A REPORT ON THE OCEANOGRAPHICAL OBSERVATIONS 



IN THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN CARRIED OUT 



ON BOARD THE JAPANESE WHALING 



FLEET DURING THE YEARS 



1946-1952 



By Masao Hanzawa and Takeo Tsuchida 



Oceanographical Section, Centred Meteorological Observatory 

 Tokyo, Japan 



Abstract 



The chief characteristics of the oceanographical conditions of the 

 Antarctic Ocean given in the present treatise are founded on the obser- 

 vations taken on board the Japanese whaling fleet during the years 1946 

 to 1952. Among many interesting facts found by the Japanese Fleet, 

 we may mention these significant points. 



1) In the Antarctic Ocean, the temperature and chlorinity graph 

 of the sea surface increases in the shape of a parabola as the 

 distance from the pack-ice line increases. 



2) Ocean currents computed from dynamic calculation near Scott 

 Island in 1949 show eastward flow to the north of 67 °S, and 

 southward flow along the 180° line to the south of 67 °S. 



3) The insignificance of the Antarctic circumpolar water is due 

 to bottom topography and to small clockwise circulations. 



4) The boundary of two currents is a good whaling ground, even 

 in the Antarctic Ocean; and in the homogeneous water area 

 good whaling is not expected. 



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