On World Oceans Day, National Geographic cartographers officially acknowledged the Southern Ocean, the world's fifth ocean. There has long been a debate over whether the region around Antarctica has enough unique features to warrant its own name. The ocean is rimmed by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) at around 60 degrees south latitude and encircles the Antarctic continent while touching three others.
The ACC first formed when Antarctica separated from South America 34 million years ago and the current facilitates the movement of water around the southern end of the Earth. The waters there are colder and less salty than the more northern areas. It extends from the ocean floor to the surface, allowing it to transport the most water out of any current, and because its cold, dense waters bury carbon in the ocean, it has important environmental impacts as well. Warming of the current in recent years has also led to faster melting of the Antarctic shelf.
The ocean holds a variety of unique creatures and ecosystems like whales, krill, seabirds, and fish. Industrial fishing has had a major impact on many of these animals, increasing the importance of recognizing the Southern Ocean and making sure more people are educated.
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