Clines in salt lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert and their significances in indicating fresh groundwater discharge

A study of the Badain Jaran Desert's salt lakes reveals that even in deep, wide lakes with high width-to-depth ratios (>90), distinct thermoclines and chemoclines exist. These layers, characterized by rapid changes in temperature and salinity (TDS ranging from 60 to 160 g/L), are influenced by concentrated discharges of fresh groundwater near the lake bottom. This phenomenon, observed in both deep and shallow salt lakes, suggests that groundwater contributes significantly to the water and salt content of these ecosystems. The research, conducted on Sumu Barun Jaran, the second-largest salt lake in the desert, used depth-dependent temperature and conductivity measurements to identify these layers. While thermocline temperatures align with static water heat transfer models, indicating minimal influence from groundwater discharge heat, seasonal variations in these clines warrant further investigation.

Tianfei, C., Xusheng, W., Xiaonong, H., Huiting, L., & Yanping, G. (2015). Clines in salt lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert and their significances in indicating fresh groundwater discharge. Journal of Lake Sciences, 27(1), 183–189. https://doi.org/10.18307/2015.0121