- Introduction
- Marine climate
- Sea surface temperature
- Sea surface salinity
- Vertical structure
- Ocean currents
- Regional processes
- Tides
- Surface waves
- Conversion factors
- On-line references
- Authors
- Copyright
Sea surface salinity
Surface salinities reflect the balance between precipitation and evaporation. The average salinity is maximum (35.2 ppt) at 26 N, and decreases southward to 34.3 ppt at 10 N, precipitation being stronger in the vicinity of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.
Plate 4. Annual average surface salinity. Period: 1895-1993. Source: World Ocean Atlas, Ocean Climate Laboratory, NOAA. Units: ppt (parts-per-thousand).