for the open water along this coast. This is an extension of the 

 current originating in the Indian Ocean, where it attains high salinity 

 and considerable heat before flowing southvj^ard tintil it strikes the 

 Antarctic Coast, On the shallow continental shelf it is cooled, follows 

 the continental slope down to the deeper portions of the Weddell Sea, 

 and then flows out to the north as a deep, strong, cold-water current 

 of high salinity. It is a portion of this current which rounds the tip 

 of the Palmer Peninsula and flows westward along the southern shores of 

 Bransfield Strait, The ciirrent setting along the eastern side of the 

 Palmer Peninsula packs the ice in solidly along this coast, so that no 

 ship has been able to approach the Weddell Sea from this direction. 



B. Physical Properties 



Oceanographic stations were not occupied in the main body of the 

 Weddell Sea during the present cruise, and the few stations that were 

 taken were along the eastern edge of the sea on the Princesrj Martha 

 Coast. The coast along this region is obscured by an ice shelf and 

 shelf ice face similar to that of the Ross Sea. A 2~stabion section 

 was made at Atka Bay (fig. $) , wliich is located about 60 miles east 

 of Norsel Bay and Maudheim. A single station was occupied at the edge 

 of the fast ice of Admiral Byrd Bay (fig. 6), The Atka Bay stations 

 were 65 and 800 meters deep respectively, while the Admiral Byrd Bay 

 station w.-is tjken in 2,250 meters. There is little similarity betv/een 

 the two locations, but they do provide an indication of conditions 

 existing at and ii/ithin 10 miles of the shelf ice oh this side of the 

 Antarctic Continent. 



1, Temperature 



In Atka Bay, water temperature was below 0° C. from the surface 

 to the bottom at both stations, the latest temperatures being found 

 at the bottom. Temperatures in the surface layer to a depth of 50 

 meters were similar at both stations, teiaporature differences in 

 this layer genera3.1y amounting to less than 0,10° C, Below $0 meters 

 the vertical gradient was more pronounced at the inshore station, and the 

 isotherms follo'.'iod the nari'ow continental sheLC and slope. TGnj..iora- 

 tures at the bottom vari'^d only 0.01*^ C. (-Ie32^ and -1.33° C. at sta- 

 tions 11 and 12, respectively),, indicating the seaward flov7 of cold 

 water over the bottom of the continental slope. At Admiral Byrd Bay 

 water temperatures were below 0° C, from (■ ;; surface down to 1,',)00 

 meters. The coldest water vjas found betv/een the surface and 500 

 meters, iirith the minimum temperature of -1,62° C. occurring at itOO 

 meters, Below 1,'400 meters, the temperature of the water rose with 

 increasing depth, a temperature of + 1,50° C. being observed in bottom 

 water at a depth of 2,000 niters. 



13 



