COLD WATER LAYER IN THE SOUTHERN RED SEA

Abstract

Temperature profiles in the southern Red Sea basin during late October 1969 demonstrated the existence of a strong inversion at about 100 m from the surface. The lowest water temperature recorded with 500‐m bathythermographic casts was 19.1C at a depth of 85 m. The cold water was traced north to 18° 10′ N. Causes for the presence of the cold water layer appear to be associated with the transition period between summer and winter monsoon seasons.