Geography of Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is a body of salt water that makes up about one-fifth of the Earth's surface. It divides North and South America from Europe and Africa in the east. Greek mythology gave the ocean its name, which translates to "Sea of Atlas." Compared to the Pacific Ocean, it is little bit smaller. In general, the Atlantic is S-shaped and quite small for its length.

Physical Features

With a surface area of roughly 85,133,000 km2 (32,870,000 sq. mi), the Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the five oceans that make up the Earth. It covers around 29% of the sea surface area and about 20% of the planet's surface. The "Old World" of Africa, Europe, and Asia is known to be distinguished from the "New World" of the Americas in the perspective of Europe. Between Europe and Africa to the east and the Americas to the west, the Atlantic Ocean is located in an extended, S-shaped basin.

It is connected to the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Pacific Ocean in the southwest, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, and the Southern Ocean in the south as one part of the interconnected World Ocean (alternative definitions claim the Atlantic extends southward to Antarctica). The Equatorial Counter Current splits the Atlantic Ocean in two, creating the North(ern) Atlantic Ocean and the South(ern) Atlantic Ocean. South and North America both about the Atlantic Ocean on its western side. Through the Denmark Strait, Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Barents Sea, it is connected to the Arctic Ocean.

Europe, the Strait of Gibraltar (where it joins the Mediterranean Sea, one of its marginal seas, and then the Black Sea, both of which touch Asia), and Africa form the eastern limits of the ocean proper. The Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet in the southeast. Its border is defined by the 20° East meridian, which extends south from Cape Agulhas to Antarctica. Unlike later maps, which show the Southern Ocean as its boundary at the 60th parallel, the 1953 definition includes Antarctica as part of its southern boundary.

Geology

The hard mafic oceanic crust of basalt and gabbro that covers the majority of the Atlantic Ocean is overlain by fine clay, silt, and siliceous ooze on the abyssal plain. Lower density, but thicker felsic continental rock that is frequently much older than that of the seafloor is marked by the continental margins and continental shelf. Off the west and east coasts of Africa and North America, or on either side of the South Atlantic, is where the oldest oceanic crust in the Atlantic may be found. It dates back up to 145 million years.

The continental shelf and slope are frequently covered in substantial sedimentary strata. Large carbonate deposits, for instance, occurred in warm shallow waters like Florida and the Bahamas on the North American side of the Atlantic, whereas coarse river outwash sands and silt are typical in shallow shelf locations like the Georges Bank. During the Pleistocene ice ages, coarse sand, boulders, and rocks were transported into some regions, such as off the coast of Nova Scotia or the Gulf of Maine.

Island

Iceland, the Azores, Ascension, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Bouvet, and Gough are examples of purely oceanic islands (i.e., those without any foundation of continental rock, typically formed as the result of volcanic activity), as are the Canary, Madeira, and Cape Verde islands as well as Fernando de Noronha (near Cape So Roque), which rise from the continental margins of Africa and South America.

The Lesser Antilles and the South Sandwich Islands are two examples of distinct types of volcanic islands that make up the two major arcs. The Greater Antilles in the Caribbean and South Georgia and the South Orkney Islands in the Scotia Sea are both partially continental and partially oceanic. The British Isles, Newfoundland, the Falkland Islands (also known as Islas Malvinas), and Greenland, which is an extension of the Canadian Shield.

Climate

Surface water temperatures, water currents, and winds all have an impact on climate. Maritime climates are milder and have less dramatic seasonal fluctuations than inland climates due to the ocean's considerable capacity to collect and release heat. From coastal weather information, one may estimate precipitation and air temperature from sea temperatures. The majority of the atmospheric moisture that is obtained through evaporation comes from the oceans. The warmest zones span across the Atlantic north of the equator; climatic zones vary with latitude.

High latitudes have the coldest zones, and the sea ice-covered regions are where the coldest zones are located. Warm and cold waters are carried to different areas by ocean currents, which have an impact on the climate. When winds pass across these currents, they are either warmed or chilled, which affects nearby land masses.

Sea

The Atlantic has a patchwork of irregularly shaped bays, gulfs, and seas. These include the Gulf of Mexico, Labrador Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, practically the whole Scotia Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, and other tributary water basins. The length of the Atlantic coast, including these marginal waters, is 111,866 kilometres (69,510 km), whereas the Pacific coast is 135,663 km.

The Atlantic Ocean comprises 106,460,000 km² (41,100,000 sq. mi), or 23.5% of the world's oceans, and has a volume of 310,410,900 km³ (74,471,500 cu mi), or 23.3% of the oceans' combined volume. The Atlantic has a surface area of 81,760,000 km² (31,570,000 sq. mi) and a volume of 305,811,900 km³ (73,368,200 cu mi), excluding its peripheral seas. Both the South and North Atlantics have an area of 40,270,000 km² (15,550,000 sq. mi), or 41,490,000 km² (16,020,000 sq. mi), respectively. The Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench is 8,376 m (27,480 ft) deep, whereas the average depth is 3,646 m (11,962 ft).

Water

Surface water temperatures reflect the latitudinal distribution of solar energy and vary with latitude, current systems, and season. North of the equator, temperatures are at their highest, and at their lowest, in the polar regions. The region with the greatest temperature changes is in the middle latitudes. Sea ice typically covers the Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea's surface from October to June. Surface water salinity in the open ocean shows that the Atlantic is generally the saltiest major ocean. There are four main upper water masses in the Atlantic Ocean, each having a unique temperature and salinity.

Conclusion

The Atlantic Ocean, which includes about one-fifth of the Earth's surface, is the second-largest of the five oceans. It connects to the Arctic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans and separates the Americas from Europe and Africa. A long, S-shaped basin defines the ocean, which includes a variety of physiographic characteristics such abyssal plains, continental borders, and volcanic islands.

Wind patterns, currents, and surface water temperatures all affect the climate of the Atlantic, resulting in warmer maritime climates around its coasts. Because of its countless bays, gulfs, and seas, the ocean is a diverse and essential part of the Earth's hydrosphere.

FAQs

1. What is the size of the Atlantic Ocean compared to other oceans?

The Atlantic Ocean, which makes up around 29% of the sea surface area of the planet, is the second-largest ocean.

2. What factors affect the climate in the Atlantic Ocean?

Wind patterns, sea currents, and surface temperatures all have an impact on the climate of the Atlantic, which leads to milder maritime climates along its coasts.

3. What categories are there for the islands in the Atlantic Ocean?

Islands in the Atlantic Ocean can be classified as either volcanic islands related to continental margins or as fully oceanic islands (produced by volcanic activity).

4. What is the average depth of the Atlantic Ocean?

The Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, at a depth of 8,376 meters (27,480 feet), which is about 3,646 meters (11,962 feet) on average.

5. Which ocean is the saltiest?

In comparison to other major oceans, the Atlantic Ocean is typically the saltiest.