Davis Strait

Davis Strait, situated between BAFFIN ISLAND and Greenland, is the entrance to BAFFIN BAY from the North Atlantic. It is a large stretch of water over 950 km across at its greatest width and never less than 300 km wide. At the narrowest point, its submarine topography consists of an undersea ridge, a continuation of the mid-Labrador ridge, extending from the coast of Baffin Island to Greenland. The shallowest waters in the strait are found along this sill, from 350 to 550 m deep, before plunging down to abyssal basins on either side.

Some of the greatest depths in the eastern Arctic are reached here (3660 m) in the southern end of the strait. The surface waters are strongly affected by counterclockwise-flowing currents. Along the west side, an outflow of cold water from the Arctic Basin moves south, at flow velocities of 8-20 km/day, to feed the Labrador current. On the east side the west Greenland countercurrent brings warmer water north. Ice conditions reflect this flow regime, with heavy ice movement and icebergs along the western shore, contrasting sharply with more open water along the Greenland side. The strait was first explored by John DAVIS, leader of 3 voyages 1585-87 organized by merchants of London, England.

Author DOUG FINLAYSON

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