Knowra South Pacific Ocean South Pacific Ocean The southern portion of the Pacific Ocean, extending from the equator toward Antarctica. It includes vast open-ocean regions, island arcs, and the South Pacific subtropical gyre.
Pacific Ocean : The largest ocean basin, stretching between Asia and Australia to the west and the Americas to the east. The South Pacific is the southern portion of this ocean basin.
Trade winds : Persistent easterly winds in the tropics, produced by atmospheric circulation and Earth's rotation. They drive westward surface currents and help set the tropical Pacific's circulation.
Pacific Islands : A dispersed group of islands and archipelagos across the Pacific Ocean, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Their communities depend on South Pacific waters for food, transport, and livelihoods.
Great Barrier Reef : The world's largest coral reef system, located off northeastern Australia in the Coral Sea. It marks the western margin of the South Pacific's tropical marine realm.
South Pacific subtropical gyre : A vast, rotating system of ocean currents in the South Pacific, driven by winds and Earth's rotation. It organizes surface circulation across much of the open South Pacific.
Thermohaline circulation : Large-scale ocean circulation driven by differences in water density caused by temperature and salinity. It links South Pacific waters to deep and global ocean circulation.
Coral Triangle : A marine region in the western Pacific and Southeast Asia with exceptionally high coral and reef-fish diversity. Its western boundary adjoins the South Pacific and supports shared marine ecosystems.
Mariana Trench : The deepest known ocean trench, located in the western Pacific near the Mariana Islands. It illustrates the extreme depths and subduction geology of the wider Pacific basin.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current : A powerful eastward current flowing continuously around Antarctica through the Southern Ocean. Its northern boundary helps separate South Pacific waters from the Southern Ocean.
El Niño–Southern Oscillation : A recurring climate pattern involving coupled changes in tropical Pacific sea-surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure. Its warm and cool phases reorganize winds, rainfall, and currents across the South Pacific.
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