The effect of salt-fingering structure on sound propagation in the Strait of Hormuz

Structures caused by temperature and salinity gradients and their resulting mixing have a significant effect on sound propagation in shallow and deep waters. One of the vertical structures is salt-fingering (SF), which is formed by the vertical gradient of temperature and salinity, when warm and salty water is located above cold and fresh water. Quantification of double diffusion (DD) structures is done by the Turner (Tu) angle theory. Warm surface water from the Oman Sea, evaporation and salty surface water of the Persian Gulf provides the initial conditions for the formation of SF in the Strait of Hormuz. In depth less than 5 m, weak SF (45