On World Oceans Day, the National Geographic introduced that it will acknowledge a fifth ocean – the Southern Ocean. Thus far 4 oceans have been recognized: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic.
“The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists, but because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognized it,” National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait mentioned in a report on printed on National Geographic’s official web site.
Notably, whereas different oceans are recognized by the area they encompass, the Southern Ocean is outlined by its present, the National Geography mentioned in a report.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Southern Ocean covers 30 p.c of the Earth’s ocean floor. It is made up of the waters encircling Antarctica.
The improvement got here when the need to put extra concentrate on the area’s peril and the need for conservation has grew to become imminent.
Antarctica has been going through the brunt of local weather change and speedy warming of the planet and scientists are learning the influence on the Southern Ocean, which is house to a fragile marine ecosystem that features whales, penguins and seals.
In 2000, the boundaries of the ocean had been proposed however all international locations didn’t agree to it thus making it tough to be recognised by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
