ANTARCTIC SURFACE WATER: WEST WIND DRIFT 31 



The low temperature of the surface water, and the occurrence of pack-ice so far north 

 in the Atlantic Ocean, are largely the result of the transference of water from the East 

 Wind Drift to the West Wind Drift by the northward current in the Weddell Sea. There 

 are similar but smaller currents affecting the conditions at several other points round 

 the Antarctic Continent in the same way. The distribution of temperature, salinity and 

 oxygen content in section 9 (Plates XVI-XVIII) give evidence of such a current east 

 of the Kerguelen-Gaussberg ridge. The movement appears to be greatest at St. 861, on 

 the eastern slope of the ridge, and at St. 864, north of the Shackleton ice-shelf, where 

 the bottom contours bordering the Antarctic Continent bend sharply northwards. The 

 surface temperature distribution (Fig. 8) and the current chart drawn by Willimzik 

 (1924, Abb. 1) both indicate a greater northward movement in this region ; further con- 

 firmation is given by the ice chart (Fig. 9), which shows that pack-ice is found farther 

 north. The bending of the edge of the pack-ice towards the north near the Shackleton 

 ice-shelf in 1914 is shown by observations made by Davis in the 'Aurora' (1919, p. 152). 

 The northward movement near the ridge and the ice-shelf is undoubtedly caused by 

 the effect of the shallowing of the sea on the movements towards the east and west. 



The surface temperature chart indicates that there are similar northward movements 

 north-west of the Balleny Islands, north-east of the Ross Sea, and near Peter 1st Island. 

 The first two currents are also indicated by the northward advance of the ice limits as 

 given by Fricker (Fig. 9), and of the ice-edge as we found it, the first by a small advance 

 near the Balleny Islands, and the second by a greater northward displacement north- 

 east of the Ross Sea. The northward set near Peter 1st Island was experienced by the 

 'Pourquoi Pas?' and the 'Odd I' (see p. 16). 



The indications of northward movement are particularly strong in the region north- 

 east of the Ross Sea, and the idea of a current flowing out of the Ross Sea similar to the 

 Weddell Sea current, at once presents itself. Part of the northward movement is, how- 

 ever, composed of the water which flows towards the east in the West Wind Drift. This 

 drift is deflected northwards where it crosses the Cape Adare-Easter Island ridge 

 (Plate XLIV), and until there are sufficient data to give a surface temperature chart of 

 the approaches to the Ross Sea, the extent to which the northward current is joined by 

 water from the sea itself cannot be determined. 



Since Cape Adare lies well within the region of prevailing east winds, the greater part 

 of the Ross Sea current flows round the cape towards the west. As it flows in this 

 direction, the north-westerly trend of the coast-line, and the shallowing of the sea over 

 a large coastal area between Oates Land and King George V Land, cause some of it to 

 be deflected northwards. The bend of the isotherms and ice-boundaries towards the 

 north near the Balleny Islands is probably caused by such a curving of the westerly 

 current. The temperature and ice charts indicate that the northward movement is 

 greatest in 150-160 E. It was in this region that the 'Aurora' was liberated. 



When the water flowing northwards near the Balleny Islands reaches the region of 

 prevailing west winds, it will be carried eastwards. Part of it will be deflected towards 

 the north again near the Cape Adare-Easter Island ridge, and the data available at 



