■»74 



understanding remains limited as to the be- 

 havior of sea ice under stress. Without this 

 understanding, ice breakup cannot be pre- 

 dicted. Studies of the effects of ice and the 

 polar seas on developing air mass character- 

 istics are essential to understanding the 

 global weather. 



Decade of Ocean Exploration 



The Nation should make a strong commit- 

 ment to a well-balanced program of deep 

 ocean exploration during the 1970's. Such a 

 program should be international, if only be- 

 cause the problem is so vast that its technolog- 

 ical and scientific demands tax the means of 

 any single nation. 



The investigation of the global oceans long 

 has been built upon the cooperative efforrs 



The National Science Foundation 

 ha^ responsibility for the V.8. 

 Antarctic research program, while 

 the Navy and Coast Guard provide 

 logistic support. An NSF-sponsored 

 biologist observes 8ei whales; crew 

 members from the icebreaker Glacier 

 obtain Antarctic water samples; 

 and the icebreaker Eastwind breaks 

 a channel to the U.S. Antarctic 

 base at McMurdo Sound. 



of scientists of many nations. Indeed, com- 

 mon interests have developed in widening 

 circles to embrace industries and governments 

 as well. 



To give substance to the position that the 

 world community should join to identify the 

 resources of the oceans, the United States 

 recently has proposed an International Dec- 

 ade of Ocean Exploration. The objectives, as 

 stated by President Johnson, would be : 



To probe the my.iteives of the sea * * * to 

 assist in meeting loorld threats of malnutri- 

 tion and disease, and to bring closer the dag 

 iiyhen the j)eople of the world can exploit new 

 sources of minerals and fossil fuels. 



The United States so far has deliberately 

 refrained from presenting its detailed views 

 on what should be done so that all nations 

 will be encouraged to participate in deter- 

 mining the tasks which the Decade should 

 undertake and the means of performing 

 them. Many questions remain to be answered. 

 Should some central international group or 

 organization be charged with the planning 

 and coordination of the Decade? Or should 

 planning and management take place 

 through nation-to-nation negotiations under 

 the auspices of the United Nations? Or 

 through direct cooperation among scientists 



