Seasonal heat budget of the south-eastern Mediterranean waters off Egyptian coast during 1983-1986
Abstract
Heat budget components of the Mediterranean waters off the Egyptian coast were studied from August 1983 to July 1986. During this period eight cruises were carried out to the southeastern Mediterranean between longitudes 29°45' E and 33°45’ E using the RV NOOR YA NABI. Heat budget components were calculated using Timofeev's equations. The calculations indicated that the amount of heat loss through the sea surface due to back radiations is not more than -68.11 to 83.73 Wm-2, loss due to conductive heat exchange is in the range -0,47 to 50.35 Wm-2. Between -91.17 and -205.57 Wm-2 were lost through evaporation. The computed values of heat content from the surface to 100 m depth for the offshore station varied from 715.61 x 104 Kg Jm-2 in winter to 1025.64 x 104 Kg Jm-2 in summer. Station-to-station differences were evident during all cruises but they were small compared to time variations.
