expected to provide splendid oceanographic research facilities. 



The oceanographic research program that started out so 

 promisingly on Texas Tower 4 is being transferred this fall to 

 Argus Island (fig. 3.2), located southwest of Bermuda. Installa- 

 tion of cables for the raising and lowering of instruments was 

 finished recently, and a Hydrographic Office ship completed an 

 oceanographic survey of the surrounding areas. The program's 

 prime objective is to study the heat budget of the water column, 

 not only the energy exchange due to radiation, but also that due to 

 the size of the column and the wave action. 



The experience with Texas Tower 4 proved the practicability 

 of such a fixed platform, and even greater results are expected 

 from Argus Island. 



An offshore structure, located 11 miles off Panama City, 

 Florida, in 100 feet of water, is being readied for an ambitious 

 oceanographic research program by the Agricultural and Mechani- 

 cal College of Texas, under contract with the Office of Naval Re- 

 search. This facility for the most part will be unattended. The 

 data will be telemetered back to a shore station over a radio link. 



A typical anchored platformi is Monob I, the David Taylor 

 Model Basin's underwater sound barge. This ship is a converted 

 water barge, modified by the addition of extensive laboratory 

 facilities. It can be anchored wherever facilities are needed and 

 for as long as required. 



Another type of platform being studied by the Naval Research 

 Laboratory is a large, floating structure approximately 300 feet 

 in height and constructed of hollow structural members. According 

 to the particular requirement, it can be made to float high in the 

 water or nearly submerged. The huge lower floats will contain 

 nnany scientific laboratories. This structure will have less than 

 1-foot vertical excursion when the surface waves are 40 feet high, 

 but will be responsive to low-frequency waves such as those pro- 

 duced by underwater volcanic eruptions called tsunamis. 



The Marine Physical Laboratory of the Scripps Institution of 

 Oceanography is constructing FLIP, a floating stable platform, to 

 do essentially the same work, but along somewhat different lines. 



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