On the Oceanography of the Nansen Sound Fiord System

Résumé

Summarizes exploration of the fiord system of northwest Ellesmere and northeast Axel Heiberg Islands, from discovery in 1883 to 1962, and describes in detail results of oceanographic surveys in 1962. Temperature and salinity data are graphed and analyzed. Water warmer than -10C below 100 m is believed to be derived from the Atlantic water intermediate layer in the Arctic Ocean. A persistent inversion at 40 m in the Tanquary and other upper fiords is theorized as being due to trapping of direct solar insolation. Conditions conductive to this are discussed.