ne 



Ocean depths arc measured and 

 the shape of buttorit structures 

 recorded by a precision ffraphic 

 recorder aboard a surface vessel. 



1^ 



or unmanned, that can do the job. What is 

 needed is a selected mix of technological 

 systems that will give the nation the neces- 

 sary capability. Among these are man-in-the- 

 sea techniques, manned submersibles, and un- 

 manned instrumentation systems. 



Major advances in modern technology and 

 engineering have greatly increased our abil- 

 ity to conduct research in the oceans, to an- 

 swer scientific problems, and to utilize and 

 manage ocean resources. Scientists are now 

 al)le to observe, measure, and understand 

 marine phenomena on a scale and scope never 



before possible. They can be placed into the 

 oceans with deep vehicles and diving equip- 

 ment and make measurements in surface 

 layers as well as deep within the oceans. Im- 

 proved geophysical tools provide the capa- 

 bility to "see" geological features at greater 

 depth and in more detail ; improved drilling 

 techniques provide the capability to examine 

 sedimentary columns in the deep oceans for 

 the first time. Continuous recordmg devices 

 make possible the automatic determination 

 of nutrients in the oceans. Satellites, more 

 and better ships, aircraft, more and better 

 buoys, improved navigation systems, and 

 computers have greatly increased the ability 

 to collect and analyze data from the oceans. 



In the view of the Commission, probing 

 the deep oceans from the surface must be 

 supplemented by capabilities for direct 

 manned and mimanned probing. The presence 

 of man in the oceans' depths is necessai-y be- 

 cause present knowledge does not indicate 

 what to observe, and the versatility and com- 

 prehension that man alone can bring to the 

 task of exploration is indispensable. 



Operations in the deep ocean present many 

 difficult and uniciue technological problems. 

 Commercial, high-strength steels, likely to be 

 the principal material for construction of 

 continental shelf systems, are no longer ade- 

 quate at great depths. All experience so far 

 indicates that no vehicle with a metallic pres- 

 sure hull will be able to penetrate the extreme 

 depths of the ocean without supplementai-y 

 buoyancy. Special problems are encountered 

 in achieving bouyancy, in designing highly 

 reliable, free-flooding external machinery 

 and in developing compact power sources 

 suitable for closed-system operation. The 

 fimdamental technology needed to provide 

 the solutions today is largely lacking. 



Similarly, special design characteristics 

 are required for vehicles to conduct explora- 

 tion missions at very great depths. Ideally, 



