Salinity regime
Salinity is a measure of the concentration of dissolved salts in seawater. Salinity is defined as the ratio of the mass of dissolved material in seawater to the mass of seawater (UNESCO, 1985; TEOS-10, 2010). The term 'Absolute Salinity' (SA), measured as g/kg (mass fraction of salt in seawater) has been adopted as the standard SI unit for salinity, for use in calculations of the thermodynamic properties of seawater, by the International Oceanographic Commission (see TEOS-10, 2010). The term 'Practical Salinity (SP), based on conductivity, is being phased out.
Unfortunately, salinity has been reported in numerous ways in the past, for example, as parts per thousand (ppt or ‰), as the 'practical salinity unit' (PSU) or as 'salinity' without any units. Therefore, for the sake of accuracy when referring to salinity in our online reviews, the units used by the original authors are quoted in the text.
| Rank | Definition |
|---|---|
| Full salinity | 30-40 |
| Variable salinity | 18-40 |
| Reduced salinity | 18-30 |
| Low salinity | < 18 |
| Unknown salinity | ??? |
References
- Hiscock, K. (ed.), 1996. Marine Nature Conservation Review: rationale and methods. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee. [Coasts and seas of the United Kingdom. MNCR series.]
- TEOS-10 Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010. http://www.teos-10.org/
- UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1985. The International System of Units (SI) in Oceanography. Report of IAPSO working group on symbols, units and nomenclature in physical oceanography (SUN). IAPSO Publication Scientifique, no. 32, UNESCO technical papers in marine science, no. 45.
