156 



375 and 374. The surface was likewise warmer than 10° over the 

 Bank but cooler over the intermediate portion of the section, in 

 which respect it corresponds to profile Xo. IG 



It may be added that the temperature of the smface at station 

 362, 120 miles south of the Tail, was the highest recorded for the 

 cruise and higher than any ever taken during previous ice seasons 

 by the patrol. 



A comparison of the salinity and the temperature suggests an 

 offshore movement in the surface layers from the continental edge 

 but a sinking near station 360, at the location of the outer cold 

 band, substantiated by the course of both the 34Voo isohaline and 

 the 20° isotherm. 



PROFILE NO. 18 -STATIONS 356-376. 



The section runs from in on the southwest slope offshore into 

 the deep water of the Atlantic. The stations were taken October 26. 



Salijiity. — -The saltest water, 35" /oc, was found at the outer station, 

 376, its northern face, of convex contour, extending downward to a 

 depth of 600 meters (328 fathoms). It lay 85 miles seaward from 

 the edge of the Bank at a point farther offshore than at the Tail or 

 to the westward. (See profiles Nos. 16 and 19.) The isohalines for 

 34%o and 35" /o,, follow a roughly horizontal course at the 15 and 

 45 meter (8 and 25 fathom) depths, respectively. Two disconnected 

 shallow surface pods of water fresher than 33''/oo were found at 

 stations 375 and 356. There was no abrupt wall or zone of transi- 

 tion from high to low salinity to be found in this section, which 

 thereby differs from former sections taken by the Patrol in the 

 regions where the higldy contrasted waters lie adjacent to each other. 

 Isohaline 34.5 "oo and isotherm 2.0° suggest a sinking of the water 

 mass .at station 375, 60 miles from the slope, but without considera- 

 tion of relative densities such a statement is unwarranted. 



Temperature . — The most noteworthy feature of this section was the 

 absence of any water colder than 0°, where we naturally expected to 

 find such water on the continental edge. The lowest temperature at 

 this spot, in the location similar to the icy cold band observed on the 

 slope either side of this section, was 1°. A core of cold water, 1.4°, 

 lay offshore at the 250-meter (137-fathom) level, station 375, and 

 probably re])resents traces of the extreme extension of the offshore 

 icy band found off" the Tail, profile No. 17. The coklest water of the 

 section, 0.1°, was found in on the bottom of the Bank, being the 

 coldest bott(^m water found in October. It is wortli remarking 

 that the only section not exhibiting below zero temperatiu'es had the 

 lowest bottom temperature in over the Bank, and the largest area of 

 cool water ofl' the slope. 



