OCEANOGRAPHY 75 



knowledge is advanced, the degree to ^Yhich man has learned more 

 about the environment that he is working in. 



That summarizes briefly the plans as we envision them, and we can 

 present a copy of this to the reporter. 



Mr. Miller. If you do, we will put it in the record. 



(Dr. Stewart's statement which he summarized follows :) 



U.S. Depabtment of Commerce — Coast and Geodetic Survey 



Ship time is tlie most exiiensive aspect of oceanographie surveys. The need 

 for oceanographie data is great. Therefore, the addition of increased oceano- 

 graphie programs to our ships' noi-mal charting activities provides a most 

 economic means of providing the nece.ssary information. Oceanographie inves- 

 tigation will be conducted by Bureau survey ships to a degree that will still 

 allow the Bureau to fulfill its regular charting requirements. To this extent 

 each class I, class II. and class III ship will routinely carry out the following 

 oceanographie activities in each area where it conducts hydrographic surveys: 



(a) Oceanographie stations will be occupied over a grid in the area of opera- 

 tion. Observations will include BT and bottle casts for temperature, salinity, 

 dissolved oxygen, and such other chemical parameters as may be required in 

 specific areas. 



(6) Bottom samples over a grid will be obtained, including sediment cores, 

 rock dredge hauls, or surface samples as dictated by the bottom tYpe. Analyses 

 of these samples will be by other agencies or private institutions until the Bureau 

 has the equipment and personnel to carry out such studies. Data will be used 

 for the construction of sediment charts and for use in conjunction with geologic 

 interpretation of hydrographic surveys. 



(c) Tide and current observations will continue to be made in each area with 

 tide gages and radio current meters. However, these will be planned to provide 

 the maximum amount of useful oceanographie data in addition to data needed 

 for charting and navigation. Drift bottle releases will be made at regular 

 intervals. 



( d ) Geophysical observations will be made during runs to and from the work- 

 ing grounds and in the survey area consisting of continuous observations with 

 towed magnetometer and, when the equipment is available, with shipbome 

 gravity meter. This information coupled with well-controlled hydrographic 

 data will be used to construct marine magnetic and gravity anomaly charts. The 

 results from the few surveys of this type to date have been so rewarding that 

 the importance of these additional observations cannot be overemphasized. 



(c) Bottom photographs will be made on a planned grid in the working ground 

 to study bottom sediment structures such as nodules and ripple marks, benthic 

 animals, and evidence of bottom currents. At least one camera is to be available 

 to the ships on each coast. 



(/) Additional siiecial observations will be made where needed. These in- 

 clude such projects as seismic reflection and refraction surveys, deep current 

 studies in areas such as the Gulf Stream or the Aleutians with anchored bottom 

 current meters, parachute drogues, or Swallow pingers; diving operations in 

 areas such as Georges Bank where special bottom features require observation, 

 and an enlarged program of any of the routine observations whenever such a 

 program is necessary. For example, a seamount might be studied specifically 

 with cores, dredges, bottom photography, and developed with hydrographic, 

 magnetic, and gravimetric surveys. 



As in the past, other governmental agencies and private institutions with 

 oceanographie interests will be routinely informed of our planned activities at 

 sea for the following field season. The Navy, Weather Bureau. Bureau of Com- 

 mercial Fisheries, Woods Hole, Scripps, the University of Washington, and 

 Oregon State College have worked with the Survey within the past year, and this 

 type of oceanographie cooperation insures maximum efficient utilization of efi:ort 

 and time. 



"pioneer" program 



Upon the completion, July 1, of survey work for the Navy, the Pioneer will be 

 utilized primarily as an oceanographie vessel. Following a period of outfitting 

 with additional oceanographie equipment, the Pioneer is scheduled to commence 

 operations in the area of the Aleutian Trench. This is a singularly prominent 

 feature of the North Pacific Ocean and presents an opportunity for the acquisi- 



