This leg continues the cruise track through a region of reduced SST gradients and therefore does not show a prominent front. If in this region the STF is still associated with 12° - 13°C and a salinity of 34.9 - 35.3 as in Legs 1 and 2, this leg touches it occasionally (near kms 120 and 160). The density would indicate the surface location of the STF near km 230 where the 25.0 isopycnal breaks the surface.

The most notable feature of this leg is the high variability in the temperature and salinity fields and the presence of inversions in the depth range 120 - 220 m which does not show up in the density field at all. This indicates full density compensation in the frontal region. Note, however, that full density compensation is not achieved across the entire front; density still increases from km 0 to km 250 along the transect.