Editing Timor Sea (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:Timor See.jpg|thumb|left|Timor Sea and neighbouring seas]]
The waters to the east are known as the [[Arafura Sea]]. The Timor Sea is adjacent to three substantial inlets on the north Australian coast, the [[Joseph Bonaparte Gulf]], [[Beagle Gulf]] and the [[Van Diemen Gulf]]. The Australian city of [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] which is located in part on the shore of the Beagle Gulf, is the nearest large city to the sea.<ref name="Tiwi">{{cite web |title=Survey Plan CP/5090 - localities within the Tiwi sub-region |url=http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/hpa-services/surveyplans?planname=CP/5090 |website=Place Names Committee |publisher=Northern Territory Government of Australia |access-date=1 May 2019 |date=5 April 2007}}</ref> The small town of [[Wyndham, Western Australia|Wyndham]] is located on the west arm of [[Cambridge Gulf]], an inlet of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.

Rivers that enter the Timor Sea from the Northern Territory include [[Fish River (Northern Territory)|Fish River]], [[King River (Northern Territory)|King River]], [[Dry River (Northern Territory)|Dry River]], [[Victoria River (Northern Territory)|Victoria River]] and the [[Alligator Rivers]]. Rivers in the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] region that flows into the Timor Sea include the [[Ord River]], [[Forrest River]], [[Pentecost River]] and [[Durack River]].

The sea is about {{cvt|480|km}} wide, covering an area of about {{convert|610|e3km2|mi2|abbr=unit}}. Its deepest point is the [[Timor Trough]] (which some geologists consider to be the south-eastern extension of the [[Java Trench]], but others view it as a foreland trough to the Timor Island "mountain range"), located in the northern part of the sea, which reaches a depth of {{cvt|3,300|m}}. The remainder of the sea is much shallower, much of it averaging less than {{cvt|200|m}} deep, as it overlies the [[Sahul Shelf]], part of the Australian [[continental shelf]].

The Big Bank Shoals is an area on the sloping seabed between the continental shelf and the Timor Trough where a number of submerged banks are located.<ref name="aims">{{cite web |url=http://www.aims.gov.au/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=703cba58-6526-44e4-91eb-7ef84e4ba25d&groupId=30301 |title=Big Bank Shoals of the Timor Sea |access-date=4 June 2010 |date=30 August 2001 |publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science }}</ref> The ecosystem of the shoals differs significantly from the deeper waters surrounding them. In May 2010, it was announced that a crater about {{cvt|50|km}} wide has been discovered on the seabed of the Timor Sea.<ref name="ag">{{cite web |url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/vast-asteroid-crater-found-in-timor-sea.htm |title=Vast asteroid crater found in Timor Sea |author=Jess Teideman |access-date=31 May 2010 |date=21 May 2010 |publisher=[[Australian Geographic]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524213811/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/vast-asteroid-crater-found-in-timor-sea.htm |archive-date=24 May 2010 }}</ref>

=== Extent ===
[[File:TC Floyd 22 mar 2006 0235Z.jpg|thumb|right|[[2005–06 Australian region cyclone season#Severe Tropical Cyclone Floyd|Tropical cyclone Floyd]] over the Timor Sea, 2006]]
The [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) defines the Timor Sea as being one of the waters of the [[East Indian Archipelago]]. The IHO defines its limits as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-23/S-23_Ed3_1953_EN.pdf |title=Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition |year=1953 |publisher=International Hydrographic Organization |access-date=28 December 2020|page=28 }}</ref>
<blockquote>
''On the North'' The Southeastern limit of the [[Savu Sea]] [By a line from the Southwest point of [[Timor]] to the Northeast point of [[Rote Island|Roti]], through this island to its Southwest point] the Southeastern coast of Timor and the Southern limit of the [[Banda Sea]] [A line from Tanjong Aro Oesoe, through Sermata to Tanjong Njadora the Southeast point of Lakov ({{coord|8|16|S|128|14|E|display=inline}}) along the South coasts of Lakov, Moa and [[Leti Islands]] to Tanjong Toet Pateh, the West point of Leti, thence a line to Tanjong Sewirawa the Eastern extremity of Timor].

''On the East.'' The Western [limit] of the [[Arafura Sea]] [A line from Cape Don to Tanjong Aro Oesoe, the Southern point of Selaroe ([[Tanimbar Islands]])].

''On the South.'' The North coast of [[Australia]] from [[Cape Don Light|Cape Don]] to [[Cape Londonderry]] ({{coord|13|47|S|126|55|E|display=inline}}).

''On the West.'' A line from Cape Londonderry to the Southwest point of [[Rote Island|Roti Island]]
({{coord|10|56|S|122|48|E|display=inline}}).
</blockquote>

=== Meteorology ===
Many tropical storms and [[cyclone]]s originate or pass through the Timor Sea. In February 2005, Tropical Cyclone Vivienne disrupted oil and gas production facilities in the area, and the next month, Severe Tropical Cyclone Willy interrupted production.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}} Petroleum production facilities are designed to withstand the effects of cyclones, although as a safety precaution production work is often reduced or temporarily halted and workers evacuated by helicopter to the mainland - usually to Darwin or [[Dili]].

=== Reefs and islands ===
[[File:ESC large ISS005 ISS005-E-15298.JPG|thumb|right|August 2005 NASA satellite photograph of the [[Rowley Shoals]]]]
A number of significant islands are located in the sea, notably [[Melville Island (Northern Territory)|Melville Island]], part of the [[Tiwi Islands]], off Australia and the Australian-governed [[Ashmore and Cartier Islands]]. It is thought that early humans reached Australia by "island-hopping" across the Timor Sea.

[[Scott and Seringapatam Reefs]] formed in the area and to the west, on the same underwater platform, are the [[Rowley Shoals]].