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Climatic conditions
The Dead Sea lies in a desert where rainfall is scanty and
irregular. The region receives less than 4 inches of rain annually.
Winters too are mild, averaging 170 C in January at Sedom
and 140 C at the northern end. Summers are hot, with the
temperature ranging around 340 C in August at Sedom.
There has been a recorded maximum of 510 C. Evaporation
of the lake’s waters often creates a thick mist above the lake and
is averaged at about 55 inches annually. Atmospheric humidity varies
from 45 per cent in May to about 62 per cent in October.
Lake breeze is a common
phenomenon, in which the breeze blows outward from the lake in all
directions during the day. It then reverses direction to blow inward
toward the centre of the lake at night, in the form of land breeze.
How it was formed
In the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, about 208 to 66.4
million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea covered extensive areas of
Syria and Palestine. The upheaval of the seabed in the Miocene
Epoch, about 23.7 to 5.3 million years ago, resulted in the
formation of the upfolded Transjordanion highlands and the central
range of Palestine, causing fault lines that formed the Dead Sea
depression.
The Al-Lisan
peninsula as well as Mount Sedom was formed as a result of movements
in the earth’s crust. Strata of clay, marl, soft chalk and gypsum,
interbedded with sand and gravel are features common to both, the
peninsula and the western side of the Dead Sea Valley. It is thus
possible to conclude that the uplifting of Mount Sedom and Al-Lisan
formed a southern escarpment for the Dead Sea. The water broke
through the western half to form the shallow southern end of the
Dead Sea.
Its historical
significance
The Dead Sea has been associated with biblical history since the
time of Abraham and the destruction of the two cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah, which once stood near the lake. It is believed that
these cities, destroyed by fire from heaven because of their
wickedness, are now possibly submerged in the southern part of the
Dead Sea. It has been referred to in the Bible as the "Salt Sea".
Columns of salt rock on
the shore may have the basis for the Biblical story of Lot’s wife
who was turned into a pillar of salt as punishment for disobeying
God. Ancient manuscripts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls were
found in caves near the Dead Sea. Most of these scrolls date from
about 100B.C. to about A.D.70.
The water in the Dead
Sea
The salty waters of the Dead Sea appear smooth and sparkling.
Rocky, barren lands surround the lake while steep, brightly colored
cliffs rise above its eastern and western banks. With the exception
of a few plants and brine shrimp, the lake is devoid of any other
form of life and this is why the lake is also called the Dead Sea.
The salty soil around the lake too makes it ill suited for the
growth of plants. The extreme salinity prohibits the existence of
any form of life except bacteria and a few halophytes (plants that
grow in salty or alkaline salt).
Source
The River Jordan and several other
smaller streams pour relatively fresh water into the lake, which
then mixes with the salt water at the surface. Thermal sulphur
springs are another source of water for the Dead Sea. The extreme
heat in the area causes this water to evaporate rapidly. As a
result, the Dead Sea never grows less salty.
Salinity
The salinity of the water can be attributed to the presence of
large amounts of minerals occurring in the form of sodium chloride,
bromine, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, hydrogen sulphide and
various other sulphates and bicarbonates. The concentration of the
salt gradually increases toward the bottom. At a depth of 130 feet,
the salinity is less than 300 parts per 1000. It then passes through
a transition zone where the water temperature is uniform and the
salinity is approximately 332 parts per 1000. The deep waters are
saturated with sodium chloride and are fossilized and therefore
remain permanently at the bottom; the upper waters date from a few
centuries after biblical times.
The Dead Sea constitutes
an enormous salt reserve, which is exploited on a small scale by a
number of companies.
The saline water of the
Dead Sea has a high density. It provides great buoyancy, enabling
swimmers to float with ease. Some people believe that bathing in the
Dead Sea is healthful because of its high mineral content. Several
health resorts in the area provide facilities for bathers. |
