Seabed Assessment Program 



This program has as its objective the resolution of ques- 

 tions concerning geologic processes along continental margins, 

 mid-ocean ridges, and deep-ocean basins. A better understand- 

 ing of sea-floor processes will help in locating hydrocarbon and 

 metallic accumulations and other products of economic sig- 

 nificance. These studies, which do not duplicate the efforts of 

 oil and mining companies, are broadly grouped as Continental 

 Margin Studies, Plate Tectonics and Metallogenesis Studies, and 

 Manganese Nodule Study. 



Projects supported by IDOE are, whenever possible, 

 based on recommendations prepared by participants in scientific 

 workshops sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic 

 Commission (IOC). Scientists from universities, government, 

 and industry, who are investigating the phenomena of interest, 

 are invited to participate in the workshops. Objectives are to 



determine the present status of knowledge within the related 

 scientific discipline, to identify major gaps in that knowledge, 

 to recommend the needed research, and develop a strategy for 

 conducting the studies. International cooperation and partici- 

 pation is emphasized. Exchange of personnel among countries 

 is encouraged, but each country is expected to bear its own 

 share of the cost. 



Continental Margin Studies 



The continental margin is being studied to better under- 

 stand the rifting of continental land masses and the effects of 

 the rifting on the margins. Of special concern are aspects of 

 rifting process that relate to formation of hydrocarbon and 

 mineral deposits. Studies include the African Atlantic Margin, 

 the Southwest Atlantic Margin, and the Caribbean Margin. 



Up comes a .seismic energy source gun, operated by compressed air. 



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