The Arctic Ocean, located mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest of the world's five oceans and the shallowest. Even though the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, oceanographers may call it the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or simply the Arctic Sea, classifying it as one of the mediterranean seas of the Atlantic Ocean.Much of the ocean is covered by sea ice, either during the colder months or year-round. The Arctic Ocean's temperature and salinity vary seasonally as the ice cover melts and freezes;http://psc.apl.washington.edu/HLD/Lomo/OM2001AagaardWoodgate.pdf Some Thoughts on the Freezing and Melting of Sea Ice and Their Effects on the Ocean K.