REPORT ON OCEANOGRAPHY 9 



PART II 

 A SUMMARY OF PACIFIC OCEANOGRAPHY, 1949-1953 



Prepared by 

 Thomas G. Thompson, Chairman; and John P. Tully, Secretary 



An attempt will be made to summarize briefly some of the activities 

 and results of oceanographic research since 1949 as reported by the mem- 

 bers of the Standing Committee. This summary will be augmented, in 

 some cases, by more detailed reports outlining the programs and accom- 

 plishments of a specific country or research organization, and are given 

 as Part III of this report. However, much of the important research 

 that has been conducted will be presented to the congress in the sympo- 

 sia that have been organized under the direction of members of the 

 Standing Committee on Oceanography, and the Philippines Organizing 

 Committee. 



AUSTRALIA 



The hydrological cycles in the sea around Australia have been stu- 

 died, the surface and water masses in the Tasman Sea have been identi- 

 fied, and the oceanography of some Australian estuaries have been re- 

 lated to the productivity of oysters. Regular observations between Aus- 

 tralia and Antarctica, and at Macquarie and Heard Islands, have been 

 made. A source of deep, very saline water has been found by the Dis- 

 covery Expedition in the Tasman Sea, which appears to move eastward 

 counter to the circumpolar drift. 



A number of oceanographic cruises to 100 miles of the southwest 

 coast were taken in the Fisheries Research Vessel "Warren" to examine 

 the properties of the water. The R.R.V. Discovery II examined the 

 properties along the five lines of the southern coast. Surface observations 

 are being secured fortnightly from Australia to New Zealand by the 

 regular passenger ship T.S.M.V. Wanganella. 



The temperature and salinity characteristics of the surface Tasman 

 Sea water masses have been determined, and their seasonal variation in 

 position will be followed in the future, particularly as they affect coast- 

 al waters. 



A contribution to the knowledge of estuarine hydrology has been 

 conducted by D. J. Rockford and the work is being continued by de- 

 tailed dynamic and productivity studies of selected estuaries. This re- 

 search is primarily directed toward oyster production. 



The Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition has main- 

 tained physical and biological research stations at Macquarie and Heard 



