Are the densest waters salty and cold?
yes
Yes, the densest waters tend to be salty and cold. This is because the density of seawater is determined by its salinity (the concentration of dissolved salt) and temperature. Cold water is denser than warm water, and as the salinity increases, the density of the water also increases. Therefore, cold and salty waters tend to be the densest.
This is important for ocean circulation, as dense water sinks to the bottom and drives the global ocean conveyor belt. In regions where the surface water becomes very salty (such as the Mediterranean), this dense water sinks to the bottom and flows out into the Atlantic Ocean. In the polar regions, the formation of sea ice increases the salinity of the surrounding water, leading to the formation of dense, cold water that sinks to the deep ocean and helps drive the oceanic circulation.
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