ESS11
Prof. Jin-Yi Yu
Density
q Seawater is almost incompressible,
so the density of seawater is always
very close to 1000 kg/m3.
q Potential density is the
density that seawater with a particular
salinity and temperature would have
at zero water pressure (or at surface air
pressure).
q Potential density = density
– 1000 kg/m3.
Low density due to
absorption
of solar energy near
the surface.
(from Global Physical Climatology)