Hydrographical Observations from the Danmark Expedition. 407 



comes close in to the Greenland coast again at Shannon Island and 

 as the depth of the current is reduced at the same time the 

 rate of flow is increased, so that the ice tends to move south- 

 wards from there more rapidly than the ice arrives from the north, 

 which means a tendency towards the formation of openings. 



The difference between the conditions S. E. of Shannon Isl. and 

 the conditions N. of this island along the coast as far as Mallemuk- 

 fjæld (80°13' N. L.) is, therefore, that on the latter stretch there is 

 a part of the Polar Current, where the current conditions are com- 

 paratively calmer (region of the coastal water) and where the drift- 

 ice, therefore, can freeze, whilst S. E. of Shannon Isl. even the main 

 current reaches in to the land with a relatively sudden increase in the 

 rate of flow, so that there is more movement in the ice here and a 

 tendency to the formation of openings. 



Observations on the currents. 



A. Greenland Sea at ca. 75° — 78° N. L. 



1. Direct current measurements could not be made on the 

 voyage to and from Danmarks Havn as the vessel was not at any time 

 anchored to the bottom. During soundings, however, it was observed, 

 that the lead-line indicated a strong current running almost due 

 S. S. W., in the eastern part of the waters over the Continental Shelf, 

 and a weaker current in the same direction in the western part of the 

 same water, whilst in the coastal water near to land it indicated ir- 

 regular currents from different directions, mainly however either from 

 the north or south. 



The set of the current had therefore to be calculated from the 

 difference between the daily observed and calculated positions. 



Calculation of the direction and rapidity of the current from the difference 

 between observed and calculated positions in the Greenland Sea 1906 — 08. 



(Table 9 p. 408). 



Remarks: It appears from this table that the set of the current 

 southwards was strongest at a Longitude of ca. 11° — 13° W. from 

 Greenwich, and that there was a trend to the north at ca. 9° — 10° W. 

 close to the east of the margin of the Continental Shelf as also out 

 in the coastal water at ca. 16 ^/iW. L. close to the west of the western 

 edge of the dense pack-ice. 



It must be remarked, however, that the wind was southerly in 

 the days the set was towards the north, though so faint, that, 

 in my opinion, it can only have influenced the drift to a very 

 slight degree. 



From Aug. 5th — 6th 1906 the vessel was quite surrounded by 



