Arctic Ocean Intelligence Report
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Introduction
Background
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. In recent years, the polar ice pack has receded in the summer allowing for increased navigation and raising the possibility of future sovereignty and shipping disputes among the Arctic coastal states affected (Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Iceland, Norway, Russia, US).
Geography
Area
total
15.558 million sq km
Climate
the polar climate is marked by enduring cold temperatures and a relatively limited annual temperature variation; winters are defined by continuous darkness, frigid and stable weather patterns, and clear skies; summers are characterized by constant daylight, humid and fog-laden conditions, along with weak cyclones bringing rain or snow
Location
a body of water situated among Europe, Asia, and North America, primarily located north of the Arctic Circle
Coastline
45,389 km
Elevation
mean depth
-1,205 m
ocean zones
the ocean is categorized into three distinct zones based on depth and luminosity; light entering the water can reach depths of approximately 1,000 m under optimal conditions, but significant light is seldom found below 200 m
euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft), also known as the "sunlight" zone; only a limited amount of light penetrates beyond this point
dysphotic zone: ranges from 200 m (656 ft) to 1,000 m (3,280 ft), also referred to as the twilight zone; light intensity diminishes swiftly with increasing depth, rendering photosynthesis impossible
aphotic zone: extends below 1,000 m (3,280 ft), commonly termed the midnight zone; sunlight does not reach these depths
lowest point
Molloy Deep -5,577 m
highest point
sea level
Bathymetry
atolls
none
abyssal plains
the following are examples of abyssal-plain features in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2):
Baffin Basin
Canada Basin
Fram/Amundsen Basin
Greenland Abyssal Plain
Iceland Basin
Makarov Basin
Molloy Deep (deepest point in the Arctic Ocean)
Nansen Basin
Norwegian Basin
ocean trenches
none
mid-ocean ridge
the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2):
Gakkel Ridge
Mohns Ridge
continental shelf
over one quarter of the Arctic seabed; the Eurasian shelf is exceptionally broad, stretching out 1,500 km (930 mi), making it the largest continental shelf globally
examples of continental-shelf features in the Arctic Ocean include (see Figure 2):
Barents Shelf
Beaufort Shelf
Davis Sill
Chukchi Shelf
East Siberian Shelf
Kara Shelf
Laptev Shelf
Lincoln Shelf
continental slope
the following are examples of continental-slope features in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2):
Litke Trough
Novaya Zemlya Trough
Svyataya Anna Trough (Saint Anna Trough)
Voronin Trough
undersea terrain features
the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2):
Lomonosov Ridge
Gakkel Ridge
Alpha Ridge
Mendeleev Rise
Chukchi Plateau
Ocean volume
ocean volume
18.75 million cu km
percent of World Ocean total volume
1.4%
Map references
Arctic Region
Natural hazards
ice islands sporadically detach from the northern region of Ellesmere Island; icebergs are calved from glaciers located in western Greenland and the extreme northeastern part of Canada; permafrost is found on these islands; they are almost entirely ice-locked from October to June; vessels are at risk of superstructure icing from October to May
Geography - note
the primary chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern entry to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); it holds a strategic position between North America and Russia; it provides the shortest maritime connection between the far reaches of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations are maintained by both the US and Russia; maximum snow cover, occurring in March or April, measures about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; this snow cover persists for around 10 months
Natural resources
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas reserves, fish, and marine mammals such as seals and whales
Area - comparative
approximately 1.5 times larger than the United States
Major ocean currents
two significant, slowly-moving, wind-driven currents (drift streams) prevail: a clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyre located in the western part of the Arctic Ocean, and a nearly linear Transpolar Drift Stream that flows eastward across the ocean from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to the Fram Strait (between Greenland and Svalbard); sea ice positioned near the gyre's center can complete a full 360-degree rotation in about 2 years, while ice on the gyre's edge takes around 7-8 years to do the same; the sea ice in the Transpolar Drift traverses the ocean in roughly 3 years
Geographic coordinates
90 00 N, 0 00 E
People & Society
Environment
Climate
a polar climate marked by enduring cold temperatures and a relatively limited annual temperature variation; winter months are defined by continuous darkness, frigid temperatures, stable weather patterns, and clear skies; summer months feature continuous sunlight, moist and fog-laden conditions, and weak cyclonic activity that brings either rain or snow
Marine fisheries
the Arctic fishery area (Region 18) is the smallest globally, with a total catch of merely 708 metric tons in 2019, although the Food and Agriculture Organization indicates that some catches from the Arctic may be recorded in nearby regions; historically, Russia and Canada have been the primary producers; in 2017, Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Iceland, Norway, Russia, and the United States, along with the People's Republic of China, the European Union, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, reached a consensus to implement a 16-year moratorium on fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean to facilitate research on the ecological system of these waters
Regional fisheries organizations: International Council for the Exploration of the Seas; Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean
Environmental issues
alterations in biodiversity and temperature; water contamination due to the use of hazardous chemicals; marine species at risk of extinction; ecosystems exhibit a slow recovery rate following disturbances or damage; diminishing polar ice cover
Government
Country name
etymology
The term originates from the Greek word arktikos, which translates to "near the bear" or "northern." This term is derived from arktos, signifying "bear." The name pertains either to the constellation Ursa Major, known as the "Great Bear," which is a notable feature in the northern sky, or to the constellation Ursa Minor, referred to as the "Little Bear," which includes Polaris, the North Star.
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Transportation - note
a limited network comprising air, ocean, river, and terrestrial pathways; the Northwest Passage in North America and the Northern Sea Route in Eurasia serve as significant seasonal channels.