The major inflow to the Baltic Sea during January 1993

The volume of highly saline water transported through the Great Belt (Storebælt) and the Sound (Øresund) to the Baltic Sea is quantified directly from data measured in the Great Belt and the Sound. The measurements include current velocity, temperature and conductivity. The inflow through the Little Belt (Lillebælt) is estimated from the volume transported through the Great Belt. The volume of highly saline water, transported into the Baltic Sea in the period January 5 to January 26, 1993, is calculated to be 154 km3. The mean water mass temperature was approximately 4 °C and the mean concentration of oxygen approximately 8 ml/l (11 mg/l). During the major inflow, the volume of water with a high salinity (more than 17 PSU) transported through the Great Belt was in a ratio of 7:6 with the volume of highly saline water transported through the Sound. Data from a survey in the Bornholm Basin with R / V Dana during the period from February 27, 1993 to March 14, 1993 are investigated to study the inflow through the western part of the Baltic.