A temperature gradient column for the rapid measurement of the density of brines

A vertical temperature-gradient column for measuring the density of brine is described. The column is filled with a liquid which is immiscible with the brine and in which a brine droplet comes to rest at a point where its own density matches that of the medium. This method has been used for determination of the density profiles in the interstitial waters of sediment cores from the bottom of the Dead Sea and for other density measurements where rapidity and ease of measurement was required.