Hydrosphere - definition, composition and structure, interesting facts.

Hydrosphere– from Latin – water shell. The concept of the hydrosphere was first introduced into the scientific literature by E. Suess in 1875, who understood it as a single water shell of the planet, mainly consisting of the waters of the World Ocean. In 1910, a broader interpretation was presented by J. Murray; he included the waters of rivers and lakes, the atmosphere, the cryosphere and the biosphere in the hydrosphere. Such a broad interpretation of the hydrosphere was not unconditionally accepted by researchers. The differences between subsequent definitions of the hydrosphere concerned mainly its continuity, the lower and upper limits of its distribution, and the possibility of including chemically and biologically bound waters in it.

The most physically substantiated definition is I.A. Fedoseeva: in a broad sense, the hydrosphere is a continuous shell globe, extending down to the upper mantle, where, under conditions high temperatures and pressure, along with the decomposition of water molecules, their synthesis continuously occurs, and upward - approximately to the height of the tropopause, above which water molecules undergo photodissipation (decomposition). A narrower definition can be given: the hydrosphere is the continuous shell of the Earth, containing water in all three states of aggregation within the World Ocean, cryosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere, directly participating in the planetary moisture cycle (hydrological cycle (HC)).

IN in a general sense The GC is a continuous process of circulation and redistribution of all types natural waters between individual parts of the hydrosphere, establishing certain relationships between them at different averaging scales. The GC ensures the interconnection and unity of the hydrosphere.

The hydrosphere and GC are a single self-regulating system consisting of four reservoirs: the ocean, the cryosphere (the shell of the Earth containing water in the solid phase), the lithosphere (surface and underground waters of the land) and the atmosphere.

Over 96% of the hydrosphere consists of seas and oceans; about 2% - groundwater, about 2% - glaciers, 0.02% - land waters (rivers, lakes, swamps). The total volume of the Earth's hydrosphere is over 1 billion 500 million km 3. Of these, in the oceans and seas - 1370 million km 3, in groundwater ah - about 60 million km 3 in the form of ice and snow - about 30 million km 3, in inland waters- 0.75 million km 3, and in the atmosphere - 0.015 million km 3.

The volume of the hydrosphere is constantly changing. According to scientists, 4 billion years ago its volume was only 20 million km 3, that is, it was almost 7 thousand times less than today. In the future, the amount of water on Earth is also likely to increase, given that the volume of water in the Earth's mantle is estimated at 20 billion km 3 - this is 15 times the current volume of the hydrosphere. It is believed that water will enter the hydrosphere from the deep layers of the Earth and during volcanic eruptions.

According to data that takes into account only proven underground water reserves, fresh water on the entire planet accounts for only 2.8%; of which 2.15% is found in glaciers and only 0.65% in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. The main mass of water (97.2%) is salty. The hydrosphere is a single shell, since all waters are interconnected and are in constant large or small cycles. Complete renewal of water occurs in different ways. Water in polar glaciers is renewed in 8 thousand years, groundwater in 5 thousand years, lakes in 300 days, rivers in 12 days, water vapor in the atmosphere in 9 days, and the waters of the World Ocean in 3 thousand years.

The hydrosphere plays a very important role in the life of the planet: it accumulates solar heat and redistributes it on Earth; Atmospheric precipitation comes from the World Ocean to land.

Significant changes have occurred in the hydrosphere over geological history, but little is known about them. It is estimated that in ice ages The amount of ice increased sharply, and due to this, the volume decreased and the level of the World Ocean dropped by tens of meters. Currently, the hydrosphere is undergoing transformations of unprecedented speed and size associated with human technical activity. About 5 thousand km 3 of water is used annually, and 10 times more is polluted. Some countries have begun to experience a shortage of fresh water. This does not mean that there is little of it on Earth: people have simply not yet learned to use it rationally.

The hydrosphere interacts with the lithosphere. This is evidenced by erosion and accumulative processes associated with the work of water. The hydrosphere also interacts with the atmosphere: clouds consist of water vapor that has evaporated from the surface of the seas and oceans. The hydrosphere also interacts with the biosphere, since living beings inhabiting the biosphere cannot live without water. Interacting with the various shells of the planet, the hydrosphere acts, in turn, as part of the integral nature earth's surface.

The total reserves of water on Earth over a period of time measured by geological epochs practically do not change, since the supply of water from the Earth’s interior and outer space to the Earth’s surface is very small and is practically compensated by the irretrievable loss of water due to photodissipation of water vapor in upper layers atmosphere. Consequently, the hydrosphere is a quasi-closed system.

Back in 1914, J. Gregory, in his work “The Formation of the Earth,” wrote that the fundamental difference between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is the most striking “feature in the plan of the Earth.” And indeed, first of all, the figure of the Earth itself is asymmetrical, with the northern semi-axis being 70-100 m longer than the southern one, therefore the polar compression of the Northern Hemisphere is less than that of the Southern. The asymmetry of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is that land in the Northern Hemisphere is 39%, and in the Southern - 19%. The uneven distribution of water and land affects many planetary processes and entails an asymmetry in the distribution of components of the geographic envelope and, consequently, the biosphere.

J. Gregory noticed that in 19 out of 20 cases there is water opposite land on the opposite side of the Earth. Lots of water! Our planet, blue from space (because of the water), should have been called Planet Water. However, with an average MC depth of 3704 m and the Earth's diameter of 12,756 km, its layer is only 0.03% of the Earth's diameter.



The concept of the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere (from the Greek hydor - water and sphaira - ball) is the water shell of the Earth, which is a collection of oceans, seas and surface waters of the land. It includes all chemically bound water, regardless of its state of aggregation. Of the 1.4 billion km 3 of the total volume of water in the hydrosphere, about 96.5% comes from the World Ocean, 1.7% from groundwater, just over 1.7% from glaciers and polar ice, less than 0.01% from to surface waters of land. The abundance of water is a cosmic feature of the Earth. Water is the most common mineral on Earth.

A small amount of water is contained in the atmosphere in the form of water vapor, spreading to a height of 10-15 km and the biosphere. In the earth's crust, water is found at depths of up to 20 km. The earth’s crust, according to V.I. Vernadsky’s definition, contains as much of it as the World Ocean. The hydrosphere is one.

Origin of the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere on our planet appeared simultaneously with the formation of the primary earth's crust about 4-5 billion years ago. The hydrosphere was formed mainly due to volcanism and water-containing meteorites and icy comet cores falling to the Earth. It is known that gases released into the atmosphere during eruptions contain up to 80% water vapor. It is formed from water that is part of magma. There it is contained in a chemically bound form. Currently, volcanoes annually release approximately 130 million tons of water, and the amount of water coming to Earth from Space is estimated at about 1.5 billion tons per year.

Properties of water. Water has amazing properties, some of them are not inherent in any other natural bodies.

v Water is the only mineral that exists in natural conditions simultaneously in solid, liquid and gaseous states. The transition from one state to another occurs constantly, as a result of which the water cycle in nature is observed.

v The isotopic composition of natural waters is diverse. If hydrogen in a water molecule is replaced by an isotope of hydrogen - deuterium (H2), such water is called heavy.

v Water is the most heat-capacity body on Earth. This additional reserve heat on Earth, since moist air masses, upon entering colder territory, emit a large number of heat due to the transition of water from a gaseous state to a liquid or solid. When water evaporates, the reverse process occurs - heat absorption.

v When the temperature drops from +4 to 0ºС, water increases its volume.

v Water has the highest surface tension and wetting ability after mercury. This property is associated with the peculiarities of water circulation in soils and rocks ah, the movement of juices in plants, blood circulation in animals.

v Water is a universal solvent.

v Water easily interacts with many substances.

World water cycle. The water cycle- the process of continuous movement of water under the influence of solar energy and gravity, covering the entire geographical envelope. The following links are distinguished in the water cycle: atmospheric, oceanic and continental. The atmospheric link of the water cycle is the transfer of moisture during movement air masses and education atmospheric precipitation; oceanic - evaporation of water, which is continuously restored due to condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere and precipitation of water, and continental - mobile river and soil waters, characterized by great complexity. The water cycle consists of evaporation from the surface of the Ocean, the transfer of water vapor by air currents, its condensation in the atmosphere, precipitation, its infiltration and the penetration of surface and underground runoff of land into the ocean. In the process of the World Water Cycle, for example, groundwater is renewed over hundreds, thousands and millions of years , polar glaciers - for 8-15 thousand years, waters of the World Ocean - for 2.5-3 thousand years, closed and drainless lakes - for 200-300 years, flowing lakes - for several years, rivers - for 12-14 days, water vapor in the atmosphere - in 8 days, water in organisms - in several hours.

About 520 thousand km 3 takes part in the water cycle , which is 7.5 times the volume of the Black Sea. The main link in the cycle process is evaporation. Every year, a layer of water 1.24 m thick evaporates from the surface of the World Ocean, which is replenished by precipitation over the ocean and river flow. A small cycle is distinguished, including the evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean, the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere and the fall of precipitation on the surface of the ocean. Part of the water evaporated from the surface of the ocean is carried by air currents to land, where it falls to the surface in the form of precipitation, evaporates and enters back into the atmosphere. The other part flows through land and underground routes into relief depressions, feeding rivers and standing reservoirs. The process of water evaporation and precipitation on land can be repeated many times, but eventually the moisture brought from the ocean by air currents returns to the ocean again through river and underground runoff. This is a large water cycle. The hydrosphere serves as a planetary accumulator of inorganic and organic matter that are carried into the ocean by river waters, precipitation, and also form in the reservoirs themselves. The amount of water participating in the cycle remains almost unchanged, but the proportions of water in different branches of the cycle change at different times. The global water cycle connects all the outer shells of the Earth and organisms.

World Ocean

General information about the World Ocean. About 3/4 of the globe's area is covered with water. The world's oceans include oceans, seas, bays and straits. Ocean waters are distributed unevenly on the earth's surface. In the Southern Hemisphere, their area is 5 times greater than the land area, and in the Northern Hemisphere it is only 1.5 times. That's why North hemisphere can be called “continental”, and the South - “oceanic”. The average depth of the World Ocean is 3700 m, the greatest is 11022 m ( Mariana Trench). Swiss explorer Jacques Piccard descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 1960 and reached a depth of almost 11 kilometers. The volume of waters of the World Ocean is 1,338,000,000 km 3 . Continents and islands divide the single World Ocean into parts - oceans.

Composition of the World Ocean. The ocean is one, from any point you can get to any other point without crossing land. Currently there are four oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic. The boundaries of the oceans coincide for a considerable extent with the shores of continents and islands. And where the oceans communicate freely, the border is drawn conditionally along the meridians of the capes: Horn (South America), Agulhas (Africa), South (Tasmania) - to Antarctica. The oceans jut into the land with seas and bays.

Oceans and types of seas. The World Ocean is divided into the Pacific (178.684 million km 2), Atlantic (91.655 million km 2), Indian (76.175 million . km 2) and the Arctic (I4.699 million km 2). Pacific Ocean the largest and deepest on the globe. It occupies almost half the area of ​​the World Ocean, exceeding the area of ​​the entire landmass of the Earth. It has existed since the beginning of the formation of the earth's crust.

Atlantic Ocean ranks second in area and depth. Characterized by the most active shipping. Indian Ocean located almost entirely between the tropics and therefore its waters are the warmest. Northern Arctic Ocean is the smallest in area, and most of it is covered almost all year round ice.

Seas- parts of the oceans isolated from the ocean by land, peninsulas, islands, straits, rapids or underwater mountain ranges. Unlike a lake, the sea is connected to the ocean. According to the degree of isolation from the ocean and position to the mainland, Mediterranean ones are distinguished, located in geosynclinal areas between different continents(Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red, etc.); internal, lying inside the continents (Baltic, White, Black, Marble); semi-closed (Beringovo, Northern, Okhotsk); open, or marginal (Barents, Kara, Arabian) and interisland (Javan, Sulawesi) seas. The seas are connected to the oceans through straits.

Strait- a narrow body of water separating two continents or islands and connecting adjacent water basins, limited on both sides by land (Bering, Magellan, Gibraltar). The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the narrowest and deepest straits in the world (length 65 km, width 14-44, maximum depth 1181 m). The widest strait is the Drake Passage (900 km), and the longest is the Mozambique Passage (1670 km).

Bay- a part of the ocean, sea or lake that extends deep into the land. The Atlantic Ocean forms the Bay of Biscay, and the Indian Ocean forms the Bay of Bengal.

Within the World Ocean, there are areas of land surrounded on all sides by water, which are called islands. A group of closely located islands is called archipelago (Japanese islands, Greater Antilles). Areas of land that jut out into oceans and seas and are surrounded on three sides by water are called peninsulas (Arabian Peninsula, Indian Peninsula).

Relief of the bottom of the World Ocean. There is much in common between the land relief and the seabed relief. On the seabed there are sea plains, high plateaus and mountainous countries. At the same time, the relief of the seabed is less dissected.

The following morphological elements of relief are distinguished:

Ø Continental shelf, or shelf (littoral) - a shallow part bordering the continent with depths from 0 to 200 m.

Ø Continental or coastal, slope (batial) - depth area from 200 to 2500 m.

Ø Ocean bed (abyssal) - spaces with depths from 2500 to 6000 m. This part of the ocean floor accounts for 80% of its area.

Ø Deeps, depressions (abyssal trenches) - areas with depths of more than 6000 m.

The bottom topography of all oceans is characterized by the following:

· the central parts are most often occupied by uplifts that have the character of underwater mountain ranges;

· the deepest places are usually located near continents or archipelagos.

At the bottom of the oceans, mid-ocean ridges are formed - grandiose underwater mountain systems with a total length of up to 80,000 km, extending to all oceans. In their axial part, magma rises from the mantle, which, when solidified, pushes the ocean floor apart. At the same time, volcanoes shift, fade and turn into seamounts. IN warm waters Volcanoes that rise to the surface of the ocean are overgrown with ring coral reefs.

Silt deposits accumulate at the bottom of seas and oceans. In the shelf zone there are continental sediments, in the bathyal part there are silts of organic origin, as well as radiolarian (in tropical seas) and diatomaceous (in arctic seas) silt. At the abyssal depth, the bottom is covered with red deep-sea clay, which is volcanic dust, remains of colloidal clay and cosmic dust.

River basin- the area from which a river and its tributaries collect water. Swamp- an excessively moist area of ​​land with moisture-loving vegetation and a peat layer of at least 0.3 m. The water in swamps is in a bound state. There are two main types of swamps - upland swamps (in which moisture comes only from precipitation and dry out in its absence) and lowland swamps (fed by groundwater or river water, relatively rich in salts). main reason formation of swamps - excessive moisture in combination with a high level of groundwater due to the close occurrence of water-resistant rocks to the surface and flat terrain.

Watershed- the line dividing the basins of two rivers or oceans, usually passing through elevated areas.

water sushi- part of the hydrosphere, these include groundwater, rivers, lakes, swamps, glaciers.

Unrest- These are predominantly oscillatory movements of water of different nature (wind, tidal, seismic). What is common to all types of waves is oscillatory motion particles of water, in which a mass of water moves around one point.

Geysers- springs that periodically emit fountains of water and steam, which are a manifestation of the late stages of volcanism. Known in Iceland, USA, New Zealand, Kamchatka.

Water shell of the Earth. The total volume of water in the hydrosphere is 1.4 billion km 3, 96.5% of which falls on the World Ocean, 1.7% on groundwater, about 1.8% on glaciers, less than 0.01% on surface water land (rivers, lakes, swamps).

Delta- a low-lying plain in the lower reaches of a river, composed of sediment brought by the river and cut through a network of channels.

Bay- a part of the ocean, sea or lake that cuts into land and has free water exchange with the main part of the reservoir. A small bay, well protected from the wind, is called a bay. A bay separated from the sea by a sand spit, in which there is a narrow strait (often formed at the mouth of a river) - an estuary. In northern Russia, a bay that juts deep into the land into which a river flows is called a gulf. Deep, long bays with winding shores are fjords.

One or several rivers flow from waste lakes (Baikal, Ontario, Victoria). Lakes that do not have a drainage are drainless (Caspian, Mortvoe, Chad). Endorheic lakes are often saline (salt content above 1%). Depending on the degree of salinity, lakes are fresh and salty.

Source- the place where a river originates (for example: a spring, lake, swamp, glacier in the mountains).

Glaciers- natural moving accumulations of ice formed from precipitation above the snow line (the level above which snow does not melt). The height of the snow line is determined by temperature, which is related to the latitude of the area and the degree of continental climate, and the amount of solid precipitation. A glacier has a feeding area (i.e., ice accumulation) and an ice melting area. The ice in the glacier, under the influence of gravity, moves from the feeding area to the melting area at a speed of several tens of meters per year (see diagram 1 on p. 76). total area glaciers - 11% of the land surface with a volume of 30 million km 3. If all glaciers melted, the level of the world's oceans would rise by 66 m.

Low water- a period of low water level in the river.

World Ocean - main part hydrosphere, which accounts for 71% of the globe's area (in the Northern Hemisphere - 61%, in the Southern - 81%). The world ocean is conventionally divided into four oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic. Some researchers identify a fifth - South ocean. It includes water Southern Hemisphere between Antarctica and the southern tips of the continents South America, Africa and Australia.

Permafrost- rocks in the upper part of the earth's crust that remain permanently frozen or thaw only in the summer. The formation of permafrost occurs in very low temperatures and low snow depth. The thickness of the permafrost layer can reach 600 m. The area of ​​permafrost in the world is 35 million km2, including 10 million km2 in Russia.

Sea- a part of the ocean, more or less separated by islands, peninsulas or underwater hills, characterized by a special hydrological regime. There are seas internal- protruding deeply into the continent (Mediterranean, Baltic) and outlying- adjacent to the mainland and slightly isolated from the ocean (Okhotsk, Beringovo).

Lake- a reservoir of slow water exchange, located in a closed natural depression (basin) of the land surface. Based on their origin, lake basins are divided into tectonic, volcanic, dam, glacial, karst, floodplain (oxbow lakes), and estuary. By water regime a distinction is made between waste and non-waste (Table 1, p. 76).

Flood- short-term, irregular rise in water level.

The groundwater- waters contained in the upper (12-16 km) thickness of the earth’s crust in liquid, solid and gaseous states. The possibility of water being found in the earth's crust is determined by the porosity of rocks. Permeable rocks (gravel, pebbles, sands) allow water to pass through well. Waterproof rocks are fine-grained, weakly or completely impervious to water (clays, granites, basalts). According to the conditions of occurrence, groundwater is divided into soil water (water in a bound state in the soil), groundwater(first from the surface constant aquifer, lying on the first waterproof horizon), interstratal waters(confined between waterproof horizons), including artesian (pressure interstratal).

Floodplain- Part river valley, flooded during high waters and floods. The slopes of the valley usually rise above the floodplain, often in stepped shapes - terraces.

High water- annually recurring period high level water in the river caused by the main food source. Types of river feeding: rain, snow, glacial, underground.

Strait- a relatively narrow body of water that separates two land areas and connects adjacent water basins or parts thereof. The deepest and widest strait is the Drake Strait, the longest is the Mozambique Strait.

River mode- regular changes in the state of the river, due to the physical and geographical properties of its basin and climatic features.

River- a constant water flow flowing in a depression he himself developed - a channel.

river valley- a depression in the relief at the bottom of which a river flows.

River system- a river with its tributaries. The name of the river system is given by main river. The largest river systems world - Amazon, Congo, Mississippi and Missouri, Ob and Irtysh.

Salinity sea ​​water - the amount of salts in grams dissolved in 1 kg (l) of sea water. The average salinity of water in the ocean is 35%o, the maximum - up to 42%o - in the Red Sea.

Water temperature in the ocean depends on the amount of solar heat reaching its surface. Average annual temperature surface water is 17.5°, at a depth of 3000-4000 m it usually ranges from +2° to 0°C.

Currents- forward movements water masses in the ocean, arising under the influence of various forces. Currents can also be classified by temperature (warm, cold and neutral), by duration of existence (short-term, periodic and permanent), depending on depth (surface, deep and bottom).

Estuary- the place where a river flows into a sea, lake or other river.

Estuary- a funnel-shaped flooded mouth of a river, expanding towards the sea. Forms near rivers flowing into seas, where the influence of movements is strong ocean waters(tides, waves, currents) at the mouth of a river.

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Hydrosphere (Greek hidro - water and sphaira - ball) - the water shell of the Earth. It includes all non-chemically bound water, regardless of its condition: solid, liquid, gaseous.

Of the 1.4 billion km 3 of the total volume of water in the hydrosphere, about 96.5% is sea ​​and approx e ana ; 1.7% falls on The groundwater , about 2% - on glaciers and permanent snow (mainly Antarctica and Greenland), less than 0.02% - on surface waters land (rivers, lakes, swamps, artificial reservoirs). Some water is found in the atmosphere and in living organisms.

The volume of the hydrosphere is constantly changing. According to scientists, 4 billion years ago its volume was only 20 million km 3, that is, it was almost seven thousand times less than today. In the future, according to scientists' forecasts, the amount of water on Earth will apparently also increase, given that the volume of water in the Earth's mantle is estimated at 20 billion km 3 - this is 15 times more than the current volume of the hydrosphere. It is assumed that the flow of water into the hydrosphere will occur not only through its release from the mantle, but also during volcanic eruptions.

The hydrosphere plays a very important role role in the life of our planet . She accumulates solar heat and redistributes him on Earth; from the World Ocean to land precipitation . The world's oceans especially influences the climate coastal areas.

Currently, the hydrosphere is undergoing transformations of unprecedented speed and size associated with human technical activity. About 5 thousand km 3 are used annually, and 10 times more are polluted. Some countries have begun to experience a shortage of fresh water.

Hydrosphere interacts with all shells Lands:

Its connection with the lithosphere is evidenced by erosion and accumulative work waters (see “Destructive and creative work of land waters”), affecting the formation of relief;

The hydrosphere also interacts with the atmosphere: clouds consist of water vapor evaporated from the surface of the seas and oceans;

Since living beings inhabiting the biosphere cannot live without water, we can talk about the relationship between the hydrosphere and the biosphere.

Interacting with the various shells of the planet, the hydrosphere acts, in turn, as part of the integral nature of the Earth,

The hydrosphere is one. Her unity - in community of origin all natural waters from the Earth's mantle, in their spatial continuity and interconnected in the world system water cycle in nature.

6.2 Water cycle in nature

This is the continuous movement of water under the influence of solar energy and gravity. Meaning gyre water is great, since it is not only unites all parts of the hydrosphere , but also connects everything among themselves shell of the earth (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere).

Water during the cycle can be in three states : solid, liquid and gaseous. It carries a huge amount of substances necessary for life on Earth.

In the process of the water cycle in nature, there is a gradual water renewal in all parts of the geographical envelope:

The groundwater updated over hundreds, thousands and millions of years,

cover glaciers- for several thousand years (in Antarctica - for tens of millions of years),

waters of the world's oceans- for 2.5-3 thousand years,

closed closed lakes- for 200-300 years,

flowing lakes- in a few years,

rivers- in 12-15 days,

water atmospheric vapor- in 8 days,

water in organisms- in a few hours.

Water cycle in nature is composed from water evaporation from the surface of the ocean and land (on land, the main evaporation of water is produced by plants), transfer water vapor by air currents, condensation steam - the transformation of water vapor into water, precipitation , their seepage and runoff along the earth's surface into the ocean.

Under the influence of sunlight, the ocean and land warm up. As a result, water changes from a liquid state to a gaseous state (water vapor) and rises. The ocean supplies 86% of the moisture in the atmosphere, with the rest coming from land. The water that evaporates from the surface of the ocean is fresh.

It is known that the temperature in the atmosphere decreases with altitude. Water vapor meeting increasingly colder ones; layers of air begin to cool and form clouds. On land, water evaporation occurs not only with the help of plants, here water evaporates from the surface of rivers, lakes, swamps and as a result of volcanic activity. Part of the water that evaporates from the ocean returns to it in the form of precipitation that falls from clouds located above the seas and oceans. Another part of the clouds is transported to the mainland by the wind. There, they can also precipitate in liquid or solid form.

Part of the atmospheric precipitation ends up in rivers, and they ultimately carry water into the seas of the World Ocean or into closed reservoirs (for example, the Aral or Caspian Seas), replenishing their losses due to evaporation.

The other part of the water that falls on Earth in the form of atmospheric precipitation seeps and flows with groundwater into rivers or directly into the World Ocean. This is a very important stage in the water cycle, since it regulates river flow over time: if it were not there, there would be water in the rivers only during the period of precipitation or melting snow.

A third of the water that falls to Earth in the form of precipitation can penetrate the soil and be absorbed by the roots of plants, and then rise along the stem to the leaves and evaporate. This stage of the cycle is very important, since with water, dissolved mineral substances necessary for the life of the plant enter the roots of the plant from the soil. The plant cannot absorb undissolved minerals from the soil. Not all water returns from land to the ocean at the same time. It lingers longest in glaciers and deep underground waters.

Water returning from land can evaporate again and end up back on land. This is how its cycle takes place: ocean - atmosphere -. land - ocean. This continuous process is called the water cycle in nature.

Substantial role in the cycle water in nature has recently begun to play human activity . The destruction of forests, drainage and irrigation of lands, the creation of reservoirs and dams, the use of water for economic needs - all this has significantly changed the hydrological processes on Earth. And although economic activity has had little effect on the total volume of the hydrosphere, it has a noticeable effect on its individual parts: the flow of some rivers has decreased, others have increased, and evaporation has increased. Some of the water that a person consumes to produce any product can last for a long time fall out of the water cycle , which is why it is called “irretrievably withdrawn”: although its return may occur, it will long delay in time and on a completely different territory. Another problem is pollution large volumes of water as a result of human economic activities. It is the threat of water pollution that now poses the main danger, much greater than the threat of physical water shortage. Polluted water entering the World Ocean during the water cycle leads to the death of living organisms and disruption of biological balance.

HYDROSPHERE - the discontinuous water shell of the Earth, one of geospheres, located between atmosphere And lithosphere; a collection of oceans, seas, continental bodies of water and ice sheets. Geography covers about 70.8% of the earth's surface. The volume of the planet is 1370.3 million km 3, which is approximately 1/800 of the volume of the planet. 98.3% of the mass of gas is concentrated in the World Ocean, 1.6% in continental ice. Geology interacts with the atmosphere and lithosphere in a complex manner. Most sediments are formed at the boundary between geology and the lithosphere. g.p. (see Modern sedimentation). G. is part of the biosphere and is entirely inhabited by living organisms that influence its composition. The origin of gas is associated with the long evolution of the planet and the differentiation of its substance.

Geological Dictionary: in 2 volumes. - M.: Nedra. Edited by K. N. Paffengoltz et al.. 1978 .

Hydrosphere

(from Greek hydor - and sphaira - ball * a. hydrosphere n. Hydrosphare, Wasserhulle; f. hydrosphere And. hidrosfera) - the intermittent water shell of the Earth, which is a collection of all types of natural waters (oceans, seas, surface waters of land, groundwater and ice covers). In a broader sense, gas also includes atm. water and water of living organisms. Each of the groups of waters is divided into subgroups of lower ranks. For example, in the atmosphere one can distinguish water in the troposphere and stratosphere, on the surface of the Earth - water in the oceans and seas, as well as rivers, lakes and glaciers; in the lithosphere - waters of the foundation and sedimentary cover (including waters of artesian basins and hydrogeological massifs). Basic The mass of water in the Arctic is concentrated in the World Ocean; the second place in terms of volume of water masses is occupied by the waters of the lithosphere; the third place is occupied by Arctic snow. and Antarctic areas (land surface waters, atmospheric and biological associated waters

constitute fractions of a percent of the total volume of water in the city; see table). Surface waters of land, occupying a relatively small share in total mass G., play a crucial role as the main. water supply, irrigation and watering. Qty fresh water in G., available for use, approx. 0.3% ( Water resources), however, river and fresh groundwater in the water exchange zone are intensively renewed in the process of the general water cycle, which makes it possible, with rational exploitation, to use them indefinitely. Modern G. - result lasts. evolution of the Earth and differentiation of its matter. Geology is not closed, and there is a close relationship between the waters, which determines the unity of Geography as a natural system and the interaction of Geography with other geospheres. The flow of water into geology during volcanism, from the atmosphere, and the lithosphere (squeezing out water during the lithification of silts, etc.) occurs continuously, as does the removal of water from the geology. The burial of water in the lithosphere extends to entire geol. periods (tens of millions of years). The decomposition and synthesis of water also occur in water. Dept. G.'s links differ both in the properties of the medium containing water and in the properties and composition of the water itself. However, thanks to the water cycle, decomposition. scale and duration (-:, intracontinental gyre, gyres within separate river basins, lakes, landscapes, etc.) it represents a single whole. All forms of the water cycle constitute a single hydrological system. cycle, in the process of which all types of water are renewed. Biol is updated most quickly. waters included in plants and living organisms and atm. water. Most will continue. period (thousands, tens and hundreds of thousands of years) accounts for the renewal of glaciers, deep underground waters, waters of the World ca. Management of the water cycle, its use for the needs of the people. x-va - important scientific. a problem that has great economic impact. meaning. Literature: Gavrilenko E. S., Derpgolts V. F., Deep hydrosphere of the Earth, K., 1971; World and water resources Earth, L., 1974; Pavlov A.N., Geological water cycle on Earth, Leningrad, 1977; Fundamentals of hydrogeology. General, Novosibirsk, 1980; Atlas of the Oceans. Terms. Concepts. Reference tables, M., 1980; Fundamentals of hydrogeology. Geological activity and history of water in the bowels of the earth, Novosibirsk, 1982.

Mountain encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Edited by E. A. Kozlovsky. 1984-1991 .

Synonyms:

See what "Hydrosphere" is in other dictionaries:

Hydrosphere... Spelling dictionary-reference book

- (from hydro... and Greek sphaira ball), intermittent water shell of the Earth. Interacts closely with the living shell of the Earth. The hydrosphere is the habitat of hydrobionts found throughout the entire water column from the surface tension film of water... ... Ecological dictionary

The water shell of the Earth, including all waters in liquid, solid and gaseous states. The hydrosphere includes the waters of the oceans, seas, groundwater and surface waters of the land. Some water is found in the atmosphere and in living things... ... Financial Dictionary

Water shell of the globe. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. hydrosphere (see hydro... + sphere) intermittent water shell of the earth, located between the atmosphere and the earth’s crust (lithosphere), ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Water shell of the globe. Samoilov K.I. Marine dictionary. M. L.: State Naval Publishing House of the NKVMF of the USSR, 1941 The hydrosphere is the totality of oceans, seas and land waters, as well as groundwater, glaciers and snow cover. Often n ... Marine Dictionary

- (from hydro... and sphere), the totality of all water bodies globe (oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, swamps, groundwater, glaciers, etc.). Often the hydrosphere refers only to oceans and seas... Modern encyclopedia

- (from hydro... and sphere) the totality of all water bodies on the globe: oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, groundwater, glaciers and snow cover. Often the hydrosphere refers only to oceans and seas... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The discontinuous water shell of the globe, located on the surface and in the thickness of the earth’s crust and representing a collection of oceans, seas and water bodies of land... Geological terms

HYDROSPHERE, the water shell of the Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers and groundwater... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

HYDROSPHERE, s, female. (specialist.). The totality of all the waters of the globe: oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, groundwater, glaciers and snow cover. | adj. hydrosphere, oh, oh. Dictionary Ozhegova. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Books

• Earth is a restless planet. Atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere. A book for schoolchildren... and not only, Tarasov L.V.. This popular educational book opens to the inquisitive reader the world of the natural spheres of the Earth - the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere. The book describes in an interesting and intelligible form...