Determination of Seawater Salinity by Measurements of the Refractive Index.

Methods for measuring the salinity of sea water are considered. The results of an experimental study of samples of common and sea salt solutions with different salinity poured into a hollow trihedral optical glass prism are presented. The light refraction angles are measured with a goniometric system by use of which the minimum deviation method possessing a high accuracy of determining the refractive index is implemented. Using dispersion analysis of experimental results, it is proved that the refractive index of water does not depend on its salt composition. An equation describing the dependence of the refractive index on salinity and temperature for a fixed wavelength is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]