PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE GRAND BANKS REGION 

 AND THE LABRADOR SEA IN 1958 1 



By Floyd M. Soule and R. M. Morse 

 (U. S. Coast Guard) 



The oceanographic vessel of the International Ice Patrol in 1958 

 was again the 180-foot tender class USCGC Evergreen. The ar- 

 rangement of labratory and deck facilities and equipment have 

 been described in earlier bulletins of this series. There are no 

 major changes for the 1958 season. 



During the 1958 season the Evergreen made three dynamic 

 topographic surveys in the Grand Banks region. Of these the 

 first covered the waters over and immediately seaward of the 

 southern and eastern slopes of the Grand Banks from just west- 

 ward of the Tail of the Banks northward to the latitude of 

 Flemish Cap. This survey included 88 stations which were occu- 

 pied between the morning of 3 April and the afternoon of 15 April. 

 The work of collection of data began at the southwestern end of 

 the area and progressed northward with no major interruption. 



The second survey covered the waters over and immediately 

 seaward of the northeastern slope of the Grand Banks from 

 Flemish Cap northwestward and included an occupation of the 

 Bonavista triangle. On this survey 80 stations were occupied be- 

 tween the early morning of 27 April and the morning of 5 May. 

 Except for about an hour on the afternoon of 27 April, during 

 which the ship was working through an ice string, there were 

 no major interruptions. The work of collection of data began at 

 the Bonavista triangle and progressed southeastward toward 

 Flemish Cap. 



The area covered by the third survey was similar to that covered 

 by the first survey with the extension of section W (a north-south 

 section at 50°15'W.) southward across the Atlantic Current. It 

 was expedient to occupy this section from south to north and 

 then continue with the network survey working northward toward 

 Flemish Cap. The southernmost position necessary to completely 

 cross the Atlantic Current was estimated as 38° N. To insure 

 against missing part of it, from a possible deviation of the current 

 from its expected position, observations were begun at 37°30'N. 

 On this southward extension of section W stations were spaced 



1 To be reprinted as Contribution No. 1018 in the Collected Reprints of the Woods Hole 

 Oceanographic Institution. 



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