Vertical and Horizontal Movements in the Ocean 



L. H. N. COOPER 



Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, England 



SINCE Stommel (1958) published his book on the Gulf Stream, 

 there is no need for another review of vertical and horizontal 

 transport in the Atlantic. Instead I propose to describe an experi- 

 mental investigation at one station, Cavall, in the Bay of Biscay 

 at 46°30'N, S°00'\V. 



For seven years we have there been studying vertical and 

 horizontal movements. To do so we ha\'e had to study changes 

 in depth, temperature, salinity, oxygen, and silicate which are 

 little greater than the experimental errors of the methods used. 

 We have been improving our own technique but only in 1959 were 

 we satisfied that our results would support the interpretation we 

 wished to put upon them. Before conclusions can be presented, 

 some assessments of error need to be made. Except in Tables I 

 and II potential temperature and potential density will be used. 

 Xo measurements with current meters have been made. 



Four-Thermometer Water Bottles 



In our earlier records many cases occur where depth readings 

 on adjacent bottles on a hoist were in poor agreement. We have 

 uncertainties of as much as 40 m in some of our depths, and un- 

 certainties of 20 m were commonplace. The thermometers were 

 blamed. In consequence the Laboratoire Oceanographique, Copen- 

 hagen, made for us a number of water bottles to carry four ther- 

 mometers, two protected and two unprotected. The various ex- 

 ternal fittings of the water bottle have to be repositioned to obtain 

 a con\enient four-thermometer design. At the Xew York Congress 

 I learned that other laboratories have also recently employed 

 similar instruments. Our idea was that we should be able to pick 



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