The Caribbean Sea is salty or fresh. Which seas are the most salty? Salt seas of Russia

Salinity is the amount of dissolved solid mineral substances (salts), expressed in grams, in 1 kg of sea water. A thousandth of a whole is called ppm and is indicated by the sign% o. For example, if the salinity of ocean water is 35% o, then this means that 1 kg (1000 g) of this water contains 35% o (ppm) of dissolved substances.

Salinity is one of the main characteristics sea ​​water; its value expresses the degree of concentration of all substances dissolved in water (mainly salts).

The salinity value in a particular area of ​​the World Ocean depends on a number of factors: on the inflow of fresh water and the amount precipitation, intensity of water evaporation, ice formation and melting, and water mixing processes.

Evaporation increases the salinity of seawater as the salts remain in solution. When melting sea ​​ice salinity decreases because sea ice tends to have less salinity than
salinity of the surrounding waters.

During the formation of sea ice, salinity increases due to the fact that only part of the salts passes into the ice.

What is the salinity of the waters of the World Ocean and its geographical distribution?

Salinity in different places, both on the surface and at the depths of the oceans and seas, is not the same. The average salinity of the waters of the World Ocean is 35% o.

In the open parts of the oceans, salinity changes little (from 32 to 37.9% o), in the seas it is much more - from 2 (in the Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea) up to 42%o (in the Red Sea).

The general pattern of changes in salinity across latitudes under the influence of atmospheric precipitation and evaporation is characteristic of all oceans: salinity increases in the direction from the poles to the tropics, reaches a maximum value of about 20-25 ° north and south latitudes and decreases again in the equatorial zone.

The uniform change in salinity in the surface layers is disturbed by the influence of oceanic and coastal currents and enrichment fresh water major rivers. The highest salinity of the World Ocean (S = 37.9% o, not counting some seas, west of the Azores.

The salinity of the seas is the more different from the salinity of the ocean, the less the seas communicate with it; it also depends on their geographical location especially on climatic conditions. The salinity of the seas is greater than the oceans: Mediterranean - in the west 37-38% 0, in the east - 38-39% 0;

The salinity of the Red Sea is 37% o in the south, and up to 42% o in the north, in the Persian Gulf in the north the salinity is 40% o, in the eastern part - from 37 to 38% o.

Salinity: in the Sea of ​​Azov in the middle part from 10 to 12% o, and off the coast - 9.5% o.

Salinity of water in the Black Sea, in the middle part - from 10 to 12% o, and in the northwestern - 17% o, with increasing depth of the sea, the salinity of the water increases to 22% o;

in the Baltic Sea with east winds - 10%o, with western and south-western winds - from 10 to 22%o; in the Gulf of Finland near the island of Kotlin - 2% 0; in the White Sea on the border with the Barents 34-34.5% o, in the Gorla - 27-30% o, and in the middle part - from 24 to 27% o.

In the Caspian Sea, salinity is 12.8% o and in
In the Aral Sea, the average salinity is 10.3% o.

The salinity of the Russian Arctic and Far Eastern seas in areas remote from the coast is 29-30% o.

With increasing depth, salinity changes only up to 1500 m, below this horizon and to the bottom - slightly and ranges from 34 to 35% o.

In the polar regions, when ice melts, salinity increases with depth, and when ice forms, the salinity of sea water decreases.

In temperate latitudes, the salinity of sea water changes little with depth, in subtropical zone it quickly decreases to a depth of 1000-1500 m, in the tropical region it increases to a depth of 100 m, then decreases to a depth of 500 m, after which it slightly increases to a depth of 1500 m, and below it remains unchanged.

What is the salinity and density of sea water?

As the temperature drops, the density of salty sea water increases, that is, the sea is saltier in winter than in summer! During the autumn and winter cooling, the water on the sea surface becomes denser, heavier.
With further cooling, surface sea water, being denser and heavier, "sinks" and mixes with warmer and lighter deep water.

This feature of salty sea water contributes to the mitigation of the Earth's climate. When cooling 1 cu. see sea water at 19C 3134 cu. see the air is heated by 1 °C.

The salinity of sea water increases the vertical circulation in the oceans and seas. The air receives much more heat (thermal energy) from the salty waters of the World Ocean than it would receive if the ocean waters were fresh.

The intensity of freezing of sea water and the development of ice phenomena in the seas and oceans depend on salinity.

The horizontal and vertical distribution of seawater density contributes to the horizontal and vertical circulation of water.

Knowing the vertical distribution of the density of sea water, it is possible to determine the direction and speed of currents, as well as the stability of a particular water mass: if the mass is unstable, then denser water lies above less dense water, and the waters will mix (vertical circulation).

The density of sea water is great importance for the inhabitants of the ocean. It determines the stability of the composition of waters, which affects the distribution of organic and inorganic matter in the ocean.

The density of water affects the draft of ships. When moving from ocean water to fresh water and vice versa, their draft can change up to 0.3 m. Therefore, for the correct loading of ships in
ports and ensure the safety of navigation, it is necessary to know the value of salinity and density in the port of loading and at the passage to the sea to the port of destination and take them into account correctly.

The fact that the water in the sea is salty - everyone knows firsthand. But most people will most likely find it difficult to answer the question of which sea is the most salty on the planet. However, it is unlikely that a person thought about why the sea is salty and whether there is life in the saltiest sea in the world.

The oceans are a single whole natural organism. On the planet, they occupy two-thirds of the entire terrestrial space. Well, sea water, which fills the world's oceans, is considered the most common substance on the surface of the Earth. It has a bitter-salty taste; sea water differs from fresh water in transparency and color, specific gravity and aggressive effect on materials. And this is explained simply - in sea water there are more than 50 different components.

The most salty seas in the world

Which seas are more salty, which are less - scientists know for sure. The liquid in the seas has already been studied and literally decomposed into components. And it turned out that the salty seas in Russia occupy the highest lines in the salinity rating. So, the main contender for the status of the most salty is the Barents Sea. This is because during the year the salinity of the surface layers fluctuates around 34.7-35 percent, however, if you deviate to the north and east, the percentage will decrease.

The White Sea is also different high salinity. In the surface layers, the indicator stopped at 26 percent, but at depth it rises to 31 percent. In the Kara Sea, the salinity is about 34 percent, however, it is not uniform, and at the mouths of the inflowing rivers, the water becomes almost fresh. Another of the most salty seas in the world can be called the Laptev Sea. At the surface, salinity is fixed at 28 percent. The figure is even higher - 31-33 percent - in the Chukchi Sea. But this is in winter, in summer the salinity drops.

Which sea is saltier

By the way, everyone's favorite Mediterranean Sea can also compete for the status of the saltiest in the world. Salinity in it ranges from 36 to 39.5 percent. In particular, because of this, a weak quantitative development of phyto and zooplankton is noted in the sea. However, despite this, the sea lives a large number of fauna representatives. Here you can meet seals, sea turtles, 550 species of fish, about 70 endemic fish, crayfish, as well as octopuses, crabs, lobsters, squids.

Certainly not saltier than the Mediterranean is another famous sea - the Caspian Sea. The Caspian boasts a rich wildlife - 1809 species. Most of the world's sturgeon stocks live in the sea, as well as freshwater fish(perch, carp and vobla). Vegetable world is also very rich - there are 728 species of plants in the Caspian Sea, but, of course, algae predominate. Interesting fact, in Karakalpakstan there is a unique natural object- Aral Sea. And him distinguishing feature in that it can be called the second dead sea. Half a century ago, the Aral Sea had a standard salinity. However, as soon as water was taken from the sea for irrigation, salinity began to rise, and by 2010 it had increased 10 times. The Dead Sea is called not only in terms of salinity, but also due to the fact that many inhabitants of the Aral Sea died out as a protest against the increase in salinity.

Why are the seas salty

Why the seas are salty - this question has been of interest to people since ancient times. For example, according to a Norwegian legend, at the bottom of the seas there is an unusual mill that constantly grinds salt. Similar stories exist in the tales of the inhabitants of Japan, the Philippines and Karelia. But according to the Crimean legend, the Black Sea is salty due to the fact that the girls who fell into the net of Neptune are forced to weave white lace for the waves at the bottom for centuries and constantly cry about native land. Tears made the water salty.

But according to the scientific hypothesis, salt water has become a different path. All water in the seas and oceans is taken from rivers. However, in the latter flows fresh water. And on average, 35 grams of salts are dissolved in one liter of the World Ocean. According to scientists, every grain of salt is washed out of the soil by river waters and sent to the sea. Over the centuries and millennia, more and more salt has been washed into the oceans. And she can't go anywhere.

There is a version that the water in the oceans and seas was originally salty. The first reservoir on the planet, allegedly filled with acid rain that fell to earth as a result of a major volcanic eruption at the beginning of the planet's life. Acids, according to scientists, corroded rocks, entered into chemical compounds with them. Eventually chemical reactions salt water appeared, which now fills the oceans.

The most salty sea in the world

The most salty sea in the world is called the Red Sea. One liter of its water contains 41 grams of salts. The sea has only one source of water - the Gulf of Aden. In a year, through the Bab-El Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea receives a thousand cubic kilometers of water more than it is taken out of the sea. Therefore, according to researchers, it takes about 15 years for the waters of the Red Sea to be completely renewed.

The salty Red Sea is very well and evenly mixed. in winter surface water cool down, sink down, raising warm waters from sea ​​depth. In summer, water evaporates from the surface, the remaining becomes salty and heavy, and therefore sinks down. Not so salty water rises up. Thus, the water is mixed. The sea is the same in salinity and temperature everywhere, except for the depressions.

By the way, the discovery of depressions in the Red Sea with hot brine in the 60s of the last century was a real discovery for scientists. The brine in such depressions has a temperature of 30 to 60 degrees Celsius, and it rises by a maximum of 0.7 degrees per year. It turns out that the water is heated from the inside by "earthly" heat. And scientists say that the brine does not mix with sea ​​water and differs from it in chemical parameters.

In the Red Sea, there is no coastal runoff (rivers and rain streams). As a result, there is no dirt from the land, but there is crystal clear water. All year round the temperature is kept at the level of 20-25 degrees. This led to wealth, as well as uniqueness. marine life in the sea.

Why is the Red Sea the saltiest? Some say that the most salty is the Dead Sea. Its salinity is 40 times higher than the salinity of the Baltic Sea and 8 times higher than the Atlantic Ocean. However, it is impossible to call the Dead Sea the most salty, but it is considered the warmest.

The Dead Sea is located on the territory of Jordan and Israel in Western Asia. Its area is more than 605 square kilometers with a maximum depth of 306 meters. The only river that flows into this famous sea is the Jordan. There is no exit from the sea, therefore, according to science, it is more correct to call it a lake.
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The fact that the water in the sea is salty - everyone knows firsthand. But most people will most likely find it difficult to answer the question of which sea is the most salty on the planet. However, it is unlikely that a person thought about why the sea is salty and whether there is life in the saltiest sea in the world. The oceans are a single whole natural organism. On the planet, they occupy two-thirds of the entire terrestrial space. Well, sea water, which fills the world's oceans, is considered the most common substance on the surface of the Earth. It has a bitter-salty taste; sea water differs from fresh water in transparency and color, specific gravity and aggressive effect on materials. And this is explained simply - in sea water there are more than 50 different components.

The most salty seas in the world Which seas are more salty, which are less - scientists know for sure. The liquid in the seas has already been studied and literally decomposed into components. And it turned out that the salty seas in Russia occupy the highest lines in the salinity rating. So, the main contender for the status of the most salty is the Barents Sea. This is because during the year the salinity of the surface layers fluctuates around 34.7-35 percent, however, if you deviate to the north and east, the percentage will decrease.
The White Sea is also characterized by high salinity. In the surface layers, the indicator stopped at 26 percent, but at depth it rises to 31 percent. In the Kara Sea, the salinity is about 34 percent, however, it is not uniform, and at the mouths of the inflowing rivers, the water becomes almost fresh. Another of the most salty seas in the world can be called the Laptev Sea. At the surface, salinity is fixed at 28 percent. The figure is even higher - 31-33 percent - in the Chukchi Sea. But this is in winter, in summer the salinity drops.

Which sea is saltier By the way, everyone's favorite Mediterranean Sea can also compete for the status of the saltiest in the world. Salinity in it ranges from 36 to 39.5 percent. In particular, because of this, a weak quantitative development of phyto and zooplankton is noted in the sea. However, despite this, a large number of representatives of the fauna live in the sea. Here you can meet seals, sea turtles, 550 species of fish, about 70 endemic fish, crayfish, as well as octopuses, crabs, lobsters, squids.

The Mediterranean Sea is saltier than many others. Certainly not saltier than the Mediterranean is another famous sea - the Caspian Sea. The Caspian boasts a rich wildlife - 1809 species. Most of the world's sturgeon stocks live in the sea, as well as freshwater fish (perch, carp and vobla). The flora is also very rich - there are 728 species of plants in the Caspian Sea, but, of course, algae predominate. An interesting fact is that in Kazakhstan there is a unique natural object - the Aral Sea. And its distinctive feature is that it can be called the second Dead Sea. Half a century ago, the Aral Sea had a standard salinity. However, as soon as water was taken from the sea for irrigation, salinity began to rise, and by 2010 it had increased 10 times. The Dead Sea is called not only in terms of salinity, but also due to the fact that many inhabitants of the Aral Sea died out as a protest against the increase in salinity. Why the seas are salty Why the seas are salty - this question has interested people since ancient times. For example, according to a Norwegian legend, at the bottom of the seas there is an unusual mill that constantly grinds salt. Similar stories exist in the tales of the inhabitants of Japan, the Philippines and Karelia. But according to the Crimean legend, the Black Sea is salty due to the fact that the girls who fell into the net of Neptune are forced to weave white lace for the waves at the bottom for centuries and constantly cry about their native land. Tears made the water salty.

But according to the scientific hypothesis, salt water has become a different path. All water in the seas and oceans is taken from rivers. However, fresh water flows in the latter. And on average, 35 grams of salts are dissolved in one liter of the World Ocean. According to scientists, every grain of salt is washed out of the soil by river waters and sent to the sea. Over the centuries and millennia, more and more salt has been washed into the oceans. And she can't go anywhere.

In some seas, the concentration of salts goes off scale There is a version that the water in the oceans and seas was originally salty. The first body of water on the planet was allegedly filled with acid rain, which fell to the ground as a result of a major volcanic eruption at the beginning of the planet's life. Acids, according to scientists, corroded rocks, entered into chemical compounds with them. As a result of chemical reactions, salt water appeared, which now fills the oceans.

More: http://www.uznayvse.ru/interesting-facts/samyie-solenyie-morya-v-mire.html

Everyone has heard about healing properties Dead Sea. These qualities are explained, first of all, by the properties of water. That is why, touching on the question of which sea is the most on the planet, the Dead Sea is first on the list of names.

It is located in a depression near two ancient states - Israel and Jordan. The concentration of salt in it reaches three hundred and forty grams of a substance per liter of water, while the salinity reaches 33.7%, which is 8.6 times more than in the entire world ocean. It is the presence of such a concentration of salt that makes the water in this place so dense that it is simply impossible to drown in the sea.

Sea or lake?

The Dead Sea is also called a lake, since it does not have access to the ocean. The reservoir is fed only by the Jordan River, as well as several drying streams.

Due to the high concentration of salt in this lake, there are no marine organisms - fish and plants, but different types bacteria and fungi.

Oomycetes are a group of mycelial organisms.

In addition, about seventy species of oomycetes have been found here that can tolerate the salinity of the water to the maximum. More than thirty types of minerals are also common in this sea, which include potassium, sulfur, magnesium, iodine and bromine. Such harmony chemical elements splashes into very interesting formations of salt, which, unfortunately, are not durable.

Red sea

Continuing this theme, it should be noted that the first position, along with the Dead, is shared by Red, which is also distinguished by a high salt content in the water.

It is widely believed that water indian ocean and the Red Sea at the junction do not mix, and also differ strikingly in their color.

It is located between Asia and Africa in a tectonic depression, where the depth reaches three hundred meters. Rains in this region are extremely rare, only about a hundred millimeters a year, but evaporation from the sea surface is already two thousand millimeters. This imbalance is the cause of increased salt formation. So, the salt concentration per liter of water is as much as forty-one grams.

It is worth noting that the concentration of salts in this place is constantly growing, since there is not a single body of water in the sea, and the lack of water mass is compensated by the Gulf of Aden.

The uniqueness of these two seas has been known since ancient times and these territories are still very popular among the inhabitants of the planet. After all, the water in these lakes is healing.

1st place.

Dead Sea. In fact, this body of water can be called a lake, because it does not communicate with any other seas or with the ocean. Nevertheless, everyone is accustomed to calling it the sea. Well, so be it. The Dead Sea has an incredible salinity of 33.7%. That is, every 100 g of water contains 33.7 g of salt.

Thanks to this incredible ratio, it is impossible to drown in this sea, because the body always strives to rise to the surface. The Jordan River and several small streams flow into it, but this inflow of water is clearly not enough to maintain the level of the reservoir. By the way, every year its level falls by 100 cm, which in the future is fraught with an environmental disaster.

2nd place.

Red sea. The percentage of salt in water is about 8 times less than that of the leader - 4.3%. It is noteworthy that rivers do not flow into this reservoir, therefore, silt and sand do not enter the sea from the outside, which means that its water is clean and transparent. Why is salinity increased? Because there is little rainfall in this area, and pure water comes only from the Gulf of Aden.

Plus, incredible evaporation. The Red Sea daily loses up to 1 cm of its level, and the amount of salt does not seriously change, on the contrary, its concentration increases slightly. Poor water exchange is the true cause of high salinity.

3rd place.

Mediterranean Sea.
Washes the shores of Africa, Asia and Europe. Therefore, he was called that. It has a salinity of 3.9%. Several large rivers flow into the sea. Water circulation occurs under the influence of wind and due to the transfer of water by the Canary Current. The salinity of the reservoir regularly increases due to strong evaporation, and the density of the water varies significantly, depending on the season.

4th place.

Caribbean Sea. In addition to being the most “pirate” sea, it also ranks fourth in the “salinity hit parade”. This figure is 3.5%. And in terms of its hydrological composition, this reservoir is quite homogeneous. That is, there are no sharp fluctuations in temperature indicators and in the degree of salinity of its individual sections.

Several large rivers flow into the Caribbean Sea. The tropical climate makes this sea basin attractive for tourists. It should only be taken into account that hurricanes rage very often in the northern part of the reservoir, causing a lot of inconvenience to residents of coastal settlements.

5th place.

Barencevo sea. Located on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. It has a salinity of 3.5%. In ancient times, it had many names, because each nation called this reservoir in its own way. Only in 1853 the sea received its final name - the Barents Sea, in honor of the navigator from Holland V. Barents.

Naturally, in the middle of the sea, its salinity is higher than at the outskirts. This is explained by the fact that it is washed by slightly saline seas: Norwegian, White and Kara. And in the north, the icy ocean pretty much dilutes the concentration of sea water, because it does not shine with special salinity in itself, which is explained by the regular melting of ice.

6th place.

North Sea. Its salinity has different values, on average, this value is 35%. The fact is that the North Sea in the east borders on the slightly salty Baltic, and the rivers Thames, Elbe, Rhine and others also have an impact on this indicator. It washes the shores of many European countries, where the largest ports are located - London, Hamburg, Amsterdam, etc.

7th place.

Japanese Sea. The salinity index is 3.4%. In the northern and western parts of the reservoir it is much colder than in the southeast. The Sea of ​​Japan is not touristic. It is rather of industrial importance for some countries. He loves to scare sailors with typhoons, especially in autumn.

8th place.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk. It has a salinity of 3.2%. In winter, it freezes in the northern part, despite the increased salinity of the water, which, by the way, is much lower in coastal areas.

9th place.

Black Sea. The salinity of this reservoir varies greatly. For example, in the lower layer this figure is 2.3%, and in the upper layer, where there is increased water circulation, the salinity is 1.8%. It is noteworthy that at a depth of 150 m there is no longer any life. This is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water.

10th place.

Sea of ​​Azov. The average salinity of the sea is 1.1%. In the 20th century, many rivers that feed this reservoir with water were blocked by dams, therefore, the flow of water and its circulation decreased significantly. It is noteworthy that this is the shallowest sea in the world, its maximum depth does not reach up to 14 m. It has a tendency to freeze in its northern part.