NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 159 
At the same time, ICO and ICAS, appreciating the importance of 
this research area, commenced discussions which led to the 
formation in December 1962, of a Joint Ad Hoc Panel on Air-Sea 
Interaction. This panel was given an initial task of developing 
a program, the initial phases of which could be implemented in 
FY 1965. A draft report was completed by March 1963, which 
delineated research needs in the micro-meso- and macroscale 
areas, estimated instrumentation and system requirements, and 
recommended the establishment of a National Air-Sea Research 
Institute to coordinate, guide, and conduct air-sea research 
programs. The report called for $18.8 million in FY 1965 and 
$14.3 million in FY 1966. It was considered by ICO and ICAS 
in April 1963 as incomplete and in need of further identification 
of programs and deficiencies as well as priorities. 
Further effort by the panel produced a report in October 
recommending a National Program consisting of highest priority 
and most significant items and calling for a FY 1965 budget of 
$4.4 million. This report emphasized the need for an effective 
interagency coordination mechanism including a small, full-time 
staff competent in both meteorology and oceanography, and 
administratively assigned to one federal agency. Its budget 
was largely for instrumentation and data processing, but 
included also some micro- and mesoscale research support. This 
report was accompanied by a recommendation from the chairman, ' 
Dr. Jacobs, that in view of the operational and research experience 
of the Dept. gf Commerce (Weather Bureau and Coast & Geodetic 
Survey) in both meteorology and oceanography, that Department should 
take immediate action t establish a full-time staff to proceed 
with the planning and implementation of an effective air-sea 
research program, It also set forth certain steps needed to be 
taken to enable meteorology and oceanography to proceed together 
toward common goals; i.e. integration of observational procedures 
and networks, development and procurement of common instrumentation, 
creation of a compatible data analysis and dissemination system, 
and coordination of area studies of air/sea transfer processes. 
The program as recommended was only partially endorsed by ICO 
and ICAS, but the need for a coordination mechanism was recognized 
and a joint ICO-ICAS letter was forwarded to Dr. Weisner in 
December 1963 recommending that Commerce be assigned the responsi- 
bility "to coordinate the further identification of the unique 
problems involved" and ‘should develop a coordinated air-sea 
interaction program with other interested agencies...". The 
joint panel was to be made permanent to monitor the program for 
ICO and ICAS. 
