Ocean - wikipedia Ocean Further information : Seawater For other uses, see Ocean ( disambiguation ). Clouds over the Atlantic Ocean Earth 's oceans Arctic Atlantic Indian Pacific Southern World Ocean An ocean ( from Ancient Greek Ὠκεανός, transc. Okeanós, the sea of classical antiquity ) is a body of saline water that composes much of a planet 's hydrosphere. On Earth, an ocean is one of the major conventional divisions of the World Ocean. These are, in descending order by area, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern ( Antarctic ), and Arctic Oceans. The word sea is often used interchangeably with `` ocean '' in American English but, strictly speaking, a sea is a body of saline water ( generally a division of the world ocean ) partly or fully enclosed by land. Saline water covers approximately 360,000,000 km ( 140,000,000 sq mi ) and is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas, with the ocean covering approximately 71 % of Earth 's surface and 90 % of the Earth 's biosphere. The ocean contains 97 % of Earth 's water, and oceanographers have stated that less than 5 % of the World Ocean has been explored. The total volume is approximately 1.35 billion cubic kilometers ( 320 million cu mi ) with an average depth of nearly 3,700 meters ( 12,100 ft ). As the world ocean is the principal component of Earth 's hydrosphere, it is integral to life, forms part of the carbon cycle, and influences climate and weather patterns. The world ocean is the habitat of 230,000 known species, but because much of it is unexplored, the number of species that exist in the ocean is much larger, possibly over two million. The origin of Earth 's oceans is unknown ; oceans are thought to have formed in the Hadean eon and may have been the impetus for the emergence of life. Extraterrestrial oceans may be composed of water or other elements and compounds. The only confirmed large stable bodies of extraterrestrial surface liquids are the lakes of Titan, although there is evidence for the existence of oceans elsewhere in the Solar System. Early in their geologic histories, Mars and Venus are theorized to have had large water oceans. The Mars ocean hypothesis suggests that nearly a third of the surface of Mars was once covered by water, and a runaway greenhouse effect may have boiled away the global ocean of Venus. Compounds such as salts and ammonia dissolved in water lower its freezing point so that water might exist in large quantities in extraterrestrial environments as brine or convecting ice. Unconfirmed oceans are speculated beneath the surface of many dwarf planets and natural satellites ; notably, the ocean of Europa is estimated to have over twice the water volume of Earth. The Solar System 's giant planets are also thought to have liquid atmospheric layers of yet to be confirmed compositions. Oceans may also exist on exoplanets and exomoons, including surface oceans of liquid water within a circumstellar habitable zone. Ocean planets are a hypothetical type of planet with a surface completely covered with liquid. Contents 1 Etymology 2 Earth 's global ocean 2.1 Oceanic divisions 2.2 Global system 2.3 Physical properties 2.4 Oceanic zones 2.5 Exploration 2.6 Oceanic maritime currents 2.7 Climate 2.8 Biology 2.9 Gases 2.10 Surface 2.11 Mixing time 2.12 Salinity 2.13 Absorption of light 2.14 Economic value 2.15 Waves and swell 3 Extraterrestrial oceans 3.1 Planets 3.2 Natural satellites 3.3 Dwarf planets and trans - Neptunian objects 3.4 Extrasolar 3.5 Non-water surface liquids 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links Etymology The word `` ocean '' comes from the figure in classical antiquity, Oceanus ( / oʊ ˈsiːənəs / ; Greek : Ὠκεανός Ōkeanós, pronounced ( ɔːkeanós ) ), the elder of the Titans in classical Greek mythology, believed by the ancient Greeks and Romans to be the divine personification of the sea, an enormous river encircling the world. The concept of Ōkeanós has an Indo - European connection. Greek Ōkeanós has been compared to the Vedic epithet ā - śáyāna -, predicated of the dragon Vṛtra -, who captured the cows / rivers. Related to this notion, the Okeanos is represented with a dragon - tail on some early Greek vases. Earth 's global ocean Various ways to divide the World Ocean Oceanic divisions Further information : Borders of the oceans 1. Epipelagic zone : surface -- 200 meters deep 2. Mesopelagic zone : 200 m -- 1000 m 3. Bathypelagic zone : 1000 m -- 4000 m 4. Abyssopelagic zone : 4000 m -- 6000 m 5. Hadal zone ( the trenches ) : 6000 m to the bottom of the ocean Though generally described as several separate oceans, the global, interconnected body of salt water is sometimes referred to as the World Ocean or global ocean. The concept of a continuous body of water with relatively free interchange among its parts is of fundamental importance to oceanography. The major oceanic divisions -- listed below in descending order of area and volume -- are defined in part by the continents, various archipelagos, and other criteria. # Ocean Location Area ( km ) ( % ) Volume ( km ) ( % ) Avg. depth ( m ) Coastline ( km ) Pacific Ocean Separates Asia and Oceania from the Americas 7008168723000000000 ♠ 168,723,000 46.6 7008669880000000000 ♠ 669,880,000 50.1 7003397000000000000 ♠ 3,970 7005135663000000000 ♠ 135,663 Atlantic Ocean Separates the Americas from Europe and Africa 7007851330000000000 ♠ 85,133,000 23.5 7008310410900000000 ♠ 310,410,900 23.3 7003364600000000000 ♠ 3,646 7005111866000000000 ♠ 111,866 Indian Ocean Washes upon southern Asia and separates Africa and Australia 7007705600000000000 ♠ 70,560,000 19.5 7008264000000000000 ♠ 264,000,000 19.8 7003374100000000000 ♠ 3,741 7004665260000000000 ♠ 66,526 Southern Ocean Sometimes considered an extension of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which encircles Antarctica 7007219600000000000 ♠ 21,960,000 6.1 7007718000000000000 ♠ 71,800,000 5.4 7003327000000000000 ♠ 3,270 7004179680000000000 ♠ 17,968 5 Arctic Ocean Sometimes considered a sea or estuary of the Atlantic, which covers much of the Arctic and washes upon northern North America and Eurasia 7007155580000000000 ♠ 15,558,000 4.3 7007187500000000000 ♠ 18,750,000 1.4 7003120500000000000 ♠ 1,205 7004453890000000000 ♠ 45,389 Total -- World Ocean 7008361900000000000 ♠ 361,900,000 100 7009133500000000000 ♠ 1,335,000,000 100 7003368800000000000 ♠ 3,688 7005377412000000000 ♠ 377,412 NB : Volume, area, and average depth figures include NOAA ETOPO1 figures for marginal South China Sea. Sources : Encyclopedia of Earth, International Hydrographic Organization, Regional Oceanography : an Introduction ( Tomczak, 2005 ), Encyclopædia Britannica, and the International Telecommunication Union. Oceans are fringed by smaller, adjoining bodies of water such as seas, gulfs, bays, bights, and straits. Global System World Distribution of Mid-Oceanic Ridges ; USGS Three main types of plate boundaries. The mid-ocean ridges of the world are connected and form a single global mid-oceanic ridge system that is part of every ocean and the longest mountain range in the world. The continuous mountain range is 65,000 km ( 40,000 mi ) long ( several times longer than the Andes, the longest continental mountain range ). Physical properties Further information : Seawater The total mass of the hydrosphere is about 1.4 quintillion metric tons ( 7018140000000000000 ♠ 1.4 × 10 long tons or 7018150000000000000 ♠ 1.5 × 10 short tons ), which is about 0.023 % of Earth 's total mass. Less than 3 % is freshwater ; the rest is saltwater, almost all of which is in the ocean. The area of the World Ocean is about 361.9 million square kilometers ( 139.7 million square miles ), which covers about 70.9 % of Earth 's surface, and its volume is approximately 1.335 billion cubic kilometers ( 320.3 million cubic miles ). This can be thought of as a cube of water with an edge length of 1,101 kilometers ( 684 mi ). Its average depth is about 3,688 meters ( 12,100 ft ), and its maximum depth is 10,994 meters ( 6.831 mi ) at the Mariana Trench. Nearly half of the world 's marine waters are over 3,000 meters ( 9,800 ft ) deep. The vast expanses of deep ocean ( anything below 200 meters or 660 feet ) cover about 66 % of Earth 's surface. This does not include seas not connected to the World Ocean, such as the Caspian Sea. The bluish color of water is a composite of several contributing agents. Prominent contributors include dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll. Mariners and other seafarers have reported that the ocean often emits a visible glow which extends for miles at night. In 2005, scientists announced that for the first time, they had obtained photographic evidence of this glow. It is most likely caused by bioluminescence. Oceanic zones The major oceanic zones, based on depth and biophysical conditions Oceanographers divide the ocean into different vertical zones defined by physical and biological conditions. The pelagic zone includes all open ocean regions, and can be divided into further regions categorized by depth and light abundance. The photic zone includes the oceans from the surface to a depth of 200 m ; it is the region where photosynthesis can occur and is, therefore, the most biodiverse. Because plants require photosynthesis, life found deeper than the photic zone must either rely on material sinking from above ( see marine snow ) or find another energy source. Hydrothermal vents are the primary source of energy in what is known as the aphotic zone ( depths exceeding 200 m ). The pelagic part of the photic zone is known as the epipelagic. The pelagic part of the aphotic zone can be further divided into vertical regions according to temperature. The mesopelagic is the uppermost region. Its lowermost boundary is at a thermocline of 12 ° C ( 54 ° F ), which, in the tropics generally lies at 700 -- 1,000 meters ( 2,300 -- 3,300 ft ). Next is the bathypelagic lying between 10 and 4 ° C ( 50 and 39 ° F ), typically between 700 -- 1,000 meters ( 2,300 -- 3,300 ft ) and 2,000 -- 4,000 meters ( 6,600 -- 13,100 ft ), lying along the top of the abyssal plain is the abyssopelagic, whose lower boundary lies at about 6,000 meters ( 20,000 ft ). The last zone includes the deep oceanic trench, and is known as the hadalpelagic. This lies between 6,000 -- 11,000 meters ( 20,000 -- 36,000 ft ) and is the deepest oceanic zone. The benthic zones are aphotic and correspond to the three deepest zones of the deep - sea. The bathyal zone covers the continental slope down to about 4,000 meters ( 13,000 ft ). The abyssal zone covers the abyssal plains between 4,000 and 6,000 m. Lastly, the hadal zone corresponds to the hadalpelagic zone, which is found in oceanic trenches. The pelagic zone can be further subdivided into two subregions : the neritic zone and the oceanic zone. The neritic zone encompasses the water mass directly above the continental shelves whereas the oceanic zone includes all the completely open water. In contrast, the littoral zone covers the region between low and high tide and represents the transitional area between marine and terrestrial conditions. It is also known as the intertidal zone because it is the area where tide level affects the conditions of the region. The ocean can be divided into three density zones : the surface zone, the pycnocline, and the deep zone. The surface zone, also called the mixed layer, refers to the uppermost density zone of the ocean. Temperature and salinity are relatively constant with depth in this zone due to currents and wave action. The surface zone contains ocean water that is in contact with the atmosphere and within the photic zone. The surface zone has the ocean 's least dense water and represents approximately 2 % of the total volume of ocean water. The surface zone usually ranges between depths of 500 feet ( 150 m ) to 3,300 feet ( 1,000 m ) below ocean surface, but this can vary a great deal. In some cases, the surface zone can be entirely non-existent. The surface zone is typically thicker in the tropics than in regions of higher latitude. The transition to colder, denser water is more abrupt in the tropics than in regions of higher latitudes. The pycnocline refers to a zone wherein density substantially increases with depth due primarily to decreases in temperature. The pycnocline effectively separates the lower - density surface zone above from the higher - density deep zone below. The pycnocline represents approximately 18 % of the total volume of ocean water. The deep zone refers to the lowermost density zone of the ocean. The deep zone usually begins at depths below 3,300 feet ( 1,000 m ) in mid-latitudes. The deep zone undergoes negligible changes in water density with depth. The deep zone represents approximately 80 % of the total volume of ocean water. The deep zone contains relatively colder and stable water. If a zone undergoes dramatic changes in temperature with depth, it contains a thermocline. The tropical thermocline is typically deeper than the thermocline at higher latitudes. Polar waters, which receive relatively little solar energy, are not stratified by temperature and generally lack a thermocline because surface water at polar latitudes are nearly as cold as water at greater depths. Below the thermocline, water is very cold, ranging from − 1 ° C to 3 ° C. Because this deep and cold layer contains the bulk of ocean water, the average temperature of the world ocean is 3.9 ° C. If a zone undergoes dramatic changes in salinity with depth, it contains a halocline. If a zone undergoes a strong, vertical chemistry gradient with depth, it contains a chemocline. The halocline often coincides with the thermocline, and the combination produces a pronounced pycnocline. Exploration Map of large underwater features ( 1995, NOAA ) The deepest point in the ocean is the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean near the Northern Mariana Islands. Its maximum depth has been estimated to be 10,971 meters ( 35,994 ft ) ( plus or minus 11 meters ; see the Mariana Trench article for discussion of the various estimates of the maximum depth. ) The British naval vessel Challenger II surveyed the trench in 1951 and named the deepest part of the trench the `` Challenger Deep ''. In 1960, the Trieste successfully reached the bottom of the trench, manned by a crew of two men. Oceanic maritime currents Oceanic surface currents ( U.S. Army, 1943 ). Amphidromic points showing the direction of tides per incrementation periods along with resonating directions of wavelength movements. Oceanic maritime currents have different origins. Tidal currents are in phase with the tide, hence are quasiperiodic, they may fomulate various knots in certain places, most notably around headlands. Non periodic currents have for origin the waves, wind and different densities. The wind and waves create surface currents ( designated as `` drift currents '' ). These currents can decompose in one quasi permanent current ( which varies within the hourly scale ) and one movement of Stokes drift under the effect of rapid waves movement ( at the echelon of a couple of seconds ). ). The quasi permanent current is accelerated by the breaking of waves, and in a lesser governing effect, by the friction of the wind on the surface. This acceleration of the current takes place in the direction of waves and dominant wind. Accordingly, when the sea depth increases, the rotation of the earth changes the direction of currents, in proportion with the increase of depth while friction lowers their speed. At a certain sea depth, the current changes direction and is seen inverted in the opposite direction with speed current becoming nul : known as the Ekman spiral. The influence of these currents is mainly experienced at the mixed layer of the ocean surface, often from 400 to 800 meters of maximum depth. These currents can considerably alter, change and are dependent on the various yearly seasons. If the mixed layer is less thick ( 10 to 20 meters ), the quasi permanent current at the surface adopts an extreme oblique direction in relation to the direction of the wind, becoming virtually homogeneous, until the Thermocline. In the deep however, maritime currents are caused by the temperature gradients and the salinity between water density masses. In littoral zones, breaking wave is so intense and the depth measurement so low, that maritime currents reach often 1 to 2 knots. Climate A map of the global thermohaline circulation ; blue represent deep - water currents, whereas red represent surface currents Ocean currents greatly affect Earth 's climate by transferring heat from the tropics to the polar regions. Transferring warm or cold air and precipitation to coastal regions, winds may carry them inland. Surface heat and freshwater fluxes create global density gradients that drive the thermohaline circulation part of large - scale ocean circulation. It plays an important role in supplying heat to the polar regions, and thus in sea ice regulation. Changes in the thermohaline circulation are thought to have significant impacts on Earth 's energy budget. In so far as the thermohaline circulation governs the rate at which deep waters reach the surface, it may also significantly influence atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. For a discussion of the possibilities of changes to the thermohaline circulation under global warming, see shutdown of thermohaline circulation. It is often stated that the thermohaline circulation is the primary reason that the climate of Western Europe is so temperate. An alternate hypothesis claims that this is largely incorrect, and that Europe is warm mostly because it lies downwind of an ocean basin, and because atmospheric waves bring warm air north from the subtropics. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current encircles that continent, influencing the area 's climate and connecting currents in several oceans. One of the most dramatic forms of weather occurs over the oceans : tropical cyclones ( also called `` typhoons '' and `` hurricanes '' depending upon where the system forms ). Biology Further information : Marine biology The ocean has a significant effect on the biosphere. Oceanic evaporation, as a phase of the water cycle, is the source of most rainfall, and ocean temperatures determine climate and wind patterns that affect life on land. Life within the ocean evolved 3 billion years prior to life on land. Both the depth and the distance from shore strongly influence the biodiversity of the plants and animals present in each region. Lifeforms native to the ocean include : Fish Radiata such as jellyfish ( Cnidaria ) Cetacea such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises Cephalopods, such as octopus and squid Crustaceans, such as lobsters, shrimp, and krill Marine worms Plankton Echinoderms such as brittle stars, starfish, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars In addition, many land animals have adapted to living a major part of their life on the oceans. For instance, seabirds are a diverse group of birds that have adapted to a life mainly on the oceans. They feed on marine animals and spend most of their lifetime on water, many only going on land for breeding. Other birds that have adapted to oceans as their living space are penguins, seagulls and pelicans. Seven species of turtles, the sea turtles, also spend most of their time in the oceans. Gases Characteristics of oceanic gases Gas Concentration of seawater, by mass ( in parts per million ), for the whole ocean % Dissolved gas, by volume, in seawater at the ocean surface Carbon dioxide ( CO ) 64 to 107 15 % Nitrogen ( N ) 10 to 18 48 % Oxygen ( O ) 0 to 13 36 % Solubility of oceanic gases ( in mL / L ) with temperature at salinity of 33 ‰ and atmospheric pressure Temperature CO 0 ° C 8.14 8,700 14.47 10 ° C 6.42 8,030 11.59 20 ° C 5.26 7,350 9.65 30 ° C 4.41 6,600 8.26 Surface Generalized characteristics of ocean surface by latitude Characteristic Oceanic waters in polar regions Oceanic waters in temperate regions Oceanic waters in tropical regions Precipitation vs. evaporation P > E P > E E > P Sea surface temperature in winter − 2 ° C 5 to 20 ° C 20 to 25 ° C Average salinity 28 ‰ to 32 ‰ 35 ‰ 35 ‰ to 37 ‰ Annual variation of air temperature ≤ 40aC 10 ° C < 5 ° C Annual variation of water temperature < 5aC 10 ° C < 5 ° C Mixing time The residence time is the amount of an element in the ocean divided by the rate at which that element is added to ( or removed from ) the ocean. The mean oceanic mixing time is thought to be approximately 1,600 years. If a given element in the ocean stays in the ocean, on average, longer than the oceanic mixing time, then that element is assumed to be homogeneously spread throughout the ocean. As a result, because the major salts have a residence time that is longer than 1,600 years, the ratio of major salts is thought to be unchanging across the ocean. This constant ratio is often referred to as Forchhammer 's principle or the principle of constant proportions. Mean oceanic residence time for various constituents Constituent Residence time ( in years ) Iron ( Fe ) 200 Aluminum ( Al ) 600 Manganese ( Mn ) 1,300 Water ( H O ) 4,100 Silicon ( Si ) 20,000 Carbonate ( CO ) 110,000 Calcium ( Ca ) 1,000,000 Sulfate ( SO ) 11,000,000 Potassium ( K ) 12,000,000 Magnesium ( Mg ) 13,000,000 Sodium ( Na ) 68,000,000 Chloride ( Cl ) 100,000,000 Salinity A zone of rapid salinity increase with depth is called a halocline. The temperature of maximum density of seawater decreases as its salt content increases. Freezing temperature of water decreases with salinity, and boiling temperature of water increases with salinity. Typical seawater freezes at around − 1.9 ° C at atmospheric pressure. If precipitation exceeds evaporation, as is the case in polar and temperate regions, salinity will be lower. If evaporation exceeds precipitation, as is the case in tropical regions, salinity will be higher. Thus, oceanic waters in polar regions have lower salinity content than oceanic waters in temperate and tropical regions. Salinity can be calculated using the chlorinity, which is a measure of the total mass of halogen ions ( includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine ) in seawater. By international agreement, the following formula is used to determine salinity : Salinity ( in ‰ ) = 1.80655 × Chlorinity ( in ‰ ) The average chlorinity is about 19.2 ‰, and, thus, the average salinity is around 34.7 ‰ Absorption of light Absorption of light in different wavelengths by ocean Color : Wavelength ( nm ) Depth at which 99 percent of the wavelength is absorbed ( in meters ) Percent absorbed in 1 meter of water Ultraviolet ( UV ) : 310 31 14.0 Violet ( V ) : 400 107 4.2 Blue ( B ) : 475 254 1.8 Green ( G ) : 525 113 4.0 Yellow ( Y ) : 575 51 8.7 Orange ( O ) : 600 25 16.7 Red ( R ) : 725 71.0 Infrared ( IR ) : 800 82.0 Economic value Many of the world 's goods are moved by ship between the world 's seaports. Oceans are also the major supply source for the fishing industry. Some of the major harvests are shrimp, fish, crabs, and lobster. Waves and swell Further information : Wind wave See also : Sea § Waves The motions of the ocean surface, known as undulations or waves, are the partial and alternate rising and falling of the ocean surface. The series of mechanical waves that propagate along the interface between water and air is called swell. Extraterrestrial oceans Further information : Extraterrestrial liquid water and List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System Artist 's conception of subsurface ocean of Enceladus confirmed April 3, 2014. Two models for the composition of Europa predict a large subsurface ocean of liquid water. Similar models have been proposed for other celestial bodies in the Solar System. Although Earth is the only known planet with large stable bodies of liquid water on its surface and the only one in the Solar System, other celestial bodies are thought to have large oceans. Planets The gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn, are thought to lack surfaces and instead have a stratum of liquid hydrogen, however their planetary geology is not well understood. The possibility of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune having hot, highly compressed, supercritical water under their thick atmospheres has been hypothesised. Although their composition is still not fully understood, a 2006 study by Wiktorowicz and Ingersall ruled out the possibility of such a water `` ocean '' existing on Neptune, though some studies have suggested that exotic oceans of liquid diamond are possible. The Mars ocean hypothesis suggests that nearly a third of the surface of Mars was once covered by water, though the water on Mars is no longer oceanic ( much of it residing in the ice caps ). The possibility continues to be studied along with reasons for their apparent disappearance. Astronomers think that Venus had liquid water and perhaps oceans in its very early history. If they existed, all later vanished via resurfacing. Natural satellites A global layer of liquid water thick enough to decouple the crust from the mantle is thought to be present on the natural satellites Titan, Europa, Enceladus and, with less certainty, Callisto, Ganymede and Triton. A magma ocean is thought to be present on Io. Geysers have been found on Saturn 's moon Enceladus, possibly originating from about 10 kilometers ( 6.2 mi ) deep ocean beneath an ice shell. Other icy moons may also have internal oceans, or may once have had internal oceans that have now frozen. Large bodies of liquid hydrocarbons are thought to be present on the surface of Titan, although they are not large enough to be considered oceans and are sometimes referred to as lakes or seas. The Cassini -- Huygens space mission initially discovered only what appeared to be dry lakebeds and empty river channels, suggesting that Titan had lost what surface liquids it might have had. Cassini 's more recent fly - by of Titan offers radar images that strongly suggest hydrocarbon lakes exist near the colder polar regions. Titan is thought to have a subsurface liquid - water ocean under the ice and hydrocarbon mix that forms its outer crust. Dwarf planets and trans - neptunian objects Diagram showing a possible internal structure of Ceres Ceres appears to be differentiated into a rocky core and icy mantle and may harbour a liquid - water ocean under its surface. Not enough is known of the larger trans - Neptunian objects to determine whether they are differentiated bodies capable of supporting oceans, although models of radioactive decay suggest that Pluto, Eris, Sedna, and Orcus have oceans beneath solid icy crusts approximately 100 to 180 km thick. Extrasolar Rendering of a hypothetical large extrasolar moon with surface liquid - water oceans Some planets and natural satellites outside the Solar System are likely to have oceans, including possible water ocean planets similar to Earth in the habitable zone or `` liquid - water belt ''. The detection of oceans, even through the spectroscopy method, however is likely extremely difficult and inconclusive. Theoretical models have been used to predict with high probability that GJ 1214 b, detected by transit, is composed of exotic form of ice VII, making up 75 % of its mass, making it an ocean planet. Other possible candidates are merely speculated based on their mass and position in the habitable zone include planet though little is actually known of their composition. Some scientists speculate Kepler - 22b may be an `` ocean - like '' planet. Models have been proposed for Gliese 581 d that could include surface oceans. Gliese 436 b is speculated to have an ocean of `` hot ice ''. Exomoons orbiting planets, particularly gas giants within their parent star 's habitable zone may theoretically have surface oceans. Terrestrial planets will acquire water during their accretion, some of which will be buried in the magma ocean but most of it will go into a steam atmosphere, and when the atmosphere cools it will collapse on to the surface forming an ocean. There will also be outgassing of water from the mantle as the magma solidifies -- this will happen even for planets with a low percentage of their mass composed of water, so `` super-Earth exoplanets may be expected to commonly produce water oceans within tens to hundreds of millions of years of their last major accretionary impact. '' Non-water surface liquids Oceans, seas, lakes and other bodies of liquids can be composed of liquids other than water, for example the hydrocarbon lakes on Titan. The possibility of seas of nitrogen on Triton was also considered but ruled out. There is evidence that the icy surfaces of the moons Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, Titan and Enceladus are shells floating on oceans of very dense liquid water or water -- ammonia. Earth is often called the ocean planet because it is 70 % covered in water. Extrasolar terrestrial planets that are extremely close to their parent star will be tidally locked and so one half of the planet will be a magma ocean. It is also possible that terrestrial planets had magma oceans at some point during their formation as a result of giant impacts. Hot Neptunes close to their star could lose their atmospheres via hydrodynamic escape, leaving behind their cores with various liquids on the surface. Where there are suitable temperatures and pressures, volatile chemicals that might exist as liquids in abundant quantities on planets include ammonia, argon, carbon disulfide, ethane, hydrazine, hydrogen, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, neon, nitrogen, nitric oxide, phosphine, silane, sulfuric acid, and water. Supercritical fluids, although not liquids, do share various properties with liquids. Underneath the thick atmospheres of the planets Uranus and Neptune, it is expected that these planets are composed of oceans of hot high - density fluid mixtures of water, ammonia and other volatiles. The gaseous outer layers of Jupiter and Saturn transition smoothly into oceans of supercritical hydrogen. The atmosphere of Venus is 96.5 % carbon dioxide, which is a supercritical fluid at its surface. See also Oceans portal Ecology portal Environment portal Geography portal Weather portal Biosalinity Blue carbon Brackish water Effects of global warming on oceans European Atlas of the Seas Four Seas International Maritime Organization List of bodies of water by salinity List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System List of oceans with alternative names List of seas Marine debris Marine pollution Ocean acidification Ocean current Ocean general circulation model Ocean governance Ocean rowing Oceanography Oceans ( film ) Ogyges Pelagic zone Physical oceanography Polar seas Saline water Salinity Sea Sea ice Sea in culture Sea level and sea level rise Sea salt Sea state Seawater Seven Seas United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Water Water distribution on Earth Wind wave World Ocean Atlas World Oceans Day On other bodies : Extraterrestrial liquid water Ocean planet Ice planet References Jump up ^ `` Ὠκεανός ''. Perseus Digital Library. Retrieved May 17, 2012. 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Jump up ^ Aguilar, David A. ( 2009 - 12 - 16 ). `` Astronomers Find Super-Earth Using Amateur, Off - the - Shelf Technology ''. Harvard - Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved January 23, 2010. Jump up ^ Mendez Torres, Abel ( 2011 - 12 - 08 ). `` Updates on Exoplanets during the First Kepler Science Conference ''. Planetary Habitability Laboratory at UPR Arecibo. Jump up ^ Fox, Maggie ( May 16, 2007 ). `` Hot `` ice '' may cover recently discovered planet ``. Reuters. Retrieved May 18, 2012. Jump up ^ Elkins - Tanton ( 2010 ). `` Formation of Early Water Oceans on Rocky Planets ''. Astrophysics and Space Science. 332 ( 2 ) : 359 -- 364. Bibcode : 2011Ap&SS. 332... 359E. arXiv : 1011.2710. doi : 10.1007 / s10509 - 010 - 0535 - 3. Jump up ^ McKinnon, William B. ; Kirk, Randolph L. ( 2007 ). `` Triton ''. In Lucy Ann Adams McFadden ; Lucy - Ann Adams ; Paul Robert Weissman ; Torrence V. Johnson. Encyclopedia of the Solar System ( 2nd ed. ). Amsterdam ; Boston : Academic Press. p. 485. ISBN 978 - 0 - 12 - 088589 - 3. Jump up ^ Coustenis, A. ; Lunine, J. ; Lebreton, J. ; Matson, D. ; et al. ( 2008 ). `` American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract # P21A - 1346 ''. American Geophysical Union. 21 : 1346. Bibcode : 2008AGUFM. P21A1346C. the Titan system, rich in organics, containing a vast subsurface ocean of liquid water contribution = ignored ( help ) Jump up ^ Nimmo, F. ; Bills, B.G. ( 2010 ). `` Shell thickness variations and the long - wavelength topography of Titan ''. Icarus. 208 ( 2 ) : 896 -- 904. Bibcode : 2010Icar... 208... 896N. doi : 10.1016 / j. icarus. 2010.02. 020. observations can be explained if Titan has a floating, isostatically - compensated ice shell Jump up ^ Goldreich, Peter M. ; Mitchell, Jonathan L. ( 2010 ). `` Elastic ice shells of synchronous moons : Implications for cracks on Europa and non-synchronous rotation of Titan ''. Icarus. 209 ( 2 ) : 631 -- 638. Bibcode : 2010Icar... 209... 631G. arXiv : 0910.0032. doi : 10.1016 / j. icarus. 2010.04. 013. A number of synchronous moons are thought to harbor water oceans beneath their outer ice shells. A subsurface ocean frictionally decouples the shell from the interior Jump up ^ `` Study of the ice shells and possible subsurface oceans of the Galilean satellites using laser altimeters on board the Europa and Ganymede orbiters JEO and JGO '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Tidal heating and the long - term stability of a subsurface ocean on Enceladus '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Hinrichsen, D ( 2011 - 10 - 03 ). `` The ocean planet ''. People Planet. 7 : 6 -- 9. PMID 12349465. Jump up ^ `` Irrigating Crops with Seawater ''. Scientific American. August 1998. Jump up ^ Schaefer, Laura ; Fegley, Bruce, Jr. ( 2009 ). `` Chemistry of Silicate Atmospheres of Evaporating Super-Earths ''. The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 703 ( 2 ) : L113 -- L117. Bibcode : 2009ApJ... 703L. 113S. arXiv : 0906.1204. doi : 10.1088 / 0004 - 637X / 703 / 2 / L113. Jump up ^ Solomatov, V.S. ( 2000 ). `` Fluid Dynamics of a Terrestrial Magma Ocean '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ Leitner, J.J. ; Lammer, H. ; Odert, P. ; Leitzinger, M. ; et al. ( 2009 ). `` Atmospheric Loss of Sub-Neptune's and Implications for Liquid Phases of Different Solvents on Their Surfaces '' ( PDF ). EPSC Abstracts. 4. EPSC2009 - 542. Jump up ^ Tables 3 and 4 in Bains, William ( 2004 ). `` Many Chemistries Could Be Used to Build Living Systems '' ( PDF ). Astrobiology. Jump up ^ Atreya, S. ; Egeler, P. ; Baines, K. ( 2006 ). `` Water - ammonia ionic ocean on Uranus and Neptune ? '' ( PDF ). Geophysical Research Abstracts. 8 : 05179. Bibcode : 2005AGUFM. P11A0088A. Jump up ^ Guillot, T. ( 1999 ). `` A comparison of the interiors of Jupiter and Saturn ''. Planetary and Space Science. 47 ( 10 -- 11 ) : 1183 -- 200. Bibcode : 1999P&SS... 47.1183 G. arXiv : astro - ph / 9907402. doi : 10.1016 / S0032 - 0633 ( 99 ) 00043 - 4. Jump up ^ Lang, Kenneth R. ( 2003 ). `` Jupiter : a giant primitive planet ''. NASA. Retrieved 2007 - 01 - 10. Further reading Matthias Tomczak and J. Stuart Godfrey. 2003. Regional Oceanography : an Introduction. ( see the site ) Pope, F. 2009. From eternal darkness springs cast of angels and jellied jewels. in The Times. November 23. 2009 pp. 16 -- 17. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ocean. Wikiquote has quotations related to : Oceans Look up ocean in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Oceans at DMOZ Smithsonian Ocean Portal NOAA -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- Ocean Ocean : : Science Daily Ocean - bearing Planets : Looking For Extraterrestrial Life In All The Right Places Titan Likely To Have Huge Underground Ocean Mind Blowing Science Origins of the oceans and continents ``. UN Atlas of the Oceans. Earth 's oceans and seas Arctic Ocean Amundsen Gulf Barents Sea Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea East Siberian Sea Greenland Sea Gulf of Boothia Kara Sea Laptev Sea Lincoln Sea Prince Gustav Adolf Sea Pechora Sea Queen Victoria Sea Wandel Sea White Sea Atlantic Ocean Adriatic Sea Aegean Sea Alboran Sea Archipelago Sea Argentine Sea Baffin Bay Balearic Sea Baltic Sea Bay of Biscay Bay of Bothnia Bay of Campeche Bay of Fundy Black Sea Bothnian Sea Caribbean Sea Celtic Sea English Channel Foxe Basin Greenland Sea Gulf of Bothnia Gulf of Finland Gulf of Lion Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Maine Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Saint Lawrence Gulf of Sidra Gulf of Venezuela Hudson Bay Ionian Sea Irish Sea Irminger Sea James Bay Labrador Sea Levantine Sea Libyan Sea Ligurian Sea Marmara Sea Mediterranean Sea Myrtoan Sea North Sea Norwegian Sea Sargasso Sea Sea of Åland Sea of Azov Sea of Crete Sea of the Hebrides Thracian Sea Tyrrhenian Sea Wadden Sea Indian Ocean Andaman Sea Arabian Sea Bali Sea Bay of Bengal Flores Sea Great Australian Bight Gulf of Aden Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Khambhat Gulf of Kutch Gulf of Oman Gulf of Suez Java Sea Laccadive Sea Mozambique Channel Persian Gulf Red Sea Timor Sea Pacific Ocean Arafura Sea Banda Sea Bering Sea Bismarck Sea Bohai Sea Bohol Sea Camotes Sea Celebes Sea Ceram Sea Chilean Sea Coral Sea East China Sea Gulf of Alaska Gulf of Anadyr Gulf of California Gulf of Carpentaria Gulf of Fonseca Gulf of Panama Gulf of Thailand Gulf of Tonkin Halmahera Sea Koro Sea Mar de Grau Molucca Sea Moro Gulf Philippine Sea Salish Sea Savu Sea Sea of Japan Sea of Okhotsk Seto Inland Sea Shantar Sea Sibuyan Sea Solomon Sea South China Sea Sulu Sea Tasman Sea Visayan Sea Yellow Sea Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea Bellingshausen Sea Cooperation Sea Cosmonauts Sea Davis Sea D'Urville Sea King Haakon VII Sea Lazarev Sea Mawson Sea Riiser - Larsen Sea Ross Sea Scotia Sea Somov Sea Weddell Sea Endorheic basins Aral Sea Caspian Sea Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Salton Sea Book Category Physical oceanography Waves Airy wave theory Ballantine scale Benjamin -- Feir instability Boussinesq approximation Breaking wave Clapotis Cnoidal wave Cross sea Dispersion Edge wave Equatorial waves Fetch Gravity wave Green 's law Infragravity wave Internal wave Iribarren number Kelvin wave Kinematic wave Longshore drift Luke 's variational principle Mild - slope equation Radiation stress Rogue wave Rossby wave Rossby - gravity waves Sea state Seiche Significant wave height Soliton Stokes boundary layer Stokes drift Stokes wave Swell Trochoidal wave Tsunami megatsunami Undertow Ursell number Wave action Wave base Wave height Wave power Wave radar Wave setup Wave shoaling Wave turbulence Wave -- current interaction Waves and shallow water one - dimensional Saint - Venant equations shallow water equations Wind wave model Circulation Atmospheric circulation Baroclinity Boundary current Coriolis force Coriolis -- Stokes force Craik -- Leibovich vortex force Downwelling Eddy Ekman layer Ekman spiral Ekman transport El Niño -- Southern Oscillation General circulation model Geostrophic current Global Ocean Data Analysis Project Gulf Stream Halothermal circulation Humboldt Current Hydrothermal circulation Langmuir circulation Longshore drift Loop Current Modular Ocean Model Ocean dynamics Ocean gyre Princeton Ocean Model Rip current Subsurface currents Sverdrup balance Thermohaline circulation shutdown Upwelling Whirlpool World Ocean Circulation Experiment Tides Amphidromic point Earth tide Head of tide Internal tide Lunitidal interval Perigean spring tide Rip tide Rule of twelfths Slack water Tidal bore Tidal force Tidal power Tidal race Tidal range Tidal resonance Tide gauge Tideline Landforms Abyssal fan Abyssal plain Atoll Bathymetric chart Coastal geography Cold seep Continental margin Continental rise Continental shelf Contourite Guyot Hydrography Oceanic basin Oceanic plateau Oceanic trench Passive margin Seabed Seamount Submarine canyon Submarine volcano Plate tectonics Convergent boundary Divergent boundary Fracture zone Hydrothermal vent Marine geology Mid-ocean ridge Mohorovičić discontinuity Vine -- Matthews -- Morley hypothesis Oceanic crust Outer trench swell Ridge push Seafloor spreading Slab pull Slab suction Slab window Subduction Transform fault Volcanic arc Ocean zones Benthic Deep ocean water Deep sea Littoral Mesopelagic Oceanic Pelagic Photic Surf Swash Sea level Deep - ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis Future sea level Global Sea Level Observing System North West Shelf Operational Oceanographic System Sea - level curve Sea level rise World Geodetic System Acoustics Deep scattering layer Hydroacoustics Ocean acoustic tomography Sofar bomb SOFAR channel Underwater acoustics Satellites Jason - 1 Jason - 2 ( Ocean Surface Topography Mission ) Jason - 3 Related Argo Benthic lander Color of water DSV Alvin Marginal sea Marine energy Marine pollution Mooring National Oceanographic Data Center Ocean Ocean exploration Ocean observations Ocean reanalysis Ocean surface topography Ocean thermal energy conversion Oceanography Pelagic sediment Sea surface microlayer Sea surface temperature Seawater Science On a Sphere Thermocline Underwater glider Water column World Ocean Atlas Category Commons Earth Continents Africa Antarctica Asia Australia Europe North America South America Oceans Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean Earth Geography Geology Future of Earth Geological history of Earth History of Earth Plate tectonics Structure of the Earth Environment Biome Ecology Ecosystem Nature Wilderness Related Earth Day Earth science Geologic record Geology of solar terrestrial planets Location in Universe Solar System World Category Portal Earth sciences Regions of the world Regions of Africa North Mediterranean Gibraltar Arc Greater Middle East MENA Middle East Maghreb Barbary Coast Barbara Ancient Libya Atlas Mountains ( Middle Atlas ) Sahara Western Sahara Sahel Eastern Mediterranean Egypt Upper Egypt Middle Egypt Lower Egypt Cataracts of the Nile Bashmur Nubia Lower Nubia Nile Valley Nile Delta Darfur Gulf of Aqaba Sub-Saharan East Aethiopia Swahili coast East African Rift Great Rift Valley Afar Triangle Danakil Desert Danakil Alps Albertine Rift Virunga Mountains Gregory Rift Valley Southern Rift Valley Rift Valley lakes African Great Lakes Mittelafrika Horn of Africa Ethiopian Highlands Gulf of Aden Gulf of Tadjoura Sudan ( region ) Sudanian Savanna East African montane forests Sub-Saharan Central Negroland Guinea region Gulf of Guinea Cape Lopez Mayombe Igboland Mbaise Maputaland Pool Malebo Congo Basin Chad Basin Congolese rainforests Ouaddaï highlands Ennedi Plateau Sub-Saharan West Pepper Coast Gold Coast Slave Coast Ivory Coast Cape Palmas Cape Mesurado Negroland Guinea region Gulf of Guinea Sudanian Savanna Niger Basin Guinean Forests of West Africa Sudan ( region ) Niger Delta Inner Niger Delta Sub-Saharan South Madagascar Central Highlands ( Madagascar ) Northern Highlands Rhodesia North South Thembuland Succulent Karoo Nama Karoo Bushveld Highveld Fynbos Cape Floristic Region Kalahari Desert Okavango Delta False Bay Hydra Bay Sub-Saharan Anglophone Africa Francophone Africa Lusophone Africa Arabophone Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Tropical Africa Islands Regions of North America Canada Eastern Canada Western Canada Canadian Prairies Central Canada Northern Canada Atlantic Canada The Maritimes French Canada English Canada Acadia Acadian Peninsula Quebec City -- Windsor Corridor Peace River Country Cypress Hills Palliser 's Triangle Canadian Shield Interior Alaska - Yukon lowland taiga Newfoundland ( island ) Vancouver island Gulf Islands Strait of Georgia Canadian Arctic Archipelago Labrador Peninsula Gaspé Peninsula Avalon Peninsula Bay de Verde Peninsula Brodeur Peninsula Melville Peninsula Bruce Peninsula Banks Peninsula ( Nunavut ) Cook Peninsula Gulf of Boothia Georgian Bay Hudson Bay James Bay Greenland United States Pacific Northwest Inland Northwest Northeast New England Mid-Atlantic Commonwealth West Midwest Upper Midwest Mountain States Intermountain West Basin and Range Province Oregon Trail Mormon Corridor Calumet Region Southwest Old Southwest Llano Estacado Frontier Strip Central United States Tallgrass prairie South South Central Deep South Upland South Four Corners East Coast West Coast Gulf Coast Third Coast Coastal states Eastern United States Appalachia Trans - Mississippi Great North Woods Great Plains Interior Plains Great Lakes Great Basin Great Basin Desert Acadia Ozarks Ark - La - Tex Waxhaws Siouxland Twin Tiers Driftless Area Palouse Piedmont Atlantic coastal plain Outer Lands Black Dirt Region Blackstone Valley Piney Woods Rocky Mountains Mojave Desert The Dakotas The Carolinas Shawnee Hills San Fernando Valley Tornado Alley North Coast Lost Coast Emerald Triangle San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco Bay North Bay ( San Francisco Bay Area ) East Bay ( San Francisco Bay Area ) Silicon Valley Interior Alaska - Yukon lowland taiga Gulf of Mexico Lower Colorado River Valley Sacramento -- San Joaquin River Delta Yukon -- Kuskokwim Delta Colville Delta Arkansas Delta Mobile -- Tensaw River Delta Mississippi Delta Mississippi River Delta Columbia River Estuary Great Basin High Desert Monterey Peninsula Upper Peninsula of Michigan Lower Peninsula of Michigan Virginia Peninsula Keweenaw Peninsula Middle Peninsula Delmarva Peninsula Alaska Peninsula Kenai Peninsula Niagara Peninsula Beringia Belt regions Bible Belt Black Belt Corn Belt Cotton Belt Frost Belt Rice Belt Rust Belt Sun Belt Snow Belt Mexico Northern Mexico Baja California Peninsula Gulf of California Colorado River Delta Gulf of Mexico Soconusco Tierra Caliente La Mixteca La Huasteca Bajío Valley of Mexico Mezquital Valley Sierra Madre de Oaxaca Yucatán Peninsula Basin and Range Province Central Western Caribbean Zone Isthmus of Panama Gulf of Panama Pearl Islands Azuero Peninsula Mosquito Coast Caribbean West Indies Antilles Greater Antilles Lesser Antilles Leeward Leeward Antilles Windward Lucayan Archipelago Southern Caribbean Aridoamerica Mesoamerica Oasisamerica Northern Middle Anglo Latin French Hispanic American Cordillera Ring of Fire LAC Regions of South America North Caribbean South America West Indies Los Llanos The Guianas Amazon basin Amazon rainforest Gulf of Paria Paria Peninsula Paraguaná Peninsula Orinoco Delta South Tierra del Fuego Patagonia Pampas Pantanal Gran Chaco Chiquitano dry forests Valdes Peninsula West Andes Tropical Andes Wet Andes Dry Andes Pariacaca mountain range Altiplano Atacama Desert East Amazon basin Atlantic Forest Caatinga Cerrado Latin Hispanic American Cordillera Ring of Fire LAC Regions of Asia Central Greater Middle East Aral Sea Aralkum Desert Caspian Sea Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Transoxiana Turan Greater Khorasan Ariana Khwarezm Sistan Kazakhstania Eurasian Steppe Asian Steppe Kazakh Steppe Pontic -- Caspian steppe Mongolian - Manchurian grassland Wild Fields Yedisan Muravsky Trail Ural Ural Mountains Volga region Idel - Ural Kolyma Transbaikal Pryazovia Bjarmaland Kuban Zalesye Ingria Novorossiya Gornaya Shoriya Tulgas Iranian Plateau Altai Mountains Pamir Mountains Tian Shan Badakhshan Wakhan Corridor Wakhjir Pass Mount Imeon Mongolian Plateau Western Regions Taklamakan Desert Karakoram Trans - Karakoram Tract Siachen Glacier North Inner Asia Northeast Far East Russian Far East Okhotsk - Manchurian taiga Extreme North Siberia Baikalia ( Lake Baikal ) Transbaikal Khatanga Gulf Baraba steppe Kamchatka Peninsula Amur Basin Yenisei Gulf Yenisei Basin Beringia Sikhote - Alin East Japanese archipelago Northeastern Japan Arc Sakhalin Island Arc Korean Peninsula Gobi Desert Taklamakan Desert Greater Khingan Mongolian Plateau Inner Asia Inner Mongolia Outer Mongolia China proper Manchuria Outer Manchuria Inner Manchuria Northeast China Plain Mongolian - Manchurian grassland North China Plain Yan_Mountains Kunlun Mountains Liaodong Peninsula Himalayas Tibetan Plateau Tibet Tarim Basin Northern Silk Road Hexi Corridor Nanzhong Lingnan Liangguang Jiangnan Jianghuai Guanzhong Huizhou Wu Jiaozhou Zhongyuan Shaannan Ordos Loop Loess Plateau Shaanbei Hamgyong Mountains Central Mountain Range Japanese Alps Suzuka Mountains Leizhou Peninsula Gulf of Tonkin Yangtze River Delta Pearl River Delta Yenisei Basin Altai Mountains Wakhan Corridor Wakhjir Pass West Greater Middle East MENA Middle East Red Sea Caspian Sea Mediterranean Sea Zagros Mountains Persian Gulf Pirate Coast Strait of Hormuz Greater and Lesser Tunbs Al - 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Question: the hydrosphere composes approximately what percent of the earths surface
Answer: 70.9