HYDROGRAPHY. jci 



supposed to be samples on which full reliance could be placed. As to the seas that have been sub- 

 ject to investigation, we will take our stand on the basis of the assumption, that a supersaturation in 

 the depth means that the water has come from surface-layers in the colder regions of the sea. 



Furthermore it will be seen from what has been explained, that a slight incomplete saturation 

 in the depth is not absolutely dependent on a cooling of the water, after it left the surface, for there 

 is every reason to believe that the water, already when it leaves the surface, is subject to cooling, 

 and in consequence of this incompletely saturated, a circumstance which we must not forget to take 

 into consideration, when we are going to draw conclusions on the basis of an incomplete saturation 

 in the depth. 



Station 134 has incompletely saturated water, but we cannot, as already said, on account of 

 this consider it as a fact that the water has come from a warmer region of the sea, that is to say, 

 from the southward. The high degree of salinity that is found in the water at this station, implies, 

 however, that the conclusion regarding a current that is setting north, may be right in this case. At 

 the rest of the stations, south-east of Iceland, there is supersaturation everywhere, that is to say, the 

 current is setting south. (That the observations at station 49 show that there is such an exceedingly 

 small amount of nitrogen at the bottom, is probably due to observational errors). According to this, 

 I am led to believe that the current at the bottom is flowing across the Faroe-Iceland 

 ridge in a southerly direction in the proximity of the Faroe- Islands and Iceland, 

 but in a northerly direction on the middle of the ridge. 



South and south-west of Iceland, the water has in general been found to be incompletely satu- 

 rated; exceptions to this are the stations 75 and 62. At station 75 the sample was muddy, and the 

 arrow pointing south is therefore not to be considered as being of much consequence at this place. 



West and north-west of Iceland, the observations at stations 99, 97 and 94 show an incomplete 

 saturation of the water, which, in so far as station 99 and 97 are concerned, is quite in harmony with 

 the fact of the water coming from the southward, that is to say, from warmer regions of the sea, 

 while on the other hand, according to what has been said on page 11 1, the afflux of warm water to 

 station 94 is taking place from the north-east. The observations at station 89 show that the water 

 was supersaturated, but the samples muddy. At station 96 the amount of nitrogen found is so 

 great, that I think it must due to observational errors. The observations at station 91, prove that 

 the water was supersaturated, which perhaps may be ascribed to cold water having made its way to 

 the bottom through the water (which on this spot is comparatively stagnant), and which water must be 

 regarded as a kind of centre for the rotation in the Denmark Strait. The fact is that the Irminger 

 Current is setting north along the west-coast of Iceland, and then it is sending a branch to the 

 westward towards the East Greenland Polar Current, making its way underneath this latter. (The 

 observations at station 94 situated in this tract of the sea, show an incomplete saturation of the water). 

 Another branch of the above current runs north round Iceland, and may be traced at station 101, at 

 which place the observations show that the water likewise is incompletely saturated. At stations 102 

 and 103 the water has nearly attained the point of saturation. The observations at station 104 show 

 incomplete saturation, which very likely may be ascribed to an afflux of water from the eastward. 

 The water at station 113 has just attained the point of saturation. 



