B. Physical Properties 



Stations 1, 2, 3* and h (fig. 2), taken off Little America from tho 

 edge of the ice shelf in tho former Bay of Whales seaward in a general 

 northwesterly direction, Indicate the conditions prevailing in the water 

 close to the edge of the shelf ice. The most seaward station was barely 

 25 miles north of the Ross Ice Barrier and about l^O miles from the 

 southernmost end of the former Bay of Whales. Off Kainan Bay, 30 miles 

 to the east of the Bay of Whales, stations 5> 6, and 7 (fig. 3) were 

 completed extending from the edge of the fast ice of Kainan Bay to the 

 outermost station some 1$ miles north of the shelf ice face. Stations 

 6 and 7 were taken in open water. Station 5 was taken in broken, pack 

 ice of about h/lO coverage. 



1. Temperature 



Off Little America, warmer water extended from the surface to 

 about 100 meters depth, below which the water mass showed a tenperature 

 of -1.75° C. The water above 100 meters depth gradual.ly warmed to a 

 tenperature slightly above 0° C, near the surface and showed a marked 

 drop near the edge of the fast ice. Temperatures in tho section off 

 Kainan Bay were markedly different because of the relatively thin 

 layer of fast ice as compared with the thick shelf ice at Little 

 America. Water of a temperature of -1.75° C, or less was found only 

 near the bottom at depths approaching 600 meters, except at station 5 

 where cold water rose to the 300 meter depth and a shM"? temperature 

 gradient was present between 50 and 75 meters. This marked tempera- 

 ture gradient was probably caused by melting ice of tho pack, and by 

 colder water being pxished in from the north as indicated by the 

 salinity and density profiles. 



2. Salinity 



Salinity values, in the Bay of Whales section, showed a regular 

 increase from the svirface to the bottom at the outer stations. There 

 was a gradxial drop in salinity values shoreward to the most southern 

 station, where a marked decrease in salinity was noted at all depths. 

 This was caused by melt water from the ice shelf face aided by the 

 westerly setting current, which carries melt water along the face of 

 the whole Ross Ice Shelf. Maximvan salinity (3U.60 ®/oo) was fo\ind 

 below 500 meters depth. Minimum salinity at Little America was 

 ;'3U.07 °/oo. Surface water salinities at the Kainan Bay section were 

 lower -Uian at the Bay of Whales area and showed an even progression 

 with depth right in to the edge of the fast ice, except at the outer- 

 most station. Here a mass of lower salinity water was pushing in from 

 the north below 50 meters depth. Salinity in the Kainan Bay area j 

 ranged from a low of 33. '4^6 °/oo at the surface to 3U,60 o/oo close i 

 to the bottom at a depth of 600 meters. 



