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.

Eubalaena distribution Southern Ocean
Fleurieu Peninsula hasCoastlineOn Southern Ocean
Backstairs Passage partOf Southern Ocean
Backstairs Passage connects Southern Ocean
Remarkable Rocks overlooks Southern Ocean
Admirals Arch overlooks Southern Ocean
Temperate Southern Africa marine realm distinctFrom Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean realm
South Georgia microcontinent locatedIn Southern Ocean
Fleurieu wine zone influencedBy Southern Ocean
Robe isLocatedOnCoastOf Southern Ocean
Robe hasNearbyBodyOfWater Southern Ocean
Robe wine region locatedOnCoastOf Southern Ocean
Canunda National Park locatedOn Southern Ocean
Wattle Range Council hasCoastlineOn Southern Ocean
Shire of Ravensthorpe hasCoastlineOn Southern Ocean
Southern Tasmania locatedOn Southern Ocean
Southern Tasmania borderedBy Southern Ocean
the world hasOcean Southern Ocean
McMurdo Ice Shelf hasOcean Southern Ocean
Franklin Island (Antarctica) locatedIn Southern Ocean
Cape Bird locatedIn Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean region
Cape Washington isInOcean Southern Ocean
Balleny Islands (claimed) locatedIn Southern Ocean
subject surface form: Balleny Islands
Transglobe Expedition traversedRegion Southern Ocean
Nelson Island locatedInSea Southern Ocean
Atlantic–Antarctic Ridge system oceanBasin Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean basin
Challenger expedition route Southern Ocean
Seven Seas commonlyIncludes Southern Ocean
Deal Island surroundedBy Southern Ocean
this entity surface form: Southern Ocean waters
Five Deeps Expedition explores Southern Ocean
Borge Bay partOf Southern Ocean
Factory Cove ocean Southern Ocean