The first survey, figure 44, shows a very well defined Labrador Current 

 but a rather small pool of quiet water off the southeastern side of the 

 Tail-of-the-Banks and a poorly defined section of the North Atlantic 

 Current in the Flemish Cap area. In the second survey, figure 45, we sec 

 that the Labrador Current becomes confused above latitude 45° X., a 

 more developed pool of quiet water off the Tail-of-the-Banks and a 

 rather well defined North Atlantic Current developing south of Flemish 

 ( Jap. Third survey, figure 40, again shows a well defined Labrador Current 

 hut the quiet water pool extends northward to 45° X. Again the well de- 

 veloped North Atlantic Current off Flemish Cap is in evidence. It is 

 noted that the main core of the Labrador Current moves off the Banks, 

 near 44° X., and widens with a corresponding decrease of the maximum 

 surface velocity as the season progresses. The average minimum tempera- 

 ture for the Labrador Current in the valley between the Grand Banks 

 and Flemish Cap for the three surveys was — 1.40°C which is colder than 

 the 9-year average minimum of — 1.2(')°C. 



Comparing the two occupations of the Bonavista triangle, figures 47 

 and 48, we see a much more concentrated surface current flowing across 

 the northwestern leg of the triangle during the postseason occupation 

 than during the fourth survey. This might be a false representation as, 

 in the fourth survey, there appears to be a possible movement at and be- 

 low 1000 meters which was taken as the depth of no motion. In both 

 cases the eastern branch of the current, which is the current flowing out 

 across the southeastern side of the triangle, comprises more than 90 

 percent of the volume of water flowing into the triangle. Also on the 

 fourth survey, figure 47, the main body of the Labrador Current lies 

 westward of 47° W. and eastward of that longitude, at about 47° N., 

 there is some loss of water to the east as it recurves northward. 



Figure 49 shows a comparison of the temperature-salinity character- 

 istics of water masses on the first three surveys of 1959 with the mean 

 T-S characteristics from 1948 to 1959. Labrador Current water and At- 

 lantic Current water are water masses found in this region and these two 

 water masses usually mix in a sufficiently constant proportion to produce 

 a mixed water which may be regarded as a virtual water mass. Of the 

 three, the mixed water is the least definite and over the years there have 

 been greater changes in the yearly shape of the curves representing this 

 water mass than those for the other two. Every year there are some sta- 

 tions where the mixing is atypical and the individual station curves do 

 not fall into any of the three categories. The data from these stations are 

 excluded in determining the water mass charaeterist ics. As has happened 

 in the past, the majority of these stations showed mixtures between 

 typical mixed water and the Atlantic Current water. Since the surveys 

 do not normally include sections which completely cross the Atlantic 

 Current, the curve for the 12-year mean does not accurately represent 

 that water. It is noted that in both the Labrador Current and mixed 

 waters both the temperal wrr and salinity are lower than the 12-year mean 



106 



