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vol-12HYDROGRAPffiC CHARACTERISTICS AND CIRCULATION
OF THE WATERS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN.
MOHAMED A. SAID
Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt.
ABSTRACT
Classical observations carried out during March 1977
have been analysed to explain the variability of the water
masses and of the surface circulation occurring in the
Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Three water masses were
identified: (1) The near-surface water mass o~ Atlantic
origin between 0-150 m depth, (2) The intennediate water
mass between 200-600 m and (3) The deep water mass between
800-3000 m.
The water characteri sti cs at the surface, 50 m and 100
m levels are approximately the same. The outstanding features
of the” surface layer salinity in the Levantine sea is the
presence of a wide area coverd with salinity higher than
39.00%0. The Levantine i ntennedj ate water, characterized
by a secondary maximum salinity, forms in the central,
the northern and the south-eastern parts of the Levanti ne
basin where the winter convection reaches a depth of maximum
salinity. The water temperature and salinity slightly
decrease with increasing depth to reach 13.60°C and 38.70%0
near the bottom respectively.
