EAST SIBERIAN SEA, a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean off the northeastern coast of Asia, between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. In the west it borders on the Laptev Sea, connecting with it by the straits: Dmitry Laptev, Eterikan and Sannikov, in the east - with the Chukchi Sea, which is connected to the Long Strait. The northern boundary runs along the edge of the continental shelf, approximately along the 200 m isobath (79° north latitude). The area is 913 thousand km 2, the volume is 49 thousand km 3. The greatest depth is 915 m.

The coastline is relatively indented. Bays: Chaun Bay, Kolyma Bay, Omulyakhskaya and Khromskaya Bays. Islands: Novosibirsk, Bear, Ayon and Shalaurova. Some islands are entirely composed of fossil ice and sand and are subject to intense destruction. Large rivers flow into the sea: Kolyma, Alazeya, Indigirka, Khroma. The coast of the western part of the sea (up to the Kolyma River) is low-lying and is composed of permafrost alluvial-marine deposits of the Quaternary age, including lenses of fossil ice. East Coast(from the Kolyma River to the Long Strait) mountainous, steep in places, composed of bedrock; denudation type of shores is developed here.

Relief and geological structure of the bottom. The East Siberian Sea is located mainly within the shelf, 72% of its bottom area has depths of up to 50 m. The shelf is located within the North American lithospheric plate. The underwater relief of the shelf, which forms the bed of the sea, is a plain, slightly inclined from the southwest to the northeast. The bottom of the western part of the sea is a flat shallow plain, here is the Novosibirsk shoal. In the southern part, shallow trenches are noted - traces of ancient river valleys of pre-glacial and glacial times. The greatest depths are in the northeastern part. The sea floor is composed of folded complexes (Mesozoic in the south and possibly older in the north), dissected by Late Mesozoic rift structures and overlain by a thin cover of Cenozoic sediments. Modern bottom sediments consist mainly of sandy silt containing crushed boulders and pebbles brought by ice.

Climate. The climate of the East Siberian Sea is arctic. In winter, under the influence of the Siberian High, cold southwestern and southern winds prevail over the sea. Average air temperatures in February are from -28 to -30 °С (minimum -50 °С); in July in the southern part from 3 to 7 °С, in the northern part - from 0 to 2 °С. In summer, the weather over the East Siberian Sea is predominantly overcast with light drizzling rain, sometimes sleet; northerly winds prevail. In autumn, on the coast, the speed of northwestern and northeastern winds increases to 20-25 m/s; at a distance from the coast, the force of storm winds reaches 40-45 m/s, and foehns contribute to the strengthening of the wind. 100-200 mm of precipitation falls annually.

Hydrological regime. The continental flow into the East Siberian Sea is relatively small and amounts to about 250 km 3 /year, of which the flow of the Kolyma is 123 km 3 /year, and the flow of Indigirka is 58.3 km 3 /year. All river flow enters the southern part of the sea, 90% - in the summer. The main part of the East Siberian Sea is occupied by surface Arctic waters. In the estuarine areas, waters formed as a result of mixing river and sea water are common. In winter, near the mouths of rivers, the temperature of surface waters varies from -0.2 to -0.6 °C, and at the northern border of the sea from -1.7 to -1.8 °C. In summer, the temperature distribution of surface waters is determined by the ice conditions. In bays and bays it is 7-8 °С, in ice-free areas it is 2-3 °С, and near the ice edge it is about 0 °С. The salinity of surface waters increases from southwest to northeast from 10-15‰ near river mouths to 30-32‰ at the ice edge. Most of the year the East Siberian Sea is covered with ice. In the eastern part, floating ice remains offshore even in summer. A characteristic feature of the ice is the development of fast ice, which is most widely distributed in the western shallow part of the sea, where its width reaches 600-700 km; in the central regions - 250-300 km, to the east of Cape Shelagsky it occupies a narrow coastal strip of 30-40 km. By the end of summer, the thickness of the fast ice is 2 m. Behind the fast ice there are drifting ice - one-year and two-year, 2-3 m thick; drift of ice depends on the circulation of air masses. In the north, there is multi-year arctic ice. In the western part of the sea, between fast ice and drifting ice, there is a perennial polynya, along which the Northern Sea Route passes. The existence of a polynya in winter is associated with squeezing winds and tidal currents. In the eastern part, fast ice merges with drifting ice and the polynya closes. Currents form a cyclonic cycle; in the northern part, the current is directed to the west, in the southern - to the east. The tides are regular semidiurnal, the amplitude of level fluctuations is up to 25 cm.

Research History. The beginning of the development of the East Siberian Sea by Russian sailors dates back to the 17th century, when kochs were sailed along the coast between the mouths of the rivers. In 1648, S. Dezhnev and F. Popov sailed from the Kolyma River to the Bering Strait and to the Anadyr River. In the 18th century, the first works on the description of the coast and islands of the East Siberian Sea were made, maps were compiled. Particularly significant work was done by members of the Great Northern Expedition (1733-43). The contours of the shores were refined by the Ust-Yansk and Kolyma expeditions led by P.F. Anzhu (1822) and F.P. Wrangel (1820-24), islands in the East Siberian Sea are named after them. In the 20th century, maps were refined by K. A. Vollosovich (1909) and G. Ya. Sedov (1909), as well as during the work of a hydrographic expedition in the Arctic Ocean (1911-14). After 1932, when the icebreaker "Sibiryakov" passed the Northern Sea Route in one navigation, regular voyages were made to the East Siberian Sea.

Economic use. The coastal zone is characterized as an area with weak economic activity. vegetable and animal world The East Siberian Sea is poor due to severe ice conditions. But in the areas adjacent to the mouths of the rivers, there are omul, whitefish, grayling, polar smelt, navaga, polar cod and flounder, salmon - char and nelma. From mammals there are walrus, seals, polar bear; birds - guillemots, gulls, cormorants. The fishing industry has local meaning. The Northern Sea Route passes through the East Siberian Sea; the main port of Pevek (Chaun Bay). The East Siberian Sea is a promising oil and gas region, the development of which is difficult due to harsh natural conditions.

Ecological state. In general, the ecological situation in the East Siberian Sea is characterized as favorable due to the poor economic use of this area. The shallow-water shelf, which is affected by river runoff, is slightly polluted, and as a result of thermal abrasion destruction of the coast, greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) enter the atmosphere.

Lit .: Zalogin B. S., Kosarev A. N. Sea. M., 1999.

Off the coast of the East Siberian Sea

The East Siberian Sea is located between the New Siberian Islands and about. Wrangel. Its western border is eastern border Laptev Sea, it runs from the point of intersection of the meridian of the northern tip of about. Boiler house with the edge of the continental shoal (79°N, 139°E) to the northern tip of this island (Cape Anisii), then along the eastern shores of the New Siberian Islands to Cape Svyatoy Nos (Dmitry Laptev Strait). The northern boundary runs along the edge of the continental shelf from the point with coordinates 79°N, 139°E. to the point with coordinates 76°N, 180°E, and the eastern border - from the point with these coordinates along the meridian 180° to about. Wrangel, then along its northwestern coast to Cape Blossom and further to Cape Yakan on the mainland. The southern border runs along the mainland coast from Cape Yakan to Cape Svyatoy Nos.

The East Siberian Sea belongs to the type of continental marginal seas. Its area is 913 thousand km 2, its volume is 49 thousand km 3, the average depth is 54 m, the greatest depth is 915 m, i.e. this sea lies entirely on the continental shelf.

The coastline of the East Siberian Sea forms rather large bends, in some places going into the land, in some places protruding into the sea, but there are also areas with a flat coastline. Small meanders are usually confined to the mouths of small rivers.

The landscapes of the western part of the coast of the East Siberian Sea differ sharply from the eastern part. In the section from the New Siberian Islands to the mouth of the Kolyma, the coasts are very low and monotonous. Here the swampy tundra approaches the sea. To the east of the mouth of the Kolyma, beyond Cape Bolshoy Baranov, the coast becomes mountainous. From the mouth of the Kolyma to about. Aion directly to the water approach low hills, abruptly breaking off in some places. The Chaun Bay is framed by low, but steep, even banks. Different in relief and structure, the coast of the sea in different areas refers to different morphological types of coasts.

East-Siberian Sea

Climate

Located in high latitudes, the East Siberian Sea is located in the zone of atmospheric influences of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Cyclones of Atlantic origin (although rarely) penetrate into the western part of the sea, and Pacific cyclones penetrate into the eastern regions. The climate of the East Siberian Sea is polar maritime, but with signs of continentality.

In winter, the main influence on the sea is exerted by the spur of the Siberian High, which goes to the coast, and the crest of the polar anticyclone is weakly expressed. In this regard, south-westerly and southerly winds prevail over the sea at a speed of 6-7 m/s. They bring cold air from the continent, so the average monthly air temperature in January is about -28-30°. In winter, there is calm, clear weather, which on some days is disturbed by cyclonic intrusions. Atlantic cyclones in the west of the sea cause increased winds and some warming, while Pacific cyclones, which have cold continental air in the rear, only increase wind speed, cloudiness and cause snowstorms in the southeastern part of the sea. In mountainous areas of the coast, the passage of Pacific cyclones is associated with the formation of a local wind - foehn. It usually reaches storm strength, causing some increase in temperature and a decrease in air humidity.

In summer, the pressure over the mainland of Asia is lowered, and over the sea it is increased, so the northerly winds prevail. At the beginning of the season they are very weak, but during the summer their speed gradually increases, reaching an average of 6-7 m/s. By the end of summer, the western part of the East Siberian Sea becomes one of the most turbulent sections of the Northern Sea Route. Often the wind blows at a speed of 10-15 m/s. The strengthening of the wind here is associated with hair dryers. The southeastern part of the sea is much calmer. Steady north and northeast winds cause low air temperatures. The average July temperature is 0-1° in the north of the sea and 2-3° in coastal areas. In the summer, the weather over the East Siberian Sea is predominantly cloudy with light drizzle, sometimes it snows.

In autumn, there are almost no heat returns, which is explained by the remoteness of the sea from the oceanic centers of atmospheric action and their weak influence on atmospheric processes. Relatively cold summers throughout the sea, stormy weather at the end of summer and especially in autumn in the marginal areas of the sea, and calm in its central part are the characteristic climatic features of the sea.

The continental runoff into the East Siberian Sea is relatively small - about 250 km 3 /year, which is only 10% of the total river runoff into all the Arctic seas. The largest of the flowing rivers - Kolyma - gives about 130 km 3 of water per year, and the second largest river - Indigirka - 60 km 3 of water / year. All other rivers pour about 350 km 3 of water into the sea during the same time. All river water enters the southern part of the sea, and approximately 90% of the runoff falls, as in other Arctic seas, during the summer months.

With a very large size of the East Siberian Sea, coastal runoff does not significantly affect its total hydrological regime, but only determines some hydrological features of coastal areas in summer. High latitudes, free communication with the Central Arctic Basin, high ice coverage and low river flow determine the main features of the hydrological conditions of the East Siberian Sea.

Water temperature and salinity

Types of vertical distribution of temperature (1), salinity (2) and density (3) of water in the Arctic seas

Due to the shallow water and the absence of deep trenches extending beyond the northern limits of the East Siberian Sea, the vast majority of its spaces from the surface to the bottom are occupied by surface Arctic waters. Only in relatively limited estuarine areas is a kind of water formed as a result of mixing river and sea waters. It is characterized by high temperature and low salinity.

Surface water temperatures generally decrease from south to north in all seasons. In winter, it is close to the freezing point and near the mouths of the rivers it is -0.2-0.6°, and at the northern borders of the sea -1.7-1.8°. In summer, the distribution of surface temperature is determined by the ice conditions. The water temperature in bays and bays reaches 7-8°, in open, ice-free areas 2-3°, and near the ice edge it is close to 0°.

The change in water temperature with depth in winter and spring is hardly noticeable. Only near the mouths of large rivers does it decrease to -0.5° in the subglacial horizons and to -1.5° near the bottom. In summer, in ice-free spaces, the water temperature drops slightly from the surface to the bottom in the coastal zone in the west of the sea. In its eastern part, surface temperature is observed in the 3-5 m layer, from where it drops sharply to 5-7 m horizons and then gradually decreases to the bottom. In the zones of influence of coastal runoff, a uniform temperature covers a layer up to 7-10 m, between horizons of 10-20 m it sharply, and then gradually decreases to the bottom. The shallow, slightly warm East Siberian Sea is one of the coldest Arctic seas.

Surface salinity generally increases from southwest to northeast. In winter and spring, it is 4–5‰ near the mouths of the Kolyma and Indigirka, reaches 24–26‰ near the Bear Islands, increases to 28–30‰ in the central regions of the sea, and rises to 31–32‰ at its northern margins. In summer, as a result of the inflow of river waters and the melting of ice, the surface salinity decreases to 18-22‰ in the coastal zone, 20-22‰ near the Bear Islands, to 24-26‰ in the north, at the edge of the melting ice.

In winter, in most of the sea, salinity slightly increases from the surface to the bottom. Only in the northwestern region, where ocean waters penetrate from the north, salinity increases from 23‰ in the upper layer 10–15 m thick to 30‰ at the bottom. Near the mouth areas, the upper desalinated layer up to horizons of 10-15 m is underlain by more saline waters. From the end of spring and during summer, a desalinated layer 20–25 m thick forms on ice-free spaces, under which salinity increases with depth. Consequently, in shallow areas (down to depths of 10-20 and even up to 25 m), freshening covers the entire water column. In deeper areas in the north and east of the sea, at horizons of 5-10 m, and in some places 10-15 m, salinity increases sharply, and then gradually and slightly rises to the bottom.

In the autumn-winter season, the density of water is higher than in spring and summer. The density is greater in the north and east than in the west of the sea, where desalinated waters from the Laptev Sea penetrate. However, these differences are small. Generally density increases with depth. Its vertical distribution is similar to the course of salinity.

The different degree of water overstratification creates different conditions for the development of mixing in different areas of the East Siberian Sea. In relatively weakly stratified and ice-free spaces, strong winds in summer mix water up to 20-25 m horizons. Consequently, in areas limited by a depth of 25 m, wind mixing extends to the bottom. In places of sharp stratification of waters in density, wind mixing penetrates only to horizons of 10-15 m, where it is limited by significant vertical density gradients.

Autumn-winter convection in the East Siberian Sea at depths of 40-50 m, which occupy more than 70% of its entire area, penetrates to the bottom. By the end of the cold season, the winter vertical circulation extends to horizons of 70-80 m, where it is limited by the great vertical stability of the waters.

Bottom relief

The underwater relief of the shelf that forms the bed of the sea, in general terms, is a plain, very slightly inclined from the southwest to the northeast. The bottom of the sea has no noticeable depressions and hills. Depths up to 20-25 m prevail. To the northeast of the mouths of the Indigirka and Kolyma, shallow trenches are noted on the seabed. It is believed that these are traces of ancient river valleys flooded by the sea. The area of ​​shallow depths in the western part of the sea forms the Novosibirsk shoal. The greatest depths are concentrated in the northeastern part of the sea. A noticeable increase in depth occurs in the horizon from 100 to 200 m.

Bottom relief and currents of the East Siberian Sea

currents

Constant currents on the surface of the East Siberian Sea form a weakly expressed cyclonic circulation. Along the mainland coast, there is a steady transfer of water from west to east. At Cape Billing, part of the waters is directed to the north and northwest and carried to the northern margins of the sea, where it is included in the streams going to the west. In different synoptic situations, the movement of waters also changes. Part of the water from the East Siberian Sea is carried out through the Long Strait into the Chukchi Sea. Permanent currents are often disturbed by wind currents, which are often stronger than permanent currents. The influence of tidal currents is relatively small.

Regular semidiurnal tides are observed in the East Siberian Sea. They are caused by a tidal wave that enters the sea from the north and moves towards the coast of the mainland. Its front is stretched from the north-north-west to the east-south-east from the New Siberian Islands to about. Wrangel.

The tides are most pronounced in the north and northwest. As they move south, they weaken, as the ocean tidal wave is largely damped in the vast shallow water. Thus, in the section from Indigirka to Cape Shelagsky, tidal level fluctuations are almost not noticeable. To the west and east of this area, the tide is also small - 5-7 cm. At the mouth of the Indigirka, the configuration of the banks and the bottom topography contribute to an increase in tides to 20-25 cm. Level changes caused by meteorological reasons are much more developed on the coast of the mainland.

The annual course of the level is characterized by its highest position in June-July, when there is an abundant inflow of river waters. The decrease in continental runoff in August leads to a decrease in the level by 50-70 cm. As a result of the predominance of surge winds in autumn, in October, the level rises.

In winter, the level drops and in March - April reaches its lowest position.

In the summer season, surge phenomena are very pronounced, in which level fluctuations are often 60-70 cm. At the mouth of the Kolyma and in the Dmitry Laptev Strait, they reach their maximum values ​​for the entire sea - 2.5 m.

A fast and abrupt change in level positions is one of the characteristic features of the coastal regions of the sea.

Significant waves develop in the ice-free areas of the sea. It is strongest during stormy northwestern and southeastern winds, which have the largest accelerations over the surface of clear water. Maximum Heights waves reach 5 m, usually their height is 3-4 m. Strong excitement is observed mainly in late summer - early autumn (September), when the ice edge recedes to the north. The western part of the sea is more stormy than the eastern one. Its central regions are relatively calm.

ice coverage

The East Siberian Sea is the most arctic of the seas of the Soviet Arctic. From October-November to June-July it is completely covered with ice. At this time, the flow of ice from the Arctic Basin to the sea prevails, in contrast to other seas of the Arctic, where outward ice drift prevails. A characteristic feature of the ice of the East Siberian Sea is the significant development of fast ice in winter. At the same time, it is most widely distributed in the western, shallow part of the sea and occupies a narrow coastal strip in the east of the sea. In the west of the sea, the width of fast ice reaches 400-500 km. Here it joins the fast ice of the Laptev Sea. In the central regions its width is 250-300 km and to the east of Cape Shelagsky - 30-40 km. The fast ice boundary approximately coincides with the 25 km isobath, which runs 50 km north of the New Siberian Islands, then turns southeast, approaching the coast of the mainland near Cape Shelagsky. By the end of winter, the thickness of fast ice reaches 2 m. From west to east, the thickness of fast ice decreases. Drifting ice is located behind the fast ice. Usually this is one-year and two-year ice 2-3 m thick. In the very north of the sea, multi-year Arctic ice is found. The prevailing southerly winds in winter often carry drifting ice away from the northern edge of the fast ice. As a result of this, significant expanses of clear water and young ice appear, forming in the west the Novosibirsk and in the east the Zavrangel stationary ice polynyas.

At the beginning of summer, after the breakup and destruction of fast ice, the position of the ice edge is determined by the action of winds and currents. However, ice is always found north of the band about. Wrangel - New Siberian Islands. In the western part of the sea, on the site of extensive fast ice, the Novosibirsk ice massif is being formed. It consists mainly of first-year ice and usually breaks up by the end of summer. The vast majority of space in the east of the sea is occupied by the spur of the Ayon oceanic ice massif, which largely forms heavy perennial ice. Its southern periphery during the whole year almost adjoins the coast of the mainland, determining the ice situation in the sea.

Economic importance

The East Siberian Sea is similar in natural and biological conditions to the Laptev Sea. The relative richness of life is observed in the coastal zone, in the areas where large rivers flow. Animals adapted to life in waters with low salinity are common here. Cold-loving brackish-water forms are found in the central regions. Fishing is purely local.

The East Siberian Sea belongs to the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded from the west by the New Siberian Islands, and from the east by Wrangel Island. This reservoir is the least studied in comparison with other northern seas. These places are characterized by a cold climate with poor flora and fauna and low salinity of sea water.

Sea currents are slow, tides reach no more than 25 cm. In summer, frequent fogs are observed, the ice stays almost all year round, it retreats only in August-September. The sea coast was inhabited thousands of years ago by the Chukchi and Yukagirs, and then by the Evenks and Evens. These peoples were engaged in hunting, fishing and reindeer herding. Later, the Yakuts appeared, and then the Russians.

East Siberian Sea on the map

Geography

The area of ​​the water surface of the East Siberian Sea is 942 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water reaches 60.7 thousand cubic meters. km. The average depth is 45 meters, and the maximum is 155 meters. The length of the coastline is 3016 km. The western boundary of the reservoir passes through the New Siberian Islands. The northernmost of these is Henrietta Island, part of the De Long Islands group.

The eastern border passes through Wrangel Island and the Long Strait. In the north from the northernmost point of Wrangel to Henrietta, Jeannette Island and further to the northern point of Kotelny Island. The southern border runs along the coast of the mainland from Cape Svyatoi Nos in the west to Cape Yakan in the east. The reservoir connects with the Laptev Sea through the Sannikov, Eterikan and Dmitry Laptev straits. And communication with the Chukchi Sea is carried out through the Long Strait.

Rivers and bays

The most important rivers flowing into the reservoir are the Indigirka with a length of 1726 km, the Kolyma with a length of 2129 km, the Chaun with a length of 205 km, the Pegtymel with a length of 345 km, the Bolshaya Chukochya with a length of 758 km, and the Alazeya with a length of 1590 km.

On the coast there are bays such as Chaunskaya Bay, Omulyakhskaya Bay, Goose Bay, Khromskaya Bay, Kolyma Bay. All these bays run deep into the land. There is also the Kolyma Bay, bounded from the north by the Bear Islands: Krestovsky, Pushkareva, Leontiev, Lysova, Andreeva and Chetyrekhstolbovoy.

The river flow is small and amounts to 250 cubic meters. km per year. Of these, the Kolyma River gives 132 cubic meters. km of water. Indigirka discharges 59 cubic meters into the East Siberian Sea. km of water. 90% of the total runoff occurs during the summer period. Fresh water concentrated near the shore due to a weak current and does not have a significant impact on the hydrology of the reservoir. But there is water exchange with neighboring seas and the Arctic Ocean.

The surface temperature of the water decreases from south to north. In winter, in river deltas, it is -0.2 and -0.6 degrees Celsius. And in the northern part of the sea it drops to -1.8 degrees Celsius. In summer, in the bays, the water warms up to 7-8 degrees Celsius, and in ice-free sea areas it is 2-3 degrees Celsius.

The salinity of surface waters increases from the southwest to the northeast. In the area of ​​river deltas in winter and spring it is 4-5 ppm. In open waters it reaches 28-30 ppm, and in the north up to 31-32 ppm. In summer, salinity decreases by 5% due to snowmelt.

The annual fluctuation in the level of the East Siberian Sea is 70 cm due to summer river flows. Winds bring storms with waves 3-5 meters high in the western part of the sea region, and in the east it is relatively calm. Storms usually last 1-2 days in summer and 3-5 days in winter.

The thickness of the ice by the end of winter reaches 2 meters and decreases from west to east. In addition, there are drifting ice floes with a thickness of 2-3 meters. The melting of ice begins in May from the delta of the Kolyma River. And completely the reservoir freezes in October-November.

Climate

The climate is arctic. In winter, southwestern and southern winds blow, carrying cold air from Siberia, so the average temperature in winter period is -30 degrees Celsius. The weather is cloudy with storms and snowstorms.

In summer, northern winds blow, and the air temperature is 0-1 degrees Celsius in the open sea and 2-3 degrees Celsius on the coast. The sky is cloudy with frequent rain and sleet. The coast is covered with fog, it can last up to 70 days. The annual rainfall is 200 mm.

Flora and fauna are scarce, as the climate is harsh. There are a lot of plankton and crustaceans in the water. Ringed seals, bearded seals, walruses, polar bears live in coastal zones. Of the birds there are gulls, cormorants. The East Siberian Sea is frequented by bowhead and gray whales. Belugas and narwhals are found. Of the fish there are grayling, muksun, whitefish, smelt, polar cod, arctic char, saffron cod, flounder.

Shipping

Shipping is practiced to transport goods along north coast Russia in August-September. At the same time, navigation is difficult even in summer due to floating ice floes that bring wind to the shores. Fishing and hunting for marine animals is local.

The main port is Pevek with a population of about 5 thousand people. It is the northernmost city in Russia and is located in the Chaun Bay. Cargo turnover seaport is 190 thousand tons with a throughput capacity of 330 thousand tons. There are 3 berths with a length of 500 meters. Cargo transportation is carried out mainly between Pevek and Vladivostok.

The reservoir received its modern name in June 1935 in accordance with the decree of the Soviet government. Prior to that, it was called the Indigirsky, then the Northern, then the Kolyma, then the Siberian, then the Arctic Sea.

East-Siberian Sea- marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean, located between the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. Surface area 913,600 km². Already from the name it is clear that this sea is located off the northern coast of Eastern Siberia. The borders of the East Siberian Sea are mainly conditional lines, and only in some parts it is limited by land. The waters of this sea communicate well with the waters of the Arctic Ocean, therefore the East Siberian Sea belongs to the type of continental marginal seas. There are very few islands in the waters of the East Siberian Sea. The coastline of the sea has large bends.

seafaring

In the first half of the 17th century, the Cossacks who mastered Kolyma and Indigirka went downstream, went out to sea and went to Taimyr, where they reached the Yenisei, on the banks of which they hunted, by drag. The first exploratory voyage in the historical era was made by the Yakut Cossack Mikhailo Stadukhin in 1644. In June 1648, Stadukhin's assistant Semyon Dezhnev passed the entire eastern part of the sea from the mouth of the Kolyma and further through the Long Strait and the Bering Strait to the Gulf of Anadyr, where he founded the city of Anadyr. Thus, in 1648 the possibility of through navigation along the entire coast of the East Siberian Sea was shown.

The mainland shores of the sea and islands were described in the first half of the 18th century by the Great Northern Expedition. All these discoveries were made not on ships, but on sleds. In 1823, Wrangel heard a story from the Chukchi about big island in the north (not yet discovered Wrangel Island), where storms sometimes carried away fishing boats. Wrangel Island was discovered in 1849 by the British frigate Herald, approaching it from the Chukchi Sea. The west coast of the island was discovered in 1867 by the American whaler Thomas Long on the schooner "Nile", whose ship passed between the mainland and the island through the strait, which is now called Long's Strait. In September 1875, the East Siberian Sea was crossed on the sail-steam vessel "Vega" by Baron Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, the first navigator who managed to pass the Northern Sea Route along the entire coast of Asia. Next, the De Long Islands were discovered. In 1913, the icebreaking ships Taimyr and Vaigach discovered the island, which was named after Vilkitsky, an assistant to the head of the expedition. The last discovery was made by the next expedition of "Taimyr" and "Vaigach" on August 27, 1914, when Lieutenant Zhokhov, the watchman of the "Vaigach", noticed an island with coordinates 76 ° 10 "N 153 ° E, which received the name Zhokhov Island. After 1932 , when the icebreaker "Sibiryakov" passed the Northern Sea Route in one navigation, regular voyages of ships are made to the East Siberian Sea.

Bottom relief

The sea lies on the shelf. The underwater relief of the space occupied by the East Siberian Sea is a plain. This plain has a slight slope from the southwest to the northeast. The bottom of the sea is predominantly flat, without significant depressions and elevations. Most of the water expanses of the East Siberian Sea have a depth of up to 20 - 25 m. The deepest gutters are located on the sea bottom in the northeastern part of the mouths of the Indigirka and Kolyma rivers. There is an assumption that these trenches used to be areas of river valleys. But later these rivers were flooded with the sea. In the northeast of the sea there are quite deep places. The maximum depth is 915 meters.

Climate and hydrological regime

The climate of the East Siberian Sea is distinguishing feature: the sea is under the influence of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The average temperature in January is approximately - 28 - 30 0 C. In winter, the weather is mostly clear. Only sometimes cyclones break the settled calm weather for several days. Atlantic cyclones, which prevail in the western part of the sea, contribute to increased wind and temperature rise. Pacific cyclones, which dominate the southeastern part of the sea, bring strong winds, snowstorms and cloudy weather. The average July temperature is about 0 + 4 0 C. The decrease in the temperature of the northern part of the sea is affected by the influence of Arctic ice. In the southern part of the sea, proximity to a warm mainland contributes to an increase in temperature. Cloudy weather is typical for the East Siberian Sea in summer. Very often there are light rains, and occasionally even sleet.

Sea water temperatures are low, in the north they are close to −1.8°C both in winter and summer. To the south in summer the temperature rises in the upper layers to 5°C. The salinity of the sea is different in the western and eastern parts of the sea. River runoff leads to a decrease in salinity to 10-15‰, and in the mouths of large rivers to almost zero. With depth, salinity rises to 32‰. Almost the whole year the sea is covered with ice. In the eastern part of the sea, floating perennial ice remains even in summer.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of the East Siberian Sea is poor due to severe ice conditions. But in the areas adjacent to the mouths of the rivers, there are omul, whitefish, grayling, polar smelt, navaga, polar cod and flounder, salmon - char and nelma. From mammals there are walrus, seals, polar bear; birds - guillemots, gulls, cormorants.

Economic importance

The coastal zone is characterized as an area with weak economic activity. Fishing is of local importance. The Northern Sea Route passes through the East Siberian Sea; the main port of Pevek (Chaun Bay). The East Siberian Sea is a promising oil and gas region, the development of which is difficult due to harsh natural conditions.

Ecology

The waters of the East Siberian Sea are relatively clean. Only in the bay of Pevek, slight water pollution has been noted, but recently the ecological situation has been improving here. The waters of the Chaun Bay are slightly polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons.

Already from the name of this natural reservoir it is clear that it is located in the region of the northern coast of Eastern Siberia. The boundaries of the sea are mainly represented by imaginary lines. Only in some parts it is limited to dry land. Previously, until the beginning of the 20th century, the sea had several names, including Indigirskoye and Kolyma. Now it is called East Siberian.

After reading the article, you can learn more detailed information about this body of water: characteristics, climatic conditions. It also describes the resources of the East Siberian Sea and the problems that exist today.

Location

The entire sea is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Its southernmost point is located off the coast of the Chaun Bay. All its shores belong to the territory of Russia. The sea is located in the Arctic Ocean. This is a place where the effect of the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean is almost not felt, and the waters of the Pacific have not yet reached it.

The East Siberian Sea is marginal. There are the New Siberian Islands (border with the Laptev Sea), Ayon, Medvezhiy and Shalaurova. The sea itself is located between the Novosibirsk Islands and Wrangel Island. It is connected by straits with the Chukchi and Laptev Seas.

Description and characteristics

In the central and western parts of the coast are sloping, and two lowlands adjoin the coast: Nizhne-Kolymskaya and Yano-Indigirskaya. The spurs of the Chukchi Highlands approach the coast of the eastern part (east of the mouth of the Kolyma). In places, rocky cliffs also formed here. On Wrangel Island, on its western coast, they reach up to 400 meters in height. On the site of the Novosibirsk Islands coastline monotonous and low. The sea bed is formed by a shelf, whose relief is mostly flat, and it is inclined slightly in a northeasterly direction.

Deeper places are typical for the eastern region. The sea here has a depth of up to 54 meters, in the central and western parts - up to 20 meters, and in the northern regions - up to 200 meters (isobath - the boundary of the sea). The greatest depth of the East Siberian Sea is about 915 meters, and the average is 54 meters. In other words, this body of water is completely within the continental shelf.

The water surface area is 944,600 sq. km. The waters of the sea communicate with the waters of the Arctic Ocean, in connection with this, the reservoir belongs to the type of marginal continental seas. The volume is approximately 49 thousand cubic meters. km. Almost all year round the air temperature is below zero, so the waters of the sea are always covered with drifting large ice floes several meters thick.

Salinity

The East Siberian Sea has different salinity values ​​in the eastern and western parts. Due to the river runoff in the eastern part, the salt concentration decreases. This figure here is about 10-15 ppm. At the confluence of large rivers with the sea, salinity practically disappears. Closer to the ice fields, the concentration increases to 30 units. There is also an increase in salinity with depth, where it can reach 32 ppm.

Relief

The coast line has large bends. In this regard, the sea in places pushes the boundaries of the land deep into the mainland, and in places, on the contrary, the land protrudes far into the sea. There are also areas with an almost flat coastline. Small meanders are mainly observed at the mouths of rivers.

The east and west coasts have very different topography. The coast, washed by the sea from the mouth of the Kolyma to the New Siberian Islands, has an almost monotonous landscape. The reservoir in these places borders on swampy tundra. The coast here is flat and low.

A more diverse landscape is noted on the coast formed east of the Kalyma River, but mountains prevail here. The sea to the island of Aion is bordered by small hills, some of which have rather steep slopes. The region of Chaun Bay is characterized by low steep banks.

A large area of ​​the sea floor is covered with a small sedimentary cover. Islands in the East Siberian Sea are not numerous. Most of them are formed at the expense of the foundation. Based on the results of studies (aeromagnetic surveys), it was determined that the composition of the shelf sediments mainly includes sandy silt, pebbles and crushed boulders. There are suggestions that some of them are fragments of islands. They are scattered throughout the ice. To a greater extent, due to the predominance of flat terrain, the depth of the East Siberian Sea is only 20-25 meters.

Hydrology

Almost the whole year the reservoir is covered with ice. In the eastern areas, even in summer, you can see multi-year floating ice. They are driven away from the coast by continental winds to the north. Ice drifts in a northwesterly direction due to the circulation of water, which is affected by anticyclones near the North Pole.

The area of ​​cyclonic circulation increases, and perennial ice floes from the polar latitudes enter the sea after the weakening of the anticyclone. To date, the system of currents in this reservoir has not been fully studied. But it can be stated with confidence that the water circulation of these places is characterized by a cyclonic character.

This reservoir, in comparison with other representatives of the Arctic Ocean basin, is characterized by not very high river flow. The rivers of the East Siberian Sea are not numerous. The most major river, flowing into the sea - Kolyma. Its stock is approximately 132 cubic meters. km per year. The second in terms of the same characteristic is the Indigirka River, which brings in half the volume of water over the same period. All this has little effect on the general hydrological situation.

The average annual precipitation is from 100 to 200 mm. Due to the absence of trenches with great depths in the sea and due to the fact that a significant area is represented by shallow water, surface waters occupy vast areas.

Climate

In winter, the East Siberian Sea is under the influence of south and southwest winds. Their speed is about 7 meters per second. Also in winter, the Siberian maximum has a great influence on the climate of the sea. Pacific cyclones, prevailing in the southeastern parts of the sea, bring snowstorms, strong winds and rather cloudy weather with constantly drizzling rain or sleet.

Flora and fauna

The fauna and flora of the East Siberian Sea is similar to that of the neighboring Laptev Sea, as both are typically arctic. The same mammals and birds, the same fish as in many other northern seas. Seals, narwhals, sea hares and walruses live here. Polar bears settled on the islands. These places are also favored by a huge number of nesting birds. You can meet here geese: white-fronted and goose. There is also a comb eider and a rather rare black goose. Large bird colonies gather: kittiwakes, gulls, guillemots.

Only locals. It should be noted that large shoals of white fish can be found here in the areas of river mouths. Phytoplankton of the sea is represented by blue-green and diatoms. Sometimes pteropods and tunicates appear. The soil abounds with polychaetes, amphipod crustaceans and isopods. Representatives of mammals are beluga whales, seals, walruses and cetaceans (especially minke whales).

The resources of the East Siberian Sea in terms of flora and fauna are relatively poor. This is primarily due to the rather harsh climate conditions. Only the most frost-resistant representatives took root in these places.

Concluding on the problems

The problems of the East Siberian Sea are similar to those of most northern seas. For several years, the biological resources of the region, especially whales, have been destroyed. To date, this has led to a significant reduction in the number of these mammals, as well as the extinction of some species.

The problem of a global nature is the melting of glaciers, which negatively affects the local fauna. Mention should also be made of the results of human activity (development of hydrocarbon deposits), which had a negative impact on the state of the reservoir.