A city on the shores of the Barents Sea. Where is the Barents Sea? Coordinates, description, depth and resources

It washes the northern coasts of Russia and Norway and is located on the northern continental shelf. The average depth is 220 meters. It is the westernmost of the rest of the Arctic seas. In addition, the Barents Sea is separated from the White Sea by a narrow strait. The boundaries of the sea run along the northern shores of Europe, the Spitsbergen archipelagos, New Earth and Franz Josef Land. IN winter period Almost the entire sea freezes, with the exception of its southwestern part due to the North Atlantic Current. The sea is a strategic location for shipping and fishing.

The largest and economically important seaports are Murmansk and Norwegian - Vardø. Nowadays, a serious problem is the pollution of the sea with radioactive substances that come here from Norwegian factories.

The importance of the sea for the economies of Russia and Norway

The seas have always been the most valuable natural objects for the development of the economy, trade, and defense of any country. The Barents Sea, which is of critical strategic importance for coastal states, is no exception. Naturally, the waters of this northern sea provide an excellent platform for the development of maritime trade routes, as well as for military vessels. The Barents Sea is a real asset for Russia and Norway, as it is home to hundreds of species of fish. That is why the fishing industry is very developed in the region. If you don’t know, then read about it on our website.

The most valuable and expensive types The fish caught from this sea are: sea bass, cod, haddock and herring. Another important facility is the modern power plant in Murmansk, which generates electricity using the tides of the Barents Sea.

The only ice-free polar port in Russia is the Murmansk port. Important sea routes for many countries, along which merchant ships travel, pass through the waters of this sea. Interesting northern animals live near the Barents Sea, for example: polar bears, seals, seals, and beluga whales. Kamchatka crab was artificially imported and has taken root here well.

Holidays on the Barents Sea

Interesting, but Lately It is becoming fashionable to prefer extraordinary holidays in exotic places, which at first glance seem completely unsuitable for a long-awaited vacation. Travel lovers began to wonder where else, besides places filled with tourists, they could go and still get a lot of pleasure and impressions. You might be a little surprised, but one of these places is the Barents Sea.

Of course, in order to bask in the sun and sunbathe on the beach, a trip to this northern sea, for obvious reasons, is not justified.

But there are other interesting things to do in this region. For example, diving is very popular. The water temperature, especially in July-August, is quite acceptable for diving in a wetsuit. The waters here are home to a stunning diversity of marine life. If you have never seen kelp, sea cucumbers and huge Kamchatka crabs in person (they look quite terrifying), then be sure to go to this place. You will discover many new sensations and get vivid impressions. Another favorite activity of tourists coming to these parts is yachting. You can rent a yacht right on the coast. Take care of your clothes, they should be warm and waterproof. There are various yachting routes on the Barents Sea, but the direction to the Seven Islands is especially popular. There you will see large colonies of northern birds that build their nests on the shores of the islands. By the way, they are used to people and are not afraid of them. In winter, you can see drifting blocks of ice in the distance.

Cities on the Barents Sea

There are several large cities along the coastline of the Barents Sea: Russian Murmansk and Norwegian Kirkenes and Spitsbergen. A lot of attractions are collected in Murmansk. For many, a very interesting and memorable event will be a trip to the aquarium, where you can see many species of fish and other unusual inhabitants of the seas. Be sure to visit the main square of Murmansk - Five Corners Square, as well as the monument to the defenders of the Soviet Arctic. We recommend going to the picturesque Semenovskoye Lake.

In Kirkenes, Norway, very educational and fascinating excursions are held at the Museum of the Second World War. Nearby there is a beautiful monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Red Army. Among the natural sites, visit the impressive Andersgrot Cave.

Svalbard will surprise you with magnificent nature reserves and national parks where you can see amazing natural beauty, as well as the most high point archipelago - Mount Newton (height 1712 meters).

The famous northern sea, which is rightfully considered one of the largest in Russia, is literally dotted with islands. Cold and harsh, it was once the Murmansk and even the Russian Sea.

The last name can be justified by the persistent nature of the water. The water area completely borders the Arctic Ocean, and the highest temperature in summer barely reaches even 8° C in the relatively warmest place off the coast, the average year-round water surface temperature is 2-4° C.

Borders of Russia Barents Sea

Occupying the western position among all the northern seas, the Barents Sea, as is often the case among European possessions, for a very long time remained a disputed water area of ​​three states at once: Russia, Finland and Norway. After World War II, Finland was deprived of the right to operate its ports here. It’s surprising, considering the fact that initially the Finno-Ugrians, the ancestors of those same Finns, lived in the nearby territories.

It is fair to note that the Barents Sea is not only the largest among the northern seas, but one of the largest in the world. Its area covers 1,424,000 sq. km. The depth reaches 600 meters. Due to the fact that the South-Eastern part of the sea is located closer to warm currents, in summer it practically does not freeze and sometimes even stands out as a water area called the Pechora Sea.

Fishing in the Barents Sea

The Barents Sea is not a very calm sea, there are constantly storms on it, and even if the waves are not calm and a little stormy, ( as in the illustration above), then among sailors this is considered quite good weather. However, work in the Barents Sea is not easy, but important for the country’s economy and fisheries.

Despite the fact that the Barents Sea suffers greatly from constant radioactive contamination from Norwegian processing plants, it still continues to maintain a leading position among the fishing regions of Russia. Cod, pollock, crabs and a huge number of other species of fish are harvested here. The Russian ports of Murmansk, as well as Teriberka, Indiga and Naryan-Mar, are constantly operating. Important sea routes pass through them, connecting the European part of Russia with Siberia, as well as western and eastern ports.

The headquarters of the Russian Navy is constantly operating in the Barents Sea, and nuclear submarines are stored. They are monitored with special responsibility, because the sea is rich in hydrocarbon reserves, as well as Arctic oil.

Cities on the Barents Sea

(Murmansk, non-freezing in winter, sea freight port)

In addition to Russian ports, Norwegian cities are located on the shores of the Barents Sea - Vardø, Vadso and Kirkenes. Compared to domestic ports, they do not have the same scale and are not the dominant administrative units in their region. It is enough to simply compare the population of Murmansk - 300,000, and Vadsø - 6186 people.

It should be noted that in Russia the sea is monitored much more closely. Norway has repeatedly been persecuted by GreenPeace due to its unwillingness to stop the release of sewage into the waters of the Barents Sea. We can only hope that in the future the situation will not worsen and that the largest northern sea will also receive the title of the cleanest in the world.

Ice fishing

The Barents Sea has clear boundaries in the south and partly in the east; in other areas, the boundaries run along conventional lines drawn along the shortest distances between coastal points. Western border sea ​​is the line of Cape Yuzhny (Spitsbergen) - about. Medvezhiy - m. North Cape. The southern border of the sea runs along the coast of the mainland and the line between Cape Svyatoy Nos and Cape Kanin Nos, separating it from White Sea. From the east, the sea is limited by the western coast of the Vaygach and Novaya Zemlya islands and further by the line of Cape Zhelaniya - Cape Kolzat (Graham Bell Island). In the north, the border of the sea runs along the northern edge of the islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago to Cape Mary Harmsworth (Alexandra Land Island) and then through Victoria and Bely Islands to Cape Lee Smith on the island. Northeast Land (Spitsbergen).

Located on the northern European shelf, almost open to the Central Arctic Basin and open to the Norwegian and Greenland seas, the Barents Sea is a type of continental marginal sea. This is one of the largest seas in terms of area. Its area is 1,424 thousand km 2, its volume is 316 thousand km 3, its average depth is 222 m, its greatest depth is 600 m.

There are many islands in the Barents Sea. Among them are the archipelagos of Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, the islands of Nadezhda, King Charles, Kolguev, etc. Small islands are mainly grouped into archipelagos located near the mainland or more large islands, for example, Krestovy, Gorbovy, Gulyaevy Koshki, etc. Its complex dissected coastline forms numerous capes, fjords, bays, and bays. Certain sections of the Barents Sea coast belong to different morphological types of coasts. The shores of the Barents Sea are mainly abrasive, but there are accumulative and icy shores. The northern coasts of Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula are mountainous and steeply drop to the sea; they are cut by numerous fjords. The southeastern part of the sea is characterized by low, gently sloping shores. The western coast of Novaya Zemlya is low and hilly, and in its northern part glaciers come close to the sea. Some of them flow directly into the sea. Similar shores are found on Franz Josef Land and on the island. North-Eastern land of the Spitsbergen archipelago.

Climate

The position of the Barents Sea in high latitudes beyond the Arctic Circle, its direct connection with the Atlantic Ocean and the Central Arctic Basin determine the main features of the sea's climate. In general, the climate of the sea is polar marine, characterized by long winters, short cold summers, small annual changes in air temperature, and high relative humidity.

Arctic air dominates in the northern part of the sea, and air of temperate latitudes dominates in the south. At the border of these two main flows there passes an atmospheric Arctic front, generally directed from Iceland through the island. Bear to the northern tip of Novaya Zemlya. Cyclones and anticyclones often form here, affecting the weather patterns in the Barents Sea.

In winter, with the deepening of the Icelandic minimum and its interaction with the Siberian maximum, the Arctic front intensifies, which entails increased cyclonic activity over the central part of the Barents Sea. As a result, very changeable weather sets in over the sea with strong winds, large fluctuations in air temperature, and “burst” precipitation. During this season, predominantly southwestern winds blow. In the north-west of the sea, north-east winds are also often observed, and in the south-eastern part of the sea - winds from the south and south-east. Wind speed is usually 4-7 m/s, but at times increases to 12-16 m/s. The average monthly temperature of the coldest month - March - is -22° on Spitsbergen, -2° in the western part of the sea, in the east, near the island. Kolgueva, -14° and in the southeastern part -16°. This distribution of air temperature is associated with the warming effect of the Norwegian Current and the cooling effect Kara Sea.

In summer, the Icelandic low becomes less deep, and the Siberian anticyclone collapses. A stable anticyclone is forming over the Barents Sea. As a result, the weather here is relatively stable, cool and cloudy with weak, predominantly north-eastern winds.

In the warmest months - July and August - in the western and central parts of the sea the average monthly air temperature is 8-9°, in the south-eastern region it is slightly lower - about 7° and in the north it drops to 4-6°. The usual summer weather is disrupted by the invasion of air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, the wind changes direction to the southwest and intensifies to 10-12 m/s. Such incursions occur mainly in the western and central parts of the sea, while relatively stable weather continues to prevail in the north.

During the transition seasons (spring and autumn), a restructuring of pressure fields occurs, so unstable cloudy weather with strong and variable winds prevails over the Barents Sea. In spring, precipitation occurs in bursts, and the air temperature rises quickly. In autumn, the temperature decreases slowly.

Water temperature and salinity

The river flow in relation to the area and volume of the sea is small and averages about 163 km 3 /year. 90% of it is concentrated in the southeastern part of the sea. The most waters flow into this area large rivers Barents Sea basin. Pechora discharges about 130 km 3 of water in an average year, which is approximately 70% of the total coastal runoff into the sea per year. Several small rivers also flow here. The northern coast of Norway and the coast of the Kola Peninsula account for only about 10% of the flow. Here small mountain rivers flow into the sea.

The maximum continental runoff is observed in spring, the minimum in autumn and winter. River flow significantly affects the hydrological conditions only of the southeastern, shallowest part of the sea, which is sometimes called the Pechora Sea (more precisely, the Pechora sea basin).

The determining influence on the nature of the Barents Sea is exerted by water exchange with neighboring seas, and mainly with warm Atlantic waters. The annual influx of these waters is approximately 74 thousand km 3. They bring about 177·10 12 kcal of heat to the sea. Of this amount, only 12% is absorbed during the exchange of waters of the Barents Sea with other seas. The rest of the heat is spent in the Barents Sea, so it is one of the warmest seas in the North Arctic Ocean. Over large areas of this sea from the European shores to 75° N. latitude. all year round There is a positive water temperature on the surface, and this area does not freeze.

There are four different water masses in the structure of the Barents Sea waters.

1. Atlantic waters (from the surface to the bottom), coming from the southwest, from the north and northeast from the Arctic basin (from 100-150 m to the bottom). These are warm and salty waters.

2. Arctic waters entering in the form of surface currents from the north. They have negative temperatures and low salinity.

3. Coastal waters coming with continental runoff from the White Sea and with the coastal current along the coast of Norway from the Norwegian Sea. In summer these waters are characterized by high temperature and low salinity, in winter by low temperature and salinity. The characteristics of winter coastal waters are close to those of the Arctic.

4. The Barents Sea waters are formed in the sea itself as a result of the transformation of Atlantic waters under the influence of local conditions. These waters are characterized by low temperature and high salinity. IN winter time the entire northeastern part of the sea from surface to bottom is filled with Barents Sea waters, and the southwestern part is filled with Atlantic waters. Traces of coastal waters are found only in surface horizons. There are no Arctic waters. Thanks to intensive mixing, the water entering the sea is quite quickly transformed into Barents Sea water.

IN summer time the entire northern part of the Barents Sea is filled with Arctic waters, the central part with Atlantic waters, and the southern part with coastal waters. At the same time, Arctic and coastal waters occupy surface horizons. At depths in the northern part of the sea there are Barents Sea waters, and in the southern part there are Atlantic waters. Surface water temperatures generally decrease from southwest to northeast.

In winter, in the south and southwest the temperature on the water surface is 4-5°, in the central regions 0-3°, and in the northern and northeastern parts it is close to freezing temperature.

In summer, the temperature on the surface of the water and the air temperature are close. In the south of the sea, the surface temperature is 8-9°, in the central part 3-5°, and in the north it drops to negative values. In transition seasons (especially in spring), the distribution and values ​​of water temperature on the surface differ little from winter, and in autumn - from summer.

The distribution of temperature in the water column largely depends on the distribution of warm Atlantic waters, on winter cooling, which extends to a significant depth, and on the bottom topography. In this regard, the change in water temperature with depth occurs differently in different areas of the sea.

In the southwestern part, which is most exposed to the influence of Atlantic waters, the temperature gradually and relatively weakly decreases with depth to the bottom.

Atlantic waters spread east along trenches, the water temperature in them decreases from the surface to a horizon of 100-150 m, and then slightly increases towards the bottom. In the northeast of the sea in winter the low temperature extends to a horizon of 100-200 m, deeper it rises to 1°. In summer, the low surface temperature drops to 25-50 m, where its lowest (–1.5°) winter values ​​remain. Deeper, in the layer of 50-100 m, not affected by winter vertical circulation, the temperature rises slightly and is about –1°. Atlantic waters pass through the underlying horizons, and the temperature here rises to 1°. Thus, between 50-100 m there is a cold intermediate layer. In basins where warm waters do not penetrate, strong cooling occurs, for example in the Novaya Zemlya Trench, Central Basin, etc. The water temperature is quite uniform throughout the entire thickness in winter, and in summer it drops from small positive values ​​on the surface to approximately -1.7 ° at the bottom.

Underwater hills impede the movement of Atlantic waters. In this regard, above the rises in the bottom, low water temperatures are observed at horizons close to the surface. In addition, longer and more intense cooling occurs over the hills and on their slopes than in deep areas. As a result, “cold water caps” are formed at the bottom of the elevation, characteristic of the banks of the Barents Sea. In the Central Highlands region in winter, very low water temperatures can be traced from the surface to the bottom. In summer it decreases with depth and reaches minimum values in the layer 50-100 m, and deeper again it rises slightly. During this season, a cold intermediate layer is observed here, the lower boundary of which is formed not by the warm Atlantic, but by the local Barents Sea waters.

In the shallow southeastern part of the sea, seasonal changes in water temperature are well expressed from the surface to the bottom. In winter, low water temperatures are observed throughout the entire thickness. Spring heating extends to horizons of 10-12 m, from where the temperature drops sharply towards the bottom. In summer, the thickness of the upper heated layer increases to 15-18 m, and the temperature decreases with depth.

In autumn, the temperature of the upper layer of water begins to level out, and the distribution of temperature with depth follows the pattern of seas of temperate latitudes. In most of the Barents Sea, the vertical distribution of temperature is oceanic in nature.

Due to the good connection with the ocean and the small continental runoff, the salinity of the Barents Sea differs little from the average salinity of the ocean.

The highest salinity on the sea surface (35‰) is observed in the southwestern part, in the area of ​​the North Cape Trench, where salty Atlantic waters flow and there is no ice. To the north and south, salinity drops to 34.5‰ due to melting ice. The waters are even more desalinated (up to 32-33‰) in the southeastern part of the sea, where the ice melts and where fresh water flows from the land. Salinity on the sea surface changes from season to season. In winter, throughout the sea, salinity is quite high - about 35‰, and in the southeastern part - 32.5-33‰, since at this time of year the influx of Atlantic waters increases, continental runoff decreases and intensive ice formation occurs.

In spring they persist almost everywhere high values salinity. Only in a narrow coastal strip near the Murmansk coast and in the Kanin-Kolguevsky region is salinity low.

In summer, the influx of Atlantic waters decreases, ice melts, river water spreads, so salinity decreases everywhere. In the southwestern part the salinity is 34.5‰, in the southeastern part it is 29‰, and sometimes 25‰.

In autumn, at the beginning of the season, salinity remains low throughout the sea, but later, due to a decrease in continental runoff and the onset of ice formation, it increases and reaches winter values.

The change in salinity in the water column is associated with the bottom topography and the influx of Atlantic and river waters. Mostly it increases from 34‰ at the surface to 35.1‰ at the bottom. The vertical salinity changes to a lesser extent over underwater elevations.

Seasonal changes in the vertical distribution of salinity over most of the sea are rather weakly expressed. In summer, the surface layer is desalinated, and from horizons of 25-30 m, a sharp increase in salinity with depth begins. In winter, the jump in salinity at these horizons is somewhat smoothed out. Salinity values ​​change more noticeably with depth in the southeastern part of the sea. The difference in salinity on the surface and at the bottom here can reach several ppm.

In winter, salinity is almost equalized throughout the entire water column, and in spring, river waters desalinate the surface layer. In summer, its freshening is also enhanced by melted ice, so between the horizons of 10 and 25 m a sharp jump in salinity is formed.

In winter, the densest waters on the surface of the Barents Sea are in the northern part. In summer, increased density is observed in the central regions of the sea. In the north, its decrease is associated with the desalination of surface waters due to melting ice, in the south - with their warming.

In winter, in shallow water areas, the density from the surface to the bottom increases slightly. Density increases noticeably with depth in areas of deep Atlantic waters. In spring and especially in summer, under the influence of desalination of surface layers, the vertical density stratification of waters is quite clearly expressed throughout the sea. As a result of autumn cooling, density values ​​equalize with depth.

Relatively weak density stratification with usually strong winds causes intensive development of wind mixing in the Barents Sea. It covers a layer here of up to 15-20 m in the spring-summer time and penetrates to horizons of 25-30 m in the autumn-winter season. Only in the southeastern part of the sea, where the vertical interlayering of waters is pronounced, does the wind mix only the uppermost layers up to horizons of 10-12 m. In autumn and winter, convective mixing is also added to the wind mixing.

In the north of the sea, due to cooling and ice formation, convection penetrates up to 50-75 m. But it rarely extends to the bottom, since the melting of ice, which occurs here in the summer, creates large density gradients, which prevents the development of vertical circulation.

On the bottom elevations located to the south - the Central Upland, Goose Bank, etc. - the winter vertical circulation reaches the bottom, since in these areas the density is quite uniform throughout the entire water column. As a result, very cold and heavy waters form over the Central Highlands. From here they gradually slide down the slopes into the depressions surrounding the upland, in particular into the Central Basin, where cold bottom waters are formed.

Bottom relief

The bottom of the Barents Sea is a complexly dissected underwater plain, slightly inclined to the west and northeast. The deepest areas, including the maximum depth of the sea, are located in the western part of the sea. The bottom topography as a whole is characterized by the alternation of large structural elements - underwater hills and trenches with different directions, as well as the existence of numerous small (3-5 m) irregularities at depths of less than 200 m and terrace-like ledges on the slopes. The difference in depths in the open part of the sea reaches 400 m. The rugged bottom topography significantly affects the hydrological conditions of the sea.

Bottom topography and currents of the Barents Sea

Currents

The general circulation of waters in the Barents Sea is formed under the influence of the influx of water from neighboring basins, bottom topography and other factors. As in the neighboring seas northern hemisphere, prevails here general movement surface water counterclockwise.

The most powerful and stable flow, which largely determines the hydrological conditions of the sea, forms the warm North Cape Current. It enters the sea from the southwest and moves east in the coastal zone at a speed of about 25 cm/s; further seaward its speed decreases to 5-10 cm/s. Approximately 25°E this current is divided into the Coastal Murmansk and Murmansk currents. The first of them, 40-50 km wide, spreads to the southeast along the coast of the Kola Peninsula, penetrates into the Throat of the White Sea, where it meets the outlet White Sea Current and moves east at a speed of 15-20 cm/s. Kolguev Island divides the Coastal Murmansk Current into the Kanin Current, which goes to the south-eastern part of the sea and further to the Kara Gate and Yugorsky Shar straits, and the Kolguev Current, which goes first to the east and then to the north-east, to the coast of Novaya Zemlya. The Murmansk Current, about 100 km wide, with a speed of about 5 cm/s, extends significantly more seaward than the Coastal Murmansk Current. Near the meridian 40° E, having encountered an increase in the bottom, it turns to the northeast and gives rise to the Western Novaya Zemlya Current, which, together with part of the Kolguev Current and the cold Litke Current entering through the Kara Gates, forms the eastern periphery of the cyclonic circulation common to the Barents Sea . In addition to the branched system of the warm North Cape Current, cold currents are clearly visible in the Barents Sea. Along the Perseus Upland, from northeast to southwest, along the Medvezhinsky shallow waters, the Perseus Current runs. Merging with the cold waters of the island. Hope, it forms the Medvezhinsky Current, the speed of which is approximately 50 cm/s.

Currents in the Barents Sea are significantly influenced by large-scale pressure fields. Thus, when the Polar Anticyclone is localized off the coast of Alaska and Canada and with the Icelandic Low located relatively western, the West Novaya Zemlya Current penetrates far to the north, and part of its waters goes into the Kara Sea. Another part of this current is diverted to the west and intensified by waters coming from the Arctic basin ( east of Earth Franz Josef). The influx of surface Arctic waters brought by the East Spitsbergen Current is increasing.

With the significant development of the Siberian High and at the same time the more northern location of the Icelandic Low, the outflow of water from the Barents Sea through the straits between Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, as well as between Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen, prevails.

The general picture of currents is complicated by local cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres.

Tides in the Barents Sea are caused mainly by the Atlantic tidal wave, which enters the sea from the southwest, between the North Cape and Spitsbergen, and moves east. Near the entrance to Matochkin Shar, it turns partly to the northwest, partly to the southeast.

The northern edges of the sea are influenced by another tidal wave coming from the Arctic Ocean. As a result, interference of the Atlantic and northern waves occurs off the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen and near Franz Josef Land. The tides of the Barents Sea almost everywhere have a regular semidiurnal character, as do the currents they cause, but the change in the directions of tidal currents occurs differently in different areas of the sea.

Along the Murmansk coast, in the Czech Bay, in the west of the Pechora Sea, tidal currents are close to reversible. In open parts of the sea, the direction of currents in most cases changes clockwise, and on some banks - counterclockwise. Changes in the directions of tidal currents occur simultaneously throughout the entire layer from the surface to the bottom.

The highest speed of tidal currents (about 150 cm/s) is observed in the surface layer. Tidal currents are characterized by high speeds along the Murmansk coast, at the entrance to the White Sea Funnel, in the Kanin-Kolguevsky region and in the South Spitsbergen shallow waters. In addition to strong currents, tides cause significant changes in the level of the Barents Sea. The tide height off the coast of the Kola Peninsula reaches 3 m. In the north and northeast, the tides become smaller and off the coast of Spitsbergen it is 1-2 m, and off the southern coast of Franz Josef Land it is only 40-50 cm. This is due to the peculiarities bottom topography, coastal configuration and interference of tidal waves coming from the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

In addition to tidal fluctuations in the Barents Sea, seasonal changes in level can also be traced, caused mainly by the impact atmospheric pressure and winds. The difference between the maximum and minimum positions of the average level in Murmansk can reach 40-50 cm.

Strong and prolonged winds cause surge level fluctuations. They are most significant (up to 3 m) off the Kola coast and off Spitsbergen (about 1 m), smaller values ​​(up to 0.5 m) are observed off the coast of Novaya Zemlya and in the southeastern part of the sea.

Large expanses of clear water, frequent and strong stable winds favor the development of waves in the Barents Sea. Particularly strong waves are observed in winter, when, with long-term (at least 16-18 hours) western and south-western winds (up to 20-25 m/s) in the central regions of the sea, the most developed waves can reach a height of 10-11 m. In the coastal zone there are fewer waves. With prolonged northwestern storm winds, the wave height reaches 7-8 m. Starting from April, the intensity of the waves decreases. Waves with a height of 5 m or more are rare. The sea is calmest in the summer months; the frequency of storm waves with a height of 5-6 m does not exceed 1-3%. In autumn, the intensity of waves increases and in November approaches winter levels.

Ice cover

The Barents Sea is one of the Arctic seas, but it is the only Arctic sea that, due to the influx of warm Atlantic waters into its southwestern part, never completely freezes. Due to weak currents from the Kara Sea to the Barents Sea, ice practically does not flow from there.

Thus, ice of local origin is observed in the Barents Sea. In the central and southeastern parts of the sea it is first-year ice, which form in autumn and winter, and melt in spring and summer. Only in the far north and northeast is old ice found, including sometimes arctic pack.

Ice formation in the sea begins in the north in September, in the central regions in October and in the southeast in November. The sea is dominated floating ice, among which there are icebergs. They are usually concentrated near Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen. Icebergs are formed from glaciers descending to the sea from these islands. Occasionally, icebergs are carried by currents far to the south, right up to the coast of the Kola Peninsula. Typically, Barents Sea icebergs do not exceed 25 m in height and 600 m in length.

Fast ice in the Barents Sea is poorly developed. It occupies relatively small areas in the Kaninsko-Pechora region and near Novaya Zemlya, and off the coast of the Kola Peninsula it is found only in the bays.

In the southeastern part of the sea and off the western shores of Novaya Zemlya, french polynyas persist throughout the winter. Sea ice is most widespread in April, when it covers up to 75% of its area. Smooth thickness sea ​​ice of local origin in most areas does not exceed 1 m. The thickest ice (up to 150 cm) is found in the north and northeast.

In spring and summer, first-year ice melts quickly. In May, the southern and southeastern regions are free of ice, and by the end of summer almost the entire sea is cleared of ice (with the exception of areas adjacent to Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and the southeastern shores of Spitsbergen).

The ice cover of the Barents Sea varies from year to year, which is due to the varying intensity of the North Cape Current, the nature of large-scale atmospheric circulation and the general warming or cooling of the Arctic as a whole.

Economic importance

There are about 110 species of fish in the Barents Sea. Their species diversity decreases rapidly from west to east, which is associated with lower air and water temperatures, increased severity of winter and ice conditions. The most common and diverse are cod, flounder, eelpout, goby and other species. A little more than 20 species are used in the fishery, the main ones being haddock, cod, sea bass, cod, herring, and capelin.

The Barents Sea has been heavily fished for several decades. Around the beginning of the 70s. cod and sea bass were caught in large quantities (hundreds of thousands of tons), and halibut, catfish, herring, capelin, etc. were caught in smaller but significant quantities. valuable species fish has led to a reduction in their stocks and sharp decline catches.

Currently, the harvest of valuable fish species at sea is regulated, which has a positive effect on the stocks of cod, perch, haddock and some others. Since 1985, there has been a tendency to restore their numbers.

Characteristics of the Barents Sea

The Barents Sea has clear boundaries in the south and partly in the east; in other areas, the boundaries run along conventional lines drawn along the shortest distances between coastal points. The western border of the sea is the line of Cape Yuzhny (Spitsbergen) - about. Medvezhiy - m. North Cape. The southern border of the sea runs along the coast of the mainland and the line between Cape Svyatoy Nos and Cape Kanin Nos, separating it from the White Sea. From the east, the sea is limited by the western coast of the Vaygach and Novaya Zemlya islands and further by the line of Cape Zhelaniya - Cape Kolzat (Graham Bell Island). In the north, the border of the sea runs along the northern edge of the islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago to Cape Mary Harmsworth (Alexandra Land Island) and then through Victoria and Bely Islands to Cape Lee Smith on the island. Northeast Land (Spitsbergen).

Located on the northern European shelf, almost open to the Central Arctic Basin and open to the Norwegian and Greenland seas, the Barents Sea is a type of continental marginal sea. This is one of the largest seas in terms of area. Its area is 1,424 thousand km2, its volume is 316 thousand km3, its average depth is 222 m, its greatest depth is 600 m.

There are many islands in the Barents Sea. Among them are the archipelagos of Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, the islands of Nadezhda, King Charles, Kolguev, etc. Small islands are mainly grouped into archipelagos located near the mainland or larger islands, for example Krestovye, Gorbov, Gulyaev Koshki, etc. Its complex dissected coastline forms numerous capes, fjords, bays, and bays. Certain sections of the Barents Sea coast belong to different morphological types of coasts. The shores of the Barents Sea are mainly abrasive, but there are accumulative and icy shores. The northern coasts of Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula are mountainous and steeply drop to the sea; they are cut by numerous fjords. The southeastern part of the sea is characterized by low, gently sloping shores. The western coast of Novaya Zemlya is low and hilly, and in its northern part glaciers come close to the sea. Some of them flow directly into the sea. Similar shores are found on Franz Josef Land and on the island. North-Eastern land of the Spitsbergen archipelago.
Climate

The position of the Barents Sea in high latitudes beyond the Arctic Circle, its direct connection with the Atlantic Ocean and the Central Arctic Basin determine the main features of the sea's climate. In general, the climate of the sea is polar marine, characterized by long winters, short cold summers, small annual changes in air temperature, and high relative humidity.

Arctic air dominates in the northern part of the sea, and air of temperate latitudes dominates in the south. At the border of these two main flows there passes an atmospheric Arctic front, generally directed from Iceland through the island. Bear to the northern tip of Novaya Zemlya. Cyclones and anticyclones often form here, affecting the weather patterns in the Barents Sea.

In winter, with the deepening of the Icelandic minimum and its interaction with the Siberian maximum, the Arctic front intensifies, which entails increased cyclonic activity over the central part of the Barents Sea. As a result, very changeable weather sets in over the sea with strong winds, large fluctuations in air temperature, and “burst” precipitation. During this season, predominantly southwestern winds blow. In the north-west of the sea, north-east winds are also often observed, and in the south-eastern part of the sea - winds from the south and south-east. Wind speed is usually 4-7 m/s, but at times increases to 12-16 m/s. The average monthly temperature of the coldest month - March - is -22° on Spitsbergen, -2° in the western part of the sea, in the east, near the island. Kolgueva, -14° and in the southeastern part -16°. This distribution of air temperature is associated with the warming effect of the Norwegian Current and the cooling effect of the Kara Sea.

In summer, the Icelandic low becomes less deep, and the Siberian anticyclone collapses. A stable anticyclone is forming over the Barents Sea. As a result, the weather here is relatively stable, cool and cloudy with weak, predominantly north-eastern winds.

In the warmest months - July and August - in the western and central parts of the sea the average monthly air temperature is 8-9°, in the south-eastern region it is slightly lower - about 7° and in the north it drops to 4-6°. The usual summer weather is disrupted by the invasion of air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, the wind changes direction to the southwest and intensifies to 10-12 m/s. Such incursions occur mainly in the western and central parts of the sea, while relatively stable weather continues to prevail in the north.

During the transition seasons (spring and autumn), a restructuring of pressure fields occurs, so unstable cloudy weather with strong and variable winds prevails over the Barents Sea. In spring, precipitation occurs in bursts, and the air temperature rises quickly. In autumn, the temperature decreases slowly.
Water temperature and salinity

The river flow in relation to the area and volume of the sea is small and averages about 163 km3/year. 90% of it is concentrated in the southeastern part of the sea. The largest rivers of the Barents Sea basin carry their waters to this area. Pechora discharges about 130 km3 of water in an average year, which is approximately 70% of the total coastal runoff into the sea per year. Several small rivers also flow here. The northern coast of Norway and the coast of the Kola Peninsula account for only about 10% of the flow. Here small mountain rivers flow into the sea.

The maximum continental runoff is observed in spring, the minimum in autumn and winter. River flow significantly affects the hydrological conditions only of the southeastern, shallowest part of the sea, which is sometimes called the Pechora Sea (more precisely, the Pechora sea basin).

The determining influence on the nature of the Barents Sea is exerted by water exchange with neighboring seas, and mainly with warm Atlantic waters. The annual inflow of these waters is approximately 74 thousand km3. They bring about 177·1012 kcal of heat to the sea. Of this amount, only 12% is absorbed during the exchange of waters of the Barents Sea with other seas. The rest of the heat is spent in the Barents Sea, so it is one of the warmest seas in the Arctic Ocean. Over large areas of this sea from the European shores to 75° N. latitude. There is a positive surface water temperature all year round, and this area does not freeze.

There are four different water masses in the structure of the Barents Sea waters.

1. Atlantic waters (from the surface to the bottom), coming from the southwest, from the north and northeast from the Arctic basin (from 100-150 m to the bottom). These are warm and salty waters.

2. Arctic waters entering in the form of surface currents from the north. They have negative temperatures and low salinity.

3. Coastal waters coming with continental runoff from the White Sea and with the coastal current along the coast of Norway from the Norwegian Sea. In summer these waters are characterized by high temperature and low salinity, in winter by low temperature and salinity. The characteristics of winter coastal waters are close to those of the Arctic.

4. The Barents Sea waters are formed in the sea itself as a result of the transformation of Atlantic waters under the influence of local conditions. These waters are characterized by low temperature and high salinity. In winter, the entire northeastern part of the sea from surface to bottom is filled with Barents Sea waters, and the southwestern part is filled with Atlantic waters. Traces of coastal waters are found only in surface horizons. There are no Arctic waters. Thanks to intensive mixing, the water entering the sea is quite quickly transformed into Barents Sea water.

In summer, the entire northern part of the Barents Sea is filled with Arctic waters, the central part with Atlantic waters, and the southern part with coastal waters. At the same time, Arctic and coastal waters occupy surface horizons. At depths in the northern part of the sea there are Barents Sea waters, and in the southern part there are Atlantic waters. Surface water temperatures generally decrease from southwest to northeast.

In winter, in the south and southwest the temperature on the water surface is 4-5°, in the central regions 0-3°, and in the northern and northeastern parts it is close to freezing temperature.

In summer, the temperature on the surface of the water and the air temperature are close. In the south of the sea, the surface temperature is 8-9°, in the central part 3-5°, and in the north it drops to negative values. In transition seasons (especially in spring), the distribution and values ​​of water temperature on the surface differ little from winter, and in autumn - from summer.

The distribution of temperature in the water column largely depends on the distribution of warm Atlantic waters, on winter cooling, which extends to a significant depth, and on the bottom topography. In this regard, the change in water temperature with depth occurs differently in different areas of the sea.

In the southwestern part, which is most exposed to the influence of Atlantic waters, the temperature gradually and relatively weakly decreases with depth to the bottom.

Atlantic waters spread east along trenches, the water temperature in them decreases from the surface to a horizon of 100-150 m, and then slightly increases towards the bottom. In the northeast of the sea in winter the low temperature extends to a horizon of 100-200 m, deeper it rises to 1°. In summer, the low surface temperature drops to 25-50 m, where its lowest (–1.5°) winter values ​​remain. Deeper, in the layer of 50-100 m, not affected by winter vertical circulation, the temperature rises slightly and is about –1°. Atlantic waters pass through the underlying horizons, and the temperature here rises to 1°. Thus, between 50-100 m there is a cold intermediate layer. In basins where warm waters do not penetrate, strong cooling occurs, for example in the Novaya Zemlya Trench, Central Basin, etc. The water temperature is quite uniform throughout the entire thickness in winter, and in summer it drops from small positive values ​​on the surface to approximately -1.7 ° at the bottom.

Underwater hills impede the movement of Atlantic waters. In this regard, above the rises in the bottom, low water temperatures are observed at horizons close to the surface. In addition, longer and more intense cooling occurs over the hills and on their slopes than in deep areas. As a result, “cold water caps” are formed at the bottom of the elevation, characteristic of the banks of the Barents Sea. In the Central Highlands region in winter, very low water temperatures can be traced from the surface to the bottom. In summer it decreases with depth and reaches minimum values ​​in the layer of 50-100 m, and deeper it rises slightly again. During this season, a cold intermediate layer is observed here, the lower boundary of which is formed not by the warm Atlantic, but by the local Barents Sea waters.

In the shallow southeastern part of the sea, seasonal changes in water temperature are well expressed from the surface to the bottom. In winter, low water temperatures are observed throughout the entire thickness. Spring heating extends to horizons of 10-12 m, from where the temperature drops sharply towards the bottom. In summer, the thickness of the upper heated layer increases to 15-18 m, and the temperature decreases with depth.

In autumn, the temperature of the upper layer of water begins to level out, and the distribution of temperature with depth follows the pattern of seas of temperate latitudes. In most of the Barents Sea, the vertical distribution of temperature is oceanic in nature.

Due to the good connection with the ocean and the small continental runoff, the salinity of the Barents Sea differs little from the average salinity of the ocean.

The highest salinity on the sea surface (35‰) is observed in the southwestern part, in the area of ​​the North Cape Trench, where salty Atlantic waters flow and there is no ice. To the north and south, salinity drops to 34.5‰ due to melting ice. The waters are even more desalinated (up to 32-33‰) in the southeastern part of the sea, where the ice melts and where fresh water flows from the land. Salinity on the sea surface changes from season to season. In winter, throughout the sea, salinity is quite high - about 35‰, and in the southeastern part - 32.5-33‰, since at this time of year the influx of Atlantic waters increases, continental runoff decreases and intensive ice formation occurs.

In spring, high salinity values ​​remain almost everywhere. Only in a narrow coastal strip near the Murmansk coast and in the Kanin-Kolguevsky region is salinity low.

In summer, the influx of Atlantic waters decreases, ice melts, river water spreads, so salinity decreases everywhere. In the southwestern part the salinity is 34.5‰, in the southeastern part it is 29‰, and sometimes 25‰.

In autumn, at the beginning of the season, salinity remains low throughout the sea, but later, due to a decrease in continental runoff and the onset of ice formation, it increases and reaches winter values.

The change in salinity in the water column is associated with the bottom topography and the influx of Atlantic and river waters. Mostly it increases from 34‰ at the surface to 35.1‰ at the bottom. The vertical salinity changes to a lesser extent over underwater elevations.

Seasonal changes in the vertical distribution of salinity over most of the sea are rather weakly expressed. In summer, the surface layer is desalinated, and from horizons of 25-30 m, a sharp increase in salinity with depth begins. In winter, the jump in salinity at these horizons is somewhat smoothed out. Salinity values ​​change more noticeably with depth in the southeastern part of the sea. The difference in salinity on the surface and at the bottom here can reach several ppm.

In winter, salinity is almost equalized throughout the entire water column, and in spring, river waters desalinate the surface layer. In summer, its freshening is also enhanced by melted ice, so between the horizons of 10 and 25 m a sharp jump in salinity is formed.

In winter, the densest waters on the surface of the Barents Sea are in the northern part. In summer, increased density is observed in the central regions of the sea. In the north, its decrease is associated with the desalination of surface waters due to melting ice, in the south - with their warming.

In winter, in shallow water areas, the density from the surface to the bottom increases slightly. Density increases noticeably with depth in areas of deep Atlantic waters. In spring and especially in summer, under the influence of desalination of surface layers, the vertical density stratification of waters is quite clearly expressed throughout the sea. As a result of autumn cooling, density values ​​equalize with depth.

Relatively weak density stratification with usually strong winds determines the intensive development of wind mixing in the Barents Sea. It covers a layer here of up to 15-20 m in the spring-summer time and penetrates to horizons of 25-30 m in the autumn-winter season. Only in the southeastern part of the sea, where the vertical interlayering of waters is pronounced, does the wind mix only the uppermost layers up to horizons of 10-12 m. In autumn and winter, convective mixing is also added to the wind mixing.

In the north of the sea, due to cooling and ice formation, convection penetrates up to 50-75 m. But it rarely extends to the bottom, since the melting of ice, which occurs here in the summer, creates large density gradients, which prevents the development of vertical circulation.

On the bottom elevations located to the south - the Central Upland, Goose Bank, etc. - the winter vertical circulation reaches the bottom, since in these areas the density is quite uniform throughout the entire water column. As a result, very cold and heavy waters form over the Central Highlands. From here they gradually slide down the slopes into the depressions surrounding the upland, in particular into the Central Basin, where cold bottom waters are formed.
Bottom relief

The bottom of the Barents Sea is a complexly dissected underwater plain, slightly inclined to the west and northeast. The deepest areas, including the maximum depth of the sea, are located in the western part of the sea. The bottom topography as a whole is characterized by the alternation of large structural elements - underwater hills and trenches with different directions, as well as the existence of numerous small (3-5 m) irregularities at depths of less than 200 m and terrace-like ledges on the slopes. The difference in depths in the open part of the sea reaches 400 m. The rugged bottom topography significantly affects the hydrological conditions of the sea.

Bottom topography and currents of the Barents Sea
Currents

The general circulation of waters in the Barents Sea is formed under the influence of the influx of water from neighboring basins, bottom topography and other factors. As in neighboring seas of the northern hemisphere, the general movement of surface waters is counterclockwise.

The most powerful and stable flow, which largely determines the hydrological conditions of the sea, forms the warm North Cape Current. It enters the sea from the southwest and moves east in the coastal zone at a speed of about 25 cm/s; further seaward its speed decreases to 5-10 cm/s. Approximately 25°E this current is divided into the Coastal Murmansk and Murmansk currents. The first of them, 40-50 km wide, spreads to the southeast along the coast of the Kola Peninsula, penetrates into the Throat of the White Sea, where it meets the outlet White Sea Current and moves east at a speed of 15-20 cm/s. Kolguev Island divides the Coastal Murmansk Current into the Kanin Current, which goes to the south-eastern part of the sea and further to the Kara Gate and Yugorsky Shar straits, and the Kolguev Current, which goes first to the east and then to the north-east, to the coast of Novaya Zemlya. The Murmansk Current, about 100 km wide, with a speed of about 5 cm/s, extends significantly more seaward than the Coastal Murmansk Current. Near the meridian 40° E, having encountered an increase in the bottom, it turns to the northeast and gives rise to the Western Novaya Zemlya Current, which, together with part of the Kolguev Current and the cold Litke Current entering through the Kara Gates, forms the eastern periphery of the cyclonic circulation common to the Barents Sea . In addition to the branched system of the warm North Cape Current, cold currents are clearly visible in the Barents Sea. Along the Perseus Upland, from northeast to southwest, along the Medvezhinsky shallow waters, the Perseus Current runs. Merging with the cold waters of the island. Hope, it forms the Medvezhinsky Current, the speed of which is approximately 50 cm/s.

Currents in the Barents Sea are significantly influenced by large-scale pressure fields. Thus, when the Polar Anticyclone is localized off the coast of Alaska and Canada and with the Icelandic Low located relatively western, the West Novaya Zemlya Current penetrates far to the north, and part of its waters goes into the Kara Sea. Another part of this current deviates to the west and is strengthened by waters coming from the Arctic Basin (east of Franz Josef Land). The influx of surface Arctic waters brought by the East Spitsbergen Current is increasing.

With the significant development of the Siberian High and at the same time the more northern location of the Icelandic Low, the outflow of water from the Barents Sea through the straits between Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, as well as between Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen, prevails.

The general picture of currents is complicated by local cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres.

Tides in the Barents Sea are caused mainly by the Atlantic tidal wave, which enters the sea from the southwest, between the North Cape and Spitsbergen, and moves east. Near the entrance to Matochkin Shar, it turns partly to the northwest, partly to the southeast.

The northern edges of the sea are influenced by another tidal wave coming from the Arctic Ocean. As a result, interference of the Atlantic and northern waves occurs off the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen and near Franz Josef Land. The tides of the Barents Sea almost everywhere have a regular semidiurnal character, as do the currents they cause, but the change in the directions of tidal currents occurs differently in different areas of the sea.

Along the Murmansk coast, in the Czech Bay, in the west of the Pechora Sea, tidal currents are close to reversible. In open parts of the sea, the direction of currents in most cases changes clockwise, and on some banks - counterclockwise. Changes in the directions of tidal currents occur simultaneously throughout the entire layer from the surface to the bottom.

The highest speed of tidal currents (about 150 cm/s) is observed in the surface layer. Tidal currents are characterized by high speeds along the Murmansk coast, at the entrance to the White Sea Funnel, in the Kanin-Kolguevsky region and in the South Spitsbergen shallow waters. In addition to strong currents, tides cause significant changes in the level of the Barents Sea. The tide height off the coast of the Kola Peninsula reaches 3 m. In the north and northeast, the tides become smaller and off the coast of Spitsbergen it is 1-2 m, and off the southern coast of Franz Josef Land it is only 40-50 cm. This is due to the peculiarities bottom topography, coastal configuration and interference of tidal waves coming from the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

In addition to tidal fluctuations, seasonal level changes can also be observed in the Barents Sea, caused mainly by the influence of atmospheric pressure and winds. The difference between the maximum and minimum positions of the average level in Murmansk can reach 40-50 cm.

Strong and prolonged winds cause surge level fluctuations. They are most significant (up to 3 m) off the Kola coast and off Spitsbergen (about 1 m), smaller values ​​(up to 0.5 m) are observed off the coast of Novaya Zemlya and in the southeastern part of the sea.

Large expanses of clear water, frequent and strong stable winds favor the development of waves in the Barents Sea. Particularly strong waves are observed in winter, when, with long-term (at least 16-18 hours) western and south-western winds (up to 20-25 m/s) in the central regions of the sea, the most developed waves can reach a height of 10-11 m. In the coastal zone there are fewer waves. With prolonged northwestern storm winds, the wave height reaches 7-8 m. Starting from April, the intensity of the waves decreases. Waves with a height of 5 m or more are rare. The sea is calmest in the summer months; the frequency of storm waves with a height of 5-6 m does not exceed 1-3%. In autumn, the intensity of waves increases and in November approaches winter levels.
Ice cover

The Barents Sea is one of the Arctic seas, but it is the only Arctic sea that, due to the influx of warm Atlantic waters into its southwestern part, never completely freezes. Due to weak currents from the Kara Sea to the Barents Sea, ice practically does not flow from there.

Thus, ice of local origin is observed in the Barents Sea. In the central and southeastern parts of the sea, this is first-year ice that forms in autumn and winter, and melts in spring and summer. Only in the far north and northeast is old ice found, including sometimes arctic pack.

Ice formation in the sea begins in the north in September, in the central regions in October and in the southeast in November. The sea is dominated by floating ice, among which there are icebergs. They are usually concentrated near Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen. Icebergs are formed from glaciers descending to the sea from these islands. Occasionally, icebergs are carried by currents far to the south, right up to the coast of the Kola Peninsula. Typically, Barents Sea icebergs do not exceed 25 m in height and 600 m in length.

Fast ice in the Barents Sea is poorly developed. It occupies relatively small areas in the Kaninsko-Pechora region and near Novaya Zemlya, and off the coast of the Kola Peninsula it is found only in the bays.

In the southeastern part of the sea and off the western shores of Novaya Zemlya, french polynyas persist throughout the winter. Sea ice is most widespread in April, when it covers up to 75% of its area. The thickness of flat sea ice of local origin in most areas does not exceed 1 m. The thickest ice (up to 150 cm) is found in the north and northeast.

In spring and summer, first-year ice melts quickly. In May, the southern and southeastern regions are free of ice, and by the end of summer almost the entire sea is cleared of ice (with the exception of areas adjacent to Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land and the southeastern shores of Spitsbergen).

The ice cover of the Barents Sea varies from year to year, which is due to the varying intensity of the North Cape Current, the nature of large-scale atmospheric circulation and the general warming or cooling of the Arctic as a whole.
Economic importance

The Barents Sea is located in the westernmost part of the Eurasian shelf. The area of ​​the Barents Sea is 1,300,000 km2. According to the International Hydrographic Bureau, the Barents Sea is separated from the Arctic basin by the Spitsbergen archipelago, the Bely and Victoria islands and the Franz Josef Land archipelago.

In the east, its border with the Kara Sea runs from Graham Bell Island to Cape Zhelaniya and along the Matochkin Shar (Novaya Zemlya Island), Kara Gates (between the Novaya Zemlya and Vaygach islands) and Yugorsky Shar (between the Vaygach Islands and the mainland) straits.
In the south, the Barents Sea is limited by the coast of Norway, the Kola Peninsula and the Kanin Peninsula. To the east is the Czech Bay. West of the peninsula Kanin is located in the Throat Strait of the White Sea.

On southeast The Barents Sea is limited by the Pechora Lowland and the northern end of the Pai-Khoi ridge (a branch of the Ural ridge in the north). In the west, the Barents Sea opens wide into the Norwegian Sea and therefore into the Atlantic Ocean.

Temperature and salinity of the Barents Sea

The temperature of Atlantic waters is 4-12 ° C, salinity is approximately 35 ppm. When moving north and east, Atlantic waters cool and mix with local waters. The salinity of the surface layer drops to 32-33 ppm, and the temperature at the bottom to -1.9 ° C. Small flows of Atlantic waters through deep straits between the islands enter the Barents Sea from the Arctic basin at a depth of 150-200 m. Cold surface water Polar waters are brought from the Arctic basin. The waters of the Barents Sea are carried out by a cold current going south from Bear Island.

Ice conditions in the Barents Sea

In summer, floating ice usually melts and only in the coldest years remains in the middle and northern parts of the sea and near Novaya Zemlya.

Chemical composition of the waters of the Barents Sea

Due to the low temperature, the deep layers are enriched with carbon dioxide. In the Barents Sea, at the junction of cold Arctic and warm Atlantic waters, there is the so-called “polar front”. It is characterized by the rise of deep waters with a high content of nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, etc.), which determines the abundance of phytoplankton and organic life in general.

Tides in the Barents Sea

Climate of the Barents Sea

Bottom topography and geological structure

The flat island of Kolguev, located northeast of the Kanin Peninsula, consists of horizontally occurring Quaternary sediments. in the west, in the region of Cape Mordkap, Proterozoic sediments are cut off by the Caledonian structures of Norway. They extend northeast along the western edge of the Fenno-Scandinavian shield. The Caledonides of the same submeridional strike form the western part of Spitsbergen. The Medvezhinsko-Spitsbergen shallow waters, the Central Upland, as well as the Novaya Zemlya fold system and adjacent banks can be traced in the same direction.

Novaya Zemlya is composed of folds of Paleozoic rocks: phyllites, shales, limestones, sandstones. Manifestations of Caledonian movements are found along the western coast, and it can be assumed that here Caledonian structures are partially buried by young sediments and hidden under the seabed. The Vaigach-Novaya Zemlya fold system of Hercynian age is S-shaped and probably bends around massifs of ancient rocks or crystalline basement. The Central Basin, the Northeast Basin, the Franz Victoria Trench to the west of Franz Josef Land and the St. Anna Trench (the Gulf of the Arctic Basin) to the east of it have the same submeridional strike with an S-shaped bend. The same direction is inherent in the deep straits of Franz Josef Land and the underwater valleys located in their extension to the north into the Arctic basin and south to the north of the Barents Sea plateau.

The islands in the northern part of the Barents Sea are platform in nature and are composed predominantly of sedimentary rocks that lie slightly inclined or almost horizontally. On Bear Island it is the Upper Paleozoic and Triassic, on Franz Josef Land it is Jurassic and Cretaceous, in the eastern part of Western Spitsbergen it is Mesozoic and Tertiary. The rocks are clastic, sometimes weakly carbonate; in the late Mesozoic they were intruded by basalts.