92 THE NAVY OCEAN ENGINEERING PROGRAM 



program to increase speed, accuracy, and efficiency of gravity data collec- 

 tion. A helicopter gravity equipment configuration is to be developed 

 which will permit rapid response to requirements for gravity data on a 

 worldwide basis. It is anticipated that the program will eventually de- 

 velop methods to perform direct measurement of the deflection of the 

 vertical from a moving platform, and to perform gravity data analysis in 

 response to Department of Defense requirements in areas such as naviga- 

 tion, positioning, guidance, and control. 



RADIOLOGICAL SURVEYS 



The distribution of certain artificial radioisotopes, resulting from nuclear 

 events, deposited on the sea surface as fallout has been under investigation 

 since early 1965. Developments are also in progress to measure the miner- 

 alogical properties of matter in the sea and bottom sediments and the dis- 

 tribution of radioisotopes in the marine biosphere. 



As part of the overall program of chemical and radiochemical investiga- 

 tions, the Navy under a cooperative agreement with the U. S. Atomic 

 Energy Commission, acts as a consultant and tests and evaluates systems 

 utilizing radioisotopes, in the marine environment. Those systems which 

 are presently under study are the Deep Water Isotopic Current Analyzer 

 (DWIC A II) Nuclear Sediment Denisty Probe and an in situ oxygen analyzer. 



COASTAL ENGINEERING 



Riverine warfare, amphibious operations, and mine warfare are examples 

 of naval operations requiring a definitive understanding of coastal oceano- 

 graphic and hydrographic conditions. Developments are underway which 

 will provide a greater understanding of the dynamic processes, morphology, 

 composition of coastal and riverine bottoms, and other factors affecting 

 mining, mine-hunting, etc., in shallow water and riverine areas. Preliminary 

 work includes testing a nuclear sediment-density meter in both shallow and 

 abyssal environments and performing stress-controlled laboratory con- 

 solidation experiments. Tests involving the nuclear sediment-density meter 

 indicate that nuclear devices for environmental measurement of certain 

 mass properties show considerable promise for both analytical and correla- 

 tion purposes. ConsoHdation tests to determine the stress history of a 



