Discover incredible curiosities about the Barents Sea, located in a sector of the Arctic Ocean and named after Willem Barents, who was an important navigator of Dutch origin; Do not miss it.
Curiosities about the Barents Sea
This formidable sea that is characterized by remaining free of ice throughout the year, although it has very cold temperatures; it remains in navigable conditions, due to the influence of the North Atlantic currents.
There are many geographical features around it, such as the Chesha Bay, the North Cape and Zhelániya, Mátochkin, Yugor, Kara and the Scandinavian, Kola and Kanín peninsulas, among others.
The Norwegian Sea and the Kara Sea are close to it, as well as the island of Kolgueyev in its interior.
Did you know that its surface is 1,405,000 km², has a volume of water of around 282,000 km³ and maintains a maximum depth of 600 meters.
Interestingly, it was explored by Willem Barents, one of the first to explore the northern lands; as was the case of Bear Island in this sea in the year 1596.
The Barents Sea is surrounded by coastlines like those found in its western region represented by cliffs, fjords and rocky coastlines; while towards the east there are bays and small coves. On the other hand, to its north, glaciers from the Arctic can be seen.
Its shallow depth has allowed its industrial energy use by Norway, in addition to being in the second largest gas reserve in Europe.
Its climate is milder than could be expected because it is influenced by the meteorology of Norway and Greenland, however it is influenced by the masses of hot water coming from the Atlantic Ocean, which, when found with its icy temperature, mix, avoiding the formation of dense blocks of ice.
The fauna present in the Barents Sea, have a habitat that benefits them in the summer season, when it permanently heats its surface, leading to a stratification of its temperature; where the cold waters sink and the warm ones emerge creating a nutritious phytoplankton that rises to the surface.
Among other things this phytoplankton is the food source for magnificent cod, whales and capelin.
The wealth of this sea is unquantifiable, specimens such as hake and cod are fished in it by the Russians and Norwegians; in turn, there are large families of seals and king crabs from Kamchatka; which is characterized by being large as well as very voracious, which at the moment curiously worries many biologists who carry out studies to determine what are the consequences that they cause in their path, on the phytoplankton that serves as food for many other species.
Another curious detail that is appreciated in the Barents Sea are the giant craters that could solve the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.
These huge holes could provide the necessary information for scientists at the Arctic University of Norway to understand how they have developed by virtue of leaking marine methane, similar to what is experienced in Bermuda.
With these investigations, the risks presented for navigation due to explosions under the sea will be addressed and that could reveal the cause of the ship sinking in this area.
In general, the characteristics of the Barents Sea alone represent a curiosity, since it is rectangular in shape, measuring about 1,300 kilometers from north to south, with a width of 1,050 kilometers.
Formerly it was known by the Vikings and the Russians under the name of the Murmean Sea and which was changed to the year 1653 in honor of its explorer; who crosses it practically by chance as they find themselves following the best sea route between Europe and North Asia.