PHYSICOCHEMICAL LIMNOLOGY AND GEOLOGY OF A MEROMICTIC POND ON THE RED SEA SHORE1

• DOI: 10.4319/lo.1970.15.3.0363
• Publication Date: 2010-03-24T23:19:57Z
• Authors: Yoram Eckstein
• Keywords: Halite; Limnology; Brine; Sink (geography); Solar pond; Chemocline

The meromixis is described of a small (140 × 50 m) coastal pond on the Sinai shore Red Sea, about 30 km south Eilat and separated from sea by broad (60 gravel bar. Its bottom lined with macrocrystalline gypsum some halite its periphery built algal mats interbedded gypsum. water consists marine brines, evaporated to various degrees concentration. Seawater spills over bar during winter storms. This freshly supplied seawater creates transparent “greenhouse roof” monimolimnetic, highly concentrated brine low transparency. A high ridge, which almost encircles pond, retards winds thus prevents waves vertical mixing. Water monimolimnion, 4 5 times more than seawater, heated solar radiation under greenhouse roof up 52C. Towards end summer evaporates exposed cools normal temperatures, until storms repeat cycle.