1899] 



Some Hj-drographical Eesults, 



13 



of depth relations from Stjernø out to the sea. A connection witli 

 the Ocean is formed by a large deep-level channel (100 fathomes 

 and more) from the Sørø sound towards the edge of the bank 

 plateau. On the contrary, the chart gives no idea of the depth of 

 the two channels (Stjernsund, Rognsund) that connect the Alten 

 fjord with the Sørø sound. However the above mentioned pecu- 

 liarity i the hydrogrpgyi? of the Alten fjord indicates that these 

 two sounds, or at any rate one of them, must be of a considerable 

 depth along the whole length. It must be left to future investi- 

 gations to show how this is. It will also be interesting to see the 

 manner in which the hydrographical factors have given their stamp 

 to the faunistic character of the Alten fjord. — 



II. Peculiar conditions'appearing in arctic fjords. 



In the above exposition has already been mentioned a feature 

 characteristic of arctic fjords, vi^: the equal distribution of salinity. 

 Connected no doubt with this circumstance is also the great equality 

 of temperature; for the surface water by cooling gets a tendency 

 to sink, and the vertical circulation thus contributes to establish 

 the equality. To this great equality of salinity is evidently also due 

 the circumstance that the influence of the atmosphere goes deeper 

 down in Malangen for instance than in the Vestfjord. From a 

 theoretical point of wiew it should also seem reasonable that in- 

 creasing winter cold must assist the advancing of the cooling-down 

 towards the deep. Another peculiarity of arctic fjords is the presence 

 of what I have called the inverse winter conditions. 



I have already given an instance of this from the Lyngen fjord 

 (Jan. 27, 1899). That the latter is no isolated case is shown by 

 the observations from the Porsanger fjord (70O45'N., 25^51' E.). 



Depth 



Temp. 



Cl. 



Salinity 



in met res 



C. 



pr. liter 



per liter | %o 







1,05 



19.63 



35,50 34,60 



20 



1,05 



>? 



>5 



): 



50 



1,00 



19.67 



35,57 



34,67 



80 



1,00 



„ 







100 



0,95 



19,63 



35.50 



34,60 



120 



0,95 



y, 



,. 



r 



150 



0,75 



19,67 



35,.57 



34,67 



Bottom 200 



0.20 



19,o6 



35,37 



34.48 



