Southern Ocean

E2696

The Southern Ocean is the remote, icy ocean encircling Antarctica, known for its powerful circumpolar currents, rich marine ecosystems, and crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate.

All labels observed (14)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (52)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Earth's ocean
ocean
alsoKnownAs Southern Ocean
surface form: Antarctic Ocean

Southern Ocean
surface form: Southern Ocean (fifth ocean)
Antarctic Circumpolar CurrentDirection west to east
Antarctic Circumpolar CurrentSpeed fastest major ocean current
AntarcticCircumpolarCurrentRole connects Atlantic Pacific and Indian Oceans
AntarcticConvergenceRole boundary between cold polar and warmer subantarctic waters
borders Indian Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
surface form: South Atlantic Ocean

Pacific Ocean
surface form: South Pacific Ocean
boundedByLatitude approximately south of 60 degrees south
contains Amundsen Sea
Amundsen Sea
surface form: Bellingshausen Sea

Ross Sea
Scotia Sea
South Sandwich Trench
Weddell Sea
deepWaterFormationContributesTo global thermohaline circulation
encircles Antarctica
governedBy Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
hasArea approximately 20 million square kilometers
hasAverageDepth approximately 4000 meters
hasClimateRole major carbon sink
major heat sink
hasCurrent Antarctic Circumpolar Current
hasEcosystem rich marine ecosystem
hasEnvironmentalIssue climate change impacts
fishing pressure on krill and toothfish
ocean acidification
ocean warming
sea ice decline in some regions
hasFront Antarctic Convergence
hasIcebergs large tabular icebergs calved from Antarctic ice shelves
hasKeySpeciesRole Antarctic krill as keystone species
hasMaximumDepth approximately 7235 meters
hasNotableFeature remote and sparsely populated region
hasProcess deep water formation
hasSeaIceExtent strongly seasonal
hasTemperature generally near freezing
influences global climate system
locatedInHemisphere Southern Hemisphere
partOf World Ocean
recognizedAsOceanSince 2000
recognizedBy International Hydrographic Organization
seaIceMaximumExtent around September
seaIceMinimumExtent around February
supportsSpecies Antarctic krill
albatrosses
penguins
seals
whales

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (447)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ross Sea locatedIn Southern Ocean
Ross Sea partOf Southern Ocean
Amundsen Sea locatedIn Southern Ocean
Amundsen Sea partOf Southern Ocean
Amundsen Sea oceanBasin Southern Ocean
Royal Australian Navy operatesIn Southern Ocean
Trinity Peninsula locatedIn Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean region
Trinity Peninsula borders Southern Ocean
Trinity Peninsula isGatewayBetween Southern Ocean
West Antarctica locatedInOcean Southern Ocean
Greenwich Island locatedIn Southern Ocean
Scotia Sea locatedIn Southern Ocean
Scotia Sea partOf Southern Ocean
Royal New Zealand Navy operatesIn Southern Ocean
Dermochelys coriacea distribution Southern Ocean
RAAF Base Edinburgh regionServed Southern Ocean
Antarctic Circle passesThrough Southern Ocean
HMS Resolution exploredRegion Southern Ocean
Indian subantarctic islands locatedIn Southern Ocean
HMS Adventure exploredRegion Southern Ocean
Bransfield Strait locatedIn Southern Ocean
Scorpaeniformes geographicDistribution Southern Ocean
the Furious Fifties locatedIn Southern Ocean
subject surface form: Furious Fifties
the Screaming Sixties locatedIn Southern Ocean
Drake Shake associatedWith Southern Ocean
South Scotia Ridge locatedIn Southern Ocean
Pacific-Antarctic Ridge locatedIn Southern Ocean
Pacific-Antarctic Ridge oceanBasin Southern Ocean
Murray River mouthLocation Southern Ocean
Great Australian Bight locatedIn Southern Ocean
Kerguelen Islands surroundedBy Southern Ocean
Esperance locatedOn Southern Ocean
Esperance oceanInfluence Southern Ocean
SA hasCoastlineOn Southern Ocean
subject surface form: South Australia
Kangaroo Island locatedIn Southern Ocean
Nansen Island locatedIn Southern Ocean
Limestone Coast hasCoastlineOn Southern Ocean
Frei Base locatedOnCoastOf Southern Ocean
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery focusesOn Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean region
Robert Island locatedIn Southern Ocean
American-Antarctic Ridge locatedIn Southern Ocean