OCEANOGRAPHER'S REPORTS. 



FEBRUARY. 



In assembling and recording data relating to ice and sea-water 

 temperatures the method adopted last year was again employed this 

 year. The temperature of the sea water at the surface in the area 

 observed has been recorded on the oceanographical chart. This 

 chart (chart "H'') shows the sea-water temperatures and the ice 

 and meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the Grand Banks 

 of Newfoundland between February 8 and February 26, 1922. A 

 wider distribution of sea-water temperatures was secured during this 

 period than ever before so early in the year. The cooperation of 

 passing trans-Atlantic steamships was excellent and facilitated the 

 plotting in detail of the conditions in the area observed. A rise in 

 the temperature of the sea was observed in lat. 43° N. between 

 longs. 57° W. and 60° W., the highest temperature of the sea water 

 in this area being 52° F. To the eastward of this area the tem- 

 perature of the surface water was lower, but in lat. 43° N., lon^. 

 54° W., another rise in temperature occurred, which continued until 

 the west slope of the Great Bank was reached. Over the 

 Great Bank cold water of approximately 32° F. was found to extend 

 from the surface to the bottom of the sea. This temperature is the 

 normal temperature of water over the Great Bank and the smaller 

 banks Ijdnw off the Newfoundland shore at this time of the year. 

 Isotherms indicating the conditions noted have been drawn on 

 the chart. 



During the month of February the temperature of the surface 

 water of the northern edge of the Gulf Stream in the vicinity of the 

 Great Bank was approximately 54° F. This is represented on the 

 chart by a shaded boundary line, which was definitely located and 

 found to be sharply defined. No current observations were possible, 

 owing to the prevailing rough sea, but a set to the eastward was 

 noted alonw the south side of the Great Bank. In lat. 41° N., long. 

 47° W., this set turned sharply and continued in a general swirl in 

 a northerly direction. When it reached the 45th parallel it again 

 changed dixection, setting about ENE. true. It was not further 

 investigated. 



On the chart the 54° isotherm represents the northern edge of the 

 Gulf Stream, which flowed along tne 41st parallel and, in 47° west 

 longitude, swept in a gentle curve to the ENE. and then on across 

 the 43d meridian. The divergence between the 54° isotherm and 

 the 60° isotherm indicates that the northern set in this locality was 

 a branch from the main current of the Gulf Stream. This con- 

 clusion seems to be borpe out by the temperatures recorded in lat. 

 44° 52' N., long. 46° 50' W., at oceanographical station 174, where, 

 at a depth of 250 meters, a temperature of 50° F. was found. Below 

 this* depth the temperature of the water dropped suddenly to 41° 

 F. and the water continued to grow colder as the depth increased. 



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