The sound speed in southern deepwater zone of the Caspian Sea, off Anzali Port

Abstract

Sound velocity determination in seawater is a key component of modern hydrographic surveying; however, little data exists on sound velocity characteristics of the southern Caspian Sea. Hence, a study was undertaken in 2008 to examine the seasonal variability of sound speed in deep-waters of the South Caspian Sea near the Iranian coast. The seasonal cycle of seawater temperature and thermal stratification in the Caspian Sea water created a wide range of spatial and temporal changes of sound speed with relevant differences between shallow water (over the continental shelf) and deep-water area. The collected data showed that seasonal variations of the sound speed were most important in the upper 100 m water depth, while below this level that is in deepwater the changes were small. The maximum values of sound speed were observed at the surface in midsummer around 1517–1519 m s−1 over the continental shelf while the speed of sound was about 1453 m s−1 between 450–470 m depths with no major seasonal variations. Variations in vertical structure of the sound speed were in agreement with temperature changes, while effects of the salinity on the sound speed were little.