slope, several hills and depressions are distinguished, where the depths change sharply (the hills of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Oceanology, the Deryugin and TINRO depressions). The bottom of the deep-sea basin is a flat abyssal plain, and the Kuril ridge is a natural threshold that fences off the sea basin from the ocean.

The straits connecting the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with adjacent areas of the Sea of ​​Japan and the Pacific Ocean provide the possibility of water exchange between basins, which, in turn, have a significant impact on the distribution of hydrological characteristics. The Nevelskoy and La Perouse straits are relatively narrow and shallow, which is the reason for the relatively weak water exchange with the Sea of ​​Japan. The straits of the Kuril island chain, which stretches for about 1200 km, on the contrary, are deeper, and their total width is 500 km. The deepest waters are the Bussol (2318 m) and Kruzenshtern (1920 m) straits.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is located in the monsoon climate zone of temperate latitudes, however, for the northern part of the sea, which extends deeply into the Asian continent, it is also characterized by some climate features of the Arctic seas. The monsoon climate, caused by changes in the location and nature of the interaction of pressure formations, as well as the position of the sea on the border of the Asian continent and the Pacific Ocean, are the main factors shaping the climate and hydrological regime of the sea. The main pressure formations that determine the conditions of atmospheric circulation and the nature of the transfer of air masses are the Aleutian minimum, the North Pacific maximum, the Siberian anticyclone (in winter), as well as the Far Eastern depression and the Okhotsk anticyclone (in summer). The general monsoon circulation and wind regime are often disrupted by deep cyclones that move in the direction from southwest to northeast. Winter here, especially in the northern part of the sea, is long and harsh, with frequent stormy winds and snowstorms. Summers are cool, with high rainfall and dense fog. Spring and autumn are short, cold and cloudy. In general, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is the coldest of the Far Eastern seas. The cold period of the year lasts here from 120-130 days in the south to 210-220 days in the north of the sea. The influence of cooling factors is stronger than that of heating factors and the resulting heat transfer on the surface is negative. In general, in terms of its climatic conditions, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is the coldest of the Far Eastern seas.

From May to September, weak winds (2-5 m/s) from the southern quarter prevail over the sea. Cases of short-term sharp wind increases (up to 20 m/s or more) are associated with the entry into the sea of ​​individual cyclones and typhoons with a maximum frequency in August-September. Usually there are 1-2, less often 3-4 cases of typhoons per year. In the cold season, strong winds from the northern quarter dominate over the sea with the most probable speed values ​​of 5-10 m/s (in some months 10-15 m/s). The frequency of storm winds with a speed of more than 15 m/s per year on average is about 10%. The probabilistic characteristics of wind speed and direction differ markedly for individual areas of the sea. Maximum wind speeds reach 25-30 m/s in the northeastern and western parts of the sea, 30-35 m/s in the central and eastern parts and more than 40 m/s in the south. Autumn-winter storm winds are stronger and longer lasting than summer ones. The most turbulent are the southern and southeastern regions of the sea. The significant horizontal extent of the sea, frequent and strong winds over the water area contribute to the development of strong wind waves and swell (wave heights from 4-6 to 10-11 m), and the entire set of hydrometeorological conditions creates the preconditions for dangerous icing of ships and structures located at sea.

The average annual air temperature values ​​over the Sea of ​​Okhotsk gradually decrease from south to north from 4-50 to -4...-50. The range of average monthly temperature fluctuations in this direction, on the contrary, increases from 15-180 to 30-360. The coldest month is January, and the warmest month is August. The minimum actual air temperature values ​​recorded at coastal stations are -36...-510 in the north and -12...-160 in the southern regions of the sea. Maximum values ​​(31-360) were observed in the southwestern part of the sea. In the cold season of the year, when synoptic situations change, there are sharp fluctuations in air temperature throughout the entire water area, the range of which can exceed 200 [4, 9, 11, 14, 17].

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk, along with the Bering Sea, is a highly productive marine ecosystem and is of exceptional commercial importance for Russia.

Hydrological characteristics

The hydrological regime of the sea is determined by the peculiarities of its geographical location, significant meridional extent, harsh climatic conditions, the nature of vertical, horizontal circulation and water exchange with the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of ​​Japan, as well as the bottom topography. Along the coasts, in addition, continental runoff, tidal phenomena, and the configuration of the coastline become significant. The combination of these factors creates a rather complex picture of the distribution of hydrological characteristics on the surface and intermediate horizons. This section briefly summarizes basic information about the spatial distribution and variability of seawater temperature and salinity, water masses, currents, tides and ice conditions in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, based on published works and analysis of graphic material in the Atlas. All values ​​of air and water temperature are given in degrees Celsius (oC), and salinity - in ppm (1 g/kg = 1‰).

Horizontal distribution of water temperature

The actual characteristics of the field of horizontal distribution of water temperature on the surface and deep horizons of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are formed and continuously change under the influence of physical processes of different scales and intensities occurring on the surface and in the thickness of the sea waters. Fluctuations in these characteristics, as in other Far Eastern seas, are most clearly expressed in the surface, active layer of the sea, where their short-term and daily variability, seasonal intra-annual and interannual climate variations, and non-periodic fluctuations of various natures are clearly visible. The physics of these processes and the regional features of the thermal regime of the water area are relatively well studied, and the assimilation of long-term hydrological observation data makes it possible to construct generalized diagrams of the spatial distribution of temperature at various horizons for all months of the year.

The surface water temperature, with the exception of certain summer months when a more varied picture is observed, generally decreases from south to north. In the south, average annual temperatures are 5-70, and in the north - about 2-30. Intra-annual fluctuations in the water temperature of the surface layer are very significant throughout the entire water area and quickly attenuate with depth. The magnitude of these fluctuations on the sea surface is 10-190. The maximum average values ​​of the amplitudes of intra-annual fluctuations are observed in the southernmost part of the sea and somewhat smaller values ​​throughout its western part. The minimum is in the central and northern parts of the Kuril region. In the period from May to November, average monthly water temperatures are positive everywhere. Due to uneven heating and mixing of the surface layer, as well as the influence of advective processes at this time of year, the horizontal temperature distribution is most heterogeneous. If in May the average surface temperature values ​​vary from 0 to 50, then in August, the “warmest” month, these values ​​increase to 8-180. The warmest waters are located in the southernmost part of the sea near La Perouse Avenue and about. Hokkaido. It should be noted that the time of maximum temperature on the surface in certain areas may differ by 1-2 months and is somewhat delayed at subsurface horizons. Already in October, the water temperature on the surface drops by approximately two times and in November its spatial distribution changes to the winter type. In February-March, when a significant part of the sea is covered with ice, the horizontal gradients of the temperature field are smoothed out and almost its entire surface is characterized by negative temperature values, reaching -1.0...-1.80. In the southeastern part of the sea and northwest of the Kuril Islands, the water temperature almost never drops to negative values.

Seasonal changes in absolute values ​​and horizontal distribution of water temperature cover the entire upper active layer (up to 100-250 m) with a well-developed seasonal thermocline. The magnitude of intra-annual temperature fluctuations at a horizon of 50 m does not exceed 3-40, and at depths of 75-100 m - 2.0-2.50. At a horizon of 50 m, the time of maximum temperature occurs in October-November. At this time, the water temperature is 6-80 in the south and 0-20 in the northwestern part of the sea. In December, negative temperatures appear at this depth. At a horizon of 100 m, negative temperature values ​​in the northwestern part of the sea persist throughout the year, and at 200 m in averaged fields they almost do not appear. Here the temperature within the entire sea basin varies from 0.50 to 1.5-2.00. At the underlying horizons of 200-1000 m, the average long-term temperature values ​​everywhere increase slightly (up to 2.3-2.40 at the 1000 m horizon). Below 1000-1200 m, the temperature values ​​at various horizons are slightly lower (1.95-2,000 at a depth of 2000 m).

As for any other sea, the above information reflects the background characteristics of large-scale distribution and variability of water temperature, which can vary from year to year (climate fluctuations) and become more detailed as new data accumulates. To solve many practical problems, along with the general, background characteristics of the marine environment, more detailed information is needed about the actual distribution of its parameters in individual areas, close to real time. The research results showed that a significant role in the formation of smaller, mesoscale inhomogeneities of the temperature field on surface horizons is played by frontal zones, eddy formations, individual circulation cells and water upwelling zones, which are present in the coastal zone, on the shelf, in the deep-sea basin and are the object of special studying. The atlas provides a generalized diagram of the surface thermal fronts of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, constructed according to satellite observations in the warm season.

Vertical temperature distribution

According to the nature of the vertical temperature distribution, the stratification of the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk belongs to the subarctic type, in which for most of the year the cold (CIL) intermediate (subsurface - in winter) and warmer deep layers are well defined. Upon closer examination, three main varieties of this structure are distinguished: Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Pacific and Kuril, which have quantitative differences in the characteristics of water masses. The greatest variability from area to area and, especially in the intra-annual course, is characterized by the structure of the waters of the upper active layer of the sea with a thickness of 100-150 m (in the southeast - 200-250 m). In different months, the surface water temperature varies from -1.8 to +180. During the warm period of the year, as a result of heating and vertical mixing, a thin surface quasi-homogeneous layer (SQL) and a seasonal thermocline (ST) are formed in its upper part. The thickness of the VKS is 10-20 m, and the thickness of the ST is 15-25 m (in some places more). Vertical gradients in the thermocline reach values ​​of 5-100/m. At this time, between the horizons of 40-120 m, the CIL core is clearly visible, the lower boundary of which is located at depths of 100-250 m (the thermal regime of this layer is discussed above). Advective processes lead to the splitting of the CIL and the formation of individual “cold nuclei” in its structure. Below this layer, throughout the year, the temperature monotonically increases with depth, reaching a local maximum (2.2-2.40) in the TBL core at depths of 800-1200 m. It should be noted that in some years negative temperature values ​​can be observed at depths up to 500 m. In the deep layer below the core of the TBL, the temperature gradually decreases with depth to 1.7-1.90 at the bottom. A general idea of ​​the features of the spatial distribution of the identified stratification elements and their temporal dynamics is given by the vertical zonal and meridional sections of the temperature field given in the atlas.

According to daily and longer series of continuous observations in the warm period of the year, the profiles of the vertical temperature distribution on the surface and in the temperature jump layer experience significant variations over time. Thus, the magnitude of intraday fluctuations in water temperature at individual horizons in peripheral areas of the sea can reach 8-120.

Horizontal distribution of salinity

Large-scale characteristics of the salinity field are determined by the peculiarities of moisture circulation on the surface of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk (the ratio of precipitation and evaporation, the influence of ice formation and ice melting), continental runoff in coastal areas, as well as water exchange through the straits and the transfer of water currents from adjacent areas. Due to the combined effects of these processes, the spatial distribution patterns of salinity are significantly heterogeneous and vary significantly from season to season. During the year, the salinity of the surface layer in the coastal and peripheral areas of the entire northwestern part of the sea varies within a fairly wide range from 20-25 to 30-33%0. In summer and early autumn, the salinity of the waters here is less than in winter. In winter, it increases due to ice formation processes and a decrease in coastal runoff. Maximum salinity in these areas occurs between December and March. In the open sea and in its southwestern part, the range of these changes is much smaller (31.0-33.5%0). Water exchange processes through the La Perouse and Kuril straits play an important role in the formation of the salinity field in this area. Here, the periods of occurrence of both maximum and minimum salinity differ for different regions. As a result, the distribution of salinity on the surface of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in individual months is characterized by significant intermittency. In February, in areas free of ice cover, the average long-term monthly salinity values ​​on the surface vary within the range of 32.6-33.3%0. In May, salinity in the coastal mainland zone and near the island. Sakhalin drops to 30-32%0. At this time, in the open sea it is 32.5-33.0%0, and near the Kuril Islands and about. Hokkaido - 33.0-33.5%0. In August-September, maximum freshening of the entire surface layer occurs. At the northern tip of the island. Sakhalin, in the mainland bays and bays of the coastal strip, salinity in summer drops to 20-30%0, and in the open sea - to 32.0-32.5%0. In November-December, salinity throughout the entire sea area increases again. In the warm season, even on maps of the distribution of average salinity values ​​by month in certain areas of the coastal zone (Sakhalin Island, Kamchatka Peninsula, Tuyskaya Bay, etc.), zones of maximum horizontal gradients of this characteristic—salinity fronts—are clearly expressed.

With depth, salinity, both in the surface and in the underlying layers, continuously increases within the entire sea area in all seasons of the year. The range of its spatial and temporal changes sharply narrows, and the areas of maximum and minimum values ​​shift. Thus, already at a horizon of 50 m, the average salinity values ​​throughout the entire water area vary from 32.0 to 33.5%0, and seasonal fluctuations do not exceed 0.5-1.5%0. At a horizon of 100 m, the magnitude of intra-annual salinity fluctuations decreases to 0.5-1.0%0 and the horizontal gradients of the salinity field are smoothed out. At a horizon of 200 m, the background values ​​of spatial changes in salinity do not exceed 0.2-0.3%0, and temporary ones - 0.10-0.15%0. At horizons of 500 and 1000 m, salinity values ​​increase slightly in the direction from southeast to northwest (from 33.58 to 34.85%0 and from 34.18 to 34.42%0, respectively), which is associated with the distribution features Pacific waters and vertical circulation. In the underlying layers, salinity generally continues to slightly increase with depth, and the range of spatial changes in salinity narrows from 34.37-34.54%0 (1500 m horizon) to 34.38-34.52%0 (2000 m).

As in the case of the temperature field, the above information reflects only large-scale, background characteristics of the horizontal distribution of salinity in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Available materials from hydrological surveys make it possible, if necessary, to clarify individual details of this picture and retrospectively monitor its dynamics.

Vertical distribution of salinity

Salinity profiles are almost identical in all seasons of the year and are generally characterized by a monotonous increase in salinity from the surface to the bottom. As in the temperature field, seasonal changes manifest themselves mainly within the upper 50-100 m layer (in some places up to 150-200 m). In the warm season, the waters of the surface layer desalinate, vertical salinity gradients increase, and a seasonal halocline is formed here. Below it, to depths of 600-800 m (in the central part of the basin) and 800-1000 m (in the south of the sea), there is a main halocline, in the thickness of which a gradual decrease in vertical gradients occurs. With the beginning of the development of winter convective mixing, accompanied by ice formation over vast areas of the water area, vertical salinity gradients in the upper layer quickly decrease until inverse values ​​appear (change in the sign of the gradient). A general idea of ​​the vertical structure of the salinity field is given by zonal and meridional sections. Depending on local hydrological conditions in individual bays and straits, both the absolute values ​​of salinity and its stratification may differ significantly from similar characteristics of the open sea.

Water masses

In the area of ​​the central part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the Kuril Basin and in peripheral areas, several water masses and their modifications are distinguished with their inherent hydrological characteristics, sources of formation and distribution area. These water masses form the main components (individual layers and extrema) of the vertical structure of the water column. The bulk of the sea waters are of Pacific origin. The basin of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is characterized by a western variety of subarctic water structure, the main feature of which is the presence of a cold intermediate (subsurface - in winter) layer and an underlying layer with a maximum temperature, constituting independent water masses. Based on their origin, location and characteristics, there are four main water masses: surface, cold intermediate (subsurface), deep Pacific and bottom. In the peripheral areas of the sea, various local, seasonal varieties and modifications of water masses are distinguished, the list and characteristics of which are contained in the tables. Their origin is due to the difference in geographical location and the characteristics of hydrological processes occurring on the shelf, in estuarine zones, near straits, etc. The surface water mass exists in the warm season and is characterized by maximum temperature values ​​for the entire water column (up to 18-190 in the south sea) and minimum salinity values ​​in all seasons (less than 20%0 in estuarine areas). Its core is located on the surface and it is distinguished by the maximum range of variability of characteristics during the intra-annual course. The cold intermediate (subsurface) water mass is formed as a result of cooling of the sea surface and autumn-winter convection. Its upper boundary is located under the surface water mass at depths of 25-50 m (75-175 m in the south) and pinches out to the surface in winter, and the cold core is located at 40-120 m (150-200 m in the south). The lower boundary deepens from the northwest to the southeast from 200-250 m to 500-600 m. In winter, the temperature of the water in the layer occupied by the upper part of this water mass drops to negative values ​​-1.5...-1.80 (in southwestern part +0.5-1.00), which persist in the summer. Salinity in the core of the layer is 32.5-33.4%0. The warm core of the deep Pacific water mass is located between the horizons of 500 and 1200 m (in the Kuril region). The water temperature in the core is 1.3-2.50, and the salinity is 33.6-34.4%0. In the layer of bottom water mass, the temperature gradually decreases with depth to 1.7-1.90 at the bottom, where salinity is 34.6-34.7%0. Water masses differ from each other not only in the values ​​of thermohaline characteristics, but also in hydrochemical and biological parameters. The table shows the characteristics of water masses in the coastal areas of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Between the waters of the Japanese and Bering Seas is the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

This body of water borders the territory of Japan and the Russian Federation and acts as the most important port point on the map of our country.

Previously, among the names of the sea were Lamskoye, Kamchatka, and among the Japanese - Hokkai, i.e. Northern.

Shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

This body of water is considered to be one of the largest and deepest in Russia, as well as the coolest Far Eastern sea. The water area is 1603 km 2, and the depth is over 800 m on average. The maximum depth is almost 4 thousand meters. The coastal boundary of the reservoir is quite flat, with several bays running along it. However, in the northern part of the waters there are many rocks and sharp drop-offs. For the territory of this sea, storm warnings are completely normal.

The sea is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kuril Islands. We are talking about 3 dozen small areas of land that are located in a seismic zone due to the abundance of volcanoes. Also, the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk are separated by Kamchatka and the island of Hokkaido. And the largest island in this area is Sakhalin. Some straits of the reservoir act as a conditional border with the Sea of ​​Japan. Among the largest rivers flowing into the sea, it is worth noting the Amur, Bolshaya, Penzhina, and Okhota.

Cities on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The main ports and cities of the Okhotsk water area include:

• Ayan, Okhotsk and Magadan on the mainland;
• Korsakov on Sakhalin Island;
• Severo-Kurilsk on the Kuril Islands.

Fisheries of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

(Private fishing: fishing on the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, which is only permitted during the open fishing season, but certain species, such as crab, require a permit, otherwise it may be considered poaching)

The natural resources of this northern sea are very diverse. Fishing, salmon caviar production and seafood production are actively developing on the territory of the reservoir. Famous inhabitants of these regions are pink salmon, sockeye salmon, cod, chum salmon, coho salmon, flounder, Chinook salmon, herring, crabs and squid, pollock, and navaga. In addition, there is limited hunting of fur seals on the Shantar Islands. Nowadays, fishing for shellfish, sea urchins and kelp is also popular.

(Fishing boat in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk)

Industry in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk began to develop in the 90s. First of all, we are talking about ship repair factories and fish processing enterprises on Sakhalin. Hydrocarbon raw materials are also being developed in the Sakhalin region. Currently, 7 points with oil deposits have been discovered in the sea area, which began to be developed back in the 70s. last century.

This natural reservoir is considered one of the deepest and largest in Russia. The coolest Far Eastern sea is located between the Bering and Sea of ​​Japan.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk separates the territories of the Russian Federation and Japan and represents the most important port point for our country.

After reading the information in the article, you can learn about the rich resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the history of the formation of the reservoir.

About the name

Previously, the sea had other names: Kamchatka, Lamskoye, Hokkai among the Japanese.

The sea received its current name from the name of the Okhota River, which in turn comes from the Even word “okat”, which translates as “river”. The former name (Lamskoe) also came from the Even word “lam” (translated as “sea”). Japanese Hokkai literally means "North Sea". However, due to the fact that this Japanese name now refers to the North Atlantic Ocean, its name was changed to Ohotsuku-kai, which is an adaptation of the Russian name to the norms of Japanese phonetics.

Geography

Before we move on to a description of the rich resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, let us briefly introduce its geographical location.

Located between the Bering and Sea of ​​Japan, the body of water extends far into the mainland. The arc of the Kuril Islands separates the waters of the sea from the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The reservoir has for the most part natural boundaries, and its conditional boundaries are with the Sea of ​​Japan.

The Kuril Islands, which are about 3 dozen small areas of land and separate the ocean from the sea, are located in a seismic zone due to the presence of a large number of volcanoes. In addition, the waters of these two natural reservoirs are separated by the island of Hokkaido and Kamchatka. The largest island in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is Sakhalin. The largest rivers flowing into the sea: Amur, Okhota, Bolshaya and Penzhina.

Description

The area of ​​the sea is approximately 1603 thousand square meters. km, water volume - 1318 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 3916 meters, the average is 821 m. The sea type is mixed, continental-marginal.

Several bays run along the fairly flat coastal border of the reservoir. The northern part of the coast is represented by many rocks and rather sharp cliffs. Storms are a frequent and quite common phenomenon for this sea.

The features of nature and all the resources of the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk are partly related to climate conditions and unusual terrain.

For the most part, the seashores are rocky and high. From the sea, from afar, on the horizon, they stand out as black stripes, framed on top by brownish green spots of sparse vegetation. Only in some places (the western coast of Kamchatka, the northern part of Sakhalin) the coastline is low-lying, fairly wide areas.

The bottom in some respects is similar to the bottom of the Sea of ​​Japan: in many places there are hollows under the water, which indicate that the area of ​​​​the present sea in the Quaternary period was above ocean level, and huge rivers - Penzhina and Amur - flowed in this place.

Sometimes during earthquakes, waves appear in the ocean reaching several tens of meters in height. One interesting historical fact is connected with this. In 1780, during an earthquake, one of these waves carried the ship “Natalia” deep into the island of Urup (300 meters from the shore), which remained on land. This fact is confirmed by a record preserved from those times.

Geologists believe that the territory of the eastern part of the sea is one of the most “turbulent” areas on the globe. And today quite large movements of the earth’s crust are taking place here. Underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are often observed in this part of the ocean.

A little bit of history

The rich natural resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk began to attract the attention of people from its very discovery, which occurred during the first campaigns of the Cossacks to the Pacific Ocean through Siberia. It was then called the Sea of ​​Lama. Then, after the discovery of Kamchatka, trips by sea and shore to this rich peninsula and to the mouth of the river. Penzhins became more frequent. In those days, the sea already bore the names Penzhinskoye and Kamchatka.

Having left Yakutsk, the Cossacks moved east not straight through the taiga and mountains, but along winding rivers and channels between them. Such a caravan trail eventually led them to a river called Okhota, and along it they moved to the seashore. That is why this reservoir was named Okhotsk. Since then, many significant and important large centers have arisen on the sea coast. The name that has been preserved since then testifies to the important historical role of the port and the river, from which people began to develop this huge, rich sea area.

Features of nature

The natural resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are quite attractive. This is especially true for the areas of the Kuril Islands. This is a very special world, consisting of a total of 30 large and small islands. This range also includes rocks of volcanic origin. Today there are active volcanoes on the islands (about 30), which clearly indicates that the bowels of the earth are unquiet here and now.

Some islands have underground hot springs (temperatures up to 30-70°C), many of which have healing properties.

The climatic conditions for life on the Kuril Islands (especially in the northern part) are very harsh. Fogs linger here for a long time, and in winter, severe storms often occur.

Rivers

Many rivers, mostly small, flow into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. This is the reason for the relatively small continental flow (about 600 cubic km per year) of water into it, with about 65% of it belonging to the Amur River.

Other relatively large rivers are the Penzhina, Uda, Okhota, and Bolshaya (in Kamchatka), which carry a much smaller volume of fresh water into the sea. Water flows in to a greater extent in spring and early summer.

Fauna

The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are very diverse. This is the most biologically productive sea in Russia. It provides 40% of domestic and more than half of the Far Eastern catches of fish, crustaceans and mollusks. At the same time, it is believed that the biological potential of the sea is currently underutilized.

A huge variety of depths and bottom topography, hydrological and climatic conditions in certain parts of the sea, a good supply of fish food - all this determined the richness of the ichthyofauna of these places. The northern part of the sea contains 123 species of fish in its waters, the southern part - 300 species. Approximately 85 species are endemic. This sea is a real paradise for sea fishing lovers.

Fishing, seafood production and the production of salmon caviar are actively developing in the sea. Inhabitants of the sea waters of this region: pink salmon, chum salmon, cod, sockeye salmon, flounder, coho salmon, pollock, herring, navaga, chinook salmon, squid, crabs. On the Shantar Islands there is hunting (limited) for seals, and the hunting of kelp, mollusks and sea urchins is also becoming popular.

Of the animals of particular commercial value, beluga whales, seals and seals are of particular commercial value.

Flora

The resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are inexhaustible. The flora of the reservoir: Arctic species predominate in the northern part, and species from the temperate region predominate in the southern part. Plankton (larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.) provide abundant food for fish throughout the year. The sea's phytoplankton are dominated by diatoms, and the bottom flora contains many species of red, brown and green algae, as well as extensive meadows of sea grass. In total, the coastal flora of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk includes about 300 species of vegetation.

In comparison with the Bering Sea, the bottom fauna here is more diverse, and in comparison with the Japanese Sea, it is less rich. The main feeding grounds for deep-sea fish are the northern shallow waters, as well as the eastern Sakhalin and western Kamchatka shelves.

Mineral resources

The mineral resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are especially rich. Only sea water contains almost all the elements of D.I. Mendeleev’s table.

The seabed has exceptional reserves of globigerine and diamondite silts, consisting mainly of shells of unicellular tiny algae and protozoa. Silts are valuable raw materials for the production of insulating building materials and high quality cement.

The sea shelf is also promising for searching for hydrocarbon deposits. The rivers of the Aldan-Okhotsk watershed and the lower reaches of the Amur have been famous since ancient times for their placers of valuable metals, which suggests that there is a possibility of underwater ore deposits being found in the sea. There may be many still undiscovered raw material resources in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

It is known that the lower shelf horizons and the part of the continental slope bordering them are enriched in phosphorite nodules. There is another more realistic prospect - the extraction of rare elements contained in the bone remains of mammals and fish, and such accumulations are found in the deep-sea sediments of the South Okhotsk basin.

We cannot remain silent about amber. The very first discoveries of this mineral on the eastern coast of Sakhalin date back to the mid-19th century. At that time, representatives of the Amur expedition were working here. It should be noted that Sakhalin amber is very beautiful - it is perfectly polished, cherry-red and is quite highly valued by specialists. The largest pieces of fossil wood resin (up to 0.5 kg) were discovered by geologists near the village of Ostromysovsky. Amber is also found in the oldest deposits of the Taygonos Peninsula, as well as in Kamchatka.

Conclusion

In short, the resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are extremely rich and diverse, it is impossible to list them all, much less describe them.

Today, the importance of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in the national economy is determined by the use of its rich natural resources and maritime transport. The main wealth of this sea is game animals, primarily fish. However, even today, a fairly high level of danger of pollution of sea fishing zones with oil products as a result of discharges of oil-containing water by fishing vessels creates a situation that requires certain measures to increase the level of environmental safety of the work being carried out.