noun
- A layer in a body of water where salinity changes rapidly with depth; the boundary between water layers of different salt concentrations.
Usage: oceanography; plural form of halocline; technical term
Examples
- The haloclines in the ocean prevent mixing between fresh and salt water layers.
- Marine biologists study haloclines to understand water stratification in estuaries.
- Strong haloclines can act as barriers to the movement of fish and other organisms.
- The formation of haloclines depends on differences in water density caused by salt content.
- Haloclines are particularly pronounced in areas where rivers meet the ocean.