The Southern Ocean

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The Southern Ocean also known by the names the Great Southern Ocean, Antarctic Ocean, South Polar Ocean and Austral Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean. It is the fourth largest of the five oceans.

This ocean zone is cold in northward flowing waters from the Antarctic mix with warmer subantarctic waters.

The Southern Ocean includes the Antarctic Circumpolar and parts of the Drake Passage, a part of the Scotia Sea, the Weddell Sea, the King Haakon VII Sea, the Lazarev Sea, the Riiser-Larsen Sea, the Cosmonaut Sea, the Cooperation Sea, the Davis Sea, the Mawson Sea, the D'Urville Sea, the Somov Sea the Ross Sea, the Amundsen Sea, and the Bellingshausen Sea.

Due to increase in solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole has reduced marine primary productivity by as much as 15% and has started damaging the DNA of some fish. 

Icebergs can occur at any time of year throughout the ocean. Some may have drafts up to several hundred also pose problems for ships.