- 



1877 June 29th. Lat. 683', long. 953' E. 



metres 8.2 C. 



91 7.l - 



183 6.2 - 



366 B.3 - 



549 3.5 - 



732 0.5 - 



914 -l.l - 



1083 -1M2- 



Not far from Rfist the North Ocean Expedition measured on 

 June 28th 1877, lat 6735', long. 1146': 



metres 8.4 C. 

 18 7.7 - 



37 5.3 - 



55 4.9 - 



73 4.4 - 



91 4.4 - 



116 4.5 - 



At the mouth of the Vest-fjord was found on June 22nd 1877, 

 in lat. 6727', long. 1325': 



metres 7.6 C. 



18 6.82 - 



37 4.73 - 



55 4.16 - 



73 4.03 - 



91 3.89 - 



110 3.78 - 



128 3.9U - 



146 4.0 - 



183 4.3 - 



219 4.6 - 



256 5.3 - 



According to Mr. MOHX 0- c., P- 87 ) & e following series was 

 observed from the surveying ship "Hansteen" on August 21st 1885 

 at the mouth of the Vest-fjord: 



Lat. 678' N. Long. 134' E. 



metres 11.9 C. 



25 13.3 - 



60 10.3 - 



70 8.2 - 



150 7.0 - 



200 6. 7 - 



Bottom 280 6.7 - 



From the deep basin of the innermost part of the Vest-fjord 

 the expedition measured: 



June 2 1st 1878, lat 6812', long. 1540' E. 



metres 10.7 C. 



18 8. I - 



37 5.7 - 



73 4.5 - 



110 5.l - 



146 5.8 - 



183 5.9 - 



366 6.4 - 



649 6.5 - 



624 6.5 - 



Besides the temperature measurements in summer taken by the 

 North Ocean Expedition and the "Hansteen", we have also the obser- 

 vations of dr. HJORT from the summer and autumn 1896 (see hydro- 

 graphical tables A. II.). The latter show a temperature of 6 7 at 

 a depth of 200 in., with a saltness of about 35 %o. The 35 pro 

 millf water rises in the summer to a height of about 40 metres 

 from tlir surface. As a remainder of the winter cold, a tempera- 

 ture minimum is found at a certain depth in this layer with a hidi 

 degree of saltness. From the observations of dr. HJORT appears 

 further that the 35-curve in the course of the autumn is again 

 lowered, while the summer heat has spread down-wards, so tliat 

 the deep layers late in the autumn are warmer than at any othrr 

 season. 



The temperature changes of the seasons take a somewhat 

 different course on the banks and in the open sea from what they 

 do in the fjords. For the Vest-fjord, in my opinion, the account 

 that has been given for Lodingen is upon the whole correct. In 

 professor HELLAND'S work "Lofoten og Vesteraalen" the physical 

 condition of the Lofoten sea in winter is thus characterized (p. 117): 



"A. The 35- and 34-curves are lowered still more down than 

 in the autumn. 



B. The temperature at a considerable depth (about 200 m.) 

 is as a rule 6.5, sometimes 7. Hence it decreases towards the 

 surface. The degrees of warmth in the different years undergo 

 great changes according as greater masses of colder or fresher 

 water form a layer above the 6 7 water. Therefore, the surface 

 temperature in February March varies from 5 to 0, of which 

 numerous instances are given by temperature measurements under- 

 taken in Lofoten." 



Tins description of the winter condition in its general features 

 is sufficiently supported by observations. 



When in the following I am going to treat of certain details 

 of the Lofoten hydrography, I shall especially have in view the 

 condition of the sea during the first months of the year, that is 

 during the time that the great cod fisheries take place. 



From my tables it will appear that in the two winters 1896 

 97 there was in the West-fjord at a depth of 200 m. a tempe- 

 rature of 6 7 C. In most cases 6 were already reached at 

 150 m., wlien the temperature has been 6 or more, the saltness 

 has been greater than 34.5 % . At 200 m. the saltness very 

 much approached to 35 % . At the mouth of the Tjeldsund I 

 thus found (24 Feb. 97, no. 486) 34.96 %o at 200 m., temperature 

 being 6.2. In the Ofoten-fjord (24 Feb. 97, no. 489) I measured 

 at 300 in. a temperature of 6. I, the saltness being afterwards 

 determined at 35.02 %o- From the surface to at least 100 m. 

 the temperature kept at 2, saltness varying from 33.54 to 33.61 

 % ; the 6th degree being reached at 150 m. This leads to two 

 essential conclusions, viz. that the ocean water exists even in the 

 deep of the inner fjords in winter, and that the cold fjord-water 

 may have a considerable volume. This circumstance is no doubt of 

 great importance in regulating the temperature on the Lofoten 

 banks, as during continuous land-wind the fresher and colder water 

 is pressed out, from the fjords of the continent, and into the Vest 

 fjord, whereby the temperature on the banks is lowered. That 

 sea-winds have the opposite effect may be concluded a priori, and 

 has several times been proved by experience. 



