New Method for measuring Density of Seawater

Abstract

SEAWATER density, a property of fundamental importance for oceanographers, is usually calculated from salinity (determined by chlorinity titration or measurement of electrical conductivity) using Knudsen's hydrographical tables¹. These tables of relationships between salinity, temperature and density are based on the results of only twenty-four seawater analyses². Recent investigations, especially by Cox, MacCartney and Culkin³, have shown good agreement with Knudsen's tables in the salinity range S‰= 15–40. For water of low salinity such as the Baltic Sea, however, there are greater discrepancies caused chiefly by variation of ionic relationships. No detailed investigations have been made so far, because of the difficulty of making very accurate density measurements.