ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 



charting) of that portion of the earth's surface comprising the 

 ocean. The year 1966 marked the 100th anniversary of the estab- 

 lishment by Congressional statute of a hydrographic office in the 

 United States for the purpose of charting the waters of the earth 

 for the benefit of navigators generally. This job of charting— 

 based on hydrographic surveys— is basic to all exploration and 

 exploitation of the oceans. Precise charts are needed for navi- 

 gation; for use as a framework for other oceanographic surveys 

 and studies; for gun-fire support of land troops by Navy ships 

 offshore, as in Vietnam; for ship location on the high seas; for 

 purposes of missile launch, tracking, and recovery; for equipment 

 installation on the ocean bottom; for salvage and mineral recovery 

 on -the continental shelves; for submarine and anti-submarine 

 warfare; and for oceanographic research and marine exploitation. 



Although the Oceanographic Office has on issue today nearly 

 6000 different marine charts, these are far from adequate for the 

 job that lies ahead. Despite the availability of detailed charts 

 for many world areas, the job of charting the physical size, shape, 

 and form of the oceans adequately and completely remains a 

 major Navy requirement. It is after all, the base from which all 

 further effort in oceanography must proceed. 



Surveys from surface vessels are organized to obtain accurately 

 controlled coastal and oceanic depth information, physical, chem- 

 ical, and biological characteristics, surface and subsurface currents, 

 ocean bottom samples and cores, sub-bottom profiles, geodetic 

 positions, and geomagnetic and gravity field data. This program 

 is supplemented by airborne geomagnetic and ice surveys of the 

 oceanic areas throughout the world. 



Research to improve our understanding of ocean phenomena 

 and our charting and measurement capability is conducted in many 

 aspects of oceanography and hydrography under the related 

 research and engineering sectors of the Navy Oceanographic 

 Program. This research is concerned with such topics as ocean 

 thermal structure; oceanographic instrument development; navi- 

 gation; and geophysical, oceanographic, and hydrographic charting 

 and prediction. Particular emphasis is placed on improvement of 

 data collection and handling procedures and the rapid conversion 

 of data into finished products. 



An integral part of the mission of the Naval Oceanographic 



