Surface Temperatures near Icebergs. 



On a run of four miles while the surveying steamer was passing icebergs in 

 Belle Isle strait in August, the successive temperatures of the surface water 



were as follows :- 



-39i° 



was two-thirds of a mile distant. 



4U^ 41f °, 42i°, 44°, 43f°, 411°. The nearest iceberg 



At distance of 100 feet around berg. 



On Northeast side 35|° 



" East side 35J 



" South side 35| 



" West side 35 



" West side 35 



In 1906, an iceberg about 500 feet 

 long was aground in 38 fathoms about 

 li miles from Station P, where it re- 

 mained for several days. On June 19 

 it was examined in a boat. The surface 

 temperature in the strait at the time 

 was 35i°, and the temperatures close 

 around the berg are shown opposite. 

 There was only i° difference to be 

 found near it, on the West side, where 

 the water was tailing from it with the 

 flood. 



At 130 to 1,330 feet distant from berg. 



Point 1. 

 " 2. 

 " 3. 



Temperature 38° Density 1-02330 

 37 " 1-02330 



37 " 1- 02330 



In 1894, on August 7, an 

 unusually large iceberg was 

 aground in 57 fathoms off 

 Chdteau bay. An instrumental 

 survey made in a boat, showed 

 it to be 780 feet long, 290 feet 

 wide and 105 feet high. 



The temperature and density around it, at the distances indicated, are 

 shown above. On that day, the water temperature off Chateau bay was 36^°, 

 it was 39° half way between the bay and Belle Isle island, and 41° off the south 

 end of that island. The temperature was lowered less than 2° therefore, in the 

 proximity of the iceberg. 



The next day, August 8, a small iceberg was aground in Chdteau bay. The 

 water temperature in the middle of the bay was 34° and at the mouth, 34§°. 

 The lowest temperature close to the iceberg was 33|°, which shows a difference 

 of not more than 1°, due to the iceberg. 



It is evident that such small differences of temperature, found closer to 

 icebergs than a steamer would willingly venture, cannot be relied upon 

 as an indication of value. At times when the surface temperature is higher, more 

 difference might be expected; but this usually occurs while the dominant flow 

 is eastward, which prevents the bergs from coming in. There is thus also little 

 opportunity to obtain observations, as the bergs are few. 



It might be thought probable that when many icebergs come into the 

 strait, the colder water of the Labrador current off its mouth would come in 

 with them, and thus give a general indication of their presence. Broadly speak- 

 ing, this is true; but when a gale can occasion the greatest change in the surface 

 temperature which ever occurs, as has been pointed out, it is evident that this 

 indication cannot be relied upon. 



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