REPORT ON SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS AND 

 OPERATIONS. 



E. F. B. Fries, Scientific Obaeirver. 



From February until the termination of the ice patrol in July, 

 80 stations for oceanography and marine biology were occupied. 



At these stations a program similar to that of 1921 was in effect.' 

 First, temperatures and corresponding water samples were obtained 

 by means of deep-sea, reversing thermometers and Greene-Bigelow 

 water bottles from about six levels in vertical series between the 

 surface and the usual m,aximum depth of 750 meters, or the bottom. 

 Then by means of different silk toMTiets collections of the plankton 

 were made and preserved in formalin. Generally four towings were 

 made — one being vertical from a maximum depth of 600 meters, or 

 the bottom, one restricted to the surface, and two horizontal at 

 different depths, of which the greater was usually 200 meters and 

 never exceeded 350 meters. 



This scientific station work was, for the first time, not confined to 

 one of the cutters engaged in the ice duty. It was begun on the 

 "observation" cruises of the Seneca in February and March, both its 

 oceanographic and biological phases being conducted by Lieutenant 

 Smith.^ When the Tampa and the Modoc took over the duty of ice 

 patrol, they in turn were the base of operations, as the oceanographer 

 and the scientific observer transferred from one to the other in order 

 to remain continuously on active duty during the season. In April 

 and the foUoAving months the scientific observer took charge of both 

 physical observations and biological collections, and thereby avoided 

 any confusion tending to arise from the splitting of authority in the 

 station work. 



The Inter-Departmental Board on Ice Patrol had, as in 1921, 

 recommended that the stations be located along lines running from 

 Halifax to about 42° 30' N., 57° W., thence to the southern portion 

 of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, and from this point, 

 respectively, over the banks toward Cape Race, east into the Gulf 

 Stream, and south into the Gulf Stream. In fulfiUment, these 

 recommendations were subjected to some modifications. Instead of 

 the suggested 50-mile intervals between stations, 30-mile and even 

 25-mile intervals were the rule to the southward and eastward of 

 the banks where the nature of the water varied abruptly. ^Vnd a 

 radial line from the Grand Banks southwest into the Gulf Stream, 

 promising an interesting section of the mixing of the banks and 

 Labrador Current waters with those of the Gulf Stream, was adopted 

 in addition. Because the primary duty of the vessel on patrol was 

 to keep in close touch with the icebergs southward of the banks and 

 because the weather conditions were frequently adverse, it was 

 impossible always to occupy the stations regularly according to this 

 plan. Yet in consequence of having the scientific duty taken over 

 by each relieving vessel, most of the total of 80 stations were located 

 along these radials and the remainder were believed productive by 

 themselves of interesting data. (See chart "A.") Furthermore, the 

 different stations in any one of the radials are embraced by a span of 



1 U. S. Coast Guard, BuJletin No. 9, 1922, p. 61. » In the absence of Mr. Fries. 



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