What is the Chukchi Sea and where is it located?
The Chukchi Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean situated north of the Bering Strait. It stretches between Point Barrow in Alaska and Wrangel Island off the Siberian coast.
Questions about Chukchi Sea
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who gave the Chukchi Sea its name and when was it officially approved?
Norwegian polar explorer Harald Sverdrup observed distinct hydrographic features that led to naming the sea after the Chukchi people who live on its shores. The name received official approval in 1935.
Which marine mammals migrate through the Chukchi Corridor?
Bowhead whales travel through the Chukchi Corridor as part of one of the largest marine mammal migrations globally. Beluga whales also migrate through these waters during summer and early autumn seasons alongside Pacific walrus populations and bearded seals.
When did Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld's steamship Vega get trapped in ice?
Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld's steamship Vega became trapped in fast ice on the 28th of September 1878. Crew members spent winter quarters just miles from open water before escaping the following year.
What are the characteristics of phytoplankton blooms in Ledyard Bay and Barrow Canyon?
Two cyst beds of dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella exist within Ledyard Bay and Barrow Canyon covering a total area of 145,600 square kilometers. These dormant cysts can germinate if environmental conditions become favorable and produce saxitoxin when active.
How much money did bidders pay for oil extraction rights in the Chukchi Sea in 2008?
On the 6th of February 2008, the U.S. government announced successful bidders would pay $2.6 billion for extraction rights. The Obama administration granted conditional approval for Shell Oil to drill in shallow waters in May 2015 before the corporation withdrew its efforts in September 2015.