MARINE SCIENCE 51 
(2) it is expected that recommendations of NASCO will stimulate ac- 
tion in the U.S. Congress to provide increased support for oceanographic 
research and that priority will be given to properly planned programs which 
will meet the needs of a broad spectrum of research interests ; 
(3) each research group now interested in the area cannot afford to 
undertake singly a program of necessary magnitude; 
(4) the area is key—even unique—in many aspects and such a program 
would satisfy much of man’s need for knowledge about tropical areas; 
(5) the western part of the area is essentially free of emergent landforms 
so there would be an opportunity for studying the ocean in the absence of 
rigid lateral boundaries. 
That EPOC should formulate a proposed program was reaffirmed. The in- 
fluence of EHPOC in the establishment of the national data center, the organiza- 
tion of Eastropic and other expeditions, and other matters was noted. 
Because of the probability of never having a full committee meeting and be- 
cause of the limited time before the September 1961 EPOC, the following pro- 
cedure was adopted for developing a proposed program : 
(1) Committee members should be asked to provide background information 
to reflect— 
(a) a realistic estimate of research proposed by their organizations in the 
eastern tropical Pacific during the next 2 (1961-62) years and the facilities 
available (people, ships, money) ; 
(6) additional research and facilities, beyond that outlined in (@) which 
they consider necessary to meet the needs and wants of their organizations; 
(c) research their organizations could or would like to do in the eastern 
tropical Pacific, and the additional facilities needed, if neither (a) nor (0b) 
is applicable. 
(2) Committee members be asked to send a copy of the solicited information 
to the secretary and to each committee member at least 1 week before the next 
meeting (April 10 requested in chairman’s letter). 
(3) At the next meeting the committee could proceed to develop a proposed 
program based on the needs and wants of the various research interests, having 
in mind the facilities available and additional ones required. 
A guide list of needs and wants was prepared. A desirable program was 
considered to be that which would provide knowledge of— 
(1) the general circulation; 
(2) the relationship between ocean and atmosphere (implies a rather 
large meteorology program) ; 
(3) water motion at various depths; 
(4) oceanic fronts; 
(5) eddies; 
(6) water mass boundaries; 
(7) the surface layer; 
(8) internal waves; 
(9) mechanisms of accumulation of commercial fishes ; 
(10) zoogeography ; 
(11) phytogeography ; 
(12) sound velocity structure; 
(18) disruption of acoustic detection (scattering, etc.) ; 
(14) sedimentation ; 
(15) penetration of light. 
In additicn the program should provide knowledge of fluctations, and of the 
factors controlling fluctuations, in these items. Additional observations should 
be made to describe— 
(16) bathymetry; 
(17) sediments ; 
(18) sound penetration of sediments ; 
(19) acceleration of gravity ; 
(20) magnetic intensity. 
The difference between “pattern research” (surveys) and “specific research” 
(individual research) was discussed. It was noted that— 
(1) Any pattern research should be planned to get data usable for specific 
research ; 
(2) Specific research cannot always be planned ahead; 
(3) In general, most pattern research programs will satisfy in part the 
research needs or wants of all groups. 
It was noted that there are two kinds of pattern research : 
1. Surveys of the bathymetry or magnetic intensity need be done only 
once but each requires a high density of observations. 
