Is there a separation between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

Weather of Arabia - The Atlantic and Pacific oceans are considered among the largest bodies of water on the surface of the planet Earth in the current era, and although water in general cannot be determined with an exact limit between them, there are questions raised about where the waters of the two oceans meet specifically and why some believe that their waters do not They overlap, and can water from two different sources remain separate?

What is the difference between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean?

The Pacific Ocean extends between the Americas in the east and the Oceania and Asia region in the west. It is the largest and deepest ocean in the world, covering an area of approximately 165 million square kilometers , and is characterized by an average depth of about 4,280 metres. As for the Atlantic Ocean , it extends between Europe and Africa in the east and the Americas in the west. It is the second largest ocean in terms of area, with an area of about 107 million square kilometers , and is characterized by an average depth of about 3,646 metres.

The upper waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans experience distinct differences in temperature, salinity, and density. Furthermore, the Pacific Ocean has a surface elevation that is about 40 centimeters higher than the Atlantic Ocean.

Differences are also clearly visible in the level of salinity, as the Atlantic has saltier surface waters compared to the Pacific and Indian Ocean, while closed seas such as the Red Sea and the Mediterranean have the highest levels of salinity, since deep waters with low salinity move with difficulty to the surface, and evaporation occurs quickly from Surface water before it is replaced by rainwater.

Where do the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet?

Answer: The Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean intersect in the South American region in an area known as “Cape Horn.” Geographic data indicate that the border between the two oceans extends directly between the Cape Horn region and Antarctica.

This narrow passage of water is known as the "Drake Strait" , after the prominent English explorer Sir Francis Drake. However, this boundary cannot be distinguished with the naked eye between the waters of the two oceans. The boundaries of the two oceans are mostly areas with different water characteristics, extending in ways that depend on the conditions. Geographic and environmental, sometimes similar to the boundaries between neighborhoods in cities.

The Drake Passage , which is about 850 kilometers wide, is also known as the “bottleneck” through which it passes through this narrow area of water, which separates the continent of South America from Antarctica. This area is characterized by the flow of strong currents from west to east, making it a region Unique and important environment.

Traveling around Cape Horn has always been a difficult and dangerous task for sailors, as they face strong currents, savage winds and unpredictable weather conditions. Before the construction of the Panama Canal, Cape Horn was the only sea passage between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Do the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans mix?

Answer: Many video clips have been shared in recent years showing the ocean with its dark blue and transparent waters on one side, and with light blue waters on the other side. The idea has been promoted that this line is considered a natural border between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, with confirmation that the waters of the two oceans remain separate. And do not interfere.

However, scientists point out that the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans certainly mix , perhaps more so than the waters of many other areas of the world's oceans. However, what is being directed at this type of video is something very different from the connection of the two great ocean waters on the planet.

Indeed, the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans do mix , but they do not merge completely smoothly and evenly; Due to their different salinity, density, and currents, and when the sea currents of the two oceans intersect at Cape Horn, the differences in density, currents, and temperatures result in a rough sea, making Cape Horn an area known to be difficult and always dangerous for sailors, and has resulted in numerous accidents as a result of the currents. Strong winds, unpredictable weather conditions, and before the construction of the Panama Canal, Cape Horn was the only major sea passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Visible water borders

Professor Sally Warner , a physical oceanographer at Brandeis University, said in an interview with How Stuff Works that there are areas around the world where water boundaries meet together, creating visible lines in the surface water that can be clearly seen in the oceans, and this is happening. When fresh water flows, it meets salt water in the ocean, as can happen when streams of water of different temperatures meet.

The waters around Antarctica are colder than the waters in the northern regions, and the thing that makes people think there is a clear boundary between the waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific is probably where the cold waters of Antarctica and the warmer waters to the north border.

On the other hand, the boundaries between waters can be clearly seen in areas where fresh water from rivers meets salty ocean water. River water is often very muddy when it reaches the ocean, giving it a very different appearance from darker ocean water. In addition, river water and salty ocean water have different densities, making the water appear to be separated from each other , even though it will eventually mix together. It may take some time for the mixing to fully occur, but the visual boundaries are usually clearly visible.

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Sources:

aljazeera

livescience