Norwegian Sea
| The Norwegian Sea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mean depth: | 1600-1750 meters |
| Maximum depth: | 3,970 meters (13,020 feet) |
| Area of surface: | 1,380,000 square kilometers |
| Volume: | 2,400,000 cubic kilometers |
| Water salinity: | about 35 parts per 1,000 |
- A cruise ship, the SuperStar Libra, formerly operated as the Norwegian Sea.
The Norwegian Sea (Template:Lang-no) is part of the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway, located between the North Sea (i.e. north of Scotland) and the Greenland Sea.
It adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a submarine ridge running between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. To the North, the Jan Mayen Ridge separates it from the Greenland Sea.
The Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea are sometimes collectively referred to as the Nordic Seas.
Geography
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Norwegian Sea as follows:[1]
On the Northeast. A line joining the Southernmost point of West Spitzbergen [sic] to North Cape of Bear Island, through this island to Cape Bull and thence on to North Cape in Norway (71°10'N 25°47'E).
On the Southeast. The West coast of Norway between North Cape and Cape Stadt (62°10′N 5°00′E / 62.167°N 5.000°E).
On the South. From a point on the West coast of Norway in Latitude 61°00' North along this parallel to Longitude 0°53' West thence a line to the NE extreme of Fuglö (62°21′N 6°15′W / 62.350°N 6.250°W) and on to the East extreme of Gerpir (65°05′N 13°30′W / 65.083°N 13.500°W) in Iceland.
On the West. The Southeastern limit of Greenland Sea [A line joining the Southernmost point of West Spitzbergen [sic] to the Northern point of Jan Mayen Island, down the West coast of that island to its Southern extreme, thence a Line to the Eastern extreme of Gerpir (65°05′N 13°30′W / 65.083°N 13.500°W) in Iceland].
Currents
In the Norwegian Sea and Greenland Sea, surface water descends two to three kilometres down to the bottom of the ocean, forming cold, oxygen-rich groundwater. As a result, there is a warm surface current and a cold depth current running along the west coast of Norway.
The so-called East Iceland Current transports cold water south from the Norwegian Sea towards Iceland and then east, along the Arctic Circle. In the Norwegian Current, a branch of the Gulf Stream carries warm water masses northward and contributes to the mild and moist climate in Norway. The Norwegian Sea is the source of much of the North Atlantic Deep Water.
The region remains ice-free all year due to the warm and saline Norwegian Atlantic Current. It provides rich fishing grounds, with catches mostly consisting of cod, herrings, sardines and anchovies. Nowadays, shifts and fluctuations in these currents are closely monitored, as they are thought to be indicators for an ongoing climate change.
Other
Large-scale oil and gas production in the Norwegian Sea started in 1993. In recent news, the Norwegian Sea was proposed as a prototype storage site for the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (see carbon sink)[citation needed]. This has yet to be confirmed.
References
- ^ "Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition" (PDF). International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
- Nansen and Helland-Hansen: report for the Norwegian Fishery and Marine Investigations. vol. ii. No. 2, 1909
- Hopkins: The GIN Sea - A synthesis of its physical oceanography and literature review 1972-1985. 1991
- Fairbridge (editor): The Encyclopedia of Oceanography. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1966
- Skjoldal, H.R. (editor):"The Norwegian Sea Ecosystem". Tapir Forlag, Norway.2004
External links
- LoveToKnow Free Online Encyclopedia
- American Geophysical Union - Norwegian Sea Proposed as Storage Site for Carbon Dioxide
- Goliat - New oil field off Northern Norway discovered
- NASA: Smoke Over Norwegian Sea
- Coral reefs in the Norwegian Sea
