THE GULF STREAM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19206, 24 June 1924, Page 4

THE GULF STREAM.

The “cold w/sli” is a name given to the boundary in the North Atlantic Ocean between tile cold Arctic water and tho warm tropictal water of the Gulf Stream. “Off the Tail of the Grand Banks,” a Hydrographic Office report cays, “these two waters abut ou each other with remarkable distinctness. Not only is there a noticeable temperature difference on either side of tins wall, hut there is a striking change of colour, tho Arctic aide of the wall being an olive or bottle green, while the Gulf Btream is indigo bine. In winter the drop in temperature when entering the area of mixed waters may be as much as 22 degrees in less than a ship's length.” The meteorological phenomenon of chief interest in connection with the above-cited facts, the report continues, is the persistence of a blanket of fog over the area of cold water north of the “cold wall." The fact that the region most infested by bergs is also the region that is envoloyed in fog fen alarge percentage of the time, greatly increases the danger of collision with ice. • Vessels approaching this danger zone are now supplied with the very latest developments in tho ice situation, by the Ice Patrol, by radio broadcast twice daily.

Contrary to the popular impression, the report states that the presence of an iceberg, lias no appreciable effect upon the temperature of the water immediately surrounding it. Nor can any appreciable change p! air temperature be detected, as a rule, near a berg. Submarine microphones have attained a certain measure of success in locating the position of berge, but they still constitute a dangerous menace.