was lu'cossary to extrapolate the noinograin for samples from the 

 Labrador Current where negative tempei'atures were found. This 

 was done in preference to using the saturation tables of Fox ^ since 

 there is some question as to the accuracy of liis saturation values 

 especially at low temperatures and low salinities (Truesdale ^). 



Referring to figures 25 and 26, there is some question as to the 

 oxygen values for the 403 and 600 ineter levels at station 7935 and 

 the 197 meter level at station 7940. It is believed that these samples 

 were contaminated and therefore they have not been used in con- 

 struction of the figures. 



From tlie foregoing figures it can \)o seen that high values of oxygen 

 are characteristic of the entire section; however, some systematic 

 differences do exist and the absolute values appear to be characteristic 

 of the various parent w^ater masses. That is, the Labrador Current 

 and the cold portion of the West Greeidand Cui'i-ent have high values 

 of dissolved oxygen as compared to corresponding levels of the central 

 portion of the Labrador Sea; wliereas the warm Irminger Current 

 component of the West Greenland Current has less oxygen. Mini- 

 mum values of oxygen, both as regards nd/1 and percent saturation, 

 were found in a band between 2,000 and 3,000 metei-s. Below this 

 minimum, the oxygen grades toward high values along bottom. The 

 oxygen distribution in this high oxygen bottom water suggests a 

 source near the Greenland side of the section. 



If the salinity distribution found in the Labrador Sea section during 

 the postseason survey in Jidy I960 may be assumed to approximate 

 the conditions existing along the section in the autunm of that year, 

 it is of interest to examine the average salinities at different points 

 along the section, taking averages from the surface to successively 

 deeper levels, to estimate the salinity distribution resulting from 

 vertical convection following surface cooling and wind stirring of 

 autumn and winter storms. In the central part of the Labrador 

 Sea between the offshore portions of the West Greenland Current and 

 the Labrador (Vu-rent, the liorizontal movements are slight and, it 

 has been assumed, of negligible efi'ect on convection. W^ith such a 

 situation, the salinities resulting from convection to bottom would 

 be about 34.88 to 34.89°/oo on the Labrador side and 34.90 to 34.91 °/oo 

 on the Greenland side. Further assumptions involved are that the 

 surface area in question is sufficiently distant from shore that the 

 surfac(> salinities were uiuiffected by melting or formation of ice and 

 ihat no significant changes occui'red in surface salinities from evapo- 

 j'ation or precipitation. The bottom salinities estimated from the 

 1961 observations are of the orch-r of 0.01-,°/oo fresher than the vertical 

 averap;es described above. 



' Fox, ('. J. .1. On the cooflicients of aljsorption of nitrogen and o.xygen in distilled water and sea water 

 and of alniosplK'ric carl;oni<: acid in sea water. Farartay Soc. Trans., vol 5, pp 08-87, 1909. 



40 



