Everyone is clear that there are more or less four. oceans from the world: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Arctic. But still it is not like that. There are actually fiveAs determined by experts and already agreed upon by leading international organizations such as the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The fifth is the Southern Ocean, bordering Antarctica, but unlike the Arctic Ocean, refuses to see him officially It is recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
in 2021 National Geographic Society officially recognizes the Southern Ocean It’s like the world’s fifth ocean. The announcement signaled the end of a decades-long dispute over the body of water surrounding Antarctica and literally put the Southern Ocean on the map at last.
Historically, only four oceans have been officially recognized: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. These are bordered by continents, making the Southern Ocean something of an anomaly; in its place, It is defined by the sea current in the ocean in question.
And this, Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC, English) It flows from east to west around Antarctica and was formed 34 million years ago. It is centered at 60 degrees south latitude (the northern limit of the Southern Ocean).
This current forms an invisible ring around Antarctica, and the waters in this ring are colder and less salty than those in the north. However, geographers have long debated whether the waters in which it is located are an extension of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, or whether they truly constitute an ocean of their own.
recognized in 1937
Curiously, Southern Ocean recognized for the first time International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 1937 and in 1953 he lost that title, unleashing a controversy whose repercussions continue to this day.
The United States Board on Geographic Names recognized the Southern Ocean and approved its name in 1999. Recommended limits Submitted to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 2000 I agree again, but even after 23 years, there is still no response from the organization in question.
On the other hand, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recognized the Southern Ocean since February 2021.
“The Southern Ocean has been recognized by scientists for a long time, but we have never formally recognized it because there has never been an international agreement,” National Geographic Society geographer Alex Tait told National Geographic.
The National Geographic Society has been making maps for more than a century and has hired geographers to oversee every change made to every map published since the 1970s. They generally follow the IHO criteria when it comes to nautical terminology, hence the recognition of the Southern Ocean. this is a break from tradition.
It is hoped that recognition by this prestigious scientific body will raise awareness of this ‘new’ ocean and draw attention to its ecologically diverse ecosystem. Actually andClimate change appears to be altering characteristics of the Antarctic Circular Current. Antarctica’s waters are warming and its ice sheets are melting.
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