SCIENTIFIC RESULTS 



53 



PACK ICE ON THE ORAXD BANK 



The pack roaches tlie northciii part of the Grand rjiink hite in 

 January or early in Febrnarv. where the Avater. still cold as a result 

 (if the 'precedin<2: Avinter's chilling, keeps it from meltin<2: rapidly. 

 The Newfoundland Banks ((irand. Green, and St. Pierre), a<jgre- 

 .rating some (iO.OOO square miles, are the submerged continuation of 

 tlie North American Continent, Avhich slopes here soutliAA'estward 

 far out on the Atlantic sea floor. Oif southern NeAvfoundland the 

 pack tends to part as the current meets the northern buttress of 

 the (irand l^ank, around AA'hich it sAveeps. The inshore arm no longer 

 Hanked by the coast line moves southwestAvard past Cai)e Kace in the 

 Mihniarine ravine known as the (iulley. but the larger, heavier tongue 



6+ 61 5a 55 5Z 49 4(3 



The Distribution of pack Ice South of Newfoundland 



4-3 



Figure 27. — Tlie Hinits to which tlie m;;in liody of pack ice ha^: liecii iccoi'dcd south 

 of Newfouiidlaiid is shown above. The short licavy lines represent the positions at 

 which fields of pack ice have been sighted during the height of the ice season. 

 (Figure after Huntsman. 1930. | 



foUoAA^s southAvard along the eastern side of the Grand Bank. The 

 western fields in years of great abundance may block the bays and 

 harbors along the south shore of NcAvfoundland as far Avest as tlie 

 Miquelon Islands'^'' and send scattei'ed floes even out to the edge of 

 the Atlantic slope. The field Avhich drifts doAvn along the eastern 

 bide of the bank is interesting, not only on account of its intimate 

 association Avith the icebergs but also because it attains the southern- 

 most point to Avhich .sea ice from high latitudes drifts in the Northern 



="The waters of southern Newfoundhind have often been described as dominated by a 

 current which sets westerly from Cape Kace along the coast and which rounds Cape Ray 

 entering the gulf. Much data, however, such as current meter measurements, the distri- 

 bution of salinity and temperature, the results of hundreds of drift bottles, the general 

 configuration of the bottom, and the tidal movements, show that the current and ice after 

 rounding Cape Race do not .set any farther west than the Miquelon Islands. 



