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Classification of Water Mass

The classification of water mass as follows-
A.)According to Depth of Water Mass:

i.)Surface Water Mass:
a)     Surface water mass is extended from water surface to 200 meters of the oceans.
b)    In the tropical region, such water mass is warm nature.
c)     In the polar region, such water mass is relatively warm nature than deep ocean.
d)    The salinity of surface water mass is less.
ii.)Central Water Mass:
a)     Central water mass is extended from 200 meters to 1000 meters of the oceans.
b)    Central water mass is extended to the bottom of the main thermocline (which varies with latitudes).
c)     The temperature of the central water mass is relatively high than deep oceans.
d)    The salinity of the central water mass is less.
iii.)Intermediate Water Mass:
a)     Intermediate water mass is extended from 1000 meters to 3000 meters of the oceans.
b)    The boundary between central water & intermediate water is the most abrupt & pronounced.
c)     Intermediate water mass are intermediate in density.
d)    The salinity of this water mass slowly rises as increasing depths.
iv.)Deep Water Mass:
a)     Deep water mass is extended from 3000 meters to 4000 meters of the oceans.
b)    The salinity is high of this water mass.
c)     The temperature is less of this water mass.
d)    The density of this water mass is high.
v.)Bottom Water Mass:
a)     Bottom water mass is extended from 4000 meters to the bottom of the oceans.
b)    This amount of salinity is high.
c)     This percentage of temperature is less.
d)    The density of this water mass is very high.
Water Mass
Temperature (°C)
Salinity (‰)
Central Water Masses:
SPCW = South Pacific Central Water Mass.
9-20
34.3-36.2
NPCW = North Pacific Central Water Mass.
7-20
34.1-34.8
NACW = North Atlantic Central Water Mass.
4-20
35.0-36.8
SACW = South Atlantic Central Water Mass.
5-18
34.3-35.9
SICW = South Indian Central Water Mass
6-16
34.5-35.6
Intermediate Water Masses:
NPIW = North Pacific Intermediate Water Mass.
4-10
34.0-34.5
RSIW = Red Sea Intermediate Water Mass.
23
40
MIW = Mediterranean Intermediate Water Mass.
6-11.9
35.3-36.5
AIW = Antarctic Intermediate Water Mass.
0-2
34.9
AAIW = Antarctic Intermediate Water Mass.
2.2-5
33.8-34.6
Deep & Bottom Water  Masses:
CoW = Common Water Mass.
0.6-1.3
34.7
PSW = Pacific Sub-Arctic Water Mass.
5-9
33.5-33.8
NADW = North Atlantic Deep Water Mass.
3-4
34.9-35.0
AADW = Antarctica Deep Water Mass. 
4.0
35
AABW = Antarctic Bottom Water Mass.
-0.4
36.6
NABW = North Atlantic Bottom Water Mass.
2.5-3.1
34.9
Source: M.U. Sverdrup, M.W. Johnson, & R.M. Fleming, 1942, A. Defant, 1961, & O.R. Marmaev, 1975.

B.)According to Nature of Water Mass:
i.)Warm Water Mass:
a)     Warm water mass is extended from ocean surface to 1000 meters of the oceans.
b)    The temperature of this water mass is high.
c)     The salinity of this water mass is less.
d)    The density of this water mass is less.
ii.)Cold Water Mass:
a)     Cold water mass is extended from 3000 meters to the bottom of the oceans.
b)    The temperature of this water mass is very low.
c)     The salinity of this water mass is very high.
d)    The density of this water mass is very high.
Antarctic water mass

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