. No. 2. SPITSBERGEN WATERS. 37 



The peculiar vertical distribution of density in the section across 

 Wood Bay (Fig. 27) would also be difficult to explain by tidal currents. 

 The inclinations of the isopycnals might seem to indicate an inward run- 

 ning current between noon and 1.50 p. m., on August 9th, but high-water 

 probably occurred at about n a. m. 



It seems also doubtful whether the steep inclinations of the isopycnals 

 in our sections Figs. 22 and 25, across Ice Fjord, are due to horizontal 

 motion of the water. The inclinations of the isopycnals of 27.70 and 27.80 

 between Stats. 48 and 47 are probably much to steep in Fig. 25, as the 

 low density at 230 metres, at Stat. 47, is hardly correct (se note Table I); 

 but at Stat. u, Fig. 22, there seems really to have been a considerable 

 depression of the strata at about 50 and 100 metres. 



It is, however, hardly probable tat there has been lateral equilibrium 

 in these sections. As vas pointed out above (p. 28), several observations 

 indicate appreciable vertical changes in the situation of the water-strata in 

 short time, in the fjords as well as in the sea outside. The series of 

 observation from Wijde Bay and Wood Bay may also indicate such verti- 

 cal oscillations. E. g. at 75 metres at Stats. 27 and 25 observations were 

 taken 25 and 20 minutes later than the observations at the levels above and 

 below. The densities found at 75 metres lie, however, outside the regular 

 "vertical" curves formed by the densities at the other lev.els, indicating 

 that the water- layer at 75 metres may have been depressed about 10 metres 

 at Stat. 27 and lifted about 10 metres at Stat. 25 in the 25 and 20 minutes. 



In seems, therefore, probable that the peculiar vertical distribution of 

 density in some of our sections across the Spitsbergen fjords, is not so 

 much due to the horizontal motion of the water, as to vertical oscillations 

 of the strata. 



The Deep-Water of the North Polar Basin. 



I had hoped to be able to penetrate so far north of Spitsbergen that 

 we could reach depths greater than i ooo metres, and thus obtain samples 

 of the cold deep-water of the North Polar Basin; but unfortunately in- 

 penetrable ice prevented us everywhere from getting so far, the ice being 

 distributed comparatively far south in the summer find autunm of 1912. 

 North of Hinlopen Strait I found, however, a submarine channel extending 

 towards north- north- west. At Stat. 36 (Figs, 32 and 33) it had a depth of 

 620 metres, and the channel evidently communicates with the North Polar % 

 Basin. At a depth of 580 metres the temperature was 0.43 C., and the 

 salinity was 43.905 / 00 . Two water-samples were taken from this depth, 



