In the Pacific it is thought to originate on the southern side of the equator. Equatorial water is also found in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. Here, its higher salinities are probably due to its mixing with the waters of the Red Sea. However, this conclusion has not been substantiated. Equatorial water, like central water, is not discernible at the surface, because the temperature and salinity values used to isolate it cannot be clearly ascertained in the upper 100 to 200 meters.
Intermediate water is found below central water in all oceans.
Intermediate water includes Antarctic inter-mediate water, Arctic intermediate water, Mediterranean water, and Red Sea water. Antarctic Intermediate Water. Antarctic intermediate water encircles the Antarctic continent and is the most widespread of all the intermediate water masses. It forms in the vicinity of the Antarctic convergence, where it sinks. As it sinks, it flows north and mixes with the water masses that lie immediately above and below it.