Hello EFECers! how are you today?
As we may know, millions
of children around the world have grown up memorizing basic facts about
geography: there are four oceans: Atlantic,
Pacific, Indian and Arctic. Until now.
National
Geographic, one of the world's pre-eminent and most visible mapmaking groups,
has officially decreed the existence of a fifth ocean. Starting on June 8, World
Oceans Day, it will recognize the Southern Ocean as the world’s fifth ocean. It's
the body of water that surrounds Antarctica.
This
confluence of the southernmost stretches of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian
Oceans has always been an interesting -- and sometimes contentious -- spot for
oceanographers. The decision to announce the new ocean coincides with the
launch of Planet Possible, National Geographic's new initiative to
inform, inspire and empower people to live more lightly on the planet.
The
Southern Ocean consists of the ocean surrounding Antarctica across
all degrees of longitude and up to a northern boundary at 60 degrees south
latitude (which is also the limit of the United Nations' Antarctic Treaty).
Half
of the responding countries supported 60 degrees south, while only seven
preferred 50 degrees south as the ocean's northern limit. Even with a mere 50
percent support for 60 degrees, the IHO decided that since 60 degrees south
does not run through land and 50 degrees south does pass through South America,
60 degrees south should be the northern limit of the newly demarcated ocean.
Why
the Need for a New Southern Ocean?
A
great deal of oceanographic research in recent years has been concerned with
ocean circulations. At approximately 20.3 million square kilometers (7.8
million square miles) and about twice the size of the U.S.A., the new ocean is
the world's fourth-largest (following the Pacific,
Atlantic, and Indian, but larger than the Arctic Ocean). The Southern Ocean's
lowest point is 7,235 meters (23,737 feet) below sea level in the South
Sandwich Trench.
The
sea temperature of the Southern Ocean varies from negative two degrees C to 10
degrees C (28 degrees F to 50 degrees F). It is home to the world's largest
ocean current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This current moves east and
transports 100 times the water flow of all the world's rivers.
Despite
the demarcation of this new ocean, it's likely that the debate over the number
of oceans will continue nonetheless. After all, there is but one "world
ocean," as all five (or four) oceans on our planet are connected.
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