responding observed salinities are tabulated below for all the years 

 during which observations were made : 



These years were not especially warm years, as the average minimum 

 observed temperature for all 16 years during which the South Wolf 

 Island section has been occupied is —1.47°. At both the South Wolf 

 Island section and the Bonavista triangle the coldest water is found 

 not far from the beach and at a depth of about 75 meters in the sum- 

 mer time. At such a depth there is no direct warming from the 

 surface and certainly at the more southerly sections T and U in the 

 Grand Banks region the normal minimum temperatures is essentially 

 constant (±0.05°) from 1 April to 1 July. The great stability of the 

 upper layers in summer time makes it improbable that the temper- 

 ature minimum is much affected by the stirring of recent gales. 



The summer time salinity distribution in a section across the 

 Labrador Current with the isohalines inclined downward toward the 

 beach indicates the seaward spreading of the realtively fresh coastal 

 water at the surface and the compensating shoreward movement of 

 the saltier deeper water. Tliis scremng motion, with its associated 

 upwelling along the beach must be decidedly affected (increased or 

 decreased) by the occurrence of protracted periods of offshore or on- 

 shore wmds.^) It is not known whether the process ever proceeds at 

 such a rate that the disturbed isopycnals result in a north-flowing or 

 counter current along the beach. In any case the transverse move- 

 ments in themselves have little direct effect on the temperature 

 minimum layer since the transverse movements take place above and 

 below it. They might introduce saltier surface water and, by re- 

 ducing the vertical salinity gradient and the stability, facilitate wind 

 stirring to the depth of the summer time temperature minimum 

 earlier in the fall with warmer temperatures. 



Such an explanation would require that the salinities at the tem- 

 perature minima be greater at the section with the warmer temper- 

 ature minima. This, however, is not in accord with the observations. 

 The above tabulation shows the average salinity at the temperature 

 minimum at the South Wolf Island section to be about 1 percent less 



3 In Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, it is understood to have sufficient eflect on bottom temperatures to 

 require adjustments in transatlantic cable operations. 



64 



