MARAD to initiate a sonar development program. The Antistran- 

 ding Sonar System will give warning of underwater obstructions 

 and shoals in a ship's path by use of long-range and highly 

 directional acoustic beams. The system, designed for unattended 

 operation, includes transducers for emitting and receiving energy 

 through the water, digital processing, display, and alarm equipment. 

 The system is presently undergoing a 1-year test and evaluation 

 under operating conditions along the east coast of South America. 

 In fiscal year 1974 MARAD was involved, in conjection with 

 NOAA, in two projects for the description of the ocean environment. 

 One was an ocean sampling program to develop a scientific data base 

 on water quality, in terms of hydrocarbon concentration, and to 

 determine the impact of shipping on these background concen- 

 trations. The second was a shipboard observing system providing 

 for semiautomated collection and reporting of data to improve 

 predictions of future sea and weather conditions. The goals of this 

 project are to reduce hull and cargo damage, voyage delays, and 

 possible pollution. 



Data Buoys 



February 1974 was the fourth anniversary of the mooring of the 

 first large automatic-reporting data buoy at a long-term data 

 collection location by NOAA's Data Buoy Office (NDBO), which has 

 headquarters at Bay St. Louis, Miss. This buoy, located about 125 

 nautical miles east of Norfolk, Va., has demonstrated the capability 

 to remain anchored on station through all kinds of weather and to 

 report to weather services ashore the information necessary for 

 ocean environmental monitoring and prediction. Its record at this 

 deep ocean location has also shown the ability of such buoys to 

 provide long-term series data. 



On the basis of the experience gained from both large and small 

 buoys, the NDBO has been able within the past year to specify its 

 detailed requirements for an operational prototype environmental 

 buoy to support weather monitoring and prediction data needs in the 

 severe environments of regions such as the Gulf of Alaska. A 

 competitive contract for the procurement of one such prototype was 

 let, with the option to procure five additional prototypes after 

 successful test and evaluation of the first prototype buoy. The first 

 prototype is scheduled for delivery in the late spring in 1975. This 

 buoy will be deployed in the Gulf of Alaska by the USCG for 6 

 months' testing. 



In a project involving buoys on the continental shelf, the NDBO 

 has moored three small data buoys off the west coast of Florida 

 during each of two data-acquisition experiments. These buoys 



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