DAVIS STRAIT AND LABRADOR SEA 



59 



Guard during the past several years is based solely on meteorological 

 factors. From the beginning it was realized that there were other 

 factors, and we suspect that two of these are (a) the rate of heat sup- 

 ply of the West Greenland Current and (6) the degree of branching 

 of the West Greenland Current into the Labrador Sea. The former 

 may affect the icebergs near their source and the latter may affect 

 them on their journey southward. 



30 60 (miles) 



o-M 



100 

 2 



\ 6 

 8 

 10 



15 



Figure 32. — Temperature profiles across the continental shelf, Aj, August 1-2, 1931 ; 



Bi, July 28, 1931 



In commenting on the East Greenland Polar Current along the west 

 coast of Greenland Nielsen (1928) points out that, if negative tem- 

 perature is to be accepted as the index of such water, then often in 

 autumn the extension of the East Greenland Current northward of 

 Cape Farewell along the west coast dwindles and disappears. Nat- 

 urally during sunmier in sub-Arctic zones higher temperatures pre- 

 vail in the upper water layers than at other times of the year. Ac- 



79920—37 5 



