Table 103. (Continued) 



In 1942, the steamships Molotov and la kra were caught in ice drifting with this current and 

 the icebreaker Stal in was approximately the same distance from the Chuckchee Coast but 54 

 miles farther southeast. 



From 0600 hours on 5 October through 0600 hours on 6 October, these vessels drifted paral- 

 lel to the coast for 60 miles, i. e. , at a rate of 2. 5 knots. During this time, the northwesterly, 

 therefore favorable, wind reached a force of 8. 



Considering the velocity of the southeast current to be at least 1 knot, which amounts to 24 

 miles per day, and adding a wind drift of 15 miles per day according to table 103, we find that the 

 total drift should be at least 39 miles per day. However, the velocity of the steady current was un- 

 doubtedly increased by such a strong wind. Furthermore, the surface of the ice which surrounded 

 the vessel was very rough at that time (fragments of old ice reinforced with young ice) which 

 created a large roughness factor and increased the wind factor. Finally, in the southeast part of 

 the sea, that is ahead of the drift of the vessels, there was still little ice, which also increased the 

 wind factor. This accounts for the high drift value. As soon as the wind force decreased to 3-4, 

 the drift speed (the icebreaker Stal in, 6 to 10 October) decreased to 25 to 30 miles/day. 



The drift of the steamship C/i el y us A: in in the same Chuckchee Sea in November of 1933 is 

 more striking (see figure 159). 



We know that the southeastern current of the Chuckchee Sea, on reaching Bering Strait does 

 not enter Bering Strait but turns northward and joins the northern current directed from the Bering 

 Sea through Bering Strait into the Chuckchee Sea. 



On 4 November 1933, driven by a strong northwesterly wind, the Chelyuskin together with 

 the ice in which it was caught was carried out of the Chuckchee Sea into the Bering Strait. After 

 passing across the line Cape Dezhnev-Ratmanov Island (Mys Dezhnev - Ostrov Ratmanova), the 

 northwesterly wind decreased to a force of 4-5. In this connection: 



1. The wind ceased to exceed the influence of the steady northern current. 



2. The reduction of the wind force resulted from a corresponding reduction of the atmos- 

 pheric pressure gradient. This latter circumstance created a gradient current which intensified 

 the steady northern current. 



367 



