46 FRIDTJOF NANSEN. M.-N. Kl. 
slope than Stat. 9 of May ı5, 1904 (with a depth of 331 metres), and 
has therefore had comperatively more warm water. 
In May! and August?, 1903, very nearly the same section, with the 
same three Stations, was also taken. In August, 1903, the isopycnals 
slope in the same way as in August, 1904, indicating the same horizon- 
tal movement, but the waters were on the whole heavier and of lower 
temperature and higher salinity. The deepest Station (Stat. 26, August 
28, 1903) is farther north and in deeper water than the Station 24, of 
Aug. 21, 1904. It is much more like Stat. 9, of May ı5, 1904; but its 
bottom-water (between 150 metres and the bottom) is even colder and of 
higher salinity than at the latter station. In May 1903, the conditions 
were, however, very different — if the Latitudes and Longitudes of the 
stations be really correct. The water was then very much heavier at 
the two southern Stations (3 and 9, May 6, 1903) than at the deep 
northern Station (7, May 5, 1903) and also much heavier than the waters 
in the same region in May 1904. There has evidently been some dis- 
placement of the water masses in this year and perhaps an excessive 
cooling of the water. During the winter 1902—1903 and the spring 
1903 there were on the whole exceptional conditions in these regions, 
as is known from other facts (e. g. the emigration of the seal (Phoca 
groenlandica) to the northern coasts of Norway). 
In Breitfuss's section across the northern part of the depression, in 
Aug. 1902, Fig. 2 (p. 26), the isopycnals for 28'00 and 28:10, show on 
the whole an inclination towards the eastern slope but not to the same 
extent as in the above section further south (Fig. 3). This might indi- 
cate a less rapid movement which may be explained by the circumstance 
that we are here probably in a submarine valley extending eastwards 
(see Fig. 1, p. 24). The deep waters are here on the whole some- 
what heavier over the slope than in the above section. The isohaline 
for 3490 %0 and the isotherms for 0'0? C. show, however, a very 
characteristic feature, namely, two bulks of warm water with compara- 
tively high salinities obviously moving along the slopes to both sides of 
the depression, and on both sides of a “mountain” of cold water, in 
the middle, with salinity above 34:90 0/0. The warm water, with tem- 
peratures above zero, on the eastern slope, has on its long way north- 
wards along this slope (see Pls. II and III, maps for 100 and 200 
metres) been diluted by intermixture with overlying less saline strata, 
and had the salinity of its upper part reduced below 3490 °/,. 
{ Bull. Courses Period., May 1903, p. 212, Stats. 7, 8, 9. 
2 
? Ibid., Aug. 1903, p. 28, Stats. 24, 25, 26. 
