Surveying the Ocean Environment 



Among the 1968 highlights of Federal programs in mapping, charting, 

 and geodesy in addition to those noted in Chapter V were : 



—initiation of bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic surveys in the Norton 

 Sound area off Alaska (ESSA) ; 



— completion of a continuous geophysical profile across the South 

 Pacific (lat. 35° S.) which revealed previously unknown submarine 

 volcanoes and mountain ranges (ESSA) ; 



— identification of two fracture zones and a major sea channel dis- 

 covered in the Aleutian abyssal plain (ESSA) ; 



— completion of hydrographic surveys off Vietnam, Guam, and the 

 Mariannas, and in Subic Bay, Philippines (Navy) ; 



— preparation of experimental photogrammetric maps with closely 

 spaced contour intervals from data obtained by submersibles (Navy) ; 



— development and testing of high speed hydrographic sur\'eying tech- 

 niques using faster launches and automated data acquisition and 

 positioning equipment (ESSA and Navy) ; 



— investigations of ocean conditions affecting the north polar front 

 between 160° and 180° west longitude (ESSA) ; and 



— initial survey of the Weddell Sea to classify the flow of Antarctic 

 waters (Coast Guard) . 



Ocean Observation and Prediction 



About 6 percent of the Federal effort in marine sciences is devoted to ob- 

 servations related to understanding and predicting the ocean environment, 

 largely dealing with time-dependent variables. The Navy, ESSA, Coast 

 Guard, NASA, Corps of Engineers, and Atomic Energy Commission fund 

 the activities as shown in Table XI 1-2, with the programs of the Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries described in Chapter VI. 



A broad range of marine forecasting services for defense forces has been 

 developed by the Navy in response to worldwide military security require- 

 ments. These include: 



— sea surface and water column temperature, salinity, and sound veloc- 

 ity prediction for anti-submarine warfare; 

 — sea ice observations and forecasting for fleet operations and seaborne 



logistics ; 

 — sea state prediction for fleet operations and spacecraft recovery at 



sea and for Coast Guard activities on the Great Lakes ; 

 — nearshore environmental prediction, including beach breaker and 



surf forecasts, for mine warfare and amphibious operations; and 

 — high seas and coastal marine weather forecasts to support fleet 

 operations. 



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