THE PERIPHERAL DEEP SEAS
273
115º
120º
125º
130º
135ºE
-10º
-5º
0º
5º
10º
15º
PACIFIC
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
45 00
45 00
4 5 0 0
300 0
1500
45 00
1 5 0 0
3000
4 5 0 0
45 00
1 5 0 0
300 0
300 0
3000
30 00
4 5 0 0
3
0
0
0
3000
Timor Sea
Melville Isl.
Tanimbar Isl.
Arafura Sea
Aru Isl.
3 0 0 0
15 00
15 00
15 00
3 0 0 0
1 5 0 0
3000
Sulawesi Sea
4500
3 0 0 0
1 5 0 0
1500
3 0 0 0
4 5 0 0
4 5 0 0
3000
45 00
45 00
3000
Molucca
Sea
Ph ili pp in es Tr en ch
South China Sea
P a l a w a n
t r o u g h
Sula Isl.
Obimajor
Missol
Irian Jaya
Seram
Sulawesi
Kalimantan
Mahakam delta
Java Sea
Madura
Bali Sea
Bali
Java
B al i
S tr .
Sawu
Sea
L a m b o k
S u m b a w a
Sumba
T im
o r
Flores
Roti
Banda
Sea
Buru
Halmahera
Waigeo
Mindanao
Sulu
Sea
P a l a w a n
Kai
Isl.
1 5 0 0
M
a k a s a r S t r a i t
N
-10º
-5º
0º
5º
10º
15º
115º
120º
125º
130º
135º
Fig. 9.8. Indonesian seas. Bathymetry. Redrawn from Tomczak and Godfrey (1994).
seas but it is strictly outside the Lesser Sunda Islands
(Fig. 9.9). Also included are the Sulawesi Sea (formerly
the Celebes Sea, >4500 m) and the Sulu Sea (4500 m).
Below a depth of 1500 to 2000 m, depending on the sill,
these deep basins are separated from the Pacific and
Indian Oceans (Van Aken et al., 1988). The basins are
generally, however, kept flushed and thus oxygenated
by the inflow of water from the adjacent oceans,
particularly from the Pacific. The exception is the Sulu
Sea, which has low oxygen and high temperature at
depth (Kuehl et al., 1993). The basins are of tectonic
origin, and in the past low stands of the sea level have
had an impact on the fauna, resulting in the so-called
Wallace’s Line (Fleminger, 1986).
Hydrography
The flow of water between the Indonesian islands
is driven by the sea-level gradient between the Pacific
and Indian Oceans (Kinkade et al., 1997). The main
influx of water into these basins is over the sill
of the Strait of Lifamatola (depth 1950 to 2000 m)
(Fig. 9.9) to the west of Obi on the island of Halmahera
(Van Aken et al., 1988). This water flows into the
Buru Basin, mixing with overlying waters on the way.
Intermediate waters closely resemble North Pacific
Intermediate Water. Flow is also modified by the local
monsoon regime. The main flow enters and sinks
into the Banda Basin. Oxygen levels are lower in
the Banda Basin than in the Pacific, as deep welloxygenated water is prevented from entering the Banda
Basin by the Lifamatola Sill. Only in the Savu Basin
273
115º
120º
125º
130º
135ºE
-10º
-5º
0º
5º
10º
15º
PACIFIC
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
45 00
45 00
4 5 0 0
300 0
1500
45 00
1 5 0 0
3000
4 5 0 0
45 00
1 5 0 0
300 0
300 0
3000
30 00
4 5 0 0
3
0
0
0
3000
Timor Sea
Melville Isl.
Tanimbar Isl.
Arafura Sea
Aru Isl.
3 0 0 0
15 00
15 00
15 00
3 0 0 0
1 5 0 0
3000
Sulawesi Sea
4500
3 0 0 0
1 5 0 0
1500
3 0 0 0
4 5 0 0
4 5 0 0
3000
45 00
45 00
3000
Molucca
Sea
Ph ili pp in es Tr en ch
South China Sea
P a l a w a n
t r o u g h
Sula Isl.
Obimajor
Missol
Irian Jaya
Seram
Sulawesi
Kalimantan
Mahakam delta
Java Sea
Madura
Bali Sea
Bali
Java
B al i
S tr .
Sawu
Sea
L a m b o k
S u m b a w a
Sumba
T im
o r
Flores
Roti
Banda
Sea
Buru
Halmahera
Waigeo
Mindanao
Sulu
Sea
P a l a w a n
Kai
Isl.
1 5 0 0
M
a k a s a r S t r a i t
N
-10º
-5º
0º
5º
10º
15º
115º
120º
125º
130º
135º
Fig. 9.8. Indonesian seas. Bathymetry. Redrawn from Tomczak and Godfrey (1994).
seas but it is strictly outside the Lesser Sunda Islands
(Fig. 9.9). Also included are the Sulawesi Sea (formerly
the Celebes Sea, >4500 m) and the Sulu Sea (4500 m).
Below a depth of 1500 to 2000 m, depending on the sill,
these deep basins are separated from the Pacific and
Indian Oceans (Van Aken et al., 1988). The basins are
generally, however, kept flushed and thus oxygenated
by the inflow of water from the adjacent oceans,
particularly from the Pacific. The exception is the Sulu
Sea, which has low oxygen and high temperature at
depth (Kuehl et al., 1993). The basins are of tectonic
origin, and in the past low stands of the sea level have
had an impact on the fauna, resulting in the so-called
Wallace’s Line (Fleminger, 1986).
Hydrography
The flow of water between the Indonesian islands
is driven by the sea-level gradient between the Pacific
and Indian Oceans (Kinkade et al., 1997). The main
influx of water into these basins is over the sill
of the Strait of Lifamatola (depth 1950 to 2000 m)
(Fig. 9.9) to the west of Obi on the island of Halmahera
(Van Aken et al., 1988). This water flows into the
Buru Basin, mixing with overlying waters on the way.
Intermediate waters closely resemble North Pacific
Intermediate Water. Flow is also modified by the local
monsoon regime. The main flow enters and sinks
into the Banda Basin. Oxygen levels are lower in
the Banda Basin than in the Pacific, as deep welloxygenated water is prevented from entering the Banda
Basin by the Lifamatola Sill. Only in the Savu Basin