368 DEPART3IENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



Section XV, Stations 1^9-56. 



The section runs from station 49 of the foregoing section to station 56 off the 

 slopes towards the ocean, and crosses S^ahle Island bank at its southwestern part. 



Salinity. — The surface layers lie still more horizontally than in section XIV. 

 Intermediate water is found near the coast from the surface down to about 45m., and 

 the 32 Voo isohaline cuts the surface near station 52, and almost follows this, display- 

 ing small minima in the salinity as far seawards as station 56. 



Bank water is more pronounced than in any of the foregoing sections of this cruise, 

 forming a continuous layer all over the section in a horizontal direction. Near the 

 slopes from the coast the layer is about 80 to 100m. in depth, but is thinned out over 

 the inner channel and over the deeper water. Slope water covers the bank and the 

 slopes on each side with 34-water from 125m. downwards on the slopes facing the ocean. 

 Atlantic water is found from 45m. down to 400m. at station 56, and at depths of 150- 

 250m. it forces its way as near to the slopes as midway between stations 54 and 55. 



Temperature. — In this section we find two minima, with temperatures below 2° C, 

 one placed as in section XIV close up to the coast, the other over the seaward edge of 

 the banlc. The position of these two minima determines the character of the tempera- 

 ture conditions in the water-masses occupying the bank and the channel on the inside. 

 The water from the surface down to 20-25m. has a temperature above 10° C. The sur- 

 face temperature increases from the coast seawards, with a sudden jump between 

 stations 54 .and 55 from 13-9° to 16-35° C. The 10° isotherm trends vertically from a 

 depth of 20-257n. at station 56, where we find a temperature above 10°C. between 20 and 

 275m., proceeding towards the slopes of the bank at a depth of 100 to 150m. The 

 slopes below 125m. are covered by water having a temperature between 5 and 10° C. 



Section XVI, Stations 65-56. 



The section runs fi-om station 65 off Canso, to station 56 of the foregoing section, 

 and crosses the Middle bank and Sable Island bank somewhat west of the island. 



Salinity. — Off Canso we find traces of coastal water near the surface. Inter- 

 mediate water goes down to 75-50m. between the coast and Middle bank, but is restricted 

 to the tipper 25m. over Sable Island bank. The banks are covered by bank water down 

 to 60-80m. in the outer part, but in the inner channel the bank water is found to at 

 least 150ni. As far out as over the edge of the bank we find a layer of bank water from 

 the surface down to about 40m., with a minimum of intermediate water at the surface 

 at station 56. The deeper parts of the channels and the slopes towards the ocean are 

 covered by slope water. Atlantic water is only found at station 56, from 45m. down 

 to 400m. 



Temperature. — The minimum with temperatures below 2° C. is restricted to the 

 inner channel, while the banks are covered by water having a temperature between 2 

 and 5* 0. The 10° isotherm runs at a depth of 8 to 25m. and in the inner half of the 

 section the temperature is between 11-5° and 13-5° C, with a rapid increase between 

 stations 59 and 57 from 11-55° to 17-5° C. From station 56 the 10° isotherm trends 

 Vertically, and at this station we find temperatures above 10° between 25 and 290m. 

 The seaward slopes of Sable Island bank are covered by water having a temperature 

 between 5° and 8° C, with a minimum of 3-5° C. at a depth of lOOm. 



The influence of the Gulf Stream is less pronounced in the two last sections than 

 in the others, and the outer edge of Sable Island bank is influenced by temperature 

 minima displaying the presence of water of northern origin. 



