testing of techniques for collecting oceanographic data obtained by 

 unattended instruments on moored and drifting buoys through a 

 satellite data relay link to a shore-based data processing facility, and 

 for determining the position of drifting buoys. 



NASA makes use of aircraft and unmanned or manned earth- 

 orbiting spacecraft in conducting performance evaluation 

 experiments. The aircraft program is used to provide platforms for 

 remote sensing instrumentation undergoing performance tests, and 

 for acquiring oceanographic data at times of satellite overflights of 

 regions where it was not possible to have ships acquire the desired 

 data for correlation with the satellite-sensor-derived data. 



Experiments are being carried out with a larger array of remote 

 sensor instrumentation which will enable NASA to gain further 

 insight into the usefulness of multi-spectral visible, infrared, and 

 microwave remote sensing techniques in acquiring oceanographic 

 data of interest to Federal, State, and regional agencies. Precision 

 pulsed-radar altimeters are also being investigated for the purpose 

 of making an assessment of the application of geodetic satellite 

 technology and precision distance measurement techniques to the 

 acquisition of data about the dynamic topography of the ocean 

 surface, with sufficient accuracy to allow an improved 

 determination of mean sea level and deviations of the ocean surface 

 from mean sea level associated with open ocean tides, geoidal 

 undulations, and global oceanic circulation. 



Smithsonian Institution 



The marine science activities of the Smithsonian Institution 

 involve the systematics and ecology of marine organisms and 

 investigations of biological and geological phenomena of marine 

 environments. Support services are provided in sampling, sorting, 

 identification, curation, and data management of natural history 

 specimens. 



The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) maintains the 

 largest collection of biological specimens and geological samples in 

 the world. These collections are actively being studied by scientists 

 and constitute an important resource for research on current and 

 historical environmental conditions. 



Research projects are individual efforts, or team enterprises 

 involving scientists from several departments within the museum 

 and from other institutions from the U.S. and abroad. Projects vary 

 considerably in scope and emphasis, but almost always include 

 systematic analysis of organisms being studied, often on a 

 monographic scale, based on collections which have been made for a 

 multitude of purposes. Logical adjuncts of the systematic work 

 include zoogeographic analyses and correlation with relevant 

 physical data, preparation of annotated checklists, ecological 

 research aimed at determining relationships between organisms and 



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