[...]... psu in the near-bottom layer of the Bornholm Deep, whereas in the southern and northern basins these variations were less, e.g from over 11 to 14 psu in the Gotland Deep Changes in the surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea are governed by the increased continental influence in the east and the considerable north-south extent of the Baltic Sea (Melvasalo et al., 1981) In the Baltic Proper, the. .. literature The book discusses the distribution and cycling of metals, metalloids and radionuclides in the Baltic Sea and, where needed, in adjacent northern or other seas The main aim of the book is to acquaint the reader with the distribution, bioavailability, fate and sources of chemical pollutants in the Baltic environment (seawater, suspended matter, bottom sediments, ferromanganese concretions, seaweed,... of the rivers draining into the Baltic whereas the mean annual flow rates of most rivers displayed only some fluctuations with time These seasonal changes began in the 1920s and have accelerated since the 1970s They coincide with the energy crisis and the resulting attempts to improve water storage facilities for electricity generating stations Seasonal variations in the river outflow to the Baltic Sea. .. 20 m The main barrier between the low salinity upper (isohaline) layers and higher salinity (heterohaline) deep layers occurs at 40-70 m, on the average, depending on the region and the period under consideration Major inflows of water from the North Sea significantly change the location of the permanent halocline within the water column and the relative volumes of the isohaline and heterohaline layers... Finland and Riga Several regions are distinguished based on the bottom topography: the Arkona Basin, the Bornholm Basin and the Gotland Basin (Fig 1.2) The Gotland Basin in subdivided into its eastern and western parts The Gdafisk Basin is a southward extension of the Eastern Gotland Basin; it is frequently treated as a separate natural region because the Gdafisk Deep (max depth 118 m) acts as a sink... Baltic Proper, the average winter sea surface temperatures are around 2~ The extent of ice cover is very variable, depending on the severity of winter and the region (Majewski and Lauer, 1994) The mean sea surface temperature is 16-18~ in the southern part, about 16~ in the central part and 15-16~ in the northern part of the Baltic Proper during August During 1989-1993, the mild winters caused positive... 2001) and therefore it is not the intention to repeat this published information 2 INTRODUCTION Rather attention will be directed forward the presentation of these basic environmental problems shortly which are linked with the fate of selected chemical elements in the Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is a young postglacial inland sea, with its drainage basin over four times its sea area (Fig 1.1) The drainage... 1.4 Some major industrial regions and individual plants on the coast in the Baltic region After Backlund et al (1993); modified plants are applied According to Bruneau (1980) the Finnish textile industry is mainly located either on the Baltic coast or on rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea; it could be responsible for entering many stable chemicals the Baltic Sea The major pollutants load in this area... works and fertilise industry; the latter is also located on the Estonian coast The Russia has also a highly developed chemical industry, petrochemical plants and the pulp and paper industry Most of pollutants are transported through the Neva River to the Gulf of Finland, and thus affect the Baltic Sea Scandinavian petrochemical installation is located on the Baltic coast; the Finnish steel mills, pulp and. .. show distinct temporal and spatial differences in the accumulation pattern during the winter as well as the uptake by autotrophic organisms during spring There is a time-lag of about 2-4 weeks in the accumulation and assimilation peaks, when moving from the Arkona Basin toward the northern Baltic Another time-lag, of about 1-2 weeks, occurs between the coastal zone and the off-shore areas (Falandysz . in the Gotland Deep. Changes in the surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea are governed by the increased continental influence in the east and the. addition to the literature. The book discusses the distribution and cycling of metals, metalloids and radionuclides in the Baltic Sea and, where needed, in adjacent