VI. ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANOGRAPHIC SCIENCE 



In the United States, the National Center for Atmospheric Re- 

 search (NCAR) was identified as the major facility for atmospheric 

 research. No similar foreign facilities were identified. Also, the 

 Deep Submergence Research Vehicle "ALVIN" was identified as a prin- 

 cipal oceanographic facility exceeding the $25 million construction 

 cost criterion. 



Most of the facilities identified for atmospheric and oceanogra- 

 phic research are research vessels, see table 6 and appendix 7. The 

 Federal Oceanographic Fleet consists of 64 research vessels, over 

 half of which would cost at least $25 million (replacement cost in 

 1984 dollars) for construction and scientific outfitting. Because of 

 the large number of research vessels worldwide, only the vessels of 

 the Federal Oceanographic Fleet are identified individually in appen- 

 dix 7. However, in addition to the Federal Oceanographic Fleet, 

 there may be as many as 20 additional U.S. privately-owned research 

 vessels and perhaps 25 research vessels belonging to academic insti- 

 tutions, but not part of the University-National Oceanographic Labor- 

 atory System (UNOLS) which is considered to be part of the Federal 

 Oceanographic Fleet. 15/ 



Worldwide, the Soviet Union, with at least 100 oceanographic re- 

 search vessels, has the largest oceanographic fleet. In the rest of 

 the world, there are about 225 vessels, the United Kingdom having 

 the largest number at about 50. To these research vessels should be 

 added a number of underwater habitats, immobile manned off-shore lab- 

 oratories, and submersibles , some of which are used for research. 



Although a number of vessels belonging to the Federal Oceano- 

 graphic Fleet cost in excess of $25 million for construction and 

 scientific outfitting, most of the costs are not for science per se, 

 but are "infrastructural" costs that are necessary to provide the 

 environment in which the science can be conducted. The discussions 

 of the "bricks and mortar" costs of space science in chapter VII and 

 of the antarctic program in chapter XI are relevant here also. 



15/ Information on the Federal Oceanographic Fleet was obtained 

 from conversations with Captain Robertson Dinsmore, Woods Hole Ocean- 

 ographic Institution and the report: Committee on Atmosphere and 

 Oceans. Report of Federal Oceanographic Fleet Study 1984. Washing- 

 ton, Federal Oceanographic Fleet Coordination Council, 1985. 92 p. 

 plus appendices. Information on research vessels worldwide was 

 obtained from Trillo, Robert L. (ed.). Jane's Ocean Technology, 

 1978. New York, Franklin Watts, Inc., 1978. 820 p. 



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