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Academically-oriented reseaurcli directed toward describing and understand- 

 ing the physics of the world ocean and the waters along its coastal boundaries has 

 made major progress over the past 50 years in the United States. Prior to World 

 War II other countries, notably England, Japan and Germany, occupied prominent 

 positions in ocean science. Recently many other nations have become competitive 

 with the U.S. in physical oceanography, including the deployment of high tech in- 

 struments and platforms used in the meaisurement of ocean currents, temperatures, 

 and salinities. 



In the period inmmediately following World War II, the U.S. Navy, primarily 

 through the Office of Naval Research (ONE), provided most of the financial sup- 

 port for academic physical oceanographic research in the U.S. The National Science 

 Foundation (NSF) began to play a prominent role in this regard in the late 60's, 

 and especially in the 1970's with the onset of the International Decade of Ocean 

 Exploration. NSF is now the leading source of funds for R & D in our field, with 

 the Navy still playing an important role, notably in the development of technology. 

 Although increasingly more mission-oriented, ONR-supported studies continue to 

 contribute greatly to fundamental knowledge in ocean physics. In-house research by 

 iLc Nctlioiial Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the past 30 years 

 has made important contributions, especially to the El Nino-Southem Oscillation 

 (ENSO) problem, and has recently become more diversified and academically ori- 

 ented. NOAA should play a prominent role in ocean climate in the future. 



The oceEmic data base is still very sparse, especially relative to what is known 

 about the atmosphere. Numerical models are yet embryonic and more computer 

 power is needed. Although maissive expansion of our oceanic R Iz D is not required, a 

 consistent level of support is necesseixy and justified by past and present advances in 

 this field of study, especially ocean climate. Significant re-organization and overall 



