OCEANOGRAPHY 95 



Aside from the design and production of equipment to gather data, the in- 

 dustry also manufactures instrumentation specialized to reduce the data. Illus- 

 trative of this capability is Texas Instruments' seisMAC shown on the next slide. 

 This equipment is an electronic analog computer which takes recorded seismic 

 data and reduces them to a form suitable for direct plotting of subbottom 

 stratigraphy. In addition, the quality of the data is improved via a process of 

 signal enhancement. 



While these remarks have been necessary brief, it is my hope that they have 

 demonstrated the existence of a capability which, as a supplement to those in 

 nonindustrial facilities, can aid in improving the current state of oceanography 

 by providing production marine survey services, data reduction facilities, and 

 instrument development. 



Mr. Agxich. I think I can summarize the statement, if you prefer. 



I want to thank you, first, for the opportunity of being here today. 



Our purpose in being here is to demonstrate an industrial capacity 

 which I think can be used in an enlarged oceanographic survey in 

 support of related research requirements. 



I will not discuss the need for this program since I tliink we are all 

 agreed that we need a gi-eatly expanded effort. 



We followed the testimony with a great deal of interest. I think 

 everybody in our industry has, and we are concerned largely with the 

 physical and geological branches of oceanogi'aphy rather than the 

 biological one. 



Our industry conducts surveys which might be called commercial 

 oceanographic measurements, used toward determining the location of 

 petroleum accumulations mider shallow seas. 



We use, primarily, seismic reflection and refraction teclniiques, 

 marine gravity techniques, and magnetometer work as a means of 

 defining petroleum accumulations. 



Our interest in the physical characteristics of the oceans has been 

 influenced by our participation in the manufacture of instruments 

 and systems for military applications, particularly in the field of 

 antisubmarine warfare. 



^Vliat I want to discuss here briefly is our ability to conduct produc- 

 tion marine surveys and also to conunent briefly on instrumentation 

 design and data processing. 



I think the common item of testimony before this committee, as I 

 have read it, has been the scarcity of qualified men and equipment to 

 perform the operations that would be required in an expanded and 

 comprehensive oceanographic program, and I can quote the commit- 

 tee hearing which says that routine surveys, as being a floor to the 

 proper work of a research organization, contribute little to the labo- 

 ratory except as a financial stopgap. This is out of context, of course, 

 but I think it effectively summarizes the relationship, at least as an 

 operational arrangement, between research and surveys as such. 



We believe in industry that marine surveys can be accomplished 

 more efficiently and with greater economy as surveys rather than as 

 part of research. 



The conduct of such surveys would relieve the univereities and 

 nonprofit institutions of an essentially routine operation and free 

 valuable oceanographers for research work. 



Tlie collection of earth sciences data, today on a production basis, 

 forms a major portion of the geophysical industry's business. 



Last year I think we had about 180 crews, both land and water, 

 sent out by industry to all parts of the free world and staffed from 

 a total industry personnel capability of over 5,000 geophysicists. 



