a 
36 FRIDTJOF NANSEN. M.-N. KI. 
The sections (Pl. IV, Sections I—III) constructed for some of 
Amundsen’s Stations in this region, are rather instructive. Sect. III 
shows how cold water, with uniform low temperature and salinity, 
occurs on the coast bank (Stat. 6), whilst near to, or on the northern 
slope (Stats. 5 and 3) of the bank, there were, more than a week earlier, 
much higher temperatures and salinities, with a warm intermediate layer 
in which the salinity approaches that of the Atlantic water of the 
Barents Sea. This shows the effect of the more rapid horizontal move- 
ment of the water along the slope. Section II, shows the difference be- 
tween Stat. 5, which is in a channel! near the slope, communicating with 
the warm current along the latter, and the two Stations 2 and 4 on the 
banks on both sides. But at none of these Stations has there been such 
perfect vertical circulation, as at Stat. 6. Stat. 4 has been too near the 
channel at Stat. 5, and has an intermediate warmer layer (maximum of 
—0'21? C.) and a comparatively high salinity (about 34°83 %0), and 
Stat. 2 was near the slope of the submarine valley, coming from the 
north) west ‘of kong. 40" "E. (see Før p. 24): 
Section I is interesting as it demonstrates a remarkable change in 
the water-masses, which has obviously occurred between April 26, when 
Stat. 2 was taken, and May 20 and 22 (Stats. 9 and 10). Where 
Amundsen’s route, between May 22 and 23, crosses his route between 
April 26 and 28 (see Pl. I), it is seen that the surface-temperatures and 
salinities have become noticeably lower (about —1°5° C. and 34°51 %00) 
in May than they were in this region in the end of April (about 0:47 C. 
and 34°87 %oo). It is obvious that in April there was much water from 
the Atlantic current, which runs eastwards along the slope of the deep 
depression (see the isobaths for 200 and 300 metres in Fig. 1, p. 24, 
and the temperatures and salinities along Amundsen’s route between 
April 24 and 25, Pl. I); whilst in May there had been a displace- 
ment of the whole mass of water towards the west, very cold water 
with lower salinity (between 3456 and 3468 °oo) having come from 
the east (or south?) and filled the sea between surface and bot- 
tom, as is seen at Stats. 9 and 10. The whole bulk of warmer 
determinations are not now available and it is impossible to compute values accurately, 
but judging from his values given for Wollebæks Stat. II (see below) the values then 
published (op. cit.) should be reduced by o'r1 °/,,. 
I The exact form and direction of this channel is somewhat difficult to trace, as the 
soundings of the different expeditions are somewhat contradictory, which may be due 
to inaccuracies in the latitudes or longitudes. That the channel actually communicates 
with the great deep depression to the northwest is proved by the warm bottom-water 
at Stat. 5, and also by several Russian observations in this locality in later years. 
