How Was the Dead Sea Formed?

The Dead Sea is the lowest body of water in the world and is a salty, landlocked sea, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica online. Its development and geography contributed to its unusual salinity and has made it a popular tourist landmark for centuries.

History

The Dead Sea was formed over many eons by shifting tectonic plates. Its high salt-to-water concentration, or salinity, developed over time through evaporation and by a nearby river, the Jordan, and small springs terminating into its waters, spilling salt and leaving behind minerals.

Features

Actually a salty inland lake rather than a sea, the Dead Sea is known for its extremely high levels of salinity (more than 30 percent), making its waters inhospitable to aquatic life except for some algae and bacteria. The saltiness developed over time as the Jordan river delivered a steady supply of minerals, collected through runoff and other natural sources, into the lake water with no outlet. The salt built up as the lake formed, lying in piles under the water on the sea floor and crusting over the rocks on the beaches.

Geography

The Dead Sea, located more than 1,300 feet below sea level, is landlocked between Jordan and Israel. The Jordan River flows into the body of water, but no river or streams flow out. The theory is that the landlocked nature of the Dead Sea came to be due to plate tectonics; it is likely located over a rift in the earth's crust. According to Extreme Science, scientists believe that the Dead Sea is sinking into this rift at a rate of 13 inches per year.

Function

The salt from the Dead Sea has been mined for use in food, beauty products, and as health supplements. The Jordan River is used by Israel and Jordan to supply their irrigation needs; the theory is that such use is causing the Dead Sea to begin receding. Some scientists fear it will disappear completely halfway through the 21st century.

Interesting Facts

Because the salinity of the Dead Sea is so high, people can float on its surface. However, that also makes it difficult to swim in the salty water.
Few things can live in the Dead Sea; it is too salty to sustain complex life forms. Fish that float from the nearby rivers into the Dead Sea are immediately killed by the high salt content and preserved to wash up on the shores of the lake.

References

• Dead Sea. (2009). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
• Extreme Science