1° 



500. 



1000 



f 



1500 



___ TEMPERATURE SALINITY 



tpcricir vni luic 



Figure 149. Vertical distribution of temperature , salinity 



and specific volume at 86° 09' north latitude and 

 00°58' east longitude. 



In accordance with such a distribution of temperature and salinity we will conditionally accept 

 as the basic characteristics of arctic surface water: low temperature (below -1°) and salinity from 

 30 to 34. 5 o/oo. These characteristics remain almost unchanged throughout the whole year (with 

 the exception of the southern limits of arctic surface water which will be discussed below). 



As has already been shown, the lower level of extent of surface arctic water is at different 

 depths in different regions of the Arctic Basin. According to our observations on the Sadko in 

 1935 at 82°41. 6' north, 87°03' east, it occurred at a depth of about 75 m. According to observa- 

 tions of the Libin-Cherevichny expedition in April 1941 in the region about 81° north along the 

 meridian of Wrangel Island it descended to a depth of about 175 m. Observations of the station 

 "North Pole" in 1937 in the Arctic Basin showed that it lay at a depth of about 150 m. In the Green- 

 land current, which consists mainly of this surface arctic water, it was found at a depth of about 

 120 m. 



407 



