A mean density of 1.03 gms./cm.' (actual 

 densities ranged from 1.026 gms./cm.' to 1.028 

 gms./cm.') and a specific heat of 1 cal./gm./° 

 C. were used in all computations. The mean 

 temperature for each solenoid was referenced 

 to -1.8° C. for the heat calculations. (T,„ = 

 T„„s + 1.8° C, where T,,,,. is the observed mean 

 temperature) . 



The data presented in the tables of Ocean- 

 ographic Data (app. A) are reproduced from 

 computer listings from the National Ocean- 



ographic Data Center (NODC Cruise Numbers 

 31-1281, 31-1533, and 31-1642). Anomalies of 

 dynamic height in the listings were computed 

 by NODC, but all discussion of dynamic 

 heights in this text is based on computations 

 made at the Coast Guard Oceanographic Unit. 

 Dynamic heights in water shallower than the 

 reference level were computed in a manner 

 similar to that of Helland-Hansen (1934), as 

 described in detail by KoUmeyer (1967). 



DISCUSSION 



The bathymetry and geology of Kane Basin 

 were described by Uchupi (1964). The bottom 

 topography of Kane Basin (fig. 2) consists 

 mainly of a broad sedimentary shelf with two 

 large troughs and a sill at 250 meters that have 

 a controlling affect on the circulation. A west- 

 ern trough running parallel to Ellesmere Island 

 is the main passage connecting northern Nares 

 Strait to Smith Sound. The eastern trough is 

 deeper but extends from the northern end of 

 Humboldt Glacier southwestward to Smith 

 Sound. Kravitz et al. (1970) reported that the 

 floor of Kane Basin is extremely hard with an 

 average Phleger corer penetration of only 121 

 cm. The results of their work were similar to 

 those reported by Uchupi (1964), with lime- 

 stone being the most ubiquitous rock type 

 sampled and ice rafting being the main agent 

 of transport and deposition of the most recent 

 sediments from the Humboldt Glacier. 



An important role of the circulation in Kane 

 Basin is in formation of Baffin Bay Deep 

 Water. Bailey (1956) noted that waters at 

 about 250 meters depth in the Arctic Ocean 

 have similar characteristics (-0.3° C, 34.4%o) 

 to deep water in Baffin Bay. He stated that this 

 water enters Baffin Bay through Kane Basin 

 and Smith Sound either as a slow and continu- 

 ous process or as a surge of heavy water that 

 sinks to the bottom. CoHin (1965) showed by 

 density distribution that the influx of high 

 salinity (>34.4%o) Arctic Ocean Water 

 through Smith Sound is not a continuous proc- 

 ess but probably takes ]ilace in intermittent 

 pulses. This pulsing theory was further sup- 

 ported by Palfrey (1968) who showed an iso- 

 pycnal wave in northern Kane Basin that sug- 



gested an upwelling of heavier water over the 

 sill, but he did not actually sample any of the 

 characteristic type water in southern Kane 

 Basin or Smith Sound. 



Water with the characteristics of Baffin Bay 

 Deep Water was found at stations 1, 2, 3, 8, 

 and 12 in Kane Basin in September 1969. A 

 comparison of this water with a station occu- 

 pied in Baffin Bay during August 1969 (fig. 4) 

 shows the distinctive T-S characteristics 

 ( - 0.3° C, 34.4%n) at about 200 meters in Kane 

 Basin and between 1,500 and 2,000 meters in 

 Baffin Bay. This water has never been observed 

 immediately south of the 250 meter sill in Kane 

 Basin nor can it flow through Jones Sound and 

 Lancaster Sound into Baffin Bay due to limiting 

 sill depths of 175 and 180 meters respectively 

 (Bailey, 1956). This leads to the hypothesis of 

 its formation in pulses. 



Cold water of polar origin (<0°C., 

 <33.5%o), found in the upper 200 meters in 

 Kane Basin (figs. 5-12, 15-22), makes up the 

 major drift southward into Baffin Bay. The 

 surface waters are of low salinity (<33.0%o) 

 particularly on the eastern side near Humboldt 

 Glacier. At 100 meters, water with a salinity 

 maximum of 33.5%n followed the deeper channel 

 on the western side. The coldest water ( — 1.7° 

 C.) was found near the surface on the western 

 side of Kane Basin along the coast of Ellesmere 

 Island. Water colder than -1.5° C. was found 

 over the deepest part of the western trough to 

 a depth of about 75 meters in the northern part 

 of Kane Basin and between 25 and 50 meters 

 in the southern part. The temperature below 

 150 meters gradually increased with depth to 

 the bottom. 



