adjacent to laboratories equipped to do the necessary analytical work. 

 The physical investigations will be concentrated on circulation, mixing, 

 and light-penetration studies. The chemical investigations will be con- 

 centrated on the level of abundance, production, and degeneration cycle 

 of a number of key nutrients, such studies to be linked with similar in- 

 vestigations into the chemistry of bottom deposits and of the adjoining 

 estuarine and fluviatile waters. The biological investigations will be 

 devoted to a study of the annual and seasonal level of abundance and of 

 the growth cycles of a number of key organisms and plankton groups. 



Up to the present, investigations on this problem have been carried 

 out in the South-east Sector, so that the collection of the chemico-physical 

 data, with the exception of submarine light penetration, has been done 

 over a period of five years in the case of the initial station off the site of 

 the Laboratory at Port Hacking, and for a shorter period at a number 

 of later established stations. 



The data from oceanographical investigations have been supple- 

 mented by an extensive estuarine programme which has been carried 

 out for approximately five years. Steps are now being taken to collect 

 the light penetration data and to begin a chemical analysis of bottom 

 deposits in this sector. 



In the South-west Sector a similar level of investigation has been 

 reached, although, owing to the nature of the shelf, the sampling stations 

 have been extended into section lines at each point of the investigation, 

 and an estuarine programme has been carried out at the same time. 



In both sectors plankton sampling has been confined mainly to surface, 

 with occasional oblique and vertical hauls, using standard N70 

 " Discovery " nets. A considerable extension in the study of diatoms and 

 bottom flora and fauna will be necessary to supplement the biological 

 information now available for these areas. 



2. The Study of the Circulation Trends in Australian Waters. — -In 

 the South-east Sector data were collected by F.R.V. " Warreen " prior to 

 1942, although the working of section lines was not commenced until 

 August, 1940. Owing to wartime exigencies these section lines could not 

 be worked sufficiently wide to enable sampling in the core and beyond 

 the east Australian current system. For these reasons, although the 

 broad details of onshore circulations are known in this sector, considerable 

 supplementary work is necessary to supply this missing information. 



In the South-west Sector, F.R.V. " Warreen " has commenced a deep- 

 sea programme of oceanographical research, working 100-mile section 

 lines as frequently as possible in selected areas. 



3. The investigation of the prodiictivity aspects of upwelling in the North- 

 west sector. — The only oceanographic data available for this area have 

 been collected by Japanese pearlers, and these indicate that the centre of 

 occurrence of the upwelling occurs about lat. 20° S. in the spring period, 

 and is distributed over about 150 to 200 miles on the continental shelf. 



. A certain amount of preliminary data wiU be collected by " Warreen," 

 but a deep-sea vessel capable of independent working would need to be 

 based on Broome or Darwin to work section lines at regular and frequent 

 intervals, to give data on the physical processes of upwelling. 



145 



