The compressibility of seawater from 0 to 95 °C at 1 atm

Abstract Measurements on the speed of sound (U) in seawater as a function of salinity at 1 atm (P = 0 bar applied pressure) have been measured from 25 to 95 °C. The new measurements have been combined with the earlier studies to determine the adiabatic compressibility (β S  = −(1/ρ)(∂ρ/∂P) S ) of seawater from 0 to 95 °C β S = 1 / ρU 2 where ρ is the density and S is the entropy of seawater. The isothermal compressibility of seawater were determined from β T = β S α 2 T / ρCp where the thermal expansively, α = −(1/ρ)(∂ρ/∂T) P and heat capacity (Cp) were determine from earlier measurements. The values of the isothermal compressibility at 1 atm (β T 0 ) have been used to estimate the effect of pressure on the secant bulk modulus of seawater (K P at applied pressure P) K P = v 0 P / v 0 – v P = K 0 + A P + B P 2 where the specific volume v = 1/ρ and K 0  = 1/(β T 0 ). The values of A and B at high pressures have been determined from literature high pressure measurements. This allows one to make reasonable estimates of the density of seawater as a function of pressure to 100 °C when seawater is used as a cooling agent and for desalination (Feistel, 2010).