HEAT AND SALT STORAGES IN THE OFFSHORE WATER OF THE RED SEA

HEAT AND SALT STORAGES IN THE OFFSHORE WATER
OF THE RED SEA
KAMEL M.S.
*
AND EID F.M.
**
* National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt.
** Oceanography Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Key words: Heat storage, salt storage, Red Sea.
ABSTRACT
The seasonal changes of heat and salt storages in the offshore water of the Red Sea
were studied using a historical data collected from different cruises during the period from
1924 to 1998. The heat storage within water column of different depths exhibits a seasonal
variability. The heat storage is low during winter and high during summer. Also, the heat
storage increases from north to south. The maximum values of heat storage are found in the
southern central part of the Red Sea. It reached about 29.9×10
9
J/m
2 within the water
column of 300m depth. The seasonal change of heat storage from the annual mean is
negative during winter and spring, while it is positive during summer and autumn. It has
higher values during winter and summer, while its value decreased during spring and
autumn.
The salt storage within the water column decreases from north to south. The maximum
values are observed at extremely northern Red Sea, while the minimum ones are found at
extremely southern Red Sea, near Bab-El-Mandab Strait. The maximum value of salt
storage within the water column of 300m depth reaches about 12.59 ton/m
2
during summer.
The salt storage differs slightly from one season to another. The maximum values of salt
storage are observed during summer in the northern regions of the Red Sea, while they are
found in the southern regions during winter. The seasonal changes of salt storage from the
annual mean vary between -110 kg/m
2
and 100 kg/m
2
.