PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE GRAND BANKS REGION AND 

 THE LABRADOR SEA IN 1951 



By Floyd M. Soule, P. S. Branson and R. P. Dinsmore 1 



The 180-foot tender-class cutter Evergreen again served as 

 oceanographic vessel of the ice patrol during 1951. No marked 

 alterations affecting the oceanographic work were made in the 

 vessel since the 1950 season. 



The oceanographic work of the 1951 season began with the 

 Evergreen's departure from Argentia on 2 April to make a current 

 survey of the waters over and immediately seaward of the south- 

 western, southern, and eastern slopes of the Grand Banks with 

 the survey extending northeastward as far as Flemish Cap. The 

 work of collection of data began at station 4307, located at 

 43°32.5' N., 51°32' W., on the late afternoon of 3 April and pro- 

 gressed eastward around the Tail of the Banks and thence north- 

 ward to Flemish Cap where the final station of the survey, number 

 4385, was completed 12 days later. The Evergreen then proceeded 

 to Argentia, arriving there on the morning of 17 April. This 

 survey was made under most unfavorable weather conditions for 

 oceanographic work. Only once, for the brief period of 3 hours, 

 was it necessary to heave to because of weather; but conditions 

 frequently reached the point of being just short of limiting con- 

 ditions for oceanographic work. Because of the relative strength 

 and direction of wind, sea, and current, out of the 79 stations 

 occupied, the wire angle was 40° or greater at 20 of the stations, 

 and of these the wire angle exceeded 45° at 12 stations. 



The Evergreen departed Argentia on 28 April for the purpose 

 of making a second current survey, the area to include the waters 

 over and immediately seaward of the northeastern slope of the 

 Grand Banks; and to occupy the triangle containing the branch 

 point where the Labrador Current divides into its eastern and 

 western branches. The sui^vey was planned to begin with the 

 counterclockwise occupation of the triangle beginning and ending 

 at its northeastern corner and thence to work southeastward 

 around the northeastern shoulder of the Grand Banks occupying 

 an experimental network of stations between the triangle and 

 Flemish Cap. 



^ Contribution No. 601 of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 

 204964—53—4 



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