The Red Sea is a typical semi-enclosed narrow basin connected to the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Aden. It is one of the important deep water formation regions, and its signature reaches far south, into the Indian Ocean. The Red Sea is surrounded by extremely hot arid lands and has a relatively strong evaporation rate (2 m.yr-1) with nearly zero precipitation. This region experiences strong seasonality in its atmospheric forcing and buoyancy. These characteristics, along with the lack of river input, make the Red Sea one of the hottest and most saline regions in the world.
Author(s) Details:
P. Abdulla
Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
A. Alsaafani
Department of Marine Physics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabi
M. Alraddadi
Department of Marine Physics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabi
T. M. Asharaf
Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
M. Albarakati
Department of Marine Physics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabia
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Recent Global Research developments in in Red Sea: A Unique Semi-Enclosed Basin of High Salinity
1. Introduction to the Red Sea: Its Origin, Structure, and Environment:
This chapter provides an overview of the main features of the Red Sea and its surroundings.
Key points include:
- The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed, elongated warm body of water approximately 2,000 km long with a maximum width of 355 km.
- It has a surface area of roughly 458,620 km² and a volume of approximately 250,000 km³.
- The Red Sea is bounded by nine countries and is characterized by coastal lagoons, islands, and extensive shoals.
- Its northern end is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez.
- The high salinity arises due to the enclosed nature of the sea, higher water and air temperatures, low precipitation, the absence of major rivers draining into the sea, and limited exchange of water with the Indian Ocean, which has a lower salinity [1].
2. Processes Governing the Seasonal Evolution of Mixed Layers in the Red Sea:
This study investigates the seasonal evolution of mixed layers in the Red Sea.
Key findings include:
- The Red Sea experiences significant seasonal variability in mixed layer depth (MLD).
- Wind stress, heat flux, and evaporation play crucial roles in MLD dynamics.
- The Red Sea’s unique characteristics, including high salinity and limited freshwater input, contribute to its distinct MLD patterns [2].
3. Understanding Oceanic Turbulence: Implications of Mixed Layer Dynamics:
- The Red Sea is a natural laboratory for studying oceanic turbulence and mixing.
- Factors such as high salinity, warm temperatures, and limited freshwater input influence the Red Sea’s unique MLD patterns.
- These processes have implications for climate, coral reefs, and marine ecosystems [3].
References:
1. Rasul, N. M. A., Stewart, I. C. F., & Nawab, Z. A. (2015). “Introduction to the Red Sea: Its Origin, Structure, and Environment.” In The Red Sea (pp. 1–28). Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45201-1_1
2. Polzin, K. L., & Lvov, Y. V. (2007). “On Leakage of Energy from Turbulence to Internal Waves in the Oceanic Mixed Layer.” Ocean Dynamics, 57(1), 1–8. DOI: 10.1007/s10236-006-0100-3
3. Thompson, P. R., & Patrizio, V. (2021). “Quantifying the Role of Ocean Dynamics in Ocean Mixed Layer Temperature Variability.” Journal of Climate, 34(7), 2667–2682. DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0476.1
4. Krokos, G., Cerovečki, I., Papadopoulos, V. P., Zhan, P., Hendershott, M. C., & Hoteit, I. (2024). “Seasonal Variability of Red Sea Mixed Layer Depth: The Influence of Atmospheric Buoyancy and Momentum Forcing.” Frontiers in Marine Science, 11, 1342137. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1342137
