Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Where is the boundary of the Southern Ocean usually placed?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
ocean
Earth's oceans and their marginal seas cover nearly 71 percent of the planet's surface.
The boundary of the Southern Ocean is most commonly defined as the waters surrounding Antarctica that lie south of 60° S latitude.123
While this latitudinal coordinate serves as a widely accepted limit, the region is also characterized by the Antarctic Convergence. This is a major boundary zone where cold, dense Antarctic surface waters meet and sink beneath warmer sub-Antarctic waters, creating a significant biological and hydrological transition.43