daily (0000-2400) voltage records (figs. 8A, 8B) and 

 by calculating an arithmetic monthly average from 

 the daily values. 



A similar evaluation of potentials measured on 

 land electrode systems indicates that such systems 

 are generally unworkable, at least for this location, 

 since tidally generated or "transport" potentials are 

 obscured by earth currents and large random fluc- 

 tuations in signals during the summer months and 

 by variable losses in "pick-up" sensitivity due to the 

 ground freezing during the v/inter months. The de- 

 crease in electrical conductivity between land elec- 

 trodes is illustrated indirectly by the changes in 

 voltages developed between land silver/silver chlo- 

 ride electrodes and earth grounds as the atmospheric 

 heat input fluctuates (figs. 9A, 9B, and 9C). The 

 irregular signal fluctuations are common to both 

 sea and land electrode systems, although more pro- 

 nounced in the land system. The electric potential 

 measurements reported by Wertheim^" exhibit com- 

 parable fluctuations and have been related to varia- 

 tions in the magnitude and direction of the horizontal 

 component of the geomagnetic field. 



Inspection of the average monthly mass water 

 transport for June 1953 through November 1955 

 (fig. 10) indicates considerable fluctuation throughout 

 the year both in volume and in direction. A northerly 

 transport for August through November ranging from 

 a minimum of 0.8 to a maximum of 3.1 X 10'' cubic 

 meters per second is characteristic of all three years. 



The large southerly outflow of water from the 

 Arctic Ocean system in May and June of 1954 (3.8 

 X lO" cubic meters per second) is somewhat surpris- 

 ing and perhaps contrary to many former opinions, 

 although continuous measurements which provide evi- 

 dence on the volume and direction of transport 

 through the Strait are extremely meager. It is un- 

 fortunate that comparative data for the same period 

 in 1953 and 1955 are unavailable. 



The reader is cautioned as to the accuracy of 

 the mass transport data. Until further potential meas- 

 urements and current calibrations have been con- 

 ducted, the data presented in flgure 10 must be 

 considered tentative. It is obvious that a shift in the 

 empirical calibration curve (fig. 7) could cause appre- 

 ciable changes in transport values calculated from 

 the average monthly potentials. 



SEA WATER TEMPERATURES 



Bottom sea water temperatures in the eastern 

 Bering Strait have been measured, 1200 feet offshore 

 in 10 feet of water, from October 1953 to November 

 1955. Average monthly and daily temperatures for 

 this period are presented graphically in figures 11 

 and 12. 



More significant data in relation to water trans- 

 port are obtained when the thermal units are laid 

 in deeper water at a distance 4 to 6 miles offshore, 

 where a zone of boundary or transitional flow ap- 

 pears to exist. Data were obtained in this area in 

 1951^ and indicated considerable correlafion with 

 water movement and wind shifts. The reported meas- 

 urements, taken near shore in shallow and relatively 

 protected waters, obviously reflect atmospheric radia- 

 tion and meteorological parameters to a for greater 

 degree than average oceanographic changes and 

 must be considered in the interpretation. 



Ice reconnaissance data summarized in terms of 

 the polar pack ice boundary and reported by the 

 U. S. Navy Hydrographic Office'- illustrate the rela- 

 tive navigability or severity of ice conditions in the 

 Chukchi/Beaufort Seas for the years 1953, 1954, and 

 1955 and are reproduced in figure 13. From figure 1 1 

 it is noted that the average monthly temperatures 

 for August and September 1954 were 2.7°F and 

 4.0°F higher than for the same months in 1955. This 

 leads to speculation on the contribution of water 

 transport, if any, to the large recession of ice off 

 the northwestern Alaskan coast and the extreme open 

 conditions in the Chukchi Sea during 1954. 



A contradictory feature arises, if average 

 monthly volume transport values are considered to- 

 gether with the average monthly temperatures. Since 

 the August-September 1955 transport values are indi- 

 cated to be approximately twice the volume for the 

 same months in 1954, the total theoretical amount 

 of available "oceanic" heat above 29°F for these 

 two months is only about 50 per cent and 70 per cent 

 as great as for August and September 1955. Thus, it 

 might be reasoned that the water contribution to ice 

 disintegration is slight or negligible. 



From the preceding data it is apparent that a 

 complete heat budget study which considers all perti- 

 nent oceanographic and meteorological parameters 

 in relation to ice growth, dissipation, and movement 



10 



