Seas: characteristics and types. Physical geography - seas washing the territory of Russia Average and maximum salinity of the Pacific Ocean

Includes all seas and oceans of the Earth. It occupies about 70% of the planet's surface, it contains 96% of all the water on the planet. The world's oceans are composed of four oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic.

The size of the oceans Pacific - 179 million km2, Atlantic - 91.6 million km2 Indian - 76.2 million km2, Arctic - 14.75 million km2

The boundaries between the oceans, as well as the boundaries of the seas within the oceans, are drawn rather conditionally. They are determined by the land areas that delimit the body of water, internal currents, differences in temperature and salinity.

The seas are distinguished by internal and marginal ones. The inland seas go deep enough into the land (for example, the Mediterranean), and the marginal seas adjoin the land with one edge (for example, the North, the Japanese).

Pacific Ocean

Pacific - the largest of the oceans It is located in both the northern and southern hemispheres. In the east, its border is the North coast and, in the west - the coast and, in the south - Antarctica. It owns 20 seas and more than 10,000 islands.

Since the Pacific Ocean captures almost everything but the coldest,

it is distinguished by a variety of climates. over the ocean ranges from + 30 °

up to -60 ° C. Trade winds are formed in the tropical zone, monsoons are not uncommon to the north, off the coast of Asia and Russia.

The main currents of the Pacific Ocean are closed in circles. In the northern hemisphere, the circle is formed by the North Tradewinds, North Pacific and California currents, which are directed clockwise. In the southern hemisphere, the circle of currents is directed counterclockwise and consists of the South Tradewinds, East Australian, Peruvian and West Winds

The Pacific Ocean is located on the Pacific Ocean. Its bottom is not uniform; there are underground plains, mountains and ridges. On the territory of the ocean there is the Mariana Trench - the deepest point in the World Ocean, its depth is 11 km 22 m.

The water temperature in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from -1 ° С to + 26 ° С, the average water temperature is + 16 ° С.

The average salinity of the Atlantic Ocean is 35% o.

The organic world of the Atlantic Ocean is distinguished by the richness of green plants and plankton.

Indian Ocean

Most of the Indian Ocean is located in warm latitudes, wet monsoons dominate here, which determine the climate of the East Asian countries. The southern edge of the Indian Ocean is markedly cold.

Indian Ocean currents change direction depending on the direction of the monsoons. The most significant currents are Monsoon, Passat and.

The Indian Ocean has a varied topography, there are several ridges, between which there are relatively deep basins. The deepest point of the Indian Ocean is the Yavan depression, 7 km 709 m.

The water temperature in the Indian Ocean ranges from -1 ° С off the coast of Antarctica to + 30 ° С near the equator, the average water temperature is + 18 ° С.

The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35% o.

Arctic Ocean

Most of the Arctic Ocean is covered with ice - almost 90% of the ocean's surface in winter. Only near the coast does the ice freeze to land, while most of the ice drifts. Drifting ice is called "pack".

The ocean is located entirely in northern latitudes, with a cold climate.

A number of large currents are observed in the Arctic Ocean: a transarctic current passes along the north of Russia, as a result of interaction with the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Norwegian Current is born.

The relief of the Arctic Ocean is distinguished by a developed shelf, especially off the coast of Eurasia.

The water under the ice always has a negative temperature: -1.5 - -1 ° С. In summer, the water in the seas of the Arctic Ocean reaches +5 - +7 ° С. The salinity of the ocean water significantly decreases in summer due to the melting of ice and, this applies to the Eurasian part of the ocean, the deep Siberian rivers. So in winter salinity in different parts of 31-34% o, in summer off the coast of Siberia can be up to 20% o.

How many seas are there on Earth? Nobody will tell you the exact answer. For example, the International Hydrographic Bureau identifies only 54 seas, some scientists believe that there are more than 90 seas on our planet (not counting the Caspian, Dead and Galilee, which are often referred to as lakes). The most common version is that the seas are still 81. This discrepancy arises due to the fact that scientists have different interpretations of the very concept of "sea".

The most common interpretation: sea \u200b\u200b- a body of water isolated by parts of the land or elevations of the underwater relief ... From a geological point of view, the seas are young formations. The deepest were formed on the fracture of tectonic plates, for example, the Mediterranean. Smaller ones are formed on the outskirts of continents during flooding of continental shoals.

Characteristics of the seas

The seas are actively involved in creating the temperature regime the globe... Sea water is very lazy and heats up slowly. Therefore, for example, the water in the Mediterranean Sea becomes warmest not in July, when it is hot, but in September. With a decrease in the level, the water quickly cools. At the bottom of the deepest seas it is about 0ºC. In this case, salt water begins to freeze at a temperature of -1.5 ºC; - 1.9 ºC.

Warm and cold currents move huge masses of water - warm or cold. This greatly influences the formation of the climate.

An important role is also played by the ebb and flow, the frequency of their change and the height. The ebb and flow of the tide is associated with a change in the phases of the moon.

An interesting feature of the sea water is known. When submerged, the sea gradually "eats" the colors. At a depth of 6 m, scarlet colors disappear, at a depth of 45 m - orange, 90 m - yellow, at a depth of over 100 m only purple and greenish shades remain. Therefore, the most colorful underwater world is located at shallow depths.

Types of seas

There are several classifications that unite the seas according to certain criteria. Let's consider the most popular ones.

1. Over the oceans(list of seas by oceans)

2. By the degree of isolation

Internal - do not have access to the ocean (isolated), or are connected to them through straits (semi-isolated). In fact, isolated seas (Aral, Dead) are considered to be lakes. And the straits connecting the semi-isolated seas with the ocean are so narrow that they do not lead to mixing of deep waters. Example - Baltic, Mediterranean.

The marginal ones are located on the shelf, have an extensive network of underwater currents and free access to the ocean. They are separated from each other by islands or seamounts.

Inter-island - such seas are surrounded by a tight group of islands that prevent connection with the ocean. Most of these seas among the islands of the Malay Archipelago are Yavan, Sulawesi.

Intercontinental - seas lying at the junction of continents - Mediterranean, Red.

3. By water salinity distinguish slightly salted (Black) and highly salted (Red) seas.

4. By the degree of indentedness of the coastline distinguish between the seas with strongly indented and weakly indented coastline. But, for example, the Sargasso Sea has no coastline at all.

Coastlines are characterized by the presence of bays, estuaries, coves, spits, cliffs, peninsulas, beaches, fjords and capes.

The difference between the sea and the lake, the bay and the ocean

Despite the great similarity in the interpretation of the concepts of "sea", "lake", "bay" and "ocean", these words are not synonymous.

So, the sea is different from the lake:

Size. The sea is always bigger.

The degree of salinity of the waters. In the sea, water is always mixed with salt, while in lakes it can be fresh, brackish and salty.

Geographical location. Lakes are always located within continents and are surrounded by land on all sides. The seas most often have a connection with the ocean.

It is more difficult to separate seas and oceans. It's all about size here. It is generally accepted that the sea is only a part of the ocean that has a unique flora and fauna. The sea may differ from the ocean in the degree of salinity and relief.

The bay is also a constituent part of the ocean, deeply cut into the land. Unlike the sea, it always has a free connection with the ocean. In some cases, the name of the bay was assigned to water areas, which, in terms of their hydrological characteristics, are more likely to be seas. For example, Hudson Bay, California, Mexican.

The saltiest sea

(The Dead Sea)

If we consider the Dead Sea as a sea, and not a lake, then the palm tree in terms of the degree of salinity of the waters will belong to this water area. The salt concentration is 340 g / l. Because of the salt, the density of the water is such that it is impossible to drown in the Dead Sea. By the way, this is why there are no fish and plants in the Dead Sea, only bacteria live in such a saline solution.

Of the recognized seas, the Red Sea is considered the saltiest. 1 liter of water contains 41 g of salt.

In Russia, the saltiest sea is the Barents Sea (34-37g / l).

Largest sea

(Philippine sea)

The largest sea in the world is the Philippine (5726 thousand sq. Km). Located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean between the islands of Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. This sea is also the deepest in the world. The greatest depth is recorded in the Mariana Trench - 11022 m. The sea territory covers 4 climatic zones at once: from equatorial to subtropical.

The largest sea in Russia is the Beringovo (2315 thousand sq. Km.)

The Pacific Ocean is considered the warmest of the Earth's oceans. The average annual temperature of its surface waters is 19.1 ° C (1.8 ° C higher than the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean and 1.5 ° C higher than that of the Indian Ocean). This is due to the huge volume of the water basin - the heat accumulator, the large area of \u200b\u200bthe water area in the most heated equatorial-tropical regions (more than 50% of the total), the isolation of the Pacific Ocean from the cold Arctic basin. The influence of Antarctica in the Pacific Ocean is also weaker in comparison with the Atlantic and Indian Oceans due to its huge area.

The temperature distribution of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean is mainly determined by heat exchange with the atmosphere and the circulation of water masses. In the open ocean, isotherms usually have a latitudinal course, with the exception of regions with meridional (or submeridional) water transport by currents. Particularly strong deviations from latitudinal zoning in the distribution of temperatures of ocean surface waters are observed near the western and eastern coasts, where the meridional (submeridional) flows close the main circulation circuits of the Pacific Ocean waters.

In the equatorial-tropical latitudes, the highest seasonal and annual water temperatures are observed - 25-29 ° С, and their maximum values \u200b\u200b(31-32 ° С) belong to the western regions of equatorial latitudes. In low latitudes, the western part of the ocean is 2-5 ° C warmer than the eastern one. In the areas of the California and Peruvian currents, the water temperature can be 12-15 ° C lower compared to coastal waters located at the same latitudes in the western part of the ocean. In the temperate and subpolar waters of the Northern Hemisphere, the western sector of the ocean, on the contrary, is colder than the eastern one by 3-7 ° С throughout the year. In summer, the water temperature in the Bering Strait is 5-6 ° C. In winter, the zero isotherm runs along the middle part of the Bering Sea. The minimum temperature here is up to -1.7-1.8 ° C. In Antarctic waters in areas where floating ice is spread, the water temperature rarely rises to 2-3 ° C. In winter, negative temperatures are noted south of 60-62 ° S. sh. In the temperate and circumpolar latitudes of the southern part of the ocean, the isotherms have a smooth sublatitudinal course; there is no significant difference in water temperatures between the western and eastern parts of the ocean.

Salinity and density

The distribution of the salinity of the Pacific Ocean waters obeys general laws. In general, this indicator at all depths is lower than in other oceans of the world, which is explained by the size of the ocean and the considerable remoteness of the central parts of the ocean from the arid regions of the continents (Fig. 4).

The ocean water balance is characterized by a significant excess of the amount of atmospheric precipitation together with the river runoff over the amount of evaporation. In addition, in the Pacific Ocean, unlike the Atlantic and Indian, at intermediate depths there is no inflow of especially saline waters of the Mediterranean and Red Sea types. The centers of the formation of highly saline waters on the surface of the Pacific Ocean are subtropical regions of both hemispheres, since evaporation here significantly exceeds the amount of precipitation.

Both highly saline zones (35.5 in the north and 36.5 ‰ in the south) are located above 20 ° latitude of both hemispheres. North of 40 ° N sh. salinity decreases especially rapidly. At the top of the Gulf of Alaska, it is 30-31 ‰. In the Southern Hemisphere, the decrease in salinity from the subtropics to the south slows down due to the influence of the current of the West Winds: up to 60 ° S. sh. it remains more than 34% o, while off the coast of Antarctica it decreases to 33% o. Water freshening is also observed in equatorial-tropical regions with a large amount of atmospheric precipitation. Between the centers of salinization and freshening of waters, the distribution of salinity is strongly influenced by currents. Along the shores, the currents carry freshened waters from high latitudes to lower latitudes in the east of the ocean, and saline waters in the west in the opposite direction.

Figure: 4.

The most general pattern of changes in the density of waters in the Pacific Ocean is an increase in its values \u200b\u200bfrom the equatorial-tropical zones to high latitudes. Consequently, the decrease in temperature from the equator to the poles completely covers the decrease in salinity throughout the entire space from the tropics to high latitudes.

) or PSU (Practical Salinity Units) of the practical salinity scale (Practical Salinity Scale).

Content of some elements in seawater

Element	Content, mg / l
Chlorine	19 500
Sodium	10 833
Magnesium	1 311
Sulfur	910
Calcium	412
Potassium	390
Bromine	65
Carbon	20
Strontium	13
Boron	4,5
Fluorine	1,0
Silicon	0,5
Rubidium	0,2
Nitrogen	0,1

Salinity in ppm is the amount of solids in grams dissolved in 1 kg of seawater, provided that all halogens are replaced with an equivalent amount of chlorine, all carbonates are converted to oxides, organic matter is burned.

In 1978, a practical salinity scale (Practical Salinity Scale 1978, PSS-78) was introduced and approved by all international oceanographic organizations, in which salinity measurement is based on electrical conductivity (conductometry), and not on water evaporation. In the 1970s, oceanographic CTD probes gained widespread use in marine research, and since then, water salinity has been measured mainly using the electrical method. Laboratory salt meters are used to verify the operation of conductivity cells that are immersed in water. In turn, standard seawater is used to test the salt meters. Standard seawater, recommended by the IAPSO international organization for the verification of salt meters, is produced in the UK by Ocean Scientific International Limited (OSIL) from natural seawater. If all measurement standards are followed, salinity measurements can be accurate to 0.001 PSU.

The PSS-78 scale gives numerical results close to mass fraction measurements, and differences are noticeable either when measurements are needed with an accuracy of better than 0.01 PSU, or when the salt composition does not correspond to the standard composition of ocean water.

• Atlantic Ocean - 35.4 ‰ The highest salinity of surface waters in the open ocean is observed in the subtropical zone (up to 37.25 ‰), and the maximum - in the Mediterranean Sea: 39 ‰. In the equatorial zone, where the maximum amount of precipitation was noted, salinity decreases to 34 ‰. A sharp desalination of water occurs in the estuarine areas (for example, at the mouth of La Plata - 18-19 ‰).
• Indian Ocean - 34.8 ‰. The maximum salinity of surface waters is observed in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, where it reaches 40-41 ‰. High salinity (more than 36 ‰) is also observed in the southern tropical belt, especially in the eastern regions, and in the northern hemisphere also in the Arabian Sea. In the neighboring Bay of Bengal, due to the desalination effect of the Ganges runoff with the Brahmaputra and Ayeyarwaddy, salinity is reduced to 30-34 ‰. The seasonal difference in salinity is significant only in the Antarctic and equatorial zones. In winter, desalinated waters from the northeastern part of the ocean are carried by the monsoon current, forming a tongue of low salinity along 5 ° N. sh. In the summer, this language disappears.
• Pacific Ocean - 34.5 ‰. The tropical zones have the maximum salinity (maximum up to 35.5-35.6 ‰), where intense evaporation is combined with a relatively small amount of precipitation. To the east, under the influence of cold currents, salinity decreases. Large amounts of precipitation also reduce salinity, especially at the equator and in the western circulation zones of temperate and subpolar latitudes.
• Arctic Ocean - 32 ‰. Several layers of water masses are distinguished in the Arctic Ocean. The surface layer has a low temperature (below 0 ° C) and low salinity. The latter is explained by the freshening effect of river runoff, melt water and very weak evaporation. Below, a subsurface layer is distinguished, colder (down to −1.8 ° C) and more salty (up to 34.3 ‰), formed when surface waters are mixed with the underlying intermediate water layer. The intermediate water layer is Atlantic water coming from the Greenland Sea with a positive temperature and increased salinity (more than 37 ‰), spreading to a depth of 750-800 m. The deep water layer is deeper, which forms in winter also in the Greenland Sea, slowly creeping in a single stream from the strait between Greenland and Spitsbergen. The temperature of deep waters is about -0.9 ° C, salinity is close to 35 ‰. ...

The salinity of ocean waters varies with latitude, from the open ocean to the shores. In the surface waters of the oceans, it is lowered in the equator, in the polar latitudes.

Name	Salinity, ‰

Magellan discovered the Pacific Ocean in the fall of 1520 and named the ocean the Pacific Ocean, "because, - as one of the participants reports, during the transition from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands, more than three months - we have never experienced the slightest storm." In terms of the number (about 10 thousand) and the total area of \u200b\u200bthe islands (about 3.6 million km²), the Pacific Ocean ranks first among the oceans. In the northern part - Aleutian; in the west - Kuril, Sakhalin, Japanese, Philippine, Big and Small Sunda, New Guinea, New Zealand, Tasmania; in the central and southern parts there are numerous small islands. The bottom relief is varied. In the east - the East Pacific uplift, in the central part there are many depressions (North-East, North-West, Central, East, South, etc.), deep-water trenches: in the north - Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Izu-Boninsky; in the west - the Mariana (with the maximum depth of the World Ocean - 11,022 m), Philippine and others; in the east - Central American, Peruvian, etc.

The main surface currents: in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean - warm Kuroshio, North Pacific and Alaskan and cold California and Kuril; in the southern part - warm South-Trade winds and East Australian and cold West Winds and Peruvian. The water temperature at the surface near the equator is from 26 to 29 ° C, in the polar regions up to -0.5 ° C. Salinity 30-36.5 ‰. The Pacific Ocean accounts for about half of the world's fish catch (pollock, herring, salmon, cod, sea bass, etc.). Fishing for crabs, shrimps, oysters.

Important sea and air communications between the countries of the Pacific basin and transit routes between the countries of the Atlantic and Indian oceans run through the Pacific Ocean. Major ports: Vladivostok, Nakhodka (Russia), Shanghai (China), Singapore (Singapore), Sydney (Australia), Vancouver (Canada), Los Angeles, Long Beach (USA), Huasco (Chile). The date line passes through the Pacific Ocean along the 180 meridian.

Plant life (except for bacteria and lower fungi) is concentrated in the upper 200th layer, in the so-called euphotic zone. Animals and bacteria inhabit the entire water column and the ocean floor. Life develops most abundantly in the shelf zone and especially at the very coast at shallow depths, where the flora of brown algae and a rich fauna of mollusks, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are diversely represented in the temperate zones of the ocean. In tropical latitudes, the shallow-water zone is characterized by the widespread and strong development of coral reefs, along the very coast - mangroves. As we move from cold to tropical zones, the number of species increases sharply, and the density of their distribution decreases. In the Bering Strait, about 50 species of coastal algae - macrophytes are known, in the Japanese islands - over 200, in the waters of the Malay Archipelago - over 800. In the Soviet Far Eastern seas, there are about 4000 known species of animals, and in the waters of the Malay Archipelago - at least 40-50 thousand ... In the cold and temperate zones of the ocean, with a relatively small number of plant and animal species, due to the massive development of some species, the total biomass greatly increases; in the tropical zones, individual forms do not acquire such a sharp predominance, although the number of species is very large.

With distance from the coasts to the central parts of the ocean and with increasing depth, life becomes less diverse and less abundant. In general, the fauna of T. o. includes about 100 thousand species, but of which only 4-5% is found deeper than 2000 m.At depths of more than 5000 m, about 800 species of animals are known, more than 6000 m - about 500, deeper than 7000 m - slightly more than 200, and deeper than 10 thousand m - only about 20 species.

Among the coastal algae - macrophytes - in the temperate zones, fucus and kelp are especially prominent. In tropical latitudes, they are replaced by brown algae - sargassus, green algae - Caulerpa and Galimeda and a number of red algae. The surface zone of the pelagial is characterized by the massive development of unicellular algae (phytoplankton), mainly diatoms, peridiniaceae and coccolithophorids. In zooplankton, the most important are various crustaceans and their larvae, mainly copepods (at least 1000 species) and euphausids; a significant admixture of radiolarians (several hundred species), coelenterates (siphonophores, jellyfish, ctenophores), eggs and larvae of fish and benthic invertebrates. In T. about. one can distinguish, in addition to the littoral and sublittoral zones, a transition zone (up to 500-1000 m), bathyal, abyssal and ultra-abyssal, or a zone of deep-sea trenches (from 6-7 to 11 thousand m).

Planktonic and benthic animals serve as abundant food for fish and marine mammals (nekton). The fish fauna is exceptionally rich, including at least 2,000 species in tropical latitudes and about 800 in the Soviet Far Eastern seas, where there are, in addition, 35 species of marine mammals. Of the greatest commercial value are: of fish - anchovies, Far Eastern salmon, herring, mackerel, sardine, saury, sea bass, tuna, flounder, cod and pollock; mammals - sperm whale, several species of minke whales, fur seal, sea otter, walrus, sea lion; invertebrates - crabs (including Kamchatka), shrimps, oysters, scallop, cephalopods, and many others; from plants - kelp (seaweed), agaronos-anfeltia, zostera sea grass and phyllospadix. Many representatives of the Pacific Ocean fauna are endemic (pelagic cephalopod mollusk nautilus, most Pacific salmon, saury, green fishes, northern fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, and many others).

The great extent of the Pacific Ocean from North to South determines the diversity of its climates - from equatorial to subarctic in the North and Antarctic in the South.Most of the ocean surface, approximately between 40 ° north latitude and 42 ° south latitude, is located in the zones of equatorial, tropical and subtropical climates. The circulation of the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean is determined by the main areas of atmospheric pressure: the Aleutian minimum, the North Pacific, South Pacific and Antarctic maximums. The indicated centers of action of the atmosphere in their interaction determine the great constancy of northeastern in the North and southeastern in the South winds of moderate strength - trade winds - in the tropical and subtropical parts of the Pacific Ocean and strong westerly winds in temperate latitudes. Especially strong winds are observed in the southern temperate latitudes, where the frequency of storms is 25-35%, in the northern temperate latitudes in winter - 30%, in summer - 5%. In the west of the tropical zone, from June to November, tropical hurricanes - typhoons are frequent. The northwestern Pacific Ocean is characterized by monsoon atmospheric circulation. The average air temperature in February decreases from 26-27 ° С near the equator to –20 ° С in the Bering Strait and –10 ° С near the coast of Antarctica. In August, the average temperature varies from 26-28 ° С near the equator to 6-8 ° С in the Bering Strait and to –25 ° С off the coast of Antarctica. Throughout the Pacific Ocean, located north of 40 ° S latitude, there are significant differences in air temperature between the eastern and western parts of the ocean, caused by the corresponding dominance of warm or cold currents and the nature of the winds. In tropical and subtropical latitudes, the air temperature in the East is 4-8 ° C lower than in the West. In the northern temperate latitudes, it is the other way around: in the east, the temperature is 8-12 ° C higher than in the West. Average annual cloudiness in areas of low atmospheric pressure is 60-90%. high pressure - 10-30%. Average annual precipitation at the equator is more than 3000 mm, in temperate latitudes - 1000 mm in the West. and 2000-3000 mm in V. The smallest amount of precipitation (100-200 mm) falls on the eastern outskirts of subtropical regions of high atmospheric pressure; in the western parts the amount of precipitation increases to 1500-2000 mm. Fogs are typical for temperate latitudes, they are especially frequent in the region of the Kuril Islands.

Under the influence of atmospheric circulation over the Pacific Ocean, surface currents form anticyclonic gyres in subtropical and tropical latitudes and cyclonic gyres in northern temperate and southern high latitudes. In the northern part of the ocean, the circulation is formed by warm currents: the North Passat - Kuroshio and the North Pacific and cold California currents. In the northern temperate latitudes, the cold Kuril Current dominates in the West, and the warm Alaska Current in the East. In the southern part of the ocean, the anticyclonic circulation is formed by warm currents: the South Passat, East Australian, zonal South Pacific and cold Peruvian currents. North of the equator, between 2-4 ° and 8-12 ° north latitude, the northern and southern circulation during the year are separated by the Inter-trade (Equatorial) countercurrent.

The average temperature of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean (19.37 ° C) is 2 ° C higher than the temperature of the waters of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which is the result of the relatively large size of that part of the Pacific Ocean, which is located in well-warmed latitudes (over 20 kcal / cm2 per year ), and limited communication with the Arctic Ocean. The average water temperature in February varies from 26-28 ° С at the equator to -0.5, -1 ° С north of 58 ° north latitude, near the Kuril Islands and south of 67 ° south latitude. In August, the temperature is 25-29 ° С near the equator, 5-8 ° С in the Bering Strait and -0.5, -1 ° С south of 60-62 ° south latitude. Between 40 ° south latitude and 40 ° north latitude, the temperature in the eastern part of T. o. 3-5 ° C lower than in the western part. North of 40 ° north latitude - on the contrary: in the East, the temperature is 4-7 ° C higher than in the West. South of 40 ° south latitude, where zonal surface water transfer prevails, there is no difference between water temperatures in the East and in the West. The Pacific Ocean has more rainfall than evaporated water. Taking into account the river flow, over 30 thousand km3 of fresh water flows here annually. Therefore, the salinity of the surface waters of T. o. lower than in other oceans (average salinity is 34.58 ‰). The lowest salinity (30.0-31.0 ‰ and less) is noted in the West and East of the northern temperate latitudes and in the coastal regions of the eastern part of the ocean, the highest (35.5 ‰ and 36.5 ‰) - respectively in the northern and southern subtropical latitudes. At the equator, the salinity of water decreases from 34.5 ‰ or less, in high latitudes - to 32.0 ‰ or less in the North, to 33.5 ‰ or less in the South.

The density of water on the surface of the Pacific Ocean rather uniformly increases from the equator to high latitudes in accordance with the general nature of the distribution of temperature and salinity: at the equator 1.0215-1.0225 g / cm3, in the North - 1.0265 g / cm3 and more, in the South - 1.0275 g / cm3 and more. The color of the water in subtropical and tropical latitudes is blue, the transparency in some places is more than 50 m.In the northern temperate latitudes, dark blue water prevails, at the coast it is greenish, the transparency is 15-25 m.In Antarctic latitudes, the water color is greenish, the transparency is up to 25 m ...

The tides in the North Pacific Ocean are dominated by irregular semidiurnal (height up to 5.4 m in the Gulf of Alaska) and semidiurnal (up to 12.9 m in the Penzhinskaya Bay of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk). Near the Solomon Islands and off the coast of New Guinea, daily tides, up to 2.5 m in size. The strongest wind waves are observed between 40 and 60 ° south latitude, in the latitudes dominated by western storm winds ("roaring forties"), in the Northern Hemisphere - to the north 40 ° north latitude. The maximum height of wind waves in the Pacific Ocean is 15 m and more, the length is over 300 m. Tsunami waves are characteristic, especially often observed in the northern, southwestern and southeastern parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Ice in the North Pacific Ocean is formed in seas with severe winter climatic conditions (Beringovo, Okhotsk, Yaponskoe, Yellow) and in bays off the coast of Hokkaido Island, the Kamchatka and Alaska peninsulas. In winter and spring, ice is carried by the Kuril Current into the extreme northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, and small icebergs are found in the Gulf of Alaska. In the South Pacific, ice and icebergs are formed off the coast of Antarctica and are carried out into the open ocean by currents and winds. The northern boundary of floating ice in winter runs at 61-64 ° S, in summer it shifts to 70 ° S latitude, icebergs in late summer are carried up to 46-48 ° S. Icebergs are formed mainly in the Ross Sea.