94 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



cessed from 13 stations maintained in the Pacific area of Latin America 

 by the Inter-American Geodetic Survey. 



The tidal observers at most of these stations also made a daily ob- 

 servation of sea water temperature and density. The results are pub- 

 lished in Special Publication 280 (formerly TW-2), "Surface Water 

 Temperature, Pacific Coast," and in Special Publication 281 (formerly 

 DW-2), "Density of Sea Water, Pacific Ocean." 



During the course of hydrographic surveys in Alaskan waters. Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey ships have made serial observations of tempera- 

 ture and density for use in the surveys, and also made several series 

 of bathythermograph observations for the U.S. Navy Hydrographic 

 Office. 



There have been a number of seismic sea waves recorded by Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey tide gages during the last few years, the largest 

 and most notable being the tsunami of November 4, 1952. A report 

 of this tsunami is in preparation and should soon be available in printed 

 form. 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (Prepared by Robert C. Miller) 

 In the summer of 1949, the California Academy of Sciences, under 

 contract with the Office of Naval Research, undertook an exploration 

 of the geology of the continental shelf and slope off central California. 

 The net tender U.S.S. Mulberry was assigned to this project. It was an 

 extremely suitable vessel because it carried heavy cables and powerful 

 winches. Much of the work consisted simply of breaking off pieces of 

 rock from the sea bottom. 



Seven members of the Academy's staff participated in the opera- 

 tions at sea, and 66 collecting stations were occupied before interna- 

 tional events required the reassignment of the Mulberry to other duties. 

 Through the cooperation of the United States Coast Guard and the 

 California Department of Fish and Game, the project was continued 

 and brought to a successful termination. 



The geology of the Farallon Islands, not heretofore known, was 

 worked out in considerable detail. A study was made of three sea- 

 mounts, the Guide, the Pioneer, and a third which was named the Mul- 

 berry. On the Guide seamount no rock outcrops were found, the 

 dredge bringing up only mud. On the Pioneer seamount several hun- 

 dred pounds of basaltic material was obtained. It contains titaniferous 

 augite and in this respect differs from volcanic material in the adja- 

 cent coastal mountain ranges. The Mulberry seamount is also volcanic, 

 and the rocks have a "fresh" appearance. While these seamounts have 

 no doubt come up through volcanic action, evidence was obtained of 

 a fairly recent subsidence of the continental shelf. 



