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

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. Must visit main square Murmansk - Five Corners Square, as well as a 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. Located nearby beautiful monument, dedicated to the soldiers of the Red Army. Among 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).

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 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, volume is 316 thousand km3, average depth is 222 m, greatest depth- 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 shores 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, direct connection with Atlantic Ocean and the Central Arctic Basin determine the main features of the sea 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 precipitation in bursts. During this season, predominantly southwestern winds blow. In the north-west of the sea, north-eastern 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 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 intense mixing, the waters entering the sea are 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 the 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, the 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, over the hills and on their slopes, longer and more intense cooling occurs than in deep areas. As a result, “caps” are formed at the bottom of the hill cold water", 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 type 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 Kaninsko-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 it begins sharp increase salinity with depth. 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 the melting of 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 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, with the localization of the Polar Anticyclone off the coast of Alaska and Canada and with the relatively western location of the Icelandic Low, 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. At high speeds characterized by tidal currents 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 spaces clean 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. 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

The Barents Sea is considered a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean. Its waters wash the shores of countries such as Russia and Norway. The area of ​​the reservoir is 1.42 million square meters. km. The volume is 282 thousand cubic meters. km. The average depth is 230 meters, and the maximum depth reaches 600 meters. In the west, the reservoir is limited by the Norwegian Sea, and in the northwest by the Spitsbergen archipelago. In the northeast, the border runs along Franz Josef Land and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the east. This archipelago separates the body of water in question from the Kara Sea.

Historical reference

In the old days this body of water called the Murmansk Sea. It was designated with this name on maps of the 16th century, in particular on Gerard Mercator’s map of the Arctic, which was published in 1595. The southeastern part of the sea in the area of ​​the Pechora River was known as the Pechora Sea.

The reservoir received its modern name in 1853 in honor of the Dutch navigator Willem Barents (1550-1597). This outstanding navigator made 3 sea expeditions, searching for the northern sea route to the East Indies. During the 3rd expedition he died near Novaya Zemlya.

Mapping of the seabed was completed by Russian geologist Maria Klenova in 1933. During the Second World War, active military operations were carried out in the Barents Sea. Ships from Great Britain to the USSR passed through this body of water. They carried food, weapons, equipment, fulfilling their allied duty. Nazi troops tried to prevent the delivery of goods, which caused military conflicts.

During the Cold War, the Red Banner Northern Fleet of the USSR was based at sea. It was armed with ballistic missile submarines. Today, there is a high concentration of radioactive contamination in the reservoir, which causes environmental concern in both Russia and other countries.

Hydrology

There are 3 types of water masses in the reservoir. This is a warm and salty North Atlantic Current with water temperatures above 3° Celsius and salinity above 35 ppm. Cold Arctic waters come from the north with water temperatures below 0° Celsius and salinity less than 35 ppm. There are also coastal warm and not very salty waters. Their temperature is above 3° Celsius, and their salinity is less than 34.7 ppm. The so-called polar front is formed between the Atlantic and Arctic currents.

Taking into account all these factors, the Barents Sea is completely ice-free only in September. The rest of the time there is no ice only in the southwestern part of the reservoir. The maximum ice cover is recorded in April, when more than 70% of the sea surface is covered with floating ice. In the northwestern and northeastern regions, ice is present all year round.

The surface water temperature in the southwestern regions in the winter months is 3-5° Celsius. In summer it rises to 7-9° Celsius. In other latitudes, in summer the water temperature reaches 4° Celsius, in winter it drops to -1° Celsius. Coastal waters in summer warm up to 10-12° Celsius. The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are the Pechora and Indiga.

Climate

The climate is formed as a result of the North Atlantic Current and cold Arctic waters. Therefore, warm Atlantic cyclones alternate with cold Arctic air. In winter, mainly south-west winds blow over the sea surface, and in summer north-east winds dominate. Variable weather conditions cause frequent storms.

The air temperature in winter in the southwestern part of the reservoir is -4° Celsius, and in the north it drops to -25° Celsius. In summer, the air temperature in the southwest rises to 10° Celsius, and in the north to 1° Celsius. The average annual precipitation is 400 mm.

Barents Sea on the map

Coastline and islands

In the southwestern part the shores are high and rocky. They are heavily indented and form a whole system of fjords. From Cape Kanin Nos to the east, the coastline changes dramatically, as the shores become low and slightly indented. There are 3 large bays here. These are the Czech Bay with a length of 110 km and a width of 130 km, Pechora Bay with a length of 100 km and a width from 40 to 120 km. The last one in the east is Khaypudyr Bay with a length of 46 km and a width of 15 km.

There are few islands in the Barents Sea. The largest of them is Kolguev Island, separated from the mainland by the Pomeranian Strait. Its area is 3.5 thousand square meters. km. The island is low and its topography is only slightly hilly. The maximum height is 80 meters above sea level. Belongs to the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia). About 450 people live on the island.

Spitsbergen Archipelago belongs to Norway. On the island of Western Spitsbergen there are settlements that belong to Russia. In total there are 3 large islands, 7 small ones and groups of small islands and skerries. The total area of ​​the archipelago is 621 square meters. km. The administrative center is the city of Longyearbyen with a population of just over 2 thousand people.

Franz Josef Land belongs to Russia and is part of the Arkhangelsk region. It has 192 islands with a total area of ​​16.13 thousand square meters. km. There is no permanent population on this archipelago.

Archipelago Novaya Zemlya belongs to the Arkhangelsk region of Russia. It consists of 2 large islands, North and South, separated by the Matochkin Shar Strait. Its width is 3 km. In addition, there are small islands. The largest of them is Mezhdusharsky Island. The total area of ​​the archipelago is 83 thousand square meters. km, and the length is 925 km. Novaya Zemlya is separated from Vaygach Island by the Kara Gate Strait. And the island is separated from the Yugorsky Peninsula by the Yugorsky Shar Strait.

Seaport in Murmansk

The Barents Sea is an area with intensive fishing. Along it there are sea routes connecting Russia with Europe and Siberia. The main and largest port is the city of Murmansk. It doesn't freeze all year round. Other ports include Indiga and Naryan-Mar, which belong to Russia, and Kirkenes, Vardø and Vadso, which belong to Norway.

Political status

For decades there has been a dispute between Norway and Russia over the position of the borders in the Barents Sea. The Norwegians advocated the median line defined by the 1958 Geneva Convention. The USSR advocated the line that was determined by the decision of the Soviet government in 1926.

This led to the emergence of a neutral zone with an area of ​​175 thousand square meters. km, which accounted for 12% of the total area of ​​the reservoir. In 1974, negotiations were resumed to revise the position of the border. In 2010, Russia and Norway signed an agreement that provided for equal border distances. The agreement was ratified and entered into force on July 7, 2011. This contributed to the fact that the previously closed neutral zone became available for hydrocarbon exploration.

The Barents Sea is located on the continental shelf. The southwestern part of the sea does not freeze in winter due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current. The southeastern part of the sea is called the Pechora Sea. The Barents Sea has great importance for transport and fishing - large ports are located here - Murmansk and Vardø (Norway). Before World War II, Finland also had access to the Barents Sea: Petsamo was its only ice-free port. Radioactive pollution of the sea due to the activities of the Soviet/Russian nuclear fleet and Norwegian radioactive waste treatment plants is a serious problem. Last time sea ​​shelf The Barents Sea towards Spitsbergen becomes the object of territorial disputes between the Russian Federation and Norway (as well as other states).

The Barents Sea is rich various types fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos. U south coast seaweed is common. Of the 114 species of fish living in the Barents Sea, 20 species are the most commercially important: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, etc. Mammals include: polar bear, seal, harp seal, beluga whale, etc. . Seal fishing is underway. Bird colonies abound on the coasts (guillemots, guillemots, kittiwake gulls). In the 20th century, the Kamchatka crab was introduced, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to reproduce intensively.

Since ancient times, Finno-Ugric tribes - the Sami (Lapps) - have lived along the shores of the Berents Sea. The first visits of non-autochonous Europeans (Vikings, then Novgorodians) probably began at the end of the 11th century, and then intensified. The Barents Sea was named in 1853 in honor of the Dutch navigator Willem Barents. The scientific study of the sea began with the expedition of F. P. Litke of 1821-1824, and the first complete and reliable hydrological characteristics of the sea were compiled by N. M. Knipovich at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Barents Sea is a marginal water area of ​​the Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean, between the northern coast of Europe in the south and the islands of Vaygach, Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land in the east, Spitsbergen and Bear Island in the west.

In the west it borders with the Norwegian Sea basin, in the south with the White Sea, in the east with the Kara Sea, and in the north with the Arctic Ocean. The area of ​​the Barents Sea located east of Kolguev Island is called the Pechora Sea.

The shores of the Barents Sea are predominantly fjord, high, rocky, and heavily indented. The largest bays are: Porsanger Fjord, Varangian Bay (also known as Varanger Fjord), Motovsky Bay, Kola Bay, etc. East of the Kanin Nos Peninsula, the coastal topography changes dramatically - the shores are predominantly low and slightly indented. There are 3 large shallow bays: (Czechskaya Bay, Pechora Bay, Khaypudyrskaya Bay), as well as several small bays.

The largest rivers flowing into the Barents Sea are Pechora and Indiga.

Surface sea currents form a counterclockwise circulation. Along the southern and eastern periphery, the Atlantic waters of the warm North Cape Current (a branch of the Gulf Stream system) move east and north, the influence of which can be traced to the northern shores of Novaya Zemlya. The northern and western parts of the cycle are formed by local and Arctic waters coming from the Kara Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In the central part of the sea there is a system of intracircular currents. The circulation of sea waters changes under the influence of changes in winds and water exchange with adjacent seas. Tidal currents are of great importance, especially near the coast. The tides are semidiurnal, their greatest value is 6.1 m off the coast of the Kola Peninsula, in other places 0.6-4.7 m.

Water exchange with neighboring seas is of great importance in the water balance of the Barents Sea. During the year, about 76,000 km³ of water enters the sea through the straits (and the same amount leaves it), which is approximately 1/4 of the total volume of sea water. Largest quantity water (59,000 km³ per year) is carried by the warm North Cape Current, which has an extremely large influence on the hydrometeorological regime of the sea. The total river flow into the sea averages 200 km³ per year.

The salinity of the surface layer of water in the open sea throughout the year is 34.7-35.0 ppm in the southwest, 33.0-34.0 in the east, and 32.0-33.0 in the north. In the coastal strip of the sea in spring and summer, salinity drops to 30-32, and by the end of winter it increases to 34.0-34.5.

The Barents Sea occupies the Barents Sea plate of Proterozoic-Early Cambrian age; elevations of the bottom of the anteclise, depressions - syneclise. From smaller relief forms, the remains of ancient coastlines, at a depth of about 200 and 70 m, glacial-denudation and glacial-accumulative forms and sand ridges formed by strong tidal currents.

The Barents Sea is located within the continental shallows, but, unlike other similar seas, most of it has a depth of 300-400 m, the average depth is 229 m and the maximum is 600 m. There are plains (Central Plateau), hills (Central, Perseus (minimum depth 63 m)], depressions (Central, maximum depth 386 m) and trenches (Western (maximum depth 600 m), Franz Victoria (430 m) and others). The southern part of the bottom has a depth of mostly less than 200 m and is characterized by a leveled relief.

The bottom sediment cover in the southern part of the Barents Sea is dominated by sand, and in some places by pebbles and crushed stone. At the heights of the central and northern parts of the sea - silty sand, sandy silt, in depressions - silt. An admixture of coarse clastic material is noticeable everywhere, which is associated with ice rafting and the wide distribution of relict glacial deposits. The thickness of sediments in the northern and middle parts is less than 0.5 m, as a result of which ancient glacial deposits are practically on the surface at some elevations. The slow rate of sedimentation (less than 30 mm per 1 thousand years) is explained by the insignificant supply of terrigenous material - due to the characteristics of the coastal topography, not a single large river flows into the Barents Sea (except for the Pechora, which leaves almost all of its alluvium within the Pechora estuary), and The shores of the land are composed mainly of durable crystalline rocks.

The climate of the Barents Sea is influenced by the warm Atlantic Ocean and the cold Arctic Ocean. Frequent intrusions of warm Atlantic cyclones and cold Arctic air determine great variability of weather conditions. In winter, southwestern winds prevail over the sea, and in spring and summer, northeastern winds. Storms are frequent. The average air temperature in February varies from −25 °C in the north to −4 °C in the southwest. The average temperature in August is 0 °C, 1 °C in the north, 10 °C in the southwest. Cloudy weather prevails over the sea throughout the year. Annual precipitation ranges from 250 mm in the north to 500 mm in the southwest.

Severe climatic conditions in the north and east of the Barents Sea determine its high ice cover. In all seasons of the year, only the southwestern part of the sea remains ice-free. The ice cover reaches its greatest extent in April, when about 75% of the sea surface is occupied by floating ice. In exceptionally unfavorable years at the end of winter, floating ice comes directly to the shores of the Kola Peninsula. The least amount of ice occurs at the end of August. At this time, the ice boundary moves beyond 78° N. w. In the northwest and northeast of the sea, ice usually remains all year round, but in some favorable years the sea is completely free of ice.

The influx of warm Atlantic waters determines the relatively high temperature and salinity in the southwestern part of the sea. Here in February - March the surface water temperature is 3 °C, 5 °C, in August it rises to 7 °C, 9 °C. North of 74° N. w. and in the southeastern part of the sea in winter the water temperature on the surface is below −1 °C, and in the summer in the north 4 °C, 0 °C, in the southeast 4 °C, 7 °C. In summer, in the coastal zone, the surface layer of warm water 5-8 meters thick can warm up to 11-12 °C.

The sea is rich in various species of fish, plant and animal plankton and benthos, therefore the Barents Sea is of great economic importance as an area of ​​intensive fishing. In addition, the sea route connecting the European part of Russia (especially the European North) with the ports of the western (since the 16th century) and eastern countries(from the 19th century), as well as Siberia (from the 15th century). The main and largest port is the ice-free port of Murmansk - the capital of the Murmansk region. Other ports in Russian Federation- Teriberka, Indiga, Naryan-Mar (Russia); Vardø, Vadsø and Kirkenes (Norway).

The Barents Sea is a region where not only trade, but also navy Russian Federation, including nuclear submarines.

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 White 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 straits of Matochkin Shar (Novaya Zemlya Island), Kara Gates (between the islands of Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach) and Yugorsky Shar (between Vaigach Island and the mainland).
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. To the west of the Kanin Peninsula is the Gorlo 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 location of the Barents Sea between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Basin determines its hydrological features. From the west, between Bear Island and Cape North Cape, there is a branch of the Gulf Stream - the North Cape Current. Heading east, it gives off a series of branches following the bottom topography.

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 waters from the Arctic The basin is brought by polar waters. The waters of the Barents Sea are carried out by a cold current running south from Bear Island.

Ice conditions in the Barents Sea

Good isolation from the ice masses of the Arctic Basin and the Kara Sea is of particular importance for the hydrological conditions of the Barents Sea. Its southern part does not freeze, with the exception of individual fiords of the Murmansk coast. The edge of the floating ice runs 400-500 km from the coast. In winter, it adjoins the southern coast of the Barents Sea east of the Kola Peninsula.

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

The waters of the Barents Sea are well aerated as a result of intense vertical mixing caused by temperature changes. In summer, surface waters are supersaturated with oxygen due to the abundance of phytoplankton. Even in winter, in the most stagnant areas near the bottom, oxygen saturation is observed at least 70-78%.

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

Maximum tides were recorded at the North Cape (up to 4 m), in the Throat of the White Sea (up to 7 m) and in the fiords of the Murmansk coast; further to the north and east the tidal magnitude decreases to 1.5 m near Spitsbergen and to 0.8 m near Novaya Zemlya.

Climate of the Barents Sea

The climate of the Barents Sea is very variable. The Barents Sea is one of the stormiest seas in the world. Warm cyclones from the North Atlantic and cold anticyclones from the Arctic pass through it, which is the reason for slightly higher air temperatures compared to other Arctic seas, moderate winters and heavy precipitation. An active wind regime and a vast area of ​​open water create conditions near the southern coast for maximum storm waves up to 3.5-3.7 m high.

Bottom topography and geological structure

The Barents Sea has a slight slope from east to west. The depth is mostly 100-350 m and only near the border with the Norwegian Sea it increases to 600 m. The bottom topography is complex. Many gentle underwater elevations and depressions cause a complex distribution of water masses and bottom sediments. As in other sea basins, the bottom topography of the Barents Sea is determined by geological structure, associated with the structure of the adjacent land. The Kola Peninsula (Murmansk coast) is part of the Precambrian Fenno-Scandinavian crystalline shield, consisting of metamorphic rocks, mainly Archean granite-gneisses. Along the northeastern edge of the shield stretches a Proterozoic folded zone composed of dolomites, sandstones, shales and tillites. The remains of this folded zone are located on the Varanger and Rybachy peninsulas, Kildin Island and in a number of underwater hills (banks) located along the coast. Proterozoic folds are also known to the east - on the Kanin Peninsula and the Timan Ridge. Submarine uplifts in the southern part of the Barents Sea, the Pai-Khoi ridge, the northern tip of the Ural Mountains and the southern part of the Novaya Zemlya fold system extend in the same northwest direction. The vast Pechora depression between the Timan Ridge and Pai-Khoi is covered with a thick layer of sediments up to Quaternary; to the north it passes into the flat bottom of the southeastern part of the Barents Sea (Pechora Sea).

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 were found along the western coast, and it can be assumed that here Caledonian structures are partially buried by young sediments and hidden under 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 plateau of the Barents Sea.

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.