130 



from the different occupations of this section, have been plotted 

 against time of year with the result shown in figure 53. A smooth 

 curve has been drawn through the points to indicate the average 

 seasonal variation of the mean temperature. The value for 1938 has 

 also been shown in the figure and is seen to be about 0.3° lower than 

 the value indicated by the curve for the same time of year. Admit- 

 tedly, the data are too scanty to draw such a curve accurately but 

 even though these data are few, and taken from different years, it 

 seems apparent that a decided increase in the mean temperatm-e occurs 

 durhig the summer months and that the 1938 value is lower than any 

 normal indicated by such a curve. 



The temperature distribution along the section from South Wolf 

 Island to Cape Farewell for depths greater than 100 meters is shown 



MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPT. 



3.5 



Figure 63.— Seasonal variation in mean temperature of the West Greenland Current at Cape Farewell 

 from measurements made from Marion, 1928; Godthaab, 1928; Meieor, 1935; and Oenerai Greene, 1931, 1933, 

 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1938. 



in figure 54. At the left hand side of the figure the Labrador Current 

 is to be seen with its frigid Baffin Land Current component over the 

 shelf and its warm West Greenland Current component over the 

 slope. Similarly at the right hand side of the figure the warm Ir- 

 mmger Current component and the cold East Greenland Current 

 component can be identified as the offshore and inshore parts of the 

 West Greenland Current. In the central part of the basin the large 

 body of characteristically uniform intermediate water extends to a 

 depth of about 2,000 meters. Below this depth the deep water 

 grades more steeply to the cold bottom water. 



The temperature maximum of the intermediate water with values 

 between 3.2 and 3.3° C. is pointed out and will be discussed later in 

 connection with the temperature profile along the longitudinal 

 section. 



The dynamic topographic map of the surface (fig. 52) indicates that 

 station 2822, located at 57°25' N., 48°47' W., is nearest the midpoint 

 of the quiet water between the Labrador Current off South Wolf 



