OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 375 



(4) Scientific personnel qualified to carry out the proposed program in aquatic 

 sciences must be drawn both from the fields of oceanography and limnology. 

 The objectives, methods, and the equipment of limnology and oceanography are 

 basically the same, and in many instances a person trained in one field eventually 

 works in the other. 



(5) The role of our Great Lakes in advancing the aquatic sciences is note- 

 worthy, and I am pleased with the recognition they have received in your bill. 

 In several respects these large lakes are intermediate in characteristics between 

 the small inland lakes and the oceans, and therefore lend themselves uniquely 

 to certain kinds of investigations. Their evident lacustrine features are (1) 

 possession of both inlets and outlets, (2) typical lake thermal characteristics, 

 and (3) low salt content. Their oceanic characteristics are (1) vi.sible effects 

 of Coriolis force (the apparent tendency of wind-driven surface water to move 

 to the right of the wind direction), (2) distribution of upwellings and .sinking 

 according to the relationship of current streamlines and the shore, and (3) the 

 presence of distinct water masses. 



The Great Lakes afford the following advantages in the conduct of aquatic 

 research : ( 1 ) Their size and ready accessibility make investigations economical 

 in respect to time and outlay of equipment; (2) most oceanographic phenomena 

 exist in the Great Lakes and in such scale that the lakes may be considered as 

 laboratory-sized oceans; (3) lack of pronounced tides and high salinities makes 

 many research problems simpler and more readily solvable in these lakes than in 

 oceans; (4) low electrical conductivity of fresh water and its much less cor- 

 rosiveness make possible a rapid and economical testing and development of 

 instrumentation ; and (5) the existence of scientific research and training centers 

 in the Great Lakes States, such as the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin, 

 Minnesota, and Ohio State, which contribute to the national effort in aquatic 

 sciences and are a source of trained personnel. 



I will follow the progress of this proposed legislation with great interest. 

 Sincerely yours, 



David C. Chandler, 

 Director, Chreat Lakes Research Division. 



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