Which part of the Indian Ocean is warmer? The warmest ocean in the world

By its name Pacific Ocean must Magellan. During the three-month journey in the fall of 1520 from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands, he did not encounter a single storm in the ocean.

This pool is considered the warmest among ocean waters, it is inferior to the Atlantic, Indian, and Northern Arctic Ocean respectively. What is the temperature of the Pacific Ocean?

The Pacific Ocean - what is it like?

The name given by the Spaniard Vasco Nunez de Balboa to the Pacific Ocean "Great" fully consistent with its scale. The area of the ocean exceeds the entire land area of the planet by the whole of Africa.

Despite his modern name, today the Pacific Ocean is the most turbulent.

Long time on maps pre-revolutionary Russia the ocean was marked as Eastern. Most strong hurricanes planets are born precisely in its depths.

The ocean is surrounded on all sides by a chain of underwater and surface volcanoes. The seismic instability they create is the main reason for the appearance of giant waves. They can reach speeds of 700-800 km/h.

Among foreign ports the largest:

Port of Shanghai. Located in the East China Sea. The depth of the water area at the berths is 11 meters;
Port of Singapore. Located at the junction of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The depth of the water area at the berths is 16 meters;
Port of Vancouver. Located on the shores of the Strait of Georgia. The depth of the water area at the berths is 16.8 meters;
Port of Sydney. Located in Port Jackson Bay. The depth of the water area at the berths is 13.7 meters;
Port of Long Beach. One of the Air Force ports. The depth of the water area at the berths is 17 meters.

Flora and fauna

The fauna and flora of the ocean amazes with its diversity. It has not yet been fully studied. Every year, scientists discover species of vegetation unknown to science and sea creatures. Today there are more than 100 thousand species. About 20 of them are deep-sea. They live in the area of the famous trenches: Mariana, Kermadec, Tonga and Philippine Trench.

The Pacific Ocean is main place of seafood production. Almost half of the world's catch is caught here. The largest fisheries in ocean waters are for anchovies, mackerel and sardines. Feel great in ocean waters seals And different kinds whales

Of particular value are giant clam pearls which they produce. The largest specimen known to date weighs more than 7 kg. to his appearance this pearl resembles a man dressed in a turban.

The bottom vegetation of the Pacific Ocean has more than 4 thousand species. The most common of them is kelp.

Pacific horror They call the giant mollusks tridacnis that live off the coast. Their weight reaches half a ton. Despite the horror that their appearance causes in humans, they bring great benefits to the ocean. By passing huge masses of water through themselves, they saturate sea water plankton and oxygen.

Pacific waters

The ocean basin includes a large number of bays and seas. Among the significant straits is the Panama Strait. The most famous seas:

Yellow;
Beringovo;
Japanese;

Characteristics and properties

The most salt waters oceans are located off the coast of tropical islands and continents. This is explained a small amount precipitation that falls in these areas. The density of salt here is 35.5‰. The lowest ocean salinity is observed in the region of cold currents in the eastern part of the basin.

In the northern seas of the Pacific Ocean, the density of salt in water is completely close to 0.

No one can say for sure how many freshwater rivers and streams flow into the Pacific Ocean. On the map you can only see large rivers, of which there are about 40. The largest freshwater drainage into the ocean is considered Amur river. Unlike the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the Pacific does not have much salty seas type Red or Mediterranean.

Currents

All currents of the Pacific Ocean are divided into various groups. The most common division:

northern and southern;
warm and cold.

Warm currents can be found in the Japan area. Here flows a current called Kuroshio. Another warm flow can be found off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. This group also includes the Southern Trade Wind and Equatorial Currents. The most famous cold currents in the Pacific Ocean are the Californian and Peruvian.

All currents have a direct impact on the temperature distribution on the surface of the pool. This determines the climate of the areas adjacent to the ocean.

Climatic conditions

The quietest zone ocean is located in the interval from the Tuamotu Islands to South America. It was here that Magellan's famous journey took place. This is an area of light winds.

Natural phenomena

The strongest tides Ocean waters can be observed off the Korean coast. In this area of the pool the difference in levels is up to 9 meters. On the opposite Korean side, the difference in tide levels is only 0.5 meters. It is very rare to see calm weather west of the Tuamotu. Strong winds and hurricanes blow in this part of the ocean.

The strongest ocean winds walking in December off the coast of Australia. In the northern part of the Coral Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean, at the beginning of autumn, powerful tropical cyclones transform into warm westerly winds.

Why is this water area the warmest?

The average temperature of the Pacific Ocean is +19.4 degrees Celsius. This highest rate among all the oceans. The Indian Ocean, located in the southern latitudes, is 2 degrees colder than the Pacific. Inferior to him and Atlantic Ocean, whose waters are located north of the Indian.

At first glance, this phenomenon seems inexplicable. After all, a significant part of the Pacific Ocean is in contact with northern seas and Antarctica. According to scientists, the temperature of the water in the Pacific Ocean is largely influenced by have such factors, How:

large volume water concentrated in the equator, tropics and subtropics;
significant amount algae, shellfish and other ocean inhabitants.

Range maximum temperature in the surface layer of water is in the range from +30 to +3°С. Atmospheric currents regulate the temperature of ocean waters.

The most Maximum temperature surface waters of the ocean is observed in the equator and tropics. It is +25-29°C.

The western part of the ocean is warmer than the eastern part by an average of 2-5°C. Coldest of all water in northern latitudes. Even in summer, the water temperature in the Bering Strait does not exceed +5-6°C.

The formation of ice in the Pacific Ocean is observed in the Antarctic zone, as well as in the northern seas.

What is the average temperature by month?

The temperature of ocean water depends on the area of its basin. Average annual temperature determined by the state of surface waters in the basin as a whole. in winter it amounts to:

December- +14.6°C;
January— +13.7°С;
February- +13.9°C.

Average ocean temperature in the spring:

March- +13.9°C;
April- +13.5°C;
May- +14.1°C.

Average ocean temperature in summer:

June- +15.2°С;
July- +16.6°C;
August- +17.3°C.

Average ocean temperature in autumn:

September- +17.6°C;
October- +16.6°C;
november- +15.6°C.

But temperatures at the same time can significantly vary. For example, the water temperature in February varies from 27°C near the equator to -1°C closer to the Bering Sea. In August, the temperature is 25-29°C at the equator, 5-8°C in the Bering Strait.

In the interim between 40° south and 40° northern latitude the temperature off the coast of America is 3-5°C lower than that of New Zealand. North of 40° north latitude in the east is 5-7° C higher than in the west south of 40° south latitude.

Find out a few more interesting facts about the Pacific Ocean from this video:

It is the largest and deepest, the Arctic is the smallest and coldest, and the Atlantic is the saltiest. Which ocean is the warmest? Indian! It is considered the third largest and covers an area of about 76 million square kilometers, washing the shores of Antarctica, Australia, Eurasia and Africa. It has a complex bottom topography, which is formed by continental plates: Hindustan, Arabian, African and Antarctic.

Mid-ocean ridges are located where plates meet. They divide the ocean floor into three parts. Depth (on average) is approximately 4 thousand square meters. The maximum depth in it is recorded at a level of more than 7.5 thousand meters.

So, Indian is the most warm ocean. This is explained by the fact that its northern part is the warmest compared to other oceans due to good heating and isolation from cold water masses. The water area contains the Persian Gulf, the water temperature of which reaches more than 30 degrees, and the Red Sea, which is considered the warmest in the world, flows into the ocean.

The warmest ocean also has the highest salinity. The reason for this is high evaporation, as well as the fact that there is no sufficient desalination of water.

The Indian Ocean is characterized by monsoons. This is due to the extensive borders with continents.

The contrasting pressure over the ocean and over land causes strong winds. Winter over Asia region high blood pressure contributes to the formation of the northeast monsoon, and in summer it changes to a humid southwest. IN summer period There are winds with a force of more than 7 points. In winter, the weather is more severe (in the form of floods and hurricanes on land). The southeast trade wind reigns. The high speed of trade winds and monsoons creates surface currents that change every season. The largest such current is the Somali. It flows in winter from north to south, and in summer it changes direction to the opposite.

The warmest ocean has great diversity in flora and fauna. The richness of living organisms and plants is most abundant in coastal and tropical areas. The water mass is saturated with plankton - food for large fish.

The most numerous fish in the Indian Ocean are a variety of sharks, tunas, and coryphaenas. There are sea giant turtles and snakes, cetaceans, seals, brown ones are often found, and coral structures and polyps are widespread in the constantly warm water area. Origin Sri Lanka and Madagascar are considered the largest. Determine which is the warmest ocean on Globe, allows the fact that in the waters of the Indian Ocean there are such popular resort islands, like the Seychelles and the Maldives.

Natural resources near the Indian Ocean are used less compared to those in other oceans. Although fishing plays a big role in the economy of many countries. And the basis commercial fish is tuna. The warmest ocean is rich in oil and gas. It ranks first in terms of their reserves and production. And one of the largest oil fields is the Persian Gulf.

This question cannot be answered immediately, without thinking. From geography lessons, most people know about the existence of four oceans: the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific. But not everyone remembers which ocean is the warmest in temperature. But this can be sorted out.

What waters are taken into account in this case - surface or deep? Since solar heat penetrates only a couple of meters deep into the water column, this is the temperature that is measured. Firstly, because the deep-sea masses of all oceans maintain an approximately stable value of +2 °C, and secondly, only 5% of the ocean floor has been studied, and therefore it is difficult to say that any data is final.

Interestingly, the four oceans together make up the World Ocean. The amplitude of average temperatures at different latitudes here is quite large: if at 5-10° northern latitude it is +27.4 °C, then at 70-80° southern latitude it is only -1.8 °C. Which ocean is the warmest, if we talk about averages?

Arctic

Although by logical exclusion one can cross out this ocean even based on its name, for the sake of fairness it is necessary to mention the average temperature of its waters. It ranges from 0 °C to -4 °C. Icebergs and drifting blocks of ice are proof of this. And it’s not surprising, because the air temperature there reaches from -20 °C to -40 °C.

Atlantic Ocean

This is the next candidate to be eliminated from the list of warm oceans. It's all his fault geographical position: The Atlantic Ocean stretches in an elongated strip from one pole to the other. And although there are a lot of warm equatorial masses in its domain, its waters are still in contact with the cold Arctic Ocean in large areas, and this affects the overall average temperature, which is +16 ° C. Moreover, the waters near the equator would not have saved the situation anyway, because they average temperature(+27 °C) is still less than the temperature of similar waters in the Indian Ocean. So, this is by no means the warmest ocean.

So, there are two options left - Quiet and Indian. Moreover, when answering the question of which ocean is the warmest, the majority will choose the latter of both. But is it?

Indian Ocean

Why does the average person believe that he is the warmest ocean? If we don’t talk about dry statistical data for now, then it’s a matter of associations. For many, the Indian Ocean is closely associated with resorts such as the Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, United United Arab Emirates and India itself. This is where many of our compatriots go to warm their bones.

In addition, the Red Sea flows into the Indian Ocean, and it is known to be the most warm sea planet (average water temperature is +34...+35 °C, and this is far from the maximum). The coasts of Australia are washed enough warm waters(+29 °C). Plus, in the Persian Gulf, which also belongs to the Indian Ocean, the thermometer needle shows +30...+32 °C! Why not a jacuzzi?

And so, everything seems to be shaping up in such a way that the Indian Ocean should become a leader in such an indicator as the temperature of surface waters, but the numbers are a harsh thing, you can’t argue with them. The average temperature of the water masses is +17 °C. Although in subtropical latitudes the thermometer needle touches +20 °C, it’s all about the icebergs that float in the southern part of the ocean and significantly cool the waters. Therefore, the overall total temperature is lower.

The warmest ocean is the Pacific

It is he who receives the palm. Although in fairness it should be noted that the gap from Indian is small and is only 2 °C. That is, the average temperature of the Pacific Ocean is +19 ° C, and therefore it is known as the warmest ocean in terms of surface water temperature.

But how is this possible, given that this ocean also comes into contact with cold arctic, and with the icy Antarctica? The whole secret is in the area of the water area. It turns out that the size of the water surface, located in hot latitudes and saturated with the warmth of the sun, exceeds the size of the same waters of other oceans, in particular the Indian. That is, the Pacific Ocean has become a leader thanks to the huge area of warm waters.

These waters wash Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Indonesia, Hawaii. Thousands of tourists choose holidays at these and many other resorts every year, partly due to the fact that this is the warmest ocean.

There are four oceans on planet Earth, which are united into one World Ocean. Based on their scale water bodies, climatic conditions in their territories are diverse and unpredictable, especially in recent decades. In the ranking of the warmest oceans in the world, there is no place for the Arctic Ocean, since it is located in the northern hemisphere and is mostly filled with huge masses of ice caused by the harsh polar climate.

Most big ocean planets, Quiet , is also the warmest ocean on Earth. The waters of this ocean wash five continents at once, which determines the difference climatic zones, the average water temperature is 19°C, in tropical and equatorial zones the temperature rises to 27.5°C. The main source of heat in ocean waters is solar radiation and atmospheric circulation.

The area of the Pacific Ocean exceeds 179 million km 2, with such a size that covers both the Southern and North hemisphere, it is easy to achieve climatic and temperature records, which, together with the anomalous warming of the 21st century, have become widespread and quite frequent.

Widespread human use of ocean space, which has led to its large-scale pollution, also affects changes in the temperature regime of waters towards warming.

For the animal and flora Pacific temperature shifts could be disastrous. Since 1998, the UN has constantly raised the problem of warming not only the Pacific, but also the World Ocean as a whole, which could lead to catastrophic consequences for the whole planet.

So far, temperature indicators deviate slightly from the norm, but further economic activity humans polluting the air and ocean spaces can lead to global cataclysms, during which the population of the planet can radically change downward.

Indian Ocean , occupying an area of 76.144 million km 2, is the second warmest water resources with an average temperature of 17°C. Despite high temperatures water in equatorial zone, often exceeding 27-29°C, due to its location, the Indian Ocean does not have stable temperature indicators, accompanied by significant changes.

In the southern part of this ocean, icebergs and massive ice formations are common, which significantly affect climatic features ocean waters.

Bottom waters and increased salinity have a particular influence on the temperature regime of the Indian Ocean, but one of the global factors, as in the case of the Pacific Ocean, is contamination with human waste products and the massive release of oil refining waste and pure petroleum products.

Atlantic Ocean with an average temperature of 14°C it is in third place in the ranking. The area of its waters is 91.66 million km 2. The influence of the world's four main atmospheric centers and its significant meridional extent determine the climatic characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean.

IN to a greater extent the temperature of ocean waters does not have stable values throughout its entire length, showing sharp fluctuations, usually in negative side as you move away from the equator. Due to significant daily changes in air temperature, ocean waters do not have time to warm up, thereby rapidly losing all the temperature accumulated during the day at night.

Also on zonal temperature conditions is actively influenced by the presence of strong currents, which have a sharply negative effect on the heat exchange of water.

Planet Water. This is more correct to call the third planet from the Sun. After all, several oceans, dozens of seas, an innumerable number of lakes, rivers, swamps, and streams occupy most of the Earth. Judging by the requests, few people are interested in the Arctic Ocean or Antarctica with their harsh climate. But many people want to find out why the Pacific Ocean is the warmest. But is this really so? After all, the Indian Ocean, even judging simply from the name, seems much more hospitable, suitable for swimming land inhabitants, especially their highest stage of development - tourists. It's worth looking into this issue.

The fight between two oceans

What geographical statistics say:

Indian Ocean. It washes Asia, Africa, Australia, India, such wonderful places as Madagascar, Seychelles, Maldives. The Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf are part of it. Accordingly, the sun in such climatic latitudes warms it up quite strongly. The temperature at the surface of the water in most resorts is about + 30℃, and the average ocean temperature is + 17.3℃.

Pacific Ocean. The deepest and largest on the planet - three times larger than Indian, almost a third of the surface and larger than the entire landmass of the Earth. It got its name from Magellan, who managed to avoid a storm for three months during his historic journey around the Earth. In fact, the character of the Pacific Ocean is far from calm. About 80% of incipient tsunamis, eruptions of many underwater volcanoes, catastrophic hurricanes and storms are his contribution to the work of news channels.

Its average temperature is almost + 19.4℃, which is 2 degrees more than Indian. This is despite the fact that it washes other than South America, warm islands South-East Asia, Antarctica. However, the same as the Indian Ocean. Off the coast of Antarctica, its waters are covered with ice.

Solution

The main part of the Pacific Ocean is located at the latitudes of the planet’s equator, which, given its total weight, volume, allows you to accumulate maximum heat reserves compared to other competitors.

That is why both the animal world and people vote for the Pacific Ocean and its coast when choosing a place of permanent residence:

More than 100 thousand animals, of which almost 4 thousand are different fish. Up to 60% of commercial fish catch comes from this ocean.
850 algae, more than 6 thousand mollusks.
More than half of the world's population lives in 50 states located on its coast, numerous islands, of which there are more than 10 thousand, including, such as New Guinea, Java, Kalimantan, Japanese, Taiwan, Sakhalin.

The answer to the question "Why is the Pacific Ocean the warmest?" gives some understanding of how everything in the universe is interconnected and intertwined. Well, the most The best way To determine which ocean is warmer, visit the coast and islands of each of the existing ones on Earth, excluding only Antarctica and Antarctica. Although there are definitely lovers of extreme travel and the kingdom of eternal cold.