STATION NUMBER 

 146 147 



Figure 14, Vertical cross-sections showing salinity distribution drawn from the above lines of stations. 

 Large vertical exaggeration has been used in these cross sections because of the shallow water involved. 

 Station interval is approximately 30 miles, 



lesser degree than in the northern and western Laptev Sea. Representative 

 horizontal distribution curves of dissolved oxygen saturation are 

 illustrated in figures 15 and 16 for depths of 5, 10, and 20 meters. 



Dissolved oxygen supersaturation observed was primarily limited 

 to the upper 30 meters although it was noted to a depth of 53 meters 

 on station 152. 



Anomalously high dissolved oxygen saturation values have been 

 observed previously in the English Channel, the Antarctic, and the 

 Arctic (Harvey, 1960). Oxygen supersaturation in Arctic Surface 

 Water has been reported by Sverdrup and Soule (1933) who recorded 

 saturation values in excess of 110% at several stations occupied 

 on the NAUTILUS expedition. 



Oxygen supersaturation generally is attributed to photosynthetic 

 processes since it is observed to occur within the photic zone at 

 depths below effective wind mixing. A recent paper by Williams and 

 Miller (1965) suggests, however, that coverage provided by polar 

 ice combined with cyclic freezing and thawing may lead to anomalous 

 dissolved gas concentrations in the Arctic Basin. 



Photosynthesis probably was the most important factor in achieving 

 dissolved oxygen concentrations observed in the Laptev Sea in 1963. 

 Large quantities of greenish-brown biologic material were observed 

 in the water at numerous stations and on ice floes below the water 



21 



