Connate Origin Proposed for Hot Salty Bottom Water from a Red Sea Basin

Abstract

A 200-m thick layer of extraordinary bottom water (temp. 44° C; salinity 270 parts per thousand) has been reported recently from a central Red Sea basin by Swallow and Crease¹. Anomalous water with less extreme values has been noted previously in the general area^2–5. Charnock⁶ suggested that the warm, saline water was formed by evaporation in a shallow lagoon and travelled to the central basin as a density flow. Preliminary chemical investigations led Swallow and Crease¹ to conclude that the anomalous brine could not be sea water concentrated by evaporation, since the ratios of major ions as well as the chlorinity-conductivity ratio differed significantly from those of normal sea water. The origin suggested was the washing of hypothetical salt beds exposed in the area. The high temperature of the water was referred to the flow of heat coming through the sea floor in regions of high tectonic activity.