There are about 80 seas all over our planet. All of them enter the waters of the oceans. As everyone knows, from the school bench, the seas are salty, but they all differ in the saturation of different compounds. Below is a ranking of the saltiest seas on Earth.

The White Sea, the salinity of which is ‰.

One of the smallest seas on the planet, it is also one of the saltiest. It covers only 90,000 square kilometers. The water in it warms up in summer to 15 degrees above zero, and in winter it drops to 1 degree Celsius. About 50 species of fish live in the White Sea.

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Chukchi Sea with a salinity of 33‰.

In winter, the salinity of this sea rises to 33‰, while in the summer, the salinity slightly decreases. The Chukchi Sea has an area of ​​589.6 thousand square kilometers. The average temperature in the warm season is 12 degrees Celsius, in the cold - almost 2 degrees Celsius.

The area of ​​this sea is 662 thousand square kilometers. It is located between the New Siberian Islands and Severnaya Zemlya. The average annual water temperature is 0 degrees Celsius.

The Barents Sea has a salinity of 35‰.

The Barents Sea is the most salty of all located on the territory of the Russian Federation. It is adjacent to, but almost 16 times larger than it in area. The waters are full of different types of fish due to the fact that the water temperature in summer is about 12 degrees Celsius. And this attracts a lot of marine organisms, which, in turn, lure predatory fish.

The Sea of ​​Japan, with a salinity of 35‰, is ranked 6th in our rating.

This sea is located between the continent of Eurasia and the Japanese islands. Also, its waters wash the island of Sakhalin. The Sea of ​​Japan is considered one of the saltiest seas in the world. The water temperature differs depending on the geographical location: in the north - 0 - +12 degrees, in the south - 17-26 degrees Celsius. The area of ​​the Sea of ​​Japan is more than 1 million square kilometers.

The Ionian Sea exceeds the salinity of our previous record holder by 3‰.

This is the most dense and salty Greek sea. Its waters allow poor swimmers to hone this skill, as the high density will help keep the body afloat. In summer, the water warms up to 26 degrees above zero. The area of ​​the Ionian Sea is 169 thousand square kilometers.

Aegean Sea with a salinity of 38.5‰.

This sea takes 4th place in our rating. Its waters with a high concentration of sodium can irritate the human skin. Therefore, after swimming in it, you should take a fresh shower. In summer, the water warms up to 24 degrees Celsius. Its waters wash the coast of the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor and the island of Crete. The Aegean Sea, more than 20 thousand years old, has an area of ​​179 thousand square kilometers.

The Mediterranean Sea has a salinity of 39.5‰.

The Red Sea with a salinity of 42‰.

It is located between the coasts of Africa and Asia. The year-round warm waters provide favorable conditions for many fish and other marine life. The Red Sea, in addition to salinity and warmth, boasts. Many tourists love to relax on its shore.

The Dead Sea has a record salinity of 270‰.

Israel has the most salty on our planet. Its salinity of 270‰ makes it the densest on Earth. Saturation with minerals helps people treat all sorts of ailments, but you should not stay in the water for too long - this can adversely affect the human skin.

Mikhail Ilyin

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Mediterranean Sea

The Inland Mediterranean Sea is located between 30 and 45°N. and 5.3 and 36° E

It is deeply incised into the land and is one of the most isolated large marine basins of the World Ocean. In the west, the sea communicates with the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow (15 km wide) and relatively shallow Strait of Gibraltar (depths on the threshold to the west of the strait are about 300 m); in the northeast - with the Black Sea through the even shallower straits of the Bosporus (threshold depth less than 40 m) and the Dardanelles (threshold depth about 50 m), separated by the Sea of ​​Marmara. The transport connection of the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea is carried out through the Suez Canal, although this connection has practically no effect on the processes occurring in the sea.

At the entrance to the Suez Canal

The area of ​​the Mediterranean Sea is 2,505 thousand km 2, the volume is 3,603 thousand km 3, the average depth is 1438 m, the greatest depth is 5121 m.

The complex outlines of the coastline, a large number of peninsulas and islands of various sizes (among which the largest are Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Corsica and Crete), as well as a highly dissected bottom relief, determine the subdivision of the Mediterranean Sea into several basins, seas and bays.

In the Venetian lagoon

Apennine Peninsula and about. Sicily divides the sea into two basins. In the western basin, the Tyrrhenian Sea is distinguished, and in a number of works, the Alboran Sea, the Balearic (Iberian) Sea, the Gulf of Lion, the Ligurian Sea, and the Algerian-Provencal Basin. The shallow Tunisian (Sicilian) Strait and the narrow Strait of Messina connect the western basin of the sea with the eastern one, which in turn is subdivided into a central and eastern one. In the northern part of the central basin is the Adriatic Sea, which communicates through the Strait of Otranto with the Ionian Sea, which occupies the central part of the basin. In its southern part there are the bays of Greater and Lesser Sirte. The Strait of Crete and Africa connects the central basin of the sea with the eastern one, often called the Levant Sea. In the northern part of the eastern basin lies the island-rich Aegean Sea.

Turkish port of Alanya in the Mediterranean

The relief of the northern coast of the sea is complex and varied. The shores of the Iberian Peninsula are high, abrasive, and the massifs of the Andalusian and Iberian mountains approach the sea. Along the Gulf of Lion, west of the Rhone delta, there are swampy lowlands with numerous lagoons. To the east of the Rhone, the spurs of the Alps approach the sea, forming coasts with rocky capes and small bays. The western coast of the Apennine Peninsula along the Tyrrhenian Sea is quite indented, steep and steep coasts alternate with low ones, and there are flat alluvial lowlands composed of river sediments. The eastern shores of the Apennine Peninsula are more even, in the north they are marshy, low, with a large number of lagoons, in the south they are high and mountainous.

Strong indentation and complexity of the relief are characteristic of the entire coast of the Balkan Peninsula. High, steep shores with small bays predominate; a huge number of small islands are scattered along the coast in the sea. The coast of the Asia Minor Peninsula from the Aegean Sea has the same complex relief, while the southern shores of the peninsula are composed of larger landforms. The entire eastern coast of the sea is flat, without capes and bays.

The southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in contrast to the northern one, is much more leveled, especially the smoothed relief in the eastern basin of the sea. In the west, the coasts are high, the Atlas Mountains stretch along the sea. To the east, they gradually decrease and are replaced by low-lying sandy shores, the landscape of which is typical of the huge African deserts located from the south of the sea. Only in the southeastern part of the sea, in the vicinity of the Nile Delta (about 250 km), is the coast composed of sediments from this river and has an alluvial character.

Climate

The Mediterranean Sea is located in the subtropical climate zone, coastal mountain systems prevent the intrusion of cold air masses from the north. In winter, a baric trough stretches over the sea from west to east, around which centers of increased pressure are located. In the west there is a spur of the Azores anticyclone, in the north - spurs of the European maximum. Over North Africa, the pressure is also increased. Along the frontal zone, intensive formation of cyclones occurs.

In summer, a ridge of high atmospheric pressure forms over the Mediterranean Sea, and only over the Levant Sea is there an area of ​​low pressure.

A clearly pronounced seasonal change in wind directions is observed only along the southern shores of the western Mediterranean Sea, where predominantly western winds blow in winter, and eastern winds in summer. Northwest winds prevail over most areas of the sea all year round, and north and northeast winds prevail over the Aegean Sea.

In winter, due to the development of cyclonic activity, a significant frequency of storm winds is observed, in summer the number of storms is insignificant. The average wind speed in winter is 8-9 m/s, in summer about 5 m/s.

Some areas of the sea are characterized by different local winds. In the eastern regions, steady northern winds (etesias) are observed in the summer season. In the area of ​​the Gulf of Lion, the mistral is often repeated - a cold, dry north or northwest wind of great strength. The eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea is characterized by bora - a cold, dry northeast wind, sometimes reaching the strength of a hurricane. The warm southerly wind from the deserts of Africa is known as the sirocco.

It carries a large amount of dust, causes an increase in air temperature to 40-50 ° and a drop in relative humidity to 2-5%. Breezes are developed along most of the Mediterranean coast.

The lowest air temperature is in January: it varies from 14-16° on the southern coast of the sea to 7-8° in the north of the Aegean and Adriatic Seas and up to 9-10° in the north of the Algerian-Provencal basin.

During the summer season, the highest temperature is observed in August. This month it rises from 22-23° in the north of the Algiers-Provencal basin to 25-27° on the southern coast of the sea, and reaches a maximum (28-30°) near the eastern shores of the Levant Sea. In most of the Mediterranean Sea, the average annual change in air temperature is relatively small (less than 15 °), which is a sign of a maritime climate.

The amount of precipitation over the sea decreases in the direction from the northwest to the southeast. Near the European coast, annual precipitation exceeds 1000 mm, and in the southeast of the sea it is less than 100 mm. Most of the annual precipitation falls in the autumn-winter months; in summer, rains are very rare and are in the nature of thunderstorms.

Hydrology

River runoff is low on most of the coast. The main rivers flowing into the sea are the Nile, the Rhone and the Po.

In general, due to the predominance of evaporation over precipitation and river runoff, a freshwater deficit is created in the sea. This leads to a decrease in the level, which in turn causes a compensatory inflow of water from the Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea. At the same time, in the deep layers of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Bosporus, more saline and denser Mediterranean waters enter the neighboring basins.

Sea level

Seasonal changes in sea level are insignificant, their average annual value for the entire sea is about 10 cm, with a minimum in January and a maximum in November.

The tides in the Mediterranean Sea are predominantly semidiurnal and irregular semidiurnal, only in some parts of the northeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea are diurnal tides observed. The magnitude of the tide in most of the water area does not exceed 1 m. The highest tides are recorded in the area of ​​the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea (from 3.9 to 1.1 m). Tidal currents in the open sea are weakly expressed, but in the Straits of Gibraltar, Messina and Tunis they reach a significant value.

Non-periodic level fluctuations caused by storm surges (sometimes combined with high tide) can be large. In the Gulf of Lion, with strong southerly winds, the level can rise by 0.5 m; in the Gulf of Genoa, with a stable sirocco, a rise of up to 4 m is possible. parts of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the Adriatic Sea, with southeasterly winds, the level can rise to 1.8 m (for example, in the Venetian lagoon), and in the bays of the Aegean Sea, with strong southerly winds, the range of surge fluctuations reaches 2 m.

The strongest excitement in the sea develops in autumn and winter, during the period of active cyclonic activity. At this time, the wave height quite often exceeds 6 m, and in severe storms it reaches 7-8 m.

Bottom relief

The relief of the sea bottom has many of the morphological features characteristic of an oceanic basin. The shelf is quite narrow - mostly no wider than 40 km. The continental slope along most of the coast is very steep and is cut by underwater canyons. Most of the western basin is occupied by the Balearic abyssal plain with an area of ​​about 80 thousand km 2. In the Tyrrhenian Sea there is a central abyssal plain, on which many seamounts stand out. The highest seamount rises to 2850 m above the seabed. The tops of some mountains on the continental slope of Sicily and Calabria rise above the surface of the sea, forming the Aeolian Islands.

The morphology of the bottom of the eastern basin of the sea differs markedly from the morphology of the bottom of the western one. In the eastern basin, vast areas of the bottom are either a complexly dissected median ridge or a series of deep-water depressions. These depressions stretch from the Ionian Islands, south of the islands of Crete and Rhodes. In one of these depressions is the greatest depth of the Mediterranean Sea.

currents

The circulation on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea is formed by Atlantic waters entering the sea through the Strait of Gibraltar and moving east along the southern coasts in the form of a meandering North African Current. On its left side, a system of cyclonic gyres is distinguished, on the right - anticyclonic ones. The most stable cyclonic gyres in the western basin of the sea are formed in the Alboran Sea, the Algiers-Provencal basin, the Tyrrhenian Sea; anticyclonic - off the coast of Morocco and Libya.

Through the Strait of Tunis, Atlantic waters enter the central and eastern basins of the sea. Their main stream continues to move along the African coast, and part deviates to the north - to the Ionian and Adriatic, as well as to the Aegean Seas, being involved in a complex system of cyclonic gyres. Among them, one should indicate the Ionic, Adriatic, Athos-Chios, Cretan (in the Aegean Sea) and Levantine gyres. To the south of the North African current, anticyclonic gyres are distinguished in the bays of Little and Great Sirte and Crete-African.

In the intermediate layer, Levantine water moves from the eastern basin of the sea to the west, towards the Strait of Gibraltar. However, the transfer of Levantine waters from east to west does not occur in the form of a single intermediate countercurrent, but in a complex way, through a system of numerous circulations. Two-layer, oppositely directed flows of Atlantic and Levantine waters are clearly visible only in the Straits of Gibraltar and Tunis.

The average velocities of the resulting water transfer are low: in the upper layer - up to 15 cm/s, in the intermediate layer - no more than 5 cm/s.

In the deep layers, water slightly moves from the formation centers in the northern regions of the sea to the south, filling the sea basins.

Vertical distribution of salinity (‰) on a longitudinal section through the Strait of Gibraltar (arrows - current directions)

An important role in the formation of the hydrological structure of waters in different basins of the Mediterranean Sea is played by the nature of water exchange in the straits. Thus, the depth of the threshold in the Strait of Gibraltar completely isolates the Mediterranean Sea from the inflow of cold deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic waters cover layers from the surface up to 150-180 m, in which the current velocities are 20-30 cm / s, in the narrowest part of the strait - up to 100 cm / s, and sometimes much higher. Intermediate Mediterranean waters move relatively slowly in the deep part of the strait (10-15 cm/s), but above the threshold their speed increases to 80 cm/s.

The Strait of Tunis is of great importance for the water exchange between the western and eastern parts of the sea, with depths above the thresholds of no more than 400-500 m. This excludes the exchange of deep waters of the western and central basins of the sea. In the strait zone, in the surface layer, the Atlantic waters are transported to the east, while in the near-bottom layer, the Levantine waters flow through the rapids in a westerly direction. The transfer of Levantine waters prevails in winter-spring time, Atlantic waters - in summer. The two-layer water exchange in the strait is often disturbed, and the system of currents becomes very complex.

The Strait of Otranto, in the form of a narrow trough, connects the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The depth above the threshold is 780 m. Water exchange through the strait has seasonal differences. In winter, at depths greater than 300 m, waters move from the Adriatic Sea; at a depth of 700 m, velocities of 20–30 cm/s are recorded. In summer, in the deep layers of the strait, a current is observed from the Ionian Sea to the north at a speed of 5-10 cm/s. However, in the summer, in the near-bottom layer above the threshold, there may be a current of a southerly direction.

The Bosphorus and Dardanelles, as well as the Sea of ​​Marmara, connect the Mediterranean Sea (through the Aegean) with the Black Sea. The shallow depth in the straits significantly limits the water exchange between the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the hydrological conditions of which are very different. Water exchange in the straits is determined by differences in water density, the difference in the levels of neighboring seas, and synoptic conditions.

The denser high-salinity waters of the Aegean Sea in the bottom layers of the Dardanelles penetrate into the basin of the Sea of ​​Marmara, fill it, and then enter the Black Sea in the bottom layer of the Bosporus Strait. Desalinated, much less dense Black Sea waters flow into the Aegean Sea with a surface current. Throughout the straits there is a sharp vertical density stratification of water layers.

The boundary of multidirectional flows rises from north to south from 40 m at the entrance to the Bosporus to 10-20 m at the exit from the Dardanelles. The highest flow rate of the Black Sea water is observed on the surface and rapidly decreases with depth. Average velocities are 40-50 cm/s at the entrance to the strait and 150 cm/s at the exit. The lower current carries the waters of the Mediterranean Sea at a speed of 10-20 cm/s in the Dardanelles and 100-150 cm/s in the Bosporus.

The inflow of Black Sea waters into the Mediterranean Sea is approximately two orders of magnitude smaller than the inflow of Atlantic waters. As a result, the Black Sea waters affect the hydrological structure only within the Aegean Sea, while the Atlantic waters are present almost everywhere, up to the eastern regions.

Water temperature

In summer, the surface water temperature rises from 19-21° in the northwestern part of the sea to 27° and even higher in the Levant Sea. This character of temperature is associated with an increase in the continentality of the climate with distance from the Atlantic Ocean.

In winter, the general nature of the spatial distribution of temperature is preserved, but its values ​​are much lower. In February, in the northwestern part of the sea and in the north of the Aegean Sea, the temperature is 12-13°, and off the northern coast of the Adriatic, it even drops to 8-10°. The highest temperature is observed near the southeastern shores (16-17°).

The magnitude of annual fluctuations in water temperature in the surface layer decreases from 13-14° in the north of the Adriatic Sea and 11° in the Aegean Sea to 6-7° in the area of ​​the Strait of Gibraltar.

The thickness of the upper, heated and mixed layer in summer in cyclonic gyres is 15–30 m, and in anticyclonic gyres it increases to 60–80 m. At its lower boundary there is a seasonal thermocline, under which the temperature drops.

During winter cooling, convective mixing actively develops in the sea. In the Algiers-Provencal basin and some other northern regions of the sea, convection spreads to great depths (2000 m or more) and contributes to the formation of deep waters. Favorable conditions for the development of convection also exist in the Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Levantine seas, where it covers a layer up to 200 m, sometimes more. In other areas, winter vertical circulation is limited by the upper layer, mainly up to 100 m.

Spatial temperature differences decrease rapidly with depth. Thus, at a horizon of 200 m, its values ​​vary from 13° in the western part of the sea to 15° in the central basin and up to 17° in the Levant Sea. Seasonal temperature changes at this depth are no more than 1°.

Water temperature on a latitudinal section in the Mediterranean Sea in summer

In the layer of 250-500 m, a maximum temperature is observed, associated with the spread of warm and salty Levantine waters. In summer, it manifests itself in most of the sea, with the exception of the eastern basin and the southern part of the Aegean Sea; less pronounced in winter. In this layer, the temperature drops from 14.2° in the Strait of Tunis to 13.1° in the Alboran Sea.

The deep water column is characterized by a very uniform temperature. At a horizon of 1000 m, its values ​​are 12.9-13.9°, in the bottom layer - 12.6-12.7° in the Algiers-Provencal basin and 13.2-13.4° in the Levant Sea. In general, the temperature of the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by high values.

Salinity

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the saltiest in the world's oceans. Its salinity almost everywhere exceeds 36‰, reaching 39.5‰ near the eastern shores. The average salinity is about 38‰. This is due to a significant fresh water deficit.

Salinity on the sea surface generally increases from west to east, but in the northern regions of the sea it is higher than along the African coast. This is due to the spread of less saline Atlantic waters along the southern coasts to the east. The difference in salinity between the northern and southern regions of the sea reaches l‰ in the west and decreases to 0.2‰ in the Levant Sea. However, some coastal areas in the north are influenced by river flow (the Gulf of Lion, the northern part of the Adriatic Sea) or desalinated Black Sea waters (the northern part of the Aegean Sea) and are characterized by low salinity.

The Levantine Sea and the southeastern Aegean Sea have the highest salinity in summer, due to intense evaporation. In the central basin, where Levantine and Atlantic waters mix, there are large salinity ranges (37.4-38.9‰). The minimum salinity is in the western basin, which is directly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. It varies here from 38.2‰ in the Ligurian Sea to 36.5‰ in the Alboran Sea.

Salinity on a latitudinal section in the Mediterranean Sea in summer. 1 - advection of Atlantic waters; 2 - advection of Levantine waters

In winter, salinity is generally distributed in the same way as in summer. Only in the Levant Sea does it decrease slightly, and in the western and central basins it increases. The magnitude of seasonal changes in salinity on the surface is about 1‰. As a result of the development of wind and convective mixing in winter, a layer uniform in salinity is formed, the thickness of which varies from region to region.

Almost the entire Mediterranean Sea is characterized by the existence of a salinity maximum, the formation of which is associated with Levantine water. The depth of its occurrence increases from east to west from 200-400 to 700-1000 m. The salinity in the maximum layer gradually decreases in the same direction (from 39-39.2‰ in the eastern basin to 38.4‰ in the Alboran Sea).

In the water column deeper than 1000 m, salinity practically does not change, remaining within the range of 38.4-38.9‰.

There are three main water masses in the Mediterranean Sea: the Atlantic surface water, the Levantine intermediate and the deep waters of the western and eastern basins.

The Atlantic water mass is present in almost all parts of the sea, occupying the upper layer with a thickness of 100–200 m, sometimes up to 250–300 m. thermocline. In winter, the depth of its occurrence increases in the direction from west to east from 0-75 to 10-150 m. .9°. Salinity increases from west to east from 36.5-38.5 to 38.2-39.2‰.

The Levantine intermediate water mass stands out throughout the sea in the 200-700 m layer and is characterized by a salinity maximum. It is formed in the Levant Sea, where intense salinization of the surface layer of water occurs in summer. In the cold season, this layer cools and, in the process of developing winter vertical circulation, sinks to intermediate horizons. From the place of formation, the Levantine water moves to the Strait of Gibraltar towards the surface Atlantic. The speed of movement of the Levantine waters is several times less than that of the Atlantic (about 4-5 cm / s), it takes about three years for their journey to the Strait of Gibraltar.

The core of the intermediate water subsides as it moves westward from 200-300 m in the eastern basin to 500-700 m near Gibraltar. The temperature in the core accordingly decreases from 15-16.6 to 12.5-13.9°, and salinity - from 38.9-39.3 to 38.4-38.7‰.

Deep waters are formed in the northern regions of the Mediterranean Sea due to winter cooling and intensive development of convective mixing, reaching depths of 1500-2500 m in some areas. Such areas include the northern part of the Algerian-Provencal basin, the Adriatic and Aegean seas. Thus, each sea basin has its own source of deep waters. The threshold of the Strait of Tunis divides the Mediterranean Sea into two large deep basins. The temperature of deep and bottom waters of the western basin is in the range of 12.6-12.7 °, salinity - 38.4‰; east of the Tunis Strait, the temperature rises to 13.1-13.3°, reaching 13.4° in the Levant Sea, and the salinity remains very uniform - 38.7‰.

The significantly isolated Adriatic Sea is distinguished by a peculiar hydrological structure. Its shallow northern part is filled with Adriatic surface water, which is the product of mixing the waters of the Ionian Sea with coastal runoff. In summer, the temperature of this water mass is 22-24°, salinity - 32.2-38.4‰. In winter, with intense cooling and the development of convection, the surface water mixes with the transformed Levantine water entering the sea and the formation of the deep Adriatic water mass. Deep water fills the basins of the Adriatic Sea and is characterized by uniform characteristics: temperature is in the range of 13.5-13.8 °, salinity - 38.6-38.8‰. Through the Strait of Otranto, this water flows into the bottom layers of the central basin of the Mediterranean Sea and participates in the formation of deep waters.

Port Said

Fauna and environmental issues

The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by high species diversity, which is associated both with the long geological history of the sea and with environmental conditions. Fish are represented by 550 species, and about 70 of them are endemic: certain types of anchovies, gobies, stingrays, etc. Anchovy, sardine, mackerel, horse mackerel, flying fish, mullet, bonito, sultanka, etc. are found here. However, there are few large concentrations of fish, the number individual species is small. The most massive accumulations of fish are formed in winter, while in spring and summer, during fattening and spawning, they are more scattered. Longfin and common tuna, sharks, rays also live in the Mediterranean Sea. Longfin tuna is constantly here, and common tuna, like many other fish species, migrates in spring and summer to fatten in the Black Sea.

One of the most productive areas of the Mediterranean Sea was its southeastern part, which was influenced by the flow of the river. Nile. Every year, a significant amount of biogenic substances, various mineral suspensions, entered the sea with the waters of the river. A sharp reduction in river flow and its intra-annual redistribution after the regulation of the Nile by the construction of the Aswan hydroelectric power station in the early 1960s. worsened the conditions for the existence of all marine organisms and led to a decrease in their numbers. The decrease in the desalination zone, the influx of nutrient salts into the sea led to a decrease in the production of phyto- and zooplankton, the reproduction of fish stocks (mackerel, horse mackerel, sardine, etc.) decreased, and commercial catches dropped sharply. In connection with the intensification of economic activity, the pollution of the Mediterranean Sea is progressively growing, where the ecological situation has become threatening.

There are about eighty seas on Earth. Some of them are part of the World Ocean. Many people know that all reservoirs of this type are salty. Not everyone knows about the concentration of alkalis in different seas. We propose to consider the most salty seas in the world. Before that, I would like to remind you that the Baltic Sea is the freshest sea. The salt content in this reservoir is only 7 percent. It follows that for one liter of water from the Baltic Sea there are only 7 grams of salts.

10 Saltest Lakes in the World

10

Closes the Top 10 most salty seas on the planet White. In places, the salt content is 30%. At the same time, this reservoir is considered one of the smallest in Russia among the seas. The area is only 90 thousand square meters. In winter, the temperature reaches -1 degrees. In summer, the temperature rises to +15 degrees. In total, there are about 50 different types of fish in the sea. Among them, salmon, cod and beluga should be noted. Occasionally comes across smelt.

The Chukchi Sea is also among the ten most saline seas in the world, the composition of alkalis in which reaches 33%. This unique reservoir is located between Alaska and Chukotka. Its area is 589 thousand square kilometers. It is worth noting that the water temperature in summer reaches a maximum of 12 degrees. At the same time, in winter, it can drop to -1.8 degrees. In addition to being cold, the Chukchi Sea has a unique wildlife. Walruses, seals and unique species of fish live here. In particular, grayling, cod and Far Eastern navaga.

Do not forget about the reservoir that stretches between Novosibirsk and the islands of Severnaya Zemlya. We are talking about the Laptev Sea, whose area is 662 thousand square kilometers. The salinity of the water reaches 34%. The temperature never rises above 0 degrees. It should be noted that perch, sterlet and sturgeon are found at the bottom of this sea. The walrus also lives in the sea. Every year, surfing championships are held in the expanses of the sea, which is due to large waves.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, a more dangerous reservoir cannot be found. At the same time, it belongs to the most salty seas on the planet. The area is 1.4 thousand square kilometers. In the cold season, the temperature varies from 10 to 12 degrees. In winter, it can reach -4 to -5 degrees. The underwater world deserves special attention. Here you can meet capelin, perch, herring and even catfish. Also, from time to time, anglers manage to catch beluga and killer whales. Actually, the last animal is not only prey, but also a danger to many fishermen and sailors.

Closes the first top 5 of the most salty seas of Japan. It stretches between the shores of the islands of Japan and Eurasia. In addition, it covers part of Sakhalin. The average temperature for the year varies from 0 to 12 degrees. In the southern part, the temperature can drop to -26 degrees. This is a very cold body of water, which also amazes with the diversity of the animal and underwater world. Most of the marine fauna are anchovies and crabs. However, you can catch a lot of shrimp, oysters and herring. Actually, this is the reason for such a choice of seafood in Japanese cuisine.

In Greece, this reservoir is considered the most saline and at the same time dense. However, all over the world. This sea is perfect for people who are just on their way to learning how to swim. The sea literally holds on the surface. Due to the density in it, it is almost impossible to go to the bottom. In summer, the water temperature reaches 26 degrees above zero. In winter, it can drop to +14. Thus, we see that the inhabitants of the sea, including mackerel, flounder and tuna, have enough heat. However, as well as vacationers, who can be seen on the territory of the reservoir throughout the year.

38.5% salts

Another saltiest sea in the world that reaches the shores of Greece. This time we are talking about a very concentrated content of alkalis. Experts recommend rinsing with fresh water after bathing in this water, as the epithelial layer of the skin can be damaged. Sodium that concentrates on the skin can lead to impaired bleeding and create cracks. As for the water temperature, it stays around 14 degrees even in winter. In summer it reaches +24 degrees. The sea has existed for more than 20 thousand years. Its area is 179 thousand square meters.

39.5% salts

Opens the top three in the area of ​​the most salty seas of the Earth Mediterranean. It stretches between Africa and Europe. It should be noted that this reservoir is also considered the warmest in the world, due to the following indicators. In winter, the minimum temperature reaches 12 degrees. In summer, it can exceed the temperature of +25 degrees. In total, about 500 species of fish live in the sea. Sharks should also be included among them. There are crabs, blennies and mussels. Electric rays, which are listed in the Red Book, deserve special attention.

Our planet is covered by water by 70%, of which more than 96% is occupied by oceans. This means that most of the water on Earth is salty. What is the salinity of water? How is it determined and what does it depend on? Can this water be used on the farm? Let's try to answer these questions.

What is the salinity of water?

Most of the water on the planet has salinity. It is commonly referred to as seawater and is found in the oceans, seas, and some lakes. The rest is fresh, its amount on Earth is less than 4%. Before you understand what the salinity of water is, you need to understand what salt is.

Salts are complex substances that consist of cations (positively charged ions) of metals and anions (negatively charged ions) of acidic bases. Lomonosov defined them as "fragile bodies that can dissolve in water." Many substances are dissolved in sea water. It contains sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, sodium, magnesium, rubidium, potassium cations, etc. Together, these substances are defined as salts.

So what is the salinity of water? This is the content of dissolved substances in it. It is measured in thousandths - ppm, which are indicated by a special symbol -% o. Ppm is the number of grams in one kilogram of water.

What determines the salinity of water?

In different parts of the hydrosphere and even at different times of the year, the salinity of the water is not the same. It changes under the influence of several factors:

• evaporation;
• ice formation;
• precipitation;
• melting ice;
• river flow;
• currents.

When water evaporates from the surface of the oceans, the salts remain and do not erode. As a result, their concentration increases. Freezing has a similar effect. Glaciers contain the largest supply of fresh water on the planet. During their formation, the salinity of the waters of the World Ocean increases.

The melting of glaciers is characterized by the opposite effect, reducing the salt content. In addition to them, the source of fresh water is precipitation and rivers flowing into the ocean. The salt level also depends on the depth and nature of the currents.

Their highest concentration is on the surface. The closer to the bottom, the less salinity. affect the salt content in a positive direction, cold, on the contrary, reduce it.

Salinity of the oceans

What is the salinity of sea water? We already know that it is far from the same in different parts of the planet. Its indicators depend on geographic latitudes, climatic features of the area, proximity to river objects, etc.

The average salinity of the waters of the World Ocean is 35 ppm. Cold regions near the Arctic and Antarctic are characterized by a lower concentration of substances. Although in winter, when ice forms, the amount of salt increases.

For the same reason, the least saline ocean is the Arctic Ocean (32% o). The Indian Ocean is the highest. It covers the area of ​​the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, as well as the southern tropical zone, where the salinity is up to 36 ppm.

The Pacific and Atlantic oceans have approximately equal concentrations of substances. Their salinity decreases in the equatorial zone and increases in subtropical and tropical regions. Some are warm and balance each other out. For example, the non-salty Gulf Stream and the salty Labrador in the Atlantic Ocean.

Salinity of lakes and seas

Most of the lakes on the planet are fresh, as they are fed mainly by precipitation. This does not mean that there are no salts in them at all, just that their content is extremely small. If the amount of dissolved substances exceeds one ppm, then the lake is considered salty or mineral. The Caspian Sea has a record value (13% o). The largest fresh lake is Baikal.

Salt concentration depends on how the water leaves the lake. Fresh water bodies are flowing, while more saline ones are closed and subject to evaporation. The determining factor is also the rocks on which the lakes formed. So, in the area of ​​the Canadian Shield, rocks are poorly soluble in water, and therefore the reservoirs there are “clean”.

The seas are connected to the oceans through straits. Their salinity is somewhat different and affects the average ocean waters. Thus, the concentration of substances in the Mediterranean Sea is 39% o and is reflected in the Atlantic. The Red Sea, with an indicator of 41% o, greatly raises the average. The most salty is the Dead Sea, in which the concentration of substances ranges from 300 to 350% o.

Properties and significance of sea water

Not suitable for economic activities. It is not suitable for drinking, as well as watering plants. However, many organisms have long adapted to life in it. Moreover, they are very sensitive to changes in its salinity. Based on this, organisms are divided into freshwater and marine.

So, many animals and plants that live in the oceans cannot live in the fresh water of rivers and lakes. Edible mussels, crabs, jellyfish, dolphins, whales, sharks and other animals are exclusively marine.

People use fresh water for drinking. Salt is used for medicinal purposes. In small quantities, water with sea salt is used to restore the body. The therapeutic effect is produced by bathing and taking baths in sea water.

Salinity rating of the seas

There are about 80 seas on our planet. Of course, the Dead Sea would take the first place in the ranking, as its waters are famous for their salinity. The Dead Sea is one of the most saline bodies of water on Earth, salinity is 300-310 ‰, in some years up to 350 ‰. But scientists call this body of water a lake.

1. The Red Sea with a salinity of 42‰.

The Red Sea is located between the coasts of Africa and Asia. The Red Sea, in addition to salinity and warmth, boasts of its transparency. Many tourists love to relax on its shore.

2. The Mediterranean Sea has a salinity of 39.5‰.

The Mediterranean Sea washes the shores of Europe and Africa. In addition to salinity, it boasts of its warm waters - in summer they warm up to 25 degrees above zero.

3. The Aegean Sea with a salinity of 38.5‰.

The waters of this sea with a high concentration of sodium can cause skin irritation. Therefore, after swimming, it is better to take a fresh shower. In summer, the water warms up to 24 degrees Celsius. Its waters wash the coast of the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor and the island of Crete.

4 . Ionian Sea with a salinity of 38 ‰.

This is the most dense and salty Greek sea. Its waters allow poor swimmers to hone this skill, as the high density will help keep the body afloat. The area of ​​the Ionian Sea is 169 thousand square kilometers. Washes the shores of southern Italy, Albania and Greece.

5 . The Sea of ​​Japan, whose salinity is 35‰

The sea is located between the continent of Eurasia and the Japanese islands. Also, its waters wash the island of Sakhalin. The water temperature depends on the geographical location: in the north - 0 - +12 degrees, in the south - 17-26 degrees. The area of ​​the Sea of ​​Japan is more than 1 million square kilometers.

6. Barents Sea with a salinity of 34.7-35 ‰

It is a marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean. It washes the shores of Russia and Norway.

7. The Laptev Sea with a salinity of 34‰.

The area is 662 thousand square kilometers. It is located between the New Siberian Islands and Severnaya Zemlya. The average annual water temperature is 0 degrees Celsius.

8. Chukchi Sea with a salinity of 33‰.

In winter, the salinity of this sea rises to 33‰, while in the summer, the salinity slightly decreases. The Chukchi Sea has an area of ​​589.6 thousand km². The average temperature in summer is 12 degrees Celsius, and in winter - almost 2 degrees Celsius.

9. White Sea also has a high salinity. In the surface layers, the indicator stopped at 26 percent, but at depth it rises to 31 percent.

10. Laptev Sea. Salinity is recorded at the surface at 28 percent

The sea has a harsh climate with temperatures below 0 °C for more than nine months of the year, sparse flora and fauna, and low population along the coast. Most of the time, with the exception of August and September, it is under ice. The salinity of sea water at the surface in the northwestern part of the sea in winter is 34 ‰ (ppm), in the southern part - up to 20-25 ‰, decreasing in summer to 30-32 ‰ and 5-10 ‰, respectively. The salinity of surface waters is strongly influenced by the melting of ice and the runoff of Siberian rivers.