14 



DISCOVERY REPORTS 



The vertical sections of the salinity, temperature and density (a t ) of the line from 

 King George Island to Trinity Peninsula are given in Figs. 8-10. 1 Near Trinity 

 Peninsula the surface water consists of cold dense water forming part of the south-west 

 set on this side of the strait. As King George Island is approached the surface water 

 becomes warmer and less dense and forms part of the north-east going current which has 

 entered the Bransfield Strait between Snow Island and Smith Island and between Low 

 Island and Smith Island. 



At St. 198, approximately 25 miles south-south-east of King George Island, the 

 temperature and salinity of the water below 200 m. are lower than at corresponding 

 levels at Sts. 197 and 199 on either side. From the shape of the lines of equal density 

 and from dynamic analysis it appears that St. 198 is the centre of a circular motion, the 

 water moving in opposite directions on either side of this station. The charts of dynamic 



STATION 196 



K.GEORGE 



33-90& 



TRINITY PENIN* 



50CK 



I000 u 



I500n 



200Ck 



Fig. 8. Vertical section of salinity: King George Island to Trinity Peninsula, April 1927. 



topography show that the level of the surface of the sea at St. 198 is higher than at 

 Sts. 197 and 199 on either side. The movement of water has a more or less constant 

 velocity down to 200 m. at St. 198 and then decreases with depth. In a later part of this 

 report considerable doubt is thrown on many of the temperature and salinity results of 

 the line of stations from King George Island. In such an enclosed basin as the Brans- 

 field Strait it is surprising to find so much horizontal circulation below 200 m. as 



1 In considering these sections, some observations of salinity have been neglected, and in particular 

 St. 197, 800 m., 35-06 °/ 00 , St. 198, 1500 m., 34-87 °/ 00 , and St. 199, 700 m., 35' 0I 7 00 - ^ is considered 

 that these salinities, abnormally high for the latitude, are due to the partial freezing of the sea water in 

 the reversing water bottles before a sample could be taken, with the consequence that the salinity of the 

 remaining water became considerably increased. During these particular stations air temperatures of - 7° 

 to — io° C. were recorded. All three salinities were the result of duplicate titrations. 



