In the west of the Laptev Sea are the Vilkitsky Straits. Shokapisky and the Red Army is connected to the Kara Sea, in the east by the Dm straits. Lapteva, Eterikan and Sannikova - with East Siberian Sea Laptev Sea (former names Siberian, Nordenskiöld) Laptev Sea area about 672 thousand km" - volume 363 thousand km3, average depth 540 m, greatest depth 2980 m. Greatest length Laptev Sea from SE to NW between 71 and 82° latitude. 1300 km. Coastline length 7523 km, of which 5254 km along the mainland, 2269 km along the coast of its islands.

Largest bays— Khatanga, Olenyoksky, Buorkhaya Bay, etc. Many rivers flow into the Laptev Sea, the annual flow of which is about 730 km3 (the Lena River provides 77% of the continental flow). Some rivers form large deltas. There are several dozen islands in the Laptev Sea with a total area of ​​5900 km2. Most of the islands are located in the western part of the Laptev Sea. The islands are diverse in origin and landscape.

Ice melting and the wave-breaking process greatly accelerate the denudation of the shores of the Laptev Sea and sometimes lead to destruction small islands. For example, open islands Semenovsky and Vasilyevsky (74° 12" N, 133° 20" E) Numerous remains of pre-glacial animals are found in the layers of ice exposed by erosion. Shore in the Dm Strait. Laptev is called the Mammoth Coast, since the Quaternary strata are replete with the remains of these extinct animals.

As studies have shown, in the modern era the mainland coast of the Laptev Sea is rising. The relative rate of isostatic uplift increases from west to east from +2.2 mm/year in Bulunkan Bay (Tiksi Bay) to + 6.7 mm/year at Cape Shalaurov.
The geological past of the Laptev Sea is closely connected with the history of the development of the Arctic Ocean, which determined the structure of its bed and shores. Archipelago Severnaya Zemlya is a continuation of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic folding of the Taimyr Peninsula, and the New Siberian Islands for the most part are a continuation of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic folding of the Verkhoyansk Range. Main features The bottom topography of the Laptev Sea was determined by late Neogene - early Pleistocene tectonic ruptures. In the process of geological development, the Laptev Sea has repeatedly undergone transgression and regression. Ancient arosion forms of the bottom relief were formed at the end of the Pliocene - beginning of the Pleistocene with a relative decrease in sea level (400-500 m below the modern level). In this period coastline was located on the site of the upper edge of the continental slope. At the beginning of the Upper Pleistocene, sea level was 80-100 m higher than today. Later, it began to gradually decrease and reached a position close to the modern one, during the period of the Sartan mountain-valley glaciation, i.e. 20 thousand years ago.

Bottom topography and bottom sediments

In terms of its relief, the Laptev Sea is a bathyal plain, gently sloping in its southern part and steeply
ending towards the ocean floor. Depths less than 100 m occupy about 70%, and more than 1000 m - 18% of the area of ​​the Laptev Sea.

The bottom topography of the southern (shelf) part of the Laptev Sea is very complex; here there are numerous depressions of erosional and tectonic origin, continuations of the underwater channels of modern rivers, as well as shallow waters and banks. The continental slope is cut by the deep-sea Sadko Trench, which in the north turns into the Nansen Basin.

In shallow areas of the Laptev Sea, sediments consist of sand and silt, sometimes with the addition of pebbles and boulders. Silts are observed at great depths. Sedimentation in the coastal zone of the Laptev Sea is greatly influenced by rivers, especially the Lena (11.3 million tons of suspended sediment per year) and the Yana (6.2 million tons of suspended sediment per year). The influx of sediments and coastal erosion contribute to the fact that the rate of sedimentation in the coastal zone can reach 25 cm/year. In the eastern part of the Laptev Sea, relict ice is often found under a layer of sediment.

Climate of the Laptev Sea

In terms of climate, the Laptev Sea is one of the harshest Arctic seas. The polar night lasts for about 3 months in the south and 4 months in the north. Air temperatures below zero remain in the northern part of the Laptev Sea for about 11 months, in the southern part for 9 months. average temperature air of the coldest month (January) -31, -34° C, average minimum -54° C, absolute minimum -61° C.

Average wind speeds in January from 3-4 m/s in the southern part to 5-6 m/s in the northern part of the Laptev Sea, the highest wind speed is 49 m/s. In spring (mainly in April), the duration of sunshine reaches 250 hours per month (almost 2 times more than in Moscow). The total radiation on the coast of the Laptev Sea in April is 8-11 kcal/cm2, in May 14-16 kcal/cm2, but the radiation balance becomes positive only in May. The average air temperature in April is -19.2°C in the south of the Laptev Sea and -20.8°C in the north; in May -7 and -9°C, respectively.

A stable transition of air temperatures through zero to positive values ​​occurs in the first ten days of June. The waters of the Laptev Sea receive 25% of the annual solar radiation in June.

The average air temperature of the warmest month (July) is 1° C in the south, 5-7° C in the south and on the sea coast; the maximum air temperature is 22-24 ° C, the minimum is -4, -1 C, respectively. The number of days with frost in July in the north is 25, in the south 6. The transition from average daily values ​​to negative values ​​in the north occurs in the first ten days of September, in the south - in the second. The average air temperature in September in the north is -1.6° C, in the south 1.5° C, and in October -10.5 and -11.9° C, respectively.

Hydrological regime

The Laptev Sea is determined primarily by the fact that most year its water area is covered with ice. Ice formation begins in September in the north of the Laptev Sea and in October in the south. The Laptev Sea is characterized by low water temperatures. In winter, the temperature of the subglacial layer of water is about -0.8 ° C in the southeastern part of the Laptev Sea and about -1.8 ° C in the northern part. At depths from 25 to 100 m, water temperatures range from -1.6 to -1.8 ° C.

The deep-sea part of the Laptev Sea of ​​the Arctic basin receives relatively warm Atlantic waters with temperatures up to 1.5 ° C (at a depth of 250-300 m). Below the layer of Atlantic waters to the bottom, the temperature is about -0.8° C. Warming up of the waters of the Laptev Sea begins in the areas of river mouths. According to Antonov, the thermal runoff of rivers in the Laptev Sea is 3120 10^12 kcal (62% of the thermal runoff in June-July, 25% in August). The heat brought by river waters contributes to the breaking of fast ice and the clearing of ice from near-mouth areas and the formation of near-mouth rarefaction. Under the influence of solar radiation, near-estuarine depressions, as well as french polynyas, become centers of ice melting and warming up of the waters of the Laptev Sea.
In summer, in areas cleared of ice, a thin layer of surface water warms up to 8-10° C in bays, lips and bays. The waters of the western part of the Laptev Sea, diluted by the cold waters of the Arctic basin brought by the Taimyr Current, colder than the waters the eastern part, where most of the waters of the continental runoff are distributed. If in the eastern part of the Laptev Sea the water temperature can reach 4-6 ° C, then in the western part it does not exceed 2-3 ° C. In the northern part of the Laptev Sea and near the ice edge, water temperatures rise to 0-1 ° C.

On the salinity of the waters of the Laptev Sea a strong influence is exerted by the melting of ice (in the northern part) and river flow, which during the year could form a layer over the entire area of ​​the Laptev Sea fresh water 135 cm thick (the second thickest in the World Ocean after the Kara Sea).

The Laptev Sea is a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean. Located between the Taimyr Peninsula and the Severnaya Zemlya Islands in the west and the New Siberian Islands in the east. The sea is named after the Russian polar explorers, cousins ​​Dmitry and Khariton Laptev (originally the sea was named after Nordenskiöld). The banks are heavily indented. Large bays: Khatanga, Olenyoksky, Faddeya, Yansky, Anabarsky, Maria Pronchishcheva Bay, Buor-Khaya. There are many islands in the western part of the sea, mostly off the coast. The islands of Komsomolskaya Pravda are located in the southwestern part of the sea. The following rivers flow into the sea: Khatanga, Anabar, Olenyok, Lena, Yana. Some rivers form large deltas. The main port is Tiksi.

Bottom relief The bottom of the Laptev Sea is a gently sloping continental shelf that drops steeply to the ocean bed. The southern part of the sea is shallow, with depths of 20-50 meters. In shallow areas, the bottom is covered with sand and silt mixed with pebbles and boulders. River sediments accumulate at high speed near the coast, up to 20-25 centimeters per year. The continental slope is cut through by the Sadko Trench, which passes in the north into the Nansen Basin with depths of over 2 kilometers; the maximum depth of the Laptev Sea is also noted here - 3385 meters. At great depths the bottom is covered with silt. Temperature and salinity Sea water temperatures are low. In winter, under the ice, the water temperature is -0.8…-1.8 °C. Above a depth of 100 meters, the entire layer of water has negative temperatures (up to -1.8 °C). In summer, in ice-free areas of the sea, the uppermost layer of water can warm up to 4-6 °C, in bays up to 10 °C. In the deep sea zone at a depth of 250-300 meters there are relatively warm waters (up to 1.5 °C) coming from the Arctic waters of the Atlantic. Below this layer, the water temperature again becomes negative until the very bottom, where the temperature is about -0.8 °C.

The salinity of sea water at the surface in the northwestern part of the sea is 28 ppm, in the southern part - up to 15 ppm, near river mouths - less than 10 ppm. The salinity of surface waters is strongly influenced by the flow of Siberian rivers and the melting of ice. With increasing depth, salinity increases rapidly, reaching 33 ppm.

Hydrological regime Surface sea currents form a cyclonic (that is, counterclockwise) circulation. The tides are semidiurnal, with an average height of 50 centimeters. The magnitude of the tides is significantly reduced by the ice cover. The surge fluctuations in sea level are significant - up to 2 meters, and in the bays they reach 2.5 meters. The Laptev Sea is one of the harshest Arctic seas, with frosty winters causing significant development sea ​​ice, which covers the sea area almost all year. The development of ice is also facilitated by the shallowness of the sea and the low salinity of its surface waters. Fast ice with a thickness of up to 2 meters or more is widespread hundreds of kilometers from the coast into the sea. In areas not occupied by fast ice there are observed floating ice, and on the northwestern edge of the sea there are icebergs.

The Laptev Sea is one of the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean. It stretches between the Taimyr Peninsula, the Severnaya Zemlya Islands and the New Siberian Islands. The sea area has an area of ​​about 672 thousand square meters. km. Maximum depth is almost 3390 m, and the average depth is 540 m. This sea got its name thanks to Russian explorers and navigators - Dmitry and Khariton Laptev. They carried out explorations of the North Sea back in the 18th century. The Yakuts (indigenous people) call this body of water “Laptevtar”.
Features of the sea

A map of the Laptev Sea shows that its shores are heavily indented. The sea has large bays: Khatanga, Anabarsky, Yansky, Oleneksky, etc. There are many islands in its vast water area. They are concentrated mainly in its western part. The largest island groups: Thaddeus, Vilkitsky and Komsomolskaya Pravda. Single islands include Maly Taimyr, Peschany, Bolshoi Begichev, Starokadomskogo, etc.
The rugged coast of the Laptev Sea forms a variety of peninsulas, lips, capes, bays and bays. The following rivers carry their waters into this sea: Yana, Anabar, Khatanga, Olenek and Lena. They form vast deltas where they flow into the sea. The salinity of sea water is low.

Climatic conditions

The Laptev Sea is considered the harshest among the Arctic seas. The climate there is close to continental, but has pronounced polar and marine features. Continentality is expressed in significant fluctuations annual temperature. The climate in different areas of the sea is heterogeneous. In autumn, winds form over the sea, which easily intensify into storms. In winter it is calm and partly cloudy. Rare cyclones occur, causing cold and strong winds.

Use of the Laptev Sea

The sea is located far from the center of the country, in a harsh climate. Therefore, its economic use is difficult. For the Russian economy, the Laptev Sea has great importance, since in this area cargo is transported by sea northern route. Here the transit of goods takes place and their delivery to the port of Tiksi. Locals are engaged in fishing. The density of indigenous people is very low. Evenks, Yukaghirs and other nationalities live on the banks. The Laptev Sea is the site of various scientific research. Scientists study how water circulates, monitor ice balance, and make hydrometeorological forecasts.

Location of the reservoir

If you look at dictionaries and reference books, you will find out that the sea is a part of the ocean separated by land or underwater terrain features. Following the above definition, we can say that the Laptev Sea is part of the Arctic Ocean. Almost all experts note that this is one of the harshest Arctic seas. If the Barents and Kara Seas are under the influence of the warm ocean current Gulf Stream, then its influence does not reach these places. Long, harsh winters contribute to the formation of large volumes of sea ice.

Climate Features

The Laptev Sea is located at the same distance from both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Warm air masses They practically do not penetrate into Arctic latitudes. Even in the southern part of the water area, negative temperatures persist for 9 months of the year. In the north, this period is even longer - almost 11 months. The average January temperature ranges from 25 to 35 degrees below zero. The absolute minimum temperature recorded here is 61 0 C. At the same time, clear, cloudless weather above the sea surface remains mostly clear. This fact is explained by the fact that the Siberian anticyclone dominates in these latitudes.

Coastline

The rivers flowing into the Laptev Sea: Anabar, Khatanga, Olenyok, Lena, Yana - carry in their waters a large volume of silt, pebbles, sand and boulders. Plus to this river waters significantly desalinate sea water at its confluence. Thus, at the mouth of the Lena, the salinity of the water is only 1%. While the average is 34%. At great depths, the seabed is covered with silt. This is explained by the fact that rivers regularly carry significant volumes of soil into the sea. River precipitation amounts to up to 25 centimeters per year. For this reason, coastal areas have relatively shallow depths: 20 - 50 meters.

Ice conditions

Unlike other bodies of water, the Laptev Sea is covered with ice for most of the year. Ice formation begins in September almost throughout the entire territory. In winter, fast ice up to two meters thick forms on the shallows in the eastern part. The ice begins to melt in June-July. And by August, a significant part of the water area is free of ice. During the warm period, so to speak, the edge of the ice changes its position under the influence of winds and currents. The Taimyr ice massif descends into the sea. It carries a large volume multi-year ice, which does not have time to melt during the short polar summer.

Vegetation and animal world

It is not difficult to guess that the temperature of the sea determines the qualitative composition of the plants and animals that live in its waters. Phytoplankton is represented in limited quantities by algae and plants, which are common in desalinated waters. Zoological plankton is represented by certain types of ciliates, rotifers and other organisms that are food for Arctic fish species. These include whitefish, omul, char, nelma and sturgeon. Among the mammals that live here are walruses, seals and polar bears. Sea gulls nest near the coast.

The Laptev Sea is not suitable for those people who prefer to spend their time lounging on the beach and getting a tan. The Laptev Sea is intended only for those who love extreme sports and are ready to spend time on the permafrost for a long time. The sea is located in the Arctic Ocean and washes northern part Russia. It got its name in honor of two brothers who gathered strength and courage to go to these parts and conduct their research. Of course, you can hardly find anything interesting for tourists here. But if you are a naturalist, then the fauna that the sea is rich in may quite surprise you. First here a large number of various fish, thanks to which the Russian fishing industry is maintained. Secondly, here you can find waterfowl such as walruses, seals and bearded seals. Well, thirdly, there are even polar bears. Where is ?

Animal life living in the sea

Among other inhabitants and inhabitants of the sea, walruses can be distinguished. They are accustomed to a cold lifestyle, so it is not at all strange that a large number of them live in the Laptev Sea. They usually settle on glaciers that almost fill the sea. all year round. Other animals include: sea hare and seal. Posted here