OCEANOGRAPHY 85 



people in these fields. The protactinium method, which fills an im- 

 portant part of the gap in radiogenic dating between the range of 

 radiocarbon and other now conventional methods, was developed in 

 our laboratroies by a Geological Survey scientist. We are uniquely 

 qualified in the determination of hydrogen isotopes, whose character- 

 istics can be used for tracing individual water masses. And, with 

 suitable teclmical staff and operating funds, our radiocarbon and 

 oxygen isotope facilities are capable of expanded efforts in biogeo- 

 chemical, paleoecologic, and geochronologic research. 



The needs to date for analysis of the fossil record in the marine 

 sediments have been met successfully in our paleontological labora- 

 tories but any program of coring activities that called for additional 

 biogeochronological or paleoecological research and sei"\4ce would 

 require staff' increase, particularly with regard to the microscopic 

 plants and animals that drift in the upper waters of the sea and act 

 as built-in geologic clocks and climatologic tracei-s in the oceanic 

 sediments. 



"VVe have also maintained a continuing activity and interest in the 

 facts and theorj' of the climatology, biogeography, and circulation of 

 those ancient ocean systems which preceded and gave rise to the pres- 

 ent one, but we have not as yet been in a position to expand this work 

 to the degree needed or to supplement it by the moclel studies that 

 could put it on a more quantitative basis. If we understood these 

 subjects better, we could better evaluate the reality of postulated 

 crustal shifts and the probable distribution of yet undiscovered re- 

 sources long emerged from ancient seas. 



Finally, our broad concern with major crustal features of the earth 

 quite naturally takes in the continental margin, the ocean basins, and 

 other modern marine features which might resemble those that form- 

 erly prevailed over the now continental reaches of the world. We have 

 barely sampled these problems with aeromagnetic surveys of the 

 western Atlantic basin, the California offshore basins, and some of the 

 undersea mountains and trenches of the central and northem Pacific 

 basin. More needs to be done, and this program could profitably be 

 coordinated with geophysical inquiries being carried ovit from surface 

 vessels and submarine devices by existing oceanogi'aphic institutions. 



The importance of our oceanographic research is such that our best 

 efforts should be devoted to obtaining basic scientific data from marine 

 environments within the framework of a sound progi'am of research on 

 the geology of the earth as a whole. We are not equipped at this time 

 to exert, our full potential in oceanogi^aphy, however ; to fully comple- 

 ment this work, information would have to be obtained beyond the 

 continental limits and territorial waters, which would require addi- 

 tions to our existing authorization. 



I would like to close with the comment that, at this time, we feel 

 that we can function most constructively in the field of oceanography, 

 not by a separate marine facility, but by increasing the oceanograpliic 

 activities in which we are already engaged; by expanding partic- 

 ularly the work on sedimentary and geochemical processes and mmeral 

 resources (including mineral fuels), crustal structure, and radiogenic 

 isotopes: and by collaborating with existing oceanographic ccntere in 

 the use of vessels, equipment, and personnel for marine geologic pur- 

 poses. 



Mr. IVIiLLER. Mr. Bauer? 



