In message , Philip Eden
writes

"JPG" wrote in message
roups.com...
http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/eosrjohnson.html

Fascinating stuff. I'm already lost at an early stage, though.
How does a hydrologic deficit in the Mediterranean result
in **outflow** through Gibraltar?

Philip

If I recall correctly saltier, and hence denser, water flows out of the
Mediterranean at depth, and sinks into the deeper levels of the
Atlantic. To balance this, and the excess of evaporation over inflow and
precipitation, fresher, and hence less dense, water flows into the
Mediterranean nearer the surface.

It is not obviously incorrect that, an increased hydrologic deficit in
the Mediterranean leading to the outflow being even saltier, the
resulting increased density contrast accelerates, and hence increases
the volume of, the outflow.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley