35 
laminated structure of the MI - are in single 
cases very much stronger, so that the vertical 
"Austausch" is considerably restricted thereby. 
The NAD, which is encountered between 1,500 m 
and 74,000 m in the Iberian Basin, showes only 
slight vertical density gradients. The NADB, which 
fills the depths of the Basin from 4,000 m down to 
the bottom, is a very uniform body of water, which 
can be seen from the T/S diagrams of Figs. 3, 11a, 
74, 78e, and 78f. A stronger, vertical, continuous 
exchange with the water layers above % 4,000 m is 
not very likely. 
The current measurements provide the following 
mean current pattern for the Iberian Deep Sea:- 
In the upper layer the current sets predomin- 
antly towards the SW to NW with velocities 
which can reach up to 40 cm/s. Between 1,000 m 
and 2,500 m there is almost purely current 
present setting towards the W, with velocities 
of about 20 cm/s; in the lower layer (2,500 m 
down to the bottom) directions between NW and 
NE predominate, with velocities of up to 16 cm/s, 
in the near-bottom of up to 12 em/s. 
The mean current profile for the smaller area 
of the Abyssal Plain (current measurements in the 
working area 42° N to 43° N and 14° W to 15° W) 
gave the following mean current profile:- 
Depth interval (m) © (cm/s) Vnax(cm/s) 5 (°) 
O to 200 
600 to 1,100 
1,100 to 1,300 
2,000 to 3,000 
4,000 to 5,300 
- 
RR 
5 
4 
= 
36 
36 
21 
17 
16 
270 
220 to 300 
270 
210 
315