208 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



FUTURE OF NODC 



I have very briefly described the recent activities of the center and now, perhaps,, 

 it is appropriate to say something about plans for the future. At the present 

 moment, NODC is not much more than a rather elaborate extension of the tradi- 

 tional data archiving activities that it inherited from the Navy Hydrographic 

 Office. In the past, almost the entire effort has gone into the collecting and proc- 

 essing of the chemical and physical oceanographic data. Nevertheless, actions 

 are already underway to extend the activities to include geological, bathymetric, 

 and biological informal ion. Eventually it is expected that most, if not all, ele- 

 ments of the marine environment will come under the cognizance of the center. 



In cases where environmental data are not uniquely oceanographic in nature, 

 but are data which are frequently used in oceanographic work, it will be necessary 

 that NODC provide the acquisition channels for the information from another 

 data center or some other appropriate collection source. For example, we have 

 opened discussions with the meteorological center at Asheville. N.C., for the pur- 

 pose of exploring the means for providing the communications and facilities 

 required for the rapid transfer of meteorological and oceanographic data between 

 the two data centers. Eventually other data and information centers will be 

 brought into the picture. 



It should be borne in mind that it takes time to develop a data center to the 

 point where it can satisfy the majority of the research and operational require- 

 ments from its own resources. This suggests that in the initial stages of develop- 

 ment the center must endeavor to place itself in position to utilize the resources of 

 others wherever these resources may be physically located. This means, in 

 short that we place early emphasis on the intelligence function, i.e., the prepara- 

 tion and maintenance of files and inventory of national and international data 

 and information sources and further, that we provide the mechanisms for the 

 rapid acquisition of these materials when the need arises. 



In the long-term sense it will not be sufficient that NODC merely keep track 

 of information on oceanographic data in the narrow meaning of the word. We 

 intend to extend our responsibility to cover oceanographic information in the 

 broadest possible sense. Many of the users (particularly in the operational 

 areas) will not be oceanographically well informed and for this reason it will be 

 necessary that NODC be in position to give technical advice to these users along 

 a broad technical front. Such a service will pay for itself many times over through 

 the duplication of operational or research effort that is prevented by such an 

 activity. 



Mr. Dingell. Were there any other witnesses who desired to be 

 heard? 



Now I want to express the thanks of the committee to all who were 

 present today, and participated, and I also want to express the 

 apologies of the committee that so many people with heavy schedules 

 were compelled to wait upon the pleasure of the committee for so long. 



The committee will stand adjourned to the call of the Chair, and 

 the record will remain open for 10 days or longer as the Chair and 

 staff directs. The committee will stand adjourned. 



(Whereupon, at 12:15 p.m., the hearing was adjourned, subject to 

 the call of the Chair.) 



