20 
2) 
The spreading of the Mediterranean Sea Water. 
During cruise no. 3 (1966), the main aim lay 
in the registration of the hydrographical conditions 
and their variability in the region 42° N to 43° N 
and 14° W to 15° W in the Iberia Abyssal Plain. As 
regards the current measurements, the cruise had 
essentially the character of a prior expedition, 
because - up to that time - German oceanographical 
research had no experience about deep-sea moorings. 
Cruise no. 15 (1968) was planned as a continua- 
tion of cruise no, 3. The site of the investigation 
lay once again in the region 42° N to 43° N and 14° W 
to 15° W: however, c1D” and hydrographic casts were 
also undertaken outside the Abyssal Plain, especially 
further southwards of the dumping area in the direc—- 
tion of Lisbon, During cruise no. 15, particular 
value was placed upon current measurements at differ—- 
ent positions and over a longer period of time (see 
Table 5); at position 42° N, 14° W measurements of 
more than two months!‘ duration were gained. Current 
meter equipment were moored not only in the region 
of the highly saline water which streams in from the 
Mediterranean Sea — which, commensurate with its 
density, spreads out to between about 600 and 1,200 m - 
but also in the region of the deep sea (at different 
distances from the sea bottom - mostly 2m, 13m, and 
104 m above the bottom). A current meter station lay 
in the region of the NazarG Canyon off Lisbon. 
During eruise no. 21 (1970), the hydrographical 
work was confined to hydrographic casts, which were 
run at the same positions at which radiochemical 
measurements were also undertaken. 
* Conductivity/Temperature/Depth