Ocean salinity refers to the concentration and spatial–temporal variability of dissolved inorganic salts in seawater, typically expressed in practical salinity units (PSU) or as absolute salinity (g kg⁻¹). It is primarily controlled by the balance between evaporation, precipitation, riverine and glacial freshwater input, sea ice formation and melt, and mixing processes. Salinity strongly influences seawater density, thereby modulating thermohaline circulation, stratification, and large-scale climate dynamics. It also affects chemical equilibria, gas solubility, and conductivity, making it a key parameter in oceanographic observations, remote sensing, and numerical modeling of ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles.
Science never stops. Get notified about trending stories.
