The sea is salty. This simple truth will be known to everyone who has swum in it at least once in their life. And those who have not yet experienced such joy are simply guessing.
After all, everyone knows that although there is indeed a lot of water on our planet, only a hundredth of it is drinkable. The rest will cause severe indigestion and many pleasant hours on the toilet. And since you can’t drink it, you can at least swim in it, which is what many tourists do with success.
But people like to go to extremes. After swimming in the Black Sea, they want to know which is the saltiest sea so that they can compare. And to satisfy your curiosity, we have written this article.
The saltiest seas in the world
Before we talk about the salinity of various seas, it is necessary to determine what we will start from - that is, the average level of the World Ocean.
The world's oceans are not something frozen, it is a huge dynamic system in which liquid is constantly mixed, flows from one part to another, and then returns, evaporates, condenses and falls as rain. In general, the water cycle is in action. Therefore, the salt content at different points is not the same. But still, there is a certain average level, which is estimated at 32-37 ppm (yes, they evaluate not only the blood alcohol content).
But at different points of the World Ocean it can differ significantly; for example, in the bays of the Baltic Sea it reaches a level of 5 ppm. But we are interested in something completely different, which seas are the saltiest.
And here comes the crucial moment: what to call the sea. For example, everyone is used to saying “Dead Sea.” Meanwhile, it is not correct to call it a sea; in fact, it is a lake. Although it is indeed very salty, so we’ll tell you about it, but below.
In fact, Red is the saltiest, and it is worth dwelling on it in more detail.
Red sea
The Inland Sea, part of the Indian Ocean, has an area of 450 km2... Although who is interested in retelling a geography textbook? Another thing is more important: this is the saltiest sea in the world; there are about 41 ppm of minerals in it. To assess the degree of salinity, stir half a teaspoon of salt into a liter of water. Tasty? But swimming in it is very interesting.
And primarily because this composition of water appealed to a huge number of living beings. Sharks, dolphins, moray eels, rays and an unprecedented number of smaller creatures, such as fish, shellfish and corals, attract tourists from all over the world. And also warm water, beautiful views, clean well-groomed beaches... The Red Sea is a riot of life that you can enjoy endlessly.
A completely different picture greets us at the Dead Sea (let’s not listen to geography experts and continue to call it the sea). Alien landscapes, without the usual greenery, healing mud and water in which it is impossible to drown, no matter how hard you try - this is his portrait.
This natural wonder is located between Israel, Jordan and Palestine. Water flows into it, but it has nowhere to go except evaporate. As a result, the water evaporates, but the salts remain. Over millions of years, water has accumulated such a percentage of mineral salts that you can stay afloat in it without making any effort; the water itself will push the body out.
This sea is conventionally called dead; a couple of species of algae still find shelter in it, but you won’t be able to admire the fish. But you will be able to heal, because such water, and also healing mud, which is even more abundant near the sea - natural wealth, which neighboring countries have been using successfully for a long time.
The only problem is that the Jordan River, the only source of filling this sea, last years decreased noticeably. And now more water evaporates from it than enters. As a result, every year Dead Sea gets a little smaller. At this rate, in 100 years you will no longer be able to swim in it, you can only walk on the surface. Of course, plans are now being developed to save it, but it’s better not to risk it and go to the resort while you can still swim in it.
Domestic record holders
Of course, the saltiest sea in Russia is clearly behind the Dead Sea, with only about 32 ppm. Yes, and swimming is not at all so pleasant, although there are such lovers. This is the Sea of Japan.
Resorts and hotels are not built on it, but this sea has an important economic importance. There is active fishing here, and various seafood delicacies are grown and caught. And along the coast there are more than a dozen ports, both domestic and Japanese.
Another lake-sea
Interesting and even unique natural object Our neighbors have it, in Kazakhstan – the Aral Sea. Although, like the Dead Sea, it can be called a sea very conditionally, according to scientific classification it is classified as a mineral lake. But since the name “sea” has taken root among the people, we will not argue with it.
If it were not for active human activity, the Big Aral would never have been on this list, because half a century ago the lake had a normal salinity for its type, about 10 ppm. But then the water from it began to be used to irrigate nearby lands. As a result, by 2010 its salinity increased 10 times. A little more, and the Kazakhs will have their own Dead Sea. Dead - in literally words, because many of its inhabitants did not agree with such changes and died out as a protest.
There are several projects to restore it, but so far the investment necessary for this is only being sought.
Now you know the saltiest seas and you can choose where to go next time. And if you don’t go, then at least learn more about our planet, its amazing corners and real wonders.
The salinity of the World Ocean (Fig. 42 and 43) is very stable both in the ratio of individual salts and in overall value. The total salinity of ocean waters is around 35‰ and rarely deviates by 1-2‰. The ratio of the individual components of the salt composition is so constant that it is enough to know the amount of any one component to determine the total salinity.
Figure 42.
Figure 43.
In practice, this latter is determined by the chlorine content in sea water (Table 6).
In cases where the inland sea receives a lot of river water, and the connection with the sea is very weak or completely broken, the salt ratio changes - this can be illustrated by the example of the Caspian Sea (Table 8).
| Composition of salts | Total salinity | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ocean | Caspian Sea | Volga near Astrakhan | |
| 35 ‰ | 12-13 ‰ | 0.198‰ | |
| Na | 30,593 | 24,82 | 6,67 |
| K | 1,106 | 0,66 | |
| Ca | 1,197 | 2,70 | 23,34 |
| Mg | 3,725 | 5,70 | 4,47 |
| Cl | 55,292 | 41,73 | 5,46 |
| Br | 0,188 | 0,06 | — |
| SO 4 | 7,692 | 23,49 | 25,63 |
| CO3 | 0,207 | 0,84 | 34,43 |
From both tables above it is clear that chlorides predominate in sea water, and carbonates predominate in river water. Caspian Sea water chemical composition occupies a kind of intermediate position - there are relatively fewer chlorides in it, and more sulfates than in ocean water. In the open oceans highest salinity(36.5-37.9‰) is observed in relatively limited areas on the surface itself, in the area of development of trade winds, due to strong evaporation. The greatest desalination is observed in the Arctic Ocean in the surface layers (up to 31-32‰). Typically, the salinity of the World Ocean fluctuates only between 34.4-35‰. In inland seas, salinity usually deviates from oceanic or towards desalination if water flows into the sea. a large number of river water, or towards salinization, if the sea extends into arid land areas, and the river flow received by the sea is small. This can be illustrated by the example of our seas (Fig. 44).
Figure 44.
The most desalinated of them is the Baltic, the salinity of the Azov and Aral seas is slightly higher. Then come the Black and White seas. There are few seas where salinity is higher than oceanic; these include the Mediterranean and Red. All eastern half Mediterranean Sea has a salinity above 38‰, and off the coast of Syria above 39‰. In the Red Sea, salinity reaches 43‰, and in the Suez Canal winter time even 52‰.
The Earth can be confidently called a water planet, because the World Ocean surrounding the land covers 71% of its entire surface. , included in its composition, differ from each other in many ways. Including such a parameter as salinity, which means the amount of salts dissolved in one liter of water under certain conditions. The salinity of sea water is most often measured in “‰” (ppm). Now it won’t be difficult to find out which is the saltiest sea on Earth.
5. Ionian Sea - salinity exceeds 38 ‰
The Ionian Sea is the part of the Mediterranean that washes the shores of southern Italy and Greece. The bottom of the sea is covered with silt, and closer to the shores - with sand and small shell rock. Its area is 169 thousand km², maximum depth is 5,121 m. This is the most great depth throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Commercial fishing of mackerel, mullet, tuna, and flounder is carried out. Water Ionian Sea safe and very warm, even in February their temperature does not fall below 14°C, and at the peak of the holiday season, in August, reaches 25.5°C. Among its inhabitants are bottlenose dolphins, huge turtles, and octopuses. And very dangerous sea urchins and white sharks can hardly be found near the coast. Poisonous dragon fish, which can cause an allergic reaction in humans, are more active at night and burrow into the sand during the day.
4. Aegean Sea - salinity from 37 to 40.0 ‰
This semi-enclosed sea has about 20,000 islands and is located in the eastern Mediterranean. The total area is 179 thousand km². Through the straits it is connected to the Marmara, Black and Mediterranean seas. The salinity of its waters is increasing, which is associated with global warming. It is recommended to rinse off after swimming sea water, as this can negatively affect the condition of the skin and mucous membrane of the eyes. There is a fishing industry in the Aegean Sea; sponges are actively mined and octopuses are caught. Due to the fact that there is little plankton in this sea, fishing in its waters is gradually declining.
3. Ligurian Sea - salinity 38 ‰
This sea is located in the western part of the Mediterranean. The shores are steep and rocky, but there are sandy beaches. Many small rivers flow into the Ligurian Sea, which originate in the Apennines. On its shores there are such important ports as:
- Limpia, which is considered the sea gate of Nice.
- Cruise ports of Savona, La Spezia, with container and bulk terminals.
- Genoese port, ranking first in terms of trade volume in Italy.
Despite high salinity These waters, on the French-Italian coast of the Ligurian Sea, is located one of the most famous resort areas in the world - the Riviera.
2. Mediterranean Sea - salinity from 36 to 39.5 ‰
The Mediterranean Sea is a relic of the ancient Tethys Ocean. It is considered one of the largest seas in size, its area is 2.5 million km². Its basin includes the Sea of Azov, Black and Marmara. The salinity of the sea fluctuates significantly, as water with a much lower salinity enters from the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar. The amount of zooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea is relatively small, and as a result there are few various types fish, as well as marine animals and mammals. But algae are present in large numbers, especially peridinea and diatoms. The bottom fauna is very poor due to yellowish silt, which is not conducive to the development of life. There are 550 species of fish in the Mediterranean Sea, 70 of which are endemic. The most common species are: mackerel, sardine, horse mackerel, mullet, etc. There are also larger “inhabitants” - sharks, rays, tuna. Edible shellfish are common.
1. Red Sea - salinity 41 ‰
The saltiest of all, the Red Sea is located in a tectonic depression, the depth of which can reach 3 km. Is an inland sea Indian Ocean. The hot climate, which provokes strong surface evaporation and low precipitation (about 100 mm per year), and the absence of rivers flowing into the sea, leads to a gradual increase in its salinity. Due to the absence of silt and sand, which are abundant in river water, the Red Sea is distinguished by its extraordinary transparency and cleanliness. The water temperature even in winter is +20 °C, and in summer it is much higher.
Despite its salinity, the waters of the Red Sea amaze with the huge number of different species of fish living in it. But ichthyologists believe that only 60% of fish capable of existing at great depths have been discovered. The sea is extremely beautiful, and it has many interesting and sometimes funny inhabitants, but touching them is strictly prohibited. Corals, sponges, jellyfish, and sea urchins, moray eels and poisonous sea snakes potentially extremely dangerous. Any contact with them can result in a burn, significant blood loss or severe allergic reaction, and sometimes fatal. 44 species of sharks live in warm sea waters. The most terrible of them is the tiger, which can easily attack a person.
Having examined them separately, it is now easy to conclude which is the saltiest sea. The salinity of the very famous Dead Sea reaches 350 ‰, but in fact, despite its name, it is an endorheic lake that is gradually drying up.
There are about 80 seas on our planet, and each of them is unique in its own way. Some are part of the World Ocean, some attract tourists with picturesque views or the diversity of their flora and fauna. But all seas have common feature- they are salty. The alkali content in each of them is different, and today we will talk about what they are - the saltiest seas in the world.
10
In the last position in the ranking of the saltiest seas in the world is the White Sea with an area of only 90 thousand square meters. It is located in the north of the European part Russian Federation and refers to the Arctic Ocean. The sea is cold, you can’t really swim in it, because in summer the water warms up to no more than 15 degrees Celsius, while in winter its temperature is -1 degree. The White Sea is fed by the waters of such large rivers, such as the Northern Dvina, Onega, Kem, Ponoi, as well as many small reservoirs, and the depth of its bottom ranges from 50-340 meters.
9 Chukchi Sea
It is located between Alaska and Chukotka, characterized by a high concentration of salts - at the level of 33%. The cold waters of this reservoir, even in warm time years do not warm up to more than +12 degrees. Despite low temperature water (in winter -1.8 degrees), the fauna of the Chukchi Sea amazes with its diversity. In addition to many species of fish, walruses and seals live here, polar bears live on ice floes, and in the summer there are lively bird colonies. Depth differences range from 50 to 1256 meters.
8
The area of the reservoir, located between the islands of Severnaya Zemlya and Novosibirsk, is 662 thousand square km. The water temperature here is one of the lowest on the planet - it never rises above 0 degrees. Most of the year the waters are covered with ice, and several species of fish live at the bottom.
There are a couple of dozen islands in the sea where remains of mammoths are found even today.
7
A salty sea on the edge of the Arctic Ocean, it washes the shores of two countries at once - Russia and Norway. The area of the reservoir is 1,424 thousand square kilometers, the maximum depth is 600 meters.
The sea plays a key role in fishing and transport communications; it is home to two large ports - the Russian Murmansk and the Norwegian Vardø.
There are often storms here, and undersea world rich different types fish and plankton. Mammals are also found here - seal, seal, polar bear, beluga whale.
6
The area of the Sea of Japan is 1062 thousand square kilometers, and the maximum depth is 3741 meters. The highest recorded salt content is 35 percent. The Sea of Japan is one of the most salty seas on the planet and the saltiest in Russia. The northern part of the reservoir freezes in the cold season, the climate here is moderate, in the summer the air above the sea warms up to 25 degrees Celsius. Animal world rich and varied. There are many species of fish and mammals here, and fishing for crabs, scallops, and algae is carried out.
The most salt Lake in Russia - Baskunchak. The salt content in it reaches 37%
5
Thanks to the high salt content in the Ionian Sea, it is easy to learn to swim - the water literally keeps the swimmer on the surface. The area of the reservoir is 169 thousand square kilometers, and the greatest depth is 5121 meters. The bottom off the coast is covered with sand or shell rock; the climate here is very favorable, which contributes to the development of tourism. The waters of the Ionian Sea warm up to 25.5 degrees in summer, the minimum water temperature in winter is 14 degrees Celsius.
4
Salts in the waters Aegean Sea so much so that doctors advise after swimming here to wash under running fresh water in order to avoid skin irritation. The water temperature ranges from 14 (in winter) to 24 degrees (in summer). This is one of the most ancient bodies of water on the planet; the age of the Aegean Sea is more than 20 thousand years. IN Lately ecological situation here it leaves much to be desired, the underwater world is becoming impoverished due to the death of plankton, which is necessary for feeding fish, although previously fish and octopuses were caught in these places on an industrial scale.
3
This sea stretches between Europe and Africa; in addition to the fact that it is one of the saltiest bodies of water on the planet, it is also rightfully considered the warmest. In summer the waters warm up to 25 degrees, and in winter the temperature is sea depths does not fall below 12 degrees. The flora and fauna here are more than diverse; some species of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea are listed in the Red Book. Its area is 2,500 thousand square kilometers, and its maximum depth is 5,121 meters.
2
Despite the high alkali content, sharks, dolphins and stingrays live in the waters of the Red Sea. The unique feature of the sea is that average temperature water changes little throughout the year, its maximum value is 25 degrees.
The area of the reservoir is 450 thousand square kilometers, most of it is located in tropical zone with appropriate climatic conditions.
1
Sea water, having dissolved a lot of chemical compounds billions of years ago, was transformed into a solution containing many unique microcomponents. One of the main characteristics of sea water is its salinity. The Mediterranean Sea is the saltiest on the planet after the Red Sea.
A little history
The Mediterranean Sea, according to scientists, was once part of the Tethys, an ancient ocean that stretched from America to Asia.
Five million years ago, due to a severe drought, the sea consisted of many lakes and began to flood only after the end of the drought, many years later. This was facilitated by a gigantic waterfall, which cut the barrier that served as a barrier between the sea and Atlantic Ocean. Gradually, as the sea filled with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, this obstacle disappeared, and the Strait of Gibraltar was formed.
Characteristic
The Mediterranean Sea is located between Africa and Europe, and its outlines are constantly changing. To date:
- its area is 2.5 million km 2;
- water volume - 3.6 million km 3;
- average depth - 1541 m;
- maximum depth reaches 5121 m;
- water transparency 50-60 m;
- the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea in some places reaches 3.95%;
- total annual 430 km 3 .
This is one of the warmest and saltiest areas of the World Ocean.
The Mediterranean Sea received its name from its location among the lands that made up the entire world known to the ancients. The sea in the middle of the Earth - that’s what the ancient Greeks called it, the Romans called it the Inland Sea, or Ours . Big green water- this is how the ancient Egyptians dubbed the reservoir.
Water composition
Sea water is not just H 2 O, but a solution of a myriad of substances, where many are combined in various formulas chemical elements. Of these, the largest amount is chlorides (88.7%), among which the leader is NaCl - ordinary table salt. Sulfuric acid salts - 10.8%, and only 0.5% of the rest of the water composition is formed by other substances. These proportions determine the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea. The indicator is 38‰. This makes it possible to obtain table salt from sea water by evaporating it.
Over the course of many years of development of life on Earth, sea water became a supplier of salt, transforming into salt layers. Some of the largest in Europe are located in Sicily - the largest
Salt deposits can form at different depths, which sometimes reach 1 km, and in some cases these are salt lakes at the level of the Earth's surface - the Uyuni salt marsh, a dry salt lake.
Oceanographers have found that the World Ocean contains 48 quadrillion tons of salt, and even with its constant extraction, the composition of sea water will not change.
Salinity concept
When determining the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as other bodies of water, the mass of salts in grams contained in one kilogram of sea water is taken into account.
It is calculated in ppm and is due to the fact that a large volume of river water or melted continental glaciers enters the seas. Low salinity equatorial zone caused by tropical rains, which desalinate the water.
Salinity changes with increasing depth. Beyond 1500 meters there is practically no water.
To take a sample and measure it, special samplers are used, which allow you to take samples from different depths and from different water layers.
Where does so much salt come from in sea water?
For some time, scientists were of the opinion that the salt was brought by rivers, but this hypothesis was not confirmed. The only assumption that is now held is that the ocean became salty during the process of its birth and transformation, since ancient animals could not live in fresh or slightly salty water. At the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, near the Greek city of Zakynthos, organized structures were found that were more than three million years old, but what the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea water was in those distant times in percentage is unknown.
Academician V.I. Vernadsky believed that sea inhabitants- animals and plants - extracted silicon salts and carbon dioxide from the depths of the sea, which were brought by rivers to form their shells, skeletons and shells. And as they died, these same compounds settled on the seabed in the form of organic sediments. Thus, marine life has maintained the salt composition of sea water unchanged for centuries.
What causes salinity?
All seas are part of the ocean. But there are seas that break deep into the land and are connected to the ocean only by a narrow strait. These seas include:
- Mediterranean;
- Black;
- Azovskoe;
- Baltic;
- Red.
All of them can be either very salty, because they are influenced by hot air, or almost fresh due to the rivers flowing into them, which dilute them with their water.
The salinity of the Black and Mediterranean Seas is greatly influenced by the hot climate.
Despite the fact that the Black Sea is located in the Mediterranean basin and is connected to it by the shallow Bosporus, it has a lower salinity. The indicator is lower not only as a result of difficult water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean, but also due to significant amount precipitation and influx of continental waters. In the open part of the sea, this indicator varies from 17.5‰ to 18‰, and in the coastal strip of the North-Western region it is below 9‰.
The salinity of the seas differs from the salinity of ocean waters, which is due to the free exchange of water between the seas and the ocean, water flow and the influence of climate. On the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, water salinity increases from the Strait of Gibraltar to the coasts of Egypt and Syria, and near Gibraltar it reaches 36‰.
Climate
Due to the location of the Mediterranean Sea in the subtropical zone, the Mediterranean climate prevails here: hot summers and mild winters. The January air temperature on the northern coasts of the sea is around +8...+10 °C, and on the southern coast it is +14...+16 °C. The hottest month is August, when Maximum temperature off the east coast it reaches +28...+30 °C. Winds blow over the sea all year round, and in winter cyclones from the Atlantic invade, generating storms.
The sirocco, a sultry wind that carries a lot of dust, breaks through from the African deserts and the temperature often reaches +40°C and above. All these factors affect the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea, increasing its percentage due to water evaporation.
Fauna
The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by great species diversity. This is due to the favorable environment and centuries-old history. More than 550 species of fish live here, 70 of which live in a limited range.
Huge schools concentrate here during winter, and in other seasons the individuals stay scattered, especially during spawning or fattening. To achieve this, numerous species of fish migrate to the Black Sea.
The southeastern region of the Mediterranean Sea, influenced by the flow of the Nile River, is one of the most fruitful. The waters of the Nile generously supplied seawater with a large amount of nutrients and mineral suspensions, which affected the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea.
But in the early sixties, the Aswan Hydroelectric Power Station was built, as a result of which the river flow and redistribution of water throughout the year sharply decreased. This significantly worsened the living conditions of marine species, and their numbers decreased. As the desalination zone decreased, useful salts began to flow into the sea in smaller volumes. This led to a significant reduction in the amount of zoo- and phytoplankton; accordingly, the number of fish (sardines, mackerel, horse mackerel, etc.) decreased and fishing was reduced.
Unfortunately, pollution of the Mediterranean Sea is increasing in direct proportion to the development of technological progress, and the environmental situation is causing concern among scientists. Let's hope that all caring people will unite and save wealth sea world for posterity.