158 FRIDTJOF NANSEN. 



towards the coast prove that the lower salinities are also due to 

 intermixture with coast-water. 



The section proves that the vertical and horizontal distribu- 

 tion of the salinity of the deep water (below 500 m.) is very 

 uniform even in this part of the sea, where the Polar Current 

 and Atlantic Currents meet; and is much the same as in the 

 sea between Norway and Iceland or Jan Mayen. 



Section VII (PI. 11) passes from Stat. 18 in the centre of 

 the Polar Current in Sect. VI, to Stat. 9 of Sect. I, where we 

 evidently met the southward continuation of the East Icelandic 

 Polar Current. This section demonsti'ates very well how the 

 Polar Water with temperatures below 0°C. and salinities below 

 35*0 ^/oo extends towards the south-east as a layer originally 

 about 200 m. thick, and tapering off southward between layers 

 of warmer and more salme water. But contrary to the Gulf 

 Stream water in Section III, the loiver boundary of this Polar 

 water stratum is nearly horizontal or sinks a little southward 

 (see the isohaline of 35"0 ^/oo), while the upper boundary inclines 

 more steeply, the stratum being gradually covered southward by 

 a thicker and thicker layer of warmer and more saline Atlantic 

 water. This proves that it is chiefly the upper strata of this 

 Polar current which is first intermixed with other water. The 

 underlying water changes little, it has a nearly uniform salinity 

 and much the same temperature. 



The course of the isopyknals of Section VII (PI. 14) de- 

 monstrate, that near the surface, between m. and 100 or 200"m., 

 the water has on the whole a tendency (see the arrow) to flow from 

 Stat. 18 towards Stat. 9, as the isopyknals of 1-02720 and 1-02790 

 rise in that direction. The isopyknal of 1*02800 which rises 

 from about 338 m. at Stat. 9 to about 200 m. at Stat. 18 shows 

 that at those depths the water has a tendency to flow in the 

 opposite direction (see the arrow). In the deep water there seems 

 to be equilibrium the upper boundary of the water of 1*02808 is 

 found at about the same depth at both Stations. 



