122 



slope May 0-8. The surface layers Avere warmer than 5° except those 

 over tlie cold water on the slope where it registered 3.5° 



The noteworthy feature of this section was the increase in size of 

 the cold water on the slope oxev tlie previous sections. It had t>rov,-n 

 to a magnitude and a frigidity that exceeded a mere suggestion ot 

 Arctic i)i<iuence. On tlie other liand. this was i'lentihed as a banfi 

 of polar water bathiiig the slope 38 miles northwest of the Tail, 

 transfei-i-ed to tliis locality from rhat direction. 



PROFILE NO. 9— STATIONS 454-456 



A surface film fresher than 33.00 Voo ^^^^^ warmer than 3.5° 

 sj)read out to the edge of the Bank at the Tail, May 8. This was 

 pure Banks Avater. The coldest water, less than 2°, lay on the slope 

 and down the grade to a depth of 50 meters (27 fathoms). This 

 body of water bore a suggestion of Arctic character, but its rela- 

 tively high temperature indicated that it had been considerabh 

 raised i)i temperature through mixing with unusually warm slope 

 water. Instead, then, of a large volume of Arctic v.ater at the Tail, 

 where usually it has been found at this time in previous seasons, 

 we found only traces of such a supply. 



STATIONS 4r>7-464 



These eight stations were taken May 8-15 as the patrol steamed 

 noithward along the eastern and northeastern face of the Grand 

 Bank. Station 457, the beginning of the investigation, was located 

 28 miles north of the Tail and the investigation ended with station 

 -K)4. off Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland, a total distance along the 

 slope of 450 miles. 



Mininuuns at 50 meters (27 fatlioms) below the surface were 

 found (in order of stations, proceeding northward), as follows: 

 0.5°, 1.8°, —0.4°, —1°. 0.1^. The minimum temperature lay at a 

 greater depth on the northern edge of the Bank than it did to the 

 southward; the bottom temperatures at the three most northern sta- 

 tions being some of the coldest water of the coluniu. viz. —1.3°, —1 . 

 and —1.1°. 



Compared Avith the temperatures of stations taken along the east- 

 ern slope of the Bank earlier in the season, Ave noted that the Avater 

 mass in general along the east slope had been warmed approximately 

 1 ovei- what had existed there previously, but the salinity remained 

 unchanged. General consideration of the records of these eight sta- 

 tions, located Avliere Ave liave found the heart of the icy current most 

 often to He, k'ads to tlie conclusion that the current Avas not so 

 strong or so vohniiiuous as it wa> earber in the season. 



