Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is a large arm of the Pacific Ocean off southern Alaska, bounded by the Alaska Peninsula and the Alexander Archipelago.
Alaska Current: A counterclockwise ocean current flowing along the coast of southern Alaska. It carries relatively warm, moist water into the gulf and shapes its coastal climate.
Alaska Peninsula: A long, volcanic peninsula extending southwest from mainland Alaska toward the Aleutian Islands. It forms the gulf’s western boundary and separates its waters from the Bering Sea.
Gulf of Alaska groundfish fishery: A commercial fishery targeting species such as pollock, Pacific cod, and sablefish in the Gulf of Alaska. Its catch and management depend on the gulf’s productive shelf waters.
1964 Alaska earthquake: A magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake that struck southern Alaska on March 27, 1964. Its rupture extended along the gulf-facing subduction zone and generated destructive tsunamis.
Marine heatwave: A prolonged period of unusually warm ocean temperatures in a particular region. The gulf’s recent warm episodes raise questions about how often marine heatwaves will recur.
Alaska Coastal Current: A narrow, low-salinity current flowing northwestward along the coast of the Gulf of Alaska. River runoff feeds this coastal current, which transports freshwater and nutrients through the gulf.
Alexander Archipelago: An island group off southeastern Alaska, including the Alexander Archipelago’s many forested islands and channels. Its islands mark the gulf’s eastern coastal boundary.
Gulf of Alaska pollock: A population of walleye pollock supporting a major commercial fishery in the Gulf of Alaska. Its abundance fluctuates with ocean conditions in the gulf.
2011 Gulf of Alaska tsunami: A tsunami generated by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska on January 5, 2011. It illustrates tsunami generation within the gulf’s active subduction setting.
Ocean acidification: The decrease in seawater pH caused primarily by absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cold North Pacific waters can absorb carbon dioxide readily, challenging shell-forming organisms in the gulf.