SCIENTIFIC RESULTS 



177 



tion is to the right — its force directly in proportion to the depth 

 of the water at that particnLir place — causing the resulting gradient 

 current to i)arallel the coast. The time required to develop a current 

 of this sort must be calculated in weeks or months depending upon 

 the magnitude of the wind and the width of the current. The pre- 

 vailing wind system of December and March, over Labrador, cor- 

 related with the observed increase in the strenath of the Labrador 



The Labrador Current 



FiGiKE IIM. — One of the fuiidamental factors causing a slope 

 current to be built up along the Labrador coast is the pre- 

 vailing northwesterly winds. The long curved arrows indi- 

 cate the average wind direction December to March, and the 

 short double arrows show the general movement of the 

 water as a result. Tlie diagram AB — CE represents the 

 relative position of the Archimedian and the Ferrelian 

 forces and the direction of resultant flow. 



current oil' the Tail of the Grand Bank, from March to July, may 

 represent the lag in the development of such an increase in flow. 

 The dwindling of the cold current which is believed to occur in 

 .summer south of Xewfoundland may be traced partly to the sub- 

 sidence of the northwesterly winds in the preceding spring. 



The volume and velocity of the Labrador current is also effected 

 by piiicly hydrographical factors such as land drainage, and by the 



