380 
ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1909. 
ice in winter is thus accounted for. It is on this account that the 
Sea of Greenland appears to us as a special oceanographic basin. 
The Sea of Greenland communicates freely with that of Norway 
on the south. Their hydrographic régime is also identical. Com- 
parison of the results of the Belgica with those supplied by the 
expedition of the /vam bring out, on the other hand, some valuable 
suggestions as to the relations existing between this sea and the 
polar basin. These are illustrated by the following table, where are 
summed up briefly the hydrographic conditions in three different 
localities: (1) In the polar sea, according to Nansen; (2) in the 
polar current to the east of Greenland, according to the Belgica; 
(3) in the center of the Greenland Sea, according to the observations 
of Amundsen, as published by Nansen, 
Temperature. .. 
Salinity... .5--- 
Temperature... 
Temperature... 
Salinity........ 
Temperature... 
Temperature... 
Salinity. ..-- 
Densitive -eecas: 
SEA OF GREENLAND. 
Polar sea, according to 
Nansen: Fram. 
Polar current, according to 
Helland-Hansen and Koe- 
foed: Belgica. 
Central region, according 
to Nansen from observa- 
tions of Amundsen: Gjoa. 
1. Superficial polar beds (0 
to 20 or 30 meters). 
Compact; hummocks......- 
BelowsOresssie eee heres aes 
21 to 32 parts in 1,000........ 
2. Cold polar beds (from 20 
to 100 meters). 
.| Minimum, down to —1.9°... 
Less than 34 parts in 1,000... 
3. Chilled Atlantic beds...-. 
a. Central nucleus down to 
400 meters. 
In the neighborhood of 35 
parts in 1,000. 
b. Transitional beds (down 
to 800 meters). 
IDOE Ore see ceases cee eee 
4. Bottom water (from 800 
meters to bottom). 
From —0.8° to —0.9°........ 
About 35.1 parts in 1,000... - 
102825 een see ca scenes eee 
5. Water of depths warmed 
by contact with bottom. 
As may be seen, there is an 
1. Superficial polar beds (0 
to 20 or 30 meters). 
Compact; hummocks....... 
Belowi0ess. = semana aect tee 
21 to 32 parts in 1,000......-. 
2. Cold polar beds (from 20 
to 150 meters). 
Minimum, down to —1.8°... 
Less than 34 parts in 1,000... 
3. Chilled Atlantic beds..... 
a. Central nucleus down to 
400 meters. 
Maximum, up to +1.2°..... 
In the neighborhood of 35 
parts in 1,000. 
b. Transitional beds (down | 
to 800 meters). 
IAD OVEIO enn ec epneeccrere 
4. Bottom water (from 800 
meters to bottom). 
romi0 eto. — lose eee nee 
Less than 35 parts in 1,000... 
UOZ8i eyes ee erste eee 
5. Water of depths re- 
warmed by contact with 
bottom. 
1. Superficial beds (0 to 20 
or 30 meters). 
Thin (bay ice). 
Variable in summer. 
34.90 parts in 1,000, about. 
2, Water of profound 
depths. From the depths 
to the surface in winter, 
attaining a variable level 
in summer. 
—1° to —1.4°. 
In the neighborhood of 34.9 
parts in 1,000. Density 
1.02811. 
5. Water of depths re- 
warmed by contact with 
bottom. 
absolute identity between the oceano- 
graphic régime in the two principal regions down to a depth of 800 
