In physical oceanography, a water mass formed in the arid easternMediterranean Sea that flows westward and sinks in the Algero-Ligurian and Alboran basins to depth of about 500 m due to its relatively high salinity of 36.5 to 39.1. It continues westward into the Atlantic Ocean through the shallow Straits of Gibraltar (at depths below 150 m) where it sinks to about 1000 m, forming a distinctive water mass with a temperature of 11-12° C and a salinity of 36.0-36.2. It can be recognized as a salinity and temperature maximum near 1000 m. This is also denoted as EMW or Eurafrican MW to distinguish it from Australasian MW.