Where is the Coral Sea?
The Coral Sea is the body of water east of the Great Barrier Reef, bounded by Papua New Guinea to the north, the Tasman Front to the south, and the west Pacific island chains of the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the east.
It was the first aircraft carrier battle ever fought, and the first naval battle in which the opposing forces of surface ships at no stage sighted or fired at each other. All attacks were carried out by aeroplanes.It is also the largest naval battle that has ever been fought off Australia’s shores.
The sea was named for its numerous coral formations, highlighted by the Great Barrier Reef, extending 1,200 miles (1,900 km) down the Australian northeast coast. Ocean shipping between eastern Australia and the South Pacific islands and China traverses the sea by way of a channel 200 miles (320 km) east of the reef.
However, unlike rocks, corals are alive. And unlike plants, corals do not make their own food. Corals are in fact animals. The branch or mound that we often call “a coral” is actually made up of thousands of tiny animals called polyps. Coral reefs provide an important ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast, and provide a crucial source of income for millions of people. Coral reefs teem with diverse life.
Many grow optimally in water temperatures between 73° and 84° Fahrenheit (23°–29°Celsius), but some can tolerate temperatures as high as 104° Fahrenheit (40° Celsius) for short periods. Most reef-building corals also require very saline (salty) water ranging from 32 to 42 parts per thousand.
How deep is the Coral Sea?
| Coral Sea | |
|---|---|
| Average depth | 2,394 m (7,854 ft) |
| Max. depth | 9,140 m (29,990 ft) |
| Water volume | 11,470,000 km3 (9.30×1012 acre⋅ft) |
| Settlements | Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Port Moresby, Cairns, Townsville, Nouméa |
According to sciencing.com, the majority of the coral reefs are about 5,000 to 10,000 years old. However, the ancestors of these corals are probably older, dating back to 240 million years ago. This means that coral reefs are pretty old in regards to how the earth and humans have developed.
What if Japan won Coral Sea?
If the Japanese had won the Battle of the Coral Sea (7-8 May 1942), they would have been able to capture Port Moresby on the southern coast of what was then the Australian Territory of Papua and the island of Guadalcanal in the British Solomons.
Where is the best coral in the world? Best Coral Reefs in the World – Top 5
- Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Raja Ampat is located at the intersection of the Indian and Pacific Ocean, right in the heart of the prestigious Coral Triangle. …
- Solomon Islands. …
- Papua New Guinea. …
- FIJI. …
- Red sea.
Can coral live forever?
In theory, a coral colony can live forever. While the individual polyps may die off, the colony will continue to survive as long as the environmental conditions promote life. Scientists have found coral formations over 5,000 years old, along with coral reefs that are over 480 million years old.
Does coral have a heart? Corals exist at the tissue level: they do not have organs, such as a heart.
Hydrology
Major Coral Sea currents form a counter-clockwise gyro which includes the East Australian Current. It brings warm nutrient-poor waters from the Coral Sea down the east coast of Australia to the cool waters of the Tasman Sea. This current is the strongest along the Australian coasts and transforms 30 million m3/s of water within a flow band of about 100 kilometres wide and 500 metres deep. The current is strongest around February and weakest around August.
History
The Coral Sea takes its name from its coral formations of the Great Barrier Reef, the largest known reef system in the world.
In May 1942, a battle between Allied and Imperial Japanese naval units took place in the Coral Sea, which resulted in the prevention of the Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby.
Climate
The sea has a subtropical climate and is frequently hit by tropical cyclones, especially between January and April. This range extends to November–May in the areas south to 10°S. Between 1969 and 1997, the GBR experienced 80 cyclones, 90% which were of category 1 or 2 (winds 17–33 m/s, central pressure 970–1000 hPa) and only 10% of category 3 (winds >33 m/s, pressure <970 hPa). The cyclone frequency decreased between 1997 and 2005 to 1.5 per year (12 in total).