NORTHERN HUDSON-BAY AND FOXE BASIN - WATER MASSES, CIRCULATION AND PRODUCTIVITY

Total alkalinity and total carbonate determinations together with sali nity and temperature are used to characterize water masses in Foxe Bas in, Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. From these measurements, we are able to infer the amounts of fresh water.from river runoff and from sea-ic e meltwater. The average ice cover is estimated to be 1.9 m, and the r esidence time of river runoff in Hudson Bay is 3-4 years. Estimates of biological productivity were made by ''correcting '' total carbonate measurements for effects of biological processes, giving a value of 24 gC m-2 a-1 for new production.