53 



as previously noted, for the Cape Farewell end of the section where 

 field ice prevented occupation of oceanographic stations in the 25 

 miles immediatel}^ offshore from Cape Farewell. Thermal conditions 

 found along this section are shown in figure 32. The most notable 

 feature of figure 32 is the small central area in the intermediate water 

 having temperatures less than 3.27° C. This area, in which a vertical 

 temperature inversion is to be found, is considered to be a relic of the 

 previous wuiter's chilling not completely erased by the mixing proc- 

 esses wdiicli follow with the advent of warmer weather. It is unknown 

 whether this central temperature inversion is ever completely erased, 

 but it can be said, in the light of measurements made in previous 

 years both earlier and later in the season, both that the temperature 

 in this minimum was w\armer, and the area in which an inversion 

 existed was smaller than has been the case in other years. This is 

 strong evidence that during the winter of 1939-40 the area in which 

 wintertime vertical convection to bottom occurred was smaller than 

 normal because of winter conditions less severe than usual. This is 

 borne out by inquiries made of Greenland authorities who state that 

 the Disko Bay region, Godthaab and Ivigtut all had a mild winter, 

 the latter place having no snow. 



It will bo noted in figure 32 that the innermost station on the Cape 

 Farewell end of the section (station 3329) was characterized by the 

 warm Irminger Current water and that the colder East Greenland 

 Current component of the West Greenland Current was located 

 inshore from this station. Therefore, it is impossible even to esti- 

 mate what the mean temperature and volume of flow of the West 

 Greenland Current was during 1940. The Labrador Current will be 

 recognized in the left hand side of figure 32 with a temperature mini- 

 mum of colder than — 1° C. over the shelf and a temperature maximum 

 of warmer than 4° C. over the continental slope. 



Figure 33 shows the current situation which existed during the post- 

 season cruise, as derived from the dynamic topography of the sea 

 surface relative to the surface of 2,000 decibars. Not a great deal 

 of information regarding the current pattern can be obtained from 

 figure 33. However, it is of assistance in ascertaining limits and 

 bands of the currents and has been used in interpreting a velocity 

 profile of the Labrador Current. The volume of flow, mean tempera- 

 ture and heat transfer were determined to be 2.75 million cubic 

 meters per second, 1.52° C, and 4.17 million cubic meter degrees 

 centigrade per second, respectively, for this section. In order to 

 compare these results with those determined in other years, all com- 

 parable values are listed in table 3. In this table volumes of flow 

 are given in millions of cubic meters per second, mean temperatures 



