185 



Within the last few years more than 35 ships of 21 U.S. and foreign organiza- 

 tio^ have been used L more than 100 cruises by members of the Smithsonxan 

 staff. In addition, Smithsonian scientists have made more than 50 dives on 



The Smithsonian helped organize a marine biological program for the Environ- 

 mental Science Services Administration vessel, OCEANOGRAPHBR, during sev- 

 eral legs of its round-the-world cruise. , .. X ^1, * ^,. 



The Smithsonian Institution is giving careful consideration to the use of mer- 

 chant ships as oceanographic survey platforms for studies of ocean productivity 

 on a synoptic basis. For several years the Navy and other agencies have utilized 

 ships of the Merchant Marine as so-called Research Ships of Opportunity to 

 gather data in support of their missions. Three experiments were carried out by 

 oceanographic groups under ONR auspices to establish the feasibility of the use 

 of merchant ships for biological data collection. Although the demonstrations 

 were quite successful, no mechanism has yet been established in the Federal 

 Government to fully develop the research potential of Ships of Opportunity. 



The Smithsonian Institution has had discussions with a representative of 

 Grace Line to consider the use of their ships in a special research project to 

 begin in January. We hope that this will eventually lead to a national program 

 of collection of biological data from merchant ships. Certain cruises of these 

 vessels pass the same open ocean area on a regularly scheduled basis. They offer 

 an opportunity to study short term changes in the oceanic environment. This pro- 

 gram could strongly augment the National oceanographic effort by providing 

 many reliable and inexpensive research platforms for conducting oceanographic 

 surveys which are presently being conducted by the specialized oceanographic 

 research ships. The research ships should be freed for high priority research 

 assignments. 



Ultimately, the success of the Ships of Opportunity program will depend upon 

 a capability for handling large volumes of data, and processing large numbers of 

 specimens, both biological and geological. No single organization can handle 

 such a program at present, and this, perhaps, is the major reason why it has 

 not been fully developed. It seems clear to us, however, that the Ships of Oppor- 

 tunity program must be facilitated and the Smithsonian Institution is ready to 

 assist in every way appropriate. 



Although modern experience and the impetus for utilization of underseas 

 vehicles for research really began with the 1959 dive of TRIESTE to 35,700 

 feet depth in the Marianas Trench, biologists have attempted to observe organisms 

 by surface-supported diving in the sea at least since 1844. During the last several 

 years the Smithsonian Institution has made a significant commitment of our 

 scientist-resources to underseas research. Many of our scientists have adopted 

 SCUBA techniques, and are employing these techniques routinely in their biologi- 

 cal and geophysical investigations. 



The first research submersible vehicle was used by the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion in 1964. Since then, such dives have established the fact that underseas 

 vehicles are quite useful in facilitating our research programs. 



For example, submersibles are being used to study the distribution of Coralline 

 algae. These reef -forming plants help to consolidate the sediments and stabilize 

 the coastlines of the eastern United States in areas north of the coral reef 

 communities. Coralline algae may be of great significance in the production of 

 organic matter in the shallow water areas. There does not exist a reliable esti- 

 mate of the depth limitations to their occurrence. Diving vehicles will extend 

 our knowledge in depth and to seaward. 



Smithsonian scientists are concerned with the study of mid-water organisms 

 (in the upper waters of the deep ocean). These populations are of interest as 

 potentially exploitable fisheries. Also, they scatter sound. Their specific identities 

 are controversial. They are variously reported to be fishes, squid, jellyfish, 

 shrimp, siphonophores, and other organisms. Our scientists are eager to use the 

 capability of underseas vehicles to study the kinds, distributions, and popula- 

 tions of mid-water organisms. 



_ Geological theories of the origin of continents and their changing faces with 

 time are deeply involved in shore processes. Smithsonian geologists use SCUBA 

 to study the formation of underseas canyons. Drastically limited by diving tech- 

 niques, these scientists urgently need vehicle time to follow the underseas con- 

 tours, observe the physical features, and sample in specific locations. Rocks 



86-705 O— 68— pt. 1- 13 



