| MadSci Network: Chemistry |
The extreme salts content of the Dead Sea and other high salinity bodies of water can generate stratified layers of water that differ in temperature, density, age, and salinity. These layers are constantly changing and evolving due to changes in the environment and influx of water from feed rivers such as the Jordan.
The result is eddy flow streams from temperature/salt concentration gradients. This is probably what you are seeing as changes in optical density of the flowing water when the water is disturbed as well. The lowest level of the Dead Sea has waters near 72 °F temperature and complete saturation of salts.
Since the water near the bottom is saturated, the salt precipitates out of solution onto the sea floor. So, the Dead Sea at the lowest depths and coolest temperatures is in equilibrium with precipitated salt. At higher temperature and lower salt content regions near and at the surface the Dead Sea is still near saturation but the salt concentration is such that no precipitation of salts will occur.
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