Scotia Sea

Coordinates: 57°30′S 40°00′W / 57.500°S 40.000°W / -57.500; -40.000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Scotia Sea
Tabular iceberg in the Scotia Sea, 1996
Scotia Sea is located in South Atlantic
Scotia Sea
Scotia Sea
Coordinates57°30′S 40°00′W / 57.500°S 40.000°W / -57.500; -40.000
TypeSea
Ocean/sea sourcesSouthern Ocean
Surface area900,000 km2 (347,500 sq mi)
Max. depth6,022 m (19,757 ft)
Approximate area of the sea in the Southern Hemisphere

The Scotia Sea is a

undersea ridge and island arc system supporting various islands. The sea sits atop the Scotia Plate. It is named after the expedition ship Scotia. Many icebergs melt there.[1]

Location and description

The Scotia Sea is the area of water between the Drake Passage,

South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, the South Orkney Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. These island groups all sit atop the Scotia Arc, which frames the sea on the north, east, and south. The Scotia Sea covers an area around 900,000 km2 (347,500 sq mi). About half of the sea stands above the continental shelf
.

History

The sea was named about 1932 after the

South Georgia Island
two weeks later. It was a distance of nearly 900 miles and the sun was only sighted four times during the entire journey.

In Argentina, the Scotia Sea is considered part of an area known as the Mar Argentino, and several territories claimed but not occupied by Argentina, such as South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, lie within this region.

Flora and fauna

The islands bordering the Scotia Sea are rocky and partly covered in ice and snow year round; despite these harsh conditions, however, the islands do support vegetation and have been described as the

Antarctic convergence. These areas support tundra vegetation consisting of mosses, lichens, and algae
, while seabirds, penguins, and seals feed in the surrounding waters.

Seabirds include four species of albatross: black-browed albatross (

Anthus antarcticus). Other birds include the southern giant petrel, with sizeable colonies on Bird Island
.

Eudyptes chrysocome
)
.

Seals include the Antarctic fur seal (

Arctocephalus tropicalis) in large numbers, leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), the huge southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), and crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus).[2]

Threats and preservation

Map of Scotia Sea. Toponyms: Undersea relief, maritime, nearby lands, countries and cities. Isobath interval: 2000 m
Map of Scotia Sea. Toponyms: Undersea relief, maritime, nearby lands, countries and cities. Isobath interval: 2000 m

Although the

site of special scientific interest
. The seals are further protected by international agreements, and fur seal populations are recovering.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Antarctica's iceberg graveyard could reveal the ice sheet's future". Science News. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  2. ^ "Marielandia Antarctic tundra". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from "Scotia Sea". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.  Edit this at Wikidata