The hydrology of the Persian Gulf and its significance in respect to evaporite deposition

Abstract

"The hydrological regime of the gulf is such that evaporating surface water passes toward the coasts, sinks, and escapes from the gulf by counterflow at lower levels, the highest salinities, both of surface and bottom water, being in coastal areas. This regime, similar to that which must have existed in ancient evaporite basins, is used as a model by which to interpret probable circumstances of evaporite deposition. It is thence argued that in a marine basin in an arid region, introduction of a bar at the entry to the basin or simple overall shallowing without the introduction of a bar may produce similar results in respect to evaporite deposition and distribution. In either case higher grade evaporites will deposit in the more remote coastal areas of a basin contemporaneously with progressively lower grade evaporites toward the point of entry of 'freshening' oceanic water."