Salinity of the Red Sea. What explains the high salinity of the Red Sea

The world ocean occupies 2/3 of the surface of our planet. It is distinguished, among other factors, by the increased salinity of water. This indicator depends on the content of dissolved substances in 1 kg of liquid. They are more than 50. This indicator is expressed in ppm (‰). This is a tenth of a percent.

On the average, the salinity on the surface of the ocean is 32-37 . If you go deeper into the living environment of most living things, then this indicator can be fixed at around 34-35 . But not all seas have the same level of the indicator presented. значительно превышает этот уровень. The salinity of the Red Sea considerably exceeds this level. There are several explanations for this phenomenon. It will be interesting to learn about them for everyone.

General information

Investigating the presented topic, it is first of all necessary to recall where the Red Sea is located on the world map. This reservoir is located between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. Its length from the southeast to the northwest is 1,932 km. The width of the sea is 280 km. The area of the Red Sea is 460 thousand km ².

The average depth is determined at 437 m, and the deepest point reaches 3039 m. This sea belongs to the basin of the Indian Ocean, with which it is connected by a narrow strait Bab-el-Mandebsky. In the north there is a message through the Suez Canal with the Mediterranean Sea.

The width of the channel of communication of the sea with the Indian Ocean is very small (only about 26-120 km). Therefore, the depression in which the reservoir is located is considered the most isolated in the basin. The Red Sea is considered one of the youngest.

Bottom relief

, также следует уделить внимание его рельефу. Considering the Red Sea on the world map , you should also pay attention to its relief. The shelf is clearly distinguished here. Its width increases from north to south. At a depth of 120-200 m the shelf passes into the steep slope of the mainland slope. This is the main trough. It is located at a depth of 500 to 2000 km.

Underwater terrain is rich in mountain massifs, ridges and series of steps. A narrow deep fault is passing along the depression axis. This is an axial chute. In the 1960s, several deep brines were discovered by scientists in its central part (about 2,000 km deep). Their composition is unique.

Brines appeared due to underwater tectonic activity. In more than 15 cavities of the axial chute, many underwater mineral springs with a salinity of more than 250 ныне are now found. This fact also has some influence on the water composition of the Red Sea.

The climate of the reservoir

. Specific weather conditions also affect the salinity of the Red Sea . It is located in the continental tropical climate. Therefore, high air temperatures prevail here, which varies according to the season.

Over the northern part is somewhat colder. In winter, it here is an average of +15 ° C, and in the summer - +27 ° C. In the south at the same time, this figure reaches + 20 ° C in January and +32 ° C in August.

The amount of precipitation over the sea can be characterized as low. This figure does not exceed 50 mm per year. Rains often take place in the form of showers. The value of evaporation during the year is about 200 mm. This high evaporation of water is also an important factor in increasing salinity.

Storm activity is rather low. It increases in winter. More often storms occur in the northern part of the reservoir.

Water exchange and hydrocirculation

, стоит уделить внимание его водообмену. Studying what explains the high salinity of the Red Sea , it is worth paying attention to its water exchange. This factor also explains the increased level of salinity. It should be noted that no river flows into the Red Sea. Water exchange occurs only through the channels of its communication with the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait comes about 1-1,3 thousand km. Cu. water. This indicator exceeds the volume of water flowing through the Gulf of Aden. The remainder is spent on evaporation. Also, these waters fill the negative value of the fresh balance.

This is a closed structure, which is built on the processes of interaction with the atmosphere. The wind forms summer and winter water circulation. This, in turn, determines the conditions for the flow of water from the Gulf of Aden. These masses affect the upper layers of the reservoir. Due to the prevailing situation, the distribution of hydrological characteristics in the north is fairly uniform. In the south, a complex structure of water masses appears.

Salinity

объясняется происходящими в нем процессами. The distribution of the salinity of the waters of the Red Sea is explained by the processes occurring in it. In the south due to hydro-exchange processes, this indicator is lower - 36 . But in the northern regions it reaches 42 .

The waters of the Gulf of Aden are warmer and less salty. They move in the upper layers from south to north. In winter they meet with colder and salty waters of the Red Sea.

In the intermediate water layer at a depth of 200-500 m, relatively constant salinity and temperature are determined. Both in the north and in the south this figure is 40-40.5 .

The deep layer is formed in the process of convective motion of water masses. It is determined at a level from 500 m and lower. Here the water temperature is quite high. It reaches +22 ° C, and its salinity is more than 40 ‰. Deep masses move in a southerly direction. In these layers, mineral brines are determined. Their influence on the water layers has so far been little studied.

Convective mixing

меняется в результате остывания и нагревания масс в зимний и летний период. The density of water in the Red Sea varies as a result of cooling and heating of the masses in the winter and summer. This is called convective motion. The heated water has a lower density. It rises, displacing the colder and denser masses into the depths.

This process accompanies good mixing of water in the sea. Practically in all depths and territories salinity is characterized by uniformity. Underwater tectonic faults release heat and salt streams in the depths of the sea. Therefore, the reservoir is heated at the bottom. This also contributes to convective mixing of the masses.

The features of the presented water system listed above explain why the Red Sea is the most salty among all water bodies of the World Ocean.

Why is the water salty?

As it was said above, the deep water shows the highest salinity of the Red Sea (in percent these masses are 75 parts of the total volume of the reservoir). This is a fairly high figure. Summarizing all of the above, it should be noted several reasons for this phenomenon.

Evaporation from the water surface due to a large sea area, quite large. In this case, salts and other chemical elements remain in their place. Only fresh water enters the atmosphere. A hot climate also contributes to increased evaporation.

Due to the absence of rivers flowing into the sea, as well as its inadequate communication with other water bodies of the World Ocean, desalination is characterized by a negative indicator.

The amount of precipitation falling into the Red Sea is very low. Therefore, rain water can not also desalinate water masses.

How salinity affects water

уникальна. The water of the Red Sea is unique. Due to the absence of strong storms, rains, river drains, it is characterized by high transparency. Its bright blue shade attracts divers from all over the world.

Unlike the Dead Sea, here life is boiling. A lot of fish, shellfish, algae and corals have adapted to similar conditions. The diversity of species in the Red Sea is very great.

Special climatic conditions allow the sea to maintain almost always a constant water temperature and salinity level. This allows living organisms to actively develop in these waters.

Projections for the future

в ближайшее время снижаться не будет, а вот повышаться со временем может. Salinity of the Red Sea in the near future will not decline, but it can rise with time. This process is very slow. In addition to special climatic and geographic conditions, this feature is affected by tectonic faults.

Scuba divers descended into the depths of the Red Sea. They were found, as already mentioned above, pickles. Their temperature constantly rises by 0.3-0.7 ° C per year. The activity of these faults increases. The Red Sea is not only heated by these mineral springs. It contains micronutrient-rich water. This contributes to a constant, albeit insignificant, increase in salinity. Although this does not affect marine life. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come here annually.

такая высокая. Having considered the above facts, one can understand why the salinity of the Red Sea is so high. There are many factors that cause this. This makes the reservoir represented unique.