Acadia National Park

 

A Peaceful Paradise

In the American State of Maine, located near the State of New York; is the location of the Acadia National Park. The biggest island is that of Mount Desert Island but there are also a lot of smaller islands in the park. This just sits off the Atlantic coast; however Acadia wasn’t always the name of the park. It was firstly known as the Lafayette National Park back in 1919. It was the oldest park to the east of the Mississippi river; and the park was eventually renamed to the Acadia a decade later in 1929.

However, years ago, Acadia was inhabited by humans. It was John Rockefeller Jr who designed, directed and even financed the work of the carriage trail through the park. He was the man to put up the money to help create the trails so that anyone could enjoy a tour through the park. Rockefeller created the 17 granite bridges, as well as the trails and the two gate lodges – they are all in use today and have been highly maintained also.

The Fire Of 1947

In 1947, on the 17th of October, almost 10,000 acres across the park was destroyed by a huge fire that erupted. The fire started at the Crooked Road which is only a few miles away from Hulls Cove. This was a huge forest fire that was started because of the dry weather the area had and it continued all the way through until November, the 14th of the month to be exact. During this time however, the Navy, Army, Coast Guard and local residents were all on hand to help control the blaze; though the National Park Service also helped to control the blaze.

After the fire, there was a huge restoration program set up. Mostly the Rockefeller family helped the restoration program; but most of the regrowth program was natural. Some say that the fire helped to add beauty to the park. However, the fire did help to bring diversity to the population of trees because more were grown since the fire.

Throughout the years however, there have been many different groups of people who wish to restore some of the parts of the park which need care and attention. The Friends of Acadia program was launched in 1986 and this helped to restore the road system throughout the park. Of course many visitors come here every year so good roads and safety are vital.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Acadia National Park.

The Terrain of Acadia National Park

The terrains in the national park include things such as oceanic shorelines, lakes, wood lands and mountain ranges. Mount Desert Island isn’t the only island in the park as there is also the Baker Island. There is the Isle au Haut and the Schoodic Peninsula which is located on the mainland of the park. There is almost 47000 acres across the park and the Mount Desert Island is where a large part of the land is found – almost 30,300 acres.

Though, the Cadillac Mountain range is certainly going to be one of the more popular spots of the park. The mountain was named after the explorer Cadillac; and the mountain can be found on the east part of Mount Desert Island. Though a lot of the roads were built; and the mountains throughout Acadia National Park give the chance for those who love to ride a bike or hike, to be able to enjoy the scenery also. There are some spectacular views of the many island lakes, the pine forests and of course the ocean. There are almost two million visitors that come to the park yearly.

Acadia National Park does have many different species of wild life including;

-The bobcat

-Black bears

-Red squirrels

-Grey squirrels

-The white tailed deer

-Chipmunks

-The beavers

-Moose

-Foxes

-The coyote

-The porcupine

-Muskrats

There are however a lot of different types of specify out there also and numerous marine life also.

The explorations and excavations of the Mount Desert Island have shown remains of some native mammals. Things such as the bones of;

-The Elk

-The Grey Seal

-The Indian Dog

-The Wolf

-Deer

-The Beaver

-Sea Mink Which Are Extinct

-Muskrat

-Lynx

-Raccoon

However, beavers were introduced back into the island in 1920. There were two pairs of beavers released back onto the island and have since repopulated the island. Though, in 1947, there was a large fire which destroyed almost half of all of the trees on the island. This did make way for trees such as birch, aspen, maple, alder and a lot of other deciduous trees in the area. This really helped the beaver population to build and become stronger.

Acadia National Park Landscape

There were once the grey wolf and the puma or mountain lion as it is also known as, found in the park. However, it is thought that these animals have been forced out of the park because of the fact that smaller animals or prey in the park has decreased. It is also thought that human activity near the park may have caused the decrease with the mountain lion and grey wolf.

There are many different parts of the Acadia National Park to visit including;

-The Eagle Lake

-Schooner Head

-The Bear Brook Picnic Area

-The Schoodic Peninsula

-Visitors Can Sail Along The Coastline

-View The Amazing Cadillac Mountain

-Visit Jordan Pond

-Visit The Beautiful Thunder Hole

-Enjoy The Sand Beach

-Climbing To The Summit Of Mount Penobscot

There are so many different attractions to visit while in the park and no matter what sort of day it is, there is going to be something for everyone. This is why the Acadia National Park is a popular choice for many and why more and more visitors flock to the park every year. It is truly a lovely and beautiful area to visit.

Gamma-Ray Burst

 

Flashes of gamma-rays which are associated with highly energetic explosions are known as gamma-ray bursts. These bursts have been noticed in distant galaxies and are the the brightest electromagnetic events known to man in the universe. These bursts can last anywhere from 10 milliseconds to a few minutes. Usually, a longer-lived “afterglow” follows the first burst, which then comes in longer wavelengths.

Early discovery of gamma-ray bursts

The discovery of gamma-rays happened almost by accident. The satellites which detected the rays had been built to detect nuclear weapons testing during the time of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Not sure what was causing the rays that were showing up on the satellites, the team filed the data away. After newer, more sophisticated satellites were launched, more of these rays continued to show up. After analysing the data, it became clear that the gamma-rays were not from nuclear testing or even from solar activity. The findings were published in 1973 in an article titled, “Observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts of Cosmic Origin”.

Even though astronomers and scientists have been studying gamma-rays rays since that time, they are still unable to accurately pinpoint the origin of the gamma-ray explosions. Some suggest they come from outside the Milky Way, but at this time, there is no way to be sure.

What causes gamma-ray bursts?

Because gamma-ray bursts happen so far away, it’s difficult for astronomers to be sure what exactly causes the bursts. Most are believed to be made up of a narrow beam of intense radiation which is released during a supernova. This is a high-mass star rotating at high speeds, which collapses and forms a black hole, neutron star, or quark star. While it is currently speculation, it’s possible that the entire crust of a star could shatter due to the development of a resonance between the core and crust. This is a result of huge tidal forces which stars experience in the seconds shortly before their collision.

Study of gamma-rays suggest that the blasts are not only extremely far away, but also very energetic and most likely immensely rare.

Classification of gamma-ray bursts

Unlike nova or supernova, which follow a structure of a bright burst of light which eventually fades out, the light curves of gamma-rays are unpredictable, diverse, and complex. There are no two gamma-ray bursts which are exactly the same. Some bursts have several high peaks, while others have a single peak only. Some show a very weak burst, followed by a very large burst after a short period of inactivity. Some gamma-ray bursts show highly chaotic and irrational profiles with no logical explanation.

The study of gamma-ray bursts does put them into 2 main categories: Long gamma-ray bursts and short gamma-ray bursts.

—Long gamma-ray ray bursts exceed 2 seconds. Most gamma-ray bursts are in this category. A very long burst—over 2 ½ months long—was tracked, but none that long was seen since.

—Short gamma-ray bursts are less than 2 seconds. It is unclear what causes these short bursts, but since 2005, the afterglow of these short bursts has been able to be studied, giving astronomers more detail on what these little bursts could be.

Effects of gamma-ray bursts

Right now, there is no danger to earth from gamma-ray bursts. They are much too far away to be of concern, though astronomers are speculating on the possibility of nearer stars colliding and the impact it could have on the earth’s atmosphere. Depending on how far or close it happens, the hypothetical effects would be devastating.

 

Yellowstone National Park

  

A national emblem

The Yellowstone National Park has fast become a worldwide known name. In 1872, the American President, Ulysses S. Grant passed a law that stated Yellowstone was to become the first national park in America and in fact the world. It can be found mostly in the State of Wyoming; however, the park actually extends through into Idaho and even Montana so you may be able to understand how large this national park really is.

Yellowstone National Park is known for its vast wildlife as well as the many amazing features it has including the Old Faithful Geyser; this has fast become a popular feature for many. Though, strangely, Yellowstone also has a vast ecosystem; it has several to be exact and there is a subalpine forest which is the dominant of all ecosystems.

The Early Life of Yellowstone

Many do not know that for almost over 10,000 years, Yellowstone was actually the home to many Native Americans and that the region of Yellowstone was very much unknown for many years. It was a vast region that was very much unexplored or discovered even during the Expedition mission of Lewis and Clark which was in the 19th century, the early part of the century. However, the region was visited occasionally by the mountain men during the early and mid part of the 19th century.

It wasn’t until the late 1860’s when there was actually an organized exploration date set of Yellowstone. It was the American Army who was brought in to oversee things in the park. However, in 1917, the administration of the park was handed over; control was passed over to the National Park Service created in 1916. Since the early 1900’s, there have been many structures erected to help protect the historical features and architectural history of the Yellowstone National Park. What is more, over one thousand different archaeological sites have also been discovered and examined by researches since 1917.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The Vastness of Yellowstone

Yellowstone is actually extremely large as it can span over a huge area of 8, 980 KM2; this is three thousand, four hundred and sixty eight point four square miles. This is a vast area to explore and there are many canyons, mountain ranges, rivers and of course lakes that make up Yellowstone. It is a beautiful area to explore and it holds so many secrets because even though it was discovered in the 1800’s, still so much is unknown.

The Yellowstone Lake is considered to be one of the few largest lakes that are high altitude lakes throughout North America. The largest super volcano can also be found on the North American continent – the Yellowstone Caldera. This is a fantastic feature of Yellowstone but it is still an active volcano. It has erupted thousand years ago and the force of the eruptions has all been very wild and very dangerous.

The Yellowstone Caldera actually covers most of the land area of Yellowstone; this is from the rocks from the volcano as well as the lava flow which also comes during the eruptions. What is more, almost 50% of the world’s geothermal factors come from Yellowstone and are found in Yellowstone. This is because of the volcano which creates a lot of friction and volcanism also.

However, the centrepiece of the National Park has to be the world’s bigger ecosystem – the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It is the biggest in the North Temperate Zone on Earth. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is almost intact and is considered to be the largest of all ecosystems.

Though, in Yellowstone, there are dozens of different species of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. There are hundreds in fact and many of them have been studied and documented by the authorities. There are several species which are considered to be endangered; and there might still be species out there that is undiscovered.

Though, the grasslands and forests are tremendous as they are very large and there are endless species of plants which are considered to be unique also. There are many different types of animals found in the park including herds of elk and bison – which are free and unkempt; and there are also wolves and grizzly bears that can be found in Yellowstone. This is their home and they are undisturbed by many who visit; and the bison herd in the park is actually the oldest herd found in America today.

Mostly each year, there will be a forest fire that breaks out. This can occur and one of the biggest fires was in 1988 in which almost a third of the entire park was damaged and burnt. Though, the park is considered to be safe as there are many recreational activities to complete.

– Boating

– Fishing

– Sightseeing

– Hiking

– Camping

Bison in Yellowstone National Park

These are only a few examples of recreational activities. However the park does have millions of visitors each year including tourists and local parties also. There are many good paved roads which allow visitors to easily access the various areas of the park. They can take visitors to the beautiful sights of the waterfalls the park has and of course some of the most amazing lakes also. During the winter time however, most of the visitors are going to use snow mobiles or snow coaches to visit the park and delve deeper into the park also.

However, in the very early life of the park, there were many who wanted to reduce the overall size of the park. Many wanted to be able to use some of the land that Yellowstone covered for things such as hunting, logging, mining and many other activities could go ahead. However, that was when the American government got involved; though it was difficult to prevent anything happening to the park as there was very little money available.

Today, the Yellowstone National Park is a national icon and something which is very popular. It is a natural beauty and something that is very spectacular indeed with many amazing features to view as well as history found here.

Climate Elements

 

What is climate?

The climate is a concept used by most people, but its definition is not always well known. In simple terms, the climate is the average weather conditions of an area during a long time, which are the result of several factors present in that zone. The climate varies from one region to another but must follow a fairly consistent pattern.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the climate is the statistical description of the mean and variability of the weather over a span of time ranging from months to thousands or even millions of years. All this means, the average weather during a long time.

The UK Meteorological Office’s glossary mentions that the climate of a locality is the synthesis of the values of the day-to-day weather elements affecting that place. The word climate comes from the Greek word “klima” which means “area.”

The climate factors measured are rainfall, maximum, and minimum temperatures during a season, humidity, sunshine time, and so on.

What factors influence climate?

Latitude, altitude, topography, water bodies and other factors determine the climate of a geographic region. The angle of the sun’s rays, for example, affects how warm the environment is. People living in the tropics knows that certain days of the year the sun is positioned directly above his head at noon, causing a hot climate with small temperature changes between summer and winter.

The UK Meteorological Office lists the following influence factors of the climate of a zone: altitude, prevailing wind, distance from the sea, oceanic currents, topography, vegetation, and type of area (urban or rural).

What are the elements of climate?

Various elements make up the climate of a region, but the following are the most common:

Temperature
.
Temperature is the amount of heat energy that is in the air. Its measure unit is Celsius degrees or Fahrenheit degrees in some countries. Heat is the energy radiated from the Sun to the Earth in the form of light. Clouds, water vapor, and atmospheric dust deflect about half of the solar energy back into space, while the rest is absorbed by the soil and water and becomes heat.

The temperature is characterized by its variation during a day due to Earth’s rotation and during the annual seasons due to the translational motion of the Earth around the sun.

Precipitation.
It is a process that ends with the fall of water, in liquid or solid form, to the earth’s surface. A large percentage of rainfall drains into lakes and rivers while the rest evaporates from the earth’s surface or passes through plants. The latter process is known as evapotranspiration and is part of the water cycle.

Humidity
.
It is the water vapor contained in the air. Its amount varies according to to the amount of rainfall and solar radiation in a zone. 
Water vapor is present in any region of the world, even the hottest ones. As the temperature increases, so does the possibility of having water vapor.

Atmospheric pressure.
It is the force exerted on a given surface due to the weight of the atmosphere. It varies vertically; the values decrease as you ascend in altitude.

Cloudiness.

The number of clouds in the atmosphere is also an element of climate. Clouds form when humid air cools down to its dew point, and water droplets or ice attach to small particles of dust, ash, or other contaminants.

Wind.

The Wind is the moving air. It causes variations in climate by drying humidity, causing storms, and contributing to water evaporation.

Solar radiation.

Although it is an unseen element, it significantly impacts climate by providing heat. The amount of sunlight the ground receives is called insolation.

Quick Facts.

Estimations determine that the average surface air temperature will increase between 1.4°C and 5.8°C by 2100.

Rainfall and water vapor are also expected to increase along with this warming.

Pacific Ring Of Fire

Pacific Ring Of Fire Facts

The Pacific Ring of Fire is the name that is given to a horseshoe shaped area in the Pacific Ocean which extends from South America and North America to Eastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand. This area is famous for its constant seismic activity and because of the amount of active volcanoes that can be found here. 75% of dormant and active volcanoes are found in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Now it is known that the area is very close to several tectonic plates which may be what influences the violent activity in the area.

Volcanoes In The Area

It is believed that the Pacific Ring of Fire has a total of 452 volcanoes. Some of the world’s most active volcanoes are found here. Kilauea which is considered the most active volcano in the world is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Other volcanoes worth noting are Mt Fuji in Japan, Mt. Saint Helens and Mt. Rainier in the American North West, Krakatoa in Indonesia, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Galeras in Colombia and Sangay in Ecuador. Those are all volcanoes that are well known and some that could be very dangerous to the population nearby.

Most Dangerous Volcanoes

Because of all the activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire it is very possible that one of those volcanoes could cause a lot of trouble for a lot of people. If Mt Rainier were to erupt for example the 2.5 million people in the area near Seattle and Tacoma would have to evacuate fast. Adding to the danger is the snowy cap of the volcano which could make the dangers much worse.

The Santa Maria Volcano in Guatemala has already shown its power with one of the most catastrophic eruptions in the 20^th century taking place in 1902. Back then the volcano affected a very large part of the south west of the country; today with many more people in the area the impact of this volcano in the Pacific Ring of Fire could be much greater.

Mount Yasur in Vanuatu is what’s called a stratovolcano and it has been erupting for close to a hundred years. The dangers that Mount Yasur presents are real, and yet tourists risk the dangers of toxic gases and lava flows by getting to the crater every day. This volcano has already taking a few lives from tourists and a tour guide who got too close to the danger zone.

Constant Changes

The Pacific Ring of Fire is different today than it was thousands of years ago because of the changes caused by tectonic plates. The Pacific Plate will hit other plates nearby and that causes them to sink. The crust melts producing the magma that feeds the different volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire or it will help produce new volcanoes. The tectonic plates are also the reason for the many violent earthquakes in the entire area of the pacific.

Risks

If you are in a city that is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire then you already know that there are several risk factors that you have to be ready for. Close to 90 percent of the earthquakes reported around the world take place in the Ring of Fire. Add to that the possibility of volcano eruptions and that can really be a dangerous area to live in. People not only have to look at the active volcanoes as the dormant ones also pose a threat. Mt. Saint Helens was a dormant volcano before its eruption in 1980 which caused several deaths and over a billion dollars in damage.

 

Thunderstorm

  

What Is A Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorms are some of the most frightening and powerful storms to hit the world.  A thunderstorm can be known as a lightning storm, a thundershower or even an electrical storm.  A thunderstorm is one of the most powerful storms to hit and it forms when the weather is turbulent.  This is when the wind picks up greatly and rain is present, though this doesn’t always need to be present.  However, lightning and the noise of thunder creates the thunderstorms and if there are certain types of clouds in the sky – cumulonimbus, then it could result in thunderstorms.

On most occasions, thunderstorms will bring on heavy rain falls and strong winds.  However, these are the most common types of weather associated with thunderstorms but there are other types of weather that can accompany a thunderstorm.  Things such as hail, sleet and snow are all common factors to present itself during a thunderstorm.  Some thunderstorms can rotate, if they are quite severe, then they can create supercells which are some of the worst thunderstorms.

How Thunderstorms Are Are Created?

A thunderstorm can be created because of a sharp or rapid surge of moist and warm air.  However, as the warm and moist air moves upwards into the air, it will cool down and condenses.  When the air does this, the air will form new cumulonimbus clouds.  These cumulonimbus clouds can in fact reach huge heights of almost 20 kilometres, sometimes much more than that.

Once the air reaches a certain point, at the dew point, ice and water droplets are going to form and start falling towards the earth and the earth’s surface.  It falls from a large distance; however, once the droplets fall, they will be larger because they join up with other droplets.  Once the droplets are falling, they will create a new downdraft of the air which will spread out vastly across the surface.  This creates winds – strong winds which coincide with thunderstorms.

• Hail
• Rain
• Strong Winds
• Snow
• Sleet

These are some of the things to spot when it comes to thunderstorms.

Lightning and church

Where Can Thunderstorm Form?

A thunderstorm can be formed or created in almost any location around the world.  Though, the countries that are mid latitude – this is when the air is moist and warm but comes into contact with cool air.  Thunderstorms can form anywhere if the air is warm and moist and comes into cooler air.  Though, most thunderstorms can be very severe and can cause a lot of damage to landscapes and populated areas also.

Though, most damage that comes from a thunderstorm is due to the larger hailstones which fall with the storm and the down burst winds.  Though, on occasion, there have been flash floods to cause a lot of damage.  Though, with some thunderstorm formations, they can be very strong or – super cells as they can also be known as, and cause water sprouts and even tornadoes.  There are some instances which are not going to be too severe and won’t be anything more than a small rain shower.  Some thunderstorm cells which are stronger than average storms can be fifty times the energy of an a bomb.

The Different Types of Thunderstorms

There are however four different types of thunderstorms including;

1. Supercells which are the most powerful thunderstorms available
2. A single cell which are smaller and not too severe
3. A multi cell cluster which is stronger than a single cell storm
4. Multi cell lines which are just below a super cell

The super cells are the strongest of thunderstorms that form; and if the thunderstorms are present in the tropics, it could contribute to hurricanes.  However, there are also dry thunderstorms which don’t cause any rain, hail or snow fall, but they can cause wildfire outbreaks.  This happens because of the lightning that occurs; there might not be any hail or rain but lightning still occurs and causes wildfires.

Many weather observers use things such as weather stations and weather radar to help keep a close eye over pending weather storms including thunder.  Interesting though, it has been known for some thunderstorms, can be created on both Venus and Jupiter and not just here on Earth.

The Cycle of a Thunderstorm

The cycle of a thunderstorm firstly starts off with warm air.  The warm air needs to have a lower density than cooler air because the air will start to rise actually within the cool air.  When this happens, clouds will start to form and they will become a little warmer because inside the clouds, it will now carry moisture.

The moisture will condense and when it does, it will release energy out; however, what this does is to cool the air of the condensed air but the surrounding air will stay the same.  If there is instability in the atmosphere then it will create cumulonimbus clouds and that helps to create thunder and lightning.  However, for thunderstorms to form, they need moisture, unstable air mass and a lifting force such as heat to create a thunderstorm.

There are different stages to create a thunderstorm.  There is the developing stage, then the mature stag and finally the dissipation stage.  Though, the thunderstorms can vary from size but for the average storm, it is around 24 kilometres.  The period of time in which the thunderstorms can develop is anything from thirty minutes.

Thundershower, electrical storm or thunderstorm.

When the thunderstorm hits the cumulus stage, or the developing stage; a mass of moisture will be taken up towards the atmosphere.  When the moisture goes into the air, the wind will be forced upwards into the atmosphere and will help to develop the thunderstorm.  However, the moisture will start cooling and this will form water drops because of the cool temperatures at a high altitude.

With the mature stage, the air which is now warm will rise further up and will continue to do so until it cannot rise any further and the air becomes at its warmest point.  When it reaches this point, the air will be forced out a vast area and will start to create an anvil shape creating the cumulonimbus clouds.  The water drops will then start to grow larger because they will join up with one another.  They will now be heavier and larger and will start to freeze into ice particles.  Though, as the ice falls, it will become, or rather melt, into rain.

With the final or dissipating stage, the thunderstorm is created.  A downdraft will work up and hit the ground quickly and spread out vastly also.  This can be known as a downburst and the cool air will then cut the inflow and stop the thunderstorm also.  The thunderstorm will dissipate.

The super cell storms are the biggest and the most severe storms to hit.  This is when the super cell storms have different up and down drafts causing the super cell.  It can stretch out to a vast area and can cause a lot of devastation and damage.  When the super cells are created, it will mean that the storms will be accompanied with severe weather.

Indian Ocean

 

The Indian Ocean is the third largest, after the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. It extends over approximately 9,978 kilometers from southern Africa to Western Australia and is almost six times the size of the United States. Its boundaries include Asia in the north, Africa in the west, Australia in the east, and the Antarctic or the Southern Ocean in the south.

This body of water covers about 19.5 percent of the total water on Earth, or in other words, one-fifth. It covers 13.8 percent of the Earth’s surface. It has an area of 70.56 million square kilometers and includes:
– the Andaman Sea,
– The Arabian Sea,
– the Bay of Bengal,
– the Flores Sea,
– the Great Australian Bight,
– the Gulf of Aden,
– the Gulf of Oman,
– the Java Sea,
– the Mozambique channel,
– the Persian Gulf,
– the Red Sea,
– the Savu Sea,
– the Strait of Malacca, and
– The Timor Sea.
It connects with the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal.
Its volume is 292,131,000 cubic kilometers. Its average depth is around 3,890 meters, and its deepest point is the Java Trench or Sunda Trench, measuring between 7,258 and 7,725 meters. However, sometimes it is mentioned that the Diamantina Trench is the deepest part of this ocean, slightly deeper, about 8,047 meters.
The highest level of salinity is in the Arabian Sea and along a belt of water.

Properties of the Indian Ocean.

The water salinity in the Indian Ocean is between 3.2 and 3.7 percent. The highest level of salinity is in the Arabian Sea and along a belt of water located between southern Africa and southwestern Australia. It is common to see icebergs at latitude 65° south throughout the year, but their limit is latitude 45° south.
Its surface temperature at latitude 20° south is about 22°C, while in the east can exceed 28°C. From latitude 40° south, water temperatures decrease. Incoming flows from the Atlantic Ocean, the Red Sea, and Antarctic currents control the circulation of water, but the ocean has two basic flow patterns: the northern hemisphere current, which moves to the right, and another stream south of the equator, which moves in the opposite direction.
The weather is variable. North of the equator, it is dominated by a monsoon climate, but in the southern hemisphere, winds are weaker, with occasional summer storms that hit the Mauritius Island. From October to April, there are high winds in the Northeast. The monsoon season causes cyclones that can batter the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

This ocean is more recent than the others, so there are crags and ridges in its floor. The South Kerguelen Plateau, a small underwater continent of volcanic origin, is in the south. In the west and near Madagascar, there is an underwater plateau whose length is 2,000 kilometers.

Economic Importance of the Indian Ocean.

The Indian Ocean contains a significant amount of oil and natural gas and is also a source of fish, sand, and metal, relevant to different industries. It has four main waterways: Bab-el-Mandeb, the Strait of Hormuz, the Straits of Malacca, and the Suez Canal.

40 percent of the world’s offshore oil production has its origin in the Indian Ocean.
Marine life is relatively limited in the Indian Ocean due to lower concentrations of phytoplankton. However, the northern part of this ocean is home to a larger number of species, which are essential for human consumption. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea navigate this ocean catching shrimp and tuna.
Moreover, there is a continuous traffic carrying oil from Indonesia and the Persian Gulf, with an average of 17 million barrels of oil per day. In fact, 40 percent of the world’s offshore oil production has its origin in the Indian Ocean.

Conservation of the Indian Ocean.

In the late 90’s, a huge quantity of trash was found, suspended on the surface of the Indian Ocean. Thousands of plastic particles, chemical substances, and other garbage are concentrated there, covering about 10 million square kilometers. Meanwhile, the Arabian and Red Seas and the Persian Gulf are contaminated with hydrocarbons from oil and gas.
The ocean is home to some endangered species: the dugong, whales, seals, and turtles.

Quick facts:
• It is the warmest ocean basin on Earth.
• Annually, more than 7,000 humpback whales travel to the waters of Madagascar to breed and give birth.
• The world’s earliest civilizations developed around the Indian Ocean.
• In Sanskrit literature, it is known as “Ratnakara” which means “gemstone mine.”