The Arctic Ocean
By Ryan Standerfer, Sam Herring, Kyle
Brown, Jose Albarran, Luis Rueda,
Historical Events Related to the Arctic!
Many expeditions have been made to further explore the
Arctic but not much is known about what is beyond.
The Arctic was heavily contested during World War II
because of its location.
Major land and underwater
landforms. (whoooo.)
The Arctic is a single, highly integrated system comprised
of a deep, ice covered, and nearly isolated ocean
surrounded by the land masses of Eurasia and North
America, except for breaches at the Bering Strait and in
the North Atlantic. It encompasses a range of land- and
seascapes, from mountains and glaciers to flat plains,
from coastal shallows to deep ocean basins, from polar
deserts to sodden wetlands, from large rivers to isolated
ponds.
Major Landforms pt. 2 (GASP!!)
The dominant topographic feature of the Arctic
Ocean seafloor is the Lomonosov Ridge. This
feature is thought to be part of the Eurasian
continental crust that rifted from the BarentsKara Sea margin and subsided in early Tertiary
time (about 64 to 56 million years ago). The
Lomonosov Ridge divides the floor of the Arctic
Ocean into two major basins. The Eurasian Basin
is on the Eurasian side of the Lomonosov Ridge
and the Amerasian Basin is on the North American
side of the Lomonosov Ridge.
TEMPERATURES RANGES
Temperature ranges from 28.8 degrees
fahrenheit in the winter to 0 degrees in the
summer. These temperature conditions are
perfect for extremophiles and other
unusual animals that live there.
Atmospheric events (or the weather)
In short, the Arctic Ocean is cold.
As given in the previous slide, it is generally 28.8 degrees
fahrenheit in the winter to 63 degrees in the summer.
The climate is heavily dependant on how much sunlight
reaches the region.
Polar Shipping Routes
The Northern Sea Route along the arctic coast of Russia. This is the maritime route
that is likely to be free of ice first and would reduce a maritime journey between East
Asia and Western Europe from 21,000 km using the Suez Canal to 12,800 km, cutting
transit time by 10-15 days.
The Transpolar Sea Route would use the central part of the Arctic to link the most
directly the Strait of Bering and the Atlantic Ocean of Murmansk. This route is at this
point hypothetical as it involves ice-free conditions that are not yet observed.
The Northwest Passage crossing Canada's Arctic Ocean could become usable on a
regular basis by 2020, lessening maritime shipping distances substantially. The
maritime journey between East Asia and Western Europe would take about 13,600 km
using the Northwest Passage, while taking 24,000 km using the Panama Canal. In 2007
the Northwest Passage was open during the summer months for the first time in
recorded history, but it remains to be seen how stable this opening is.
Tourism in The Arctic
Ocean
The Arctic is a popular tourist
destination, whether by ship or
aircraft. Some cruises will pass by
the arctic to allow views, and some
small companies will do fly-overs in
order to give people a view of the
Icescape.
Fish Harvesting in the
Arctic Ocean
Approximately 14,000 tons of fish
are harvested from the Arctic
Ocean . Due to overfishing, the
ecosystem in the Arctic is fragile.
The most abundant organism in the
ocean is phytoplankton.
Interesting Facts
● The arctic ocean is considered polar night because it is
mostly dark in the arctic ocean
● Ice caps varies in thickness by the seasons.Affected by
wind and ocean currents, which moves the areas of the
ice.
● Polar ice doesn't melt and can be as thin as 2 meters in
the summer and 50 meters thick in the winter months.
Question, review.
1. What organism is most abundant in The
Arctic Ocean?
Phytoplankton
2. What year was the NorthWest Passage
officially opened during summers months?
2007
3. What is the climate like in the Arctic?
Cold
Question Review Part 2
4. How many tons of fish are harvested
from the Arctic Ocean annually? 14,000