A sound refers to a specific type of water body often characterized by its deep, wide, and relatively long shape. These aquatic features connect larger bodies of water or separate landmasses, such as an island from a mainland.
Defining a Sound
A sound is a large inlet of the sea or ocean, forming a distinct body of water. It is deeper and wider than a channel or strait, allowing for significant water flow and navigation. Sounds link two larger bodies of water, like oceans or seas, or they can be situated between a mainland and an island. Their considerable depth often allows for the passage of large vessels.
Sounds vary significantly in width, from a few miles to many tens of miles across, and can extend for over a hundred miles in length. Water within a sound is usually saline, as it is directly connected to an ocean or sea, though freshwater input from rivers can slightly reduce salinity near coastal areas. Strong currents are common due to the exchange of tidal waters with the open sea.
How Sounds Form
Sounds form through geological processes involving changes in sea level or tectonic activity. One common mechanism is the submergence of river valleys, creating rias. As sea levels rise, the lower parts of a river system become inundated, forming an elongated, branching inlet that maintains the characteristics of the original river valley. This process often results in irregular coastlines with numerous smaller coves and bays.
Glacial erosion also contributes to the formation of some sounds. While fjords are typically narrow and steep-sided valleys carved by glaciers, sounds can form from broader glacial troughs that become flooded by rising sea levels. These glacially-influenced sounds tend to be wider and less dramatically steep than classic fjords. They often exhibit deep basins carved by the immense power of moving ice sheets.
Tectonic activity, such as the sinking of land along fault lines, can also create depressions that fill with water to form sounds. Additionally, the separation of islands from the mainland by erosion or changes in sea level can result in a body of water that fits the definition of a sound. These varied geological histories contribute to the diverse forms and characteristics observed in sounds globally.
Sounds Compared to Other Water Bodies
Distinguishing sounds from other water bodies like bays, straits, fjords, and channels is important. A bay is typically a broad, curving indentation of the coastline, often more enclosed and generally shallower than a sound. Bays usually have a single opening to a larger body of water, whereas sounds frequently connect two larger water masses or separate a landmass from an island.
Straits are narrow passages of water connecting two larger bodies of water, often much narrower than a sound. While both can connect larger water bodies, a sound is defined by its greater width and often longer extent. Fjords are glacially carved inlets, characterized by their steep, cliff-lined sides and U-shaped cross-sections, making them typically much deeper and narrower than most sounds. A sound, though it can be glacially influenced, generally lacks the extreme vertical relief of a fjord.
An inlet is a general term for any narrow strip of water extending into the land from a larger body of water. While a sound is a type of inlet, not all inlets are sounds; an inlet can be smaller, shallower, or lack the specific geographical connections or separating features of a sound. Channels are similar to straits in being narrower passages, often used for navigation, but a sound is typically a larger, more expansive body of water than a simple channel. These distinctions highlight the unique combination of depth, width, and connectivity that defines a sound.
Notable Sounds Around the World
Many significant sounds exist across the globe. Puget Sound, located in Washington, is a deep inlet of the Pacific Ocean, characterized by its numerous islands and intricate coastline, supporting a rich marine ecosystem and major port cities.
Long Island Sound, situated between Long Island, New York, and the coast of Connecticut, is another prominent example. This sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, receiving freshwater input from several rivers, and is important for commercial and recreational activities. Its waters are influenced by tidal flows from the Atlantic.
The Georgia Strait, also known in part as the Salish Sea, separates Vancouver Island from the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. This sound is a large and ecologically diverse marine environment, known for its significant salmon runs and whale populations. These examples illustrate the varied geographical settings and ecological importance of sounds worldwide.