Sea of Astronauts
The marginal reservoir of harsh Antarctica is the Sea of Cosmonauts. It is a small section of the Southern Ocean that borders the Indian Ocean. The Great Gunnerus Ridge, hidden under water, is considered the geographical border of the sea. To the west of the water area stretches the Riiser-Larsen Sea. The Cold Sea of the Commonwealth is bordered by the Sea of Cosmonauts near the eastern shores of Enderby Land.
The reservoir washes over the ice-covered Land of Queen Maud. Its coastline stretches for 1200 km or more, representing a 30 m high cliff formed by ice. The coasts of the sea are winding, they form such peninsulas as Tang, Risen-Larsen, Vernadsky, Sakellari, etc. Between them are the bays of Alasheev, Amundsen, Lena, Lutze-Holm.
The water area has a total area of approximately 697 thousand square meters. km. The deepest point is located at 4798 m. The Cosmonauts Sea Map shows that the Russian meteorological station Molodezhnaya, the scientific station of Japan - Seva, as well as the Belarusian station are located on the coast. The reservoir in question received its own name in 1962, when scientists from an expedition from the USSR conducted their research there..
Geographic characteristics
To the east of the sea are such lands as Enderby Land, Prince Harald Coast, Prince Ulaf Coast, Mizuho territory. The coast of the Cosmonauts Sea is a disorderly heap of ice and hummocks. Among the huge icebergs, you can see the Lütz-Holmbukt Bay. Ice water gradually flows into it during the warmest months of the year. Coastal waters are teeming with ice floes that drift. In winter, surface water freezes. For this reason, navigation here is fraught with difficulties and dangers..
Weather
The air rarely warms up above 0 degrees. The sea is in the area of cyclone formation. Therefore, the weather here is characterized by strong winds reaching 20 m / s. Continuous low clouds, prolonged precipitation and strong winds are common coastal conditions..
Natural world
An almost lifeless bottom is observed near the seashore. It's rocky and cold. But at great depths, algae grow in bright red color. Starfish, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and spiders live there. The waters of the sea are rich in plankton, which feeds on fish and polar birds..
In the area of the reservoir there are cormorants, penguins, gulls, petrels. Whales and killer whales come here. There are also many Weddell seals, crabeater seals and leopard seals. The waters of the Cosmonauts Sea are a fishing area for pinnipeds, cetaceans, krill and notothenium fish. The riches of the sea have been depleted in recent years, so whales are protected by the state. There is no permanent population on the coast. Here they only conduct research for science, and also make tourist expeditions..
