NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 163 
FEDERAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON 25, D.c. 
December 4, 1963 
MEMORANDUM FOR 
Dr. Jerome B. Wiesner 
SUBJECT: Air/Sea Interaction Research 
The only identifiable air/sea interaction programs within the Federal 
Government have been set forth in the FY 1963 and 1964 National 
Oceanographieé Programs and have been essentially a description of 
departmental or agency oceanographit programs that could be identified 
as contributing to the air/sea interaction research objective. There 
has not been developed an integrated air/sea interaction research 
program with specific objectives toward which progress could be 
evaluated. 
The efforts of the Joint Ad Hoc ICO/ICAS Air/Sea Interaction Research 
Panel to develop just such a program have continued since its working 
draft report distributed to the Council at its meeting of April 23, 1963. 
Another report is now at hand recommending a minimum essential 
program for FY 1965. This report has been accepted by ICAS and is 
under consideration by ICO and ICAS. : 
Essential steps which must be accomplished in the fields of meteorology, 
oceanography, and possibly hydrology are: 
1, Integration of observational procedures and networks, 
2. Development and procurement of common instrumentation. 
3. Creation of a compatible data analysis and dissemination 
system. 
4. Coordination of area studies of air/sea transfer processes. 
le 
In order to make progress along these lines and to insure the development 
of an adequate National Air/Sea Interaction Research Program, a single 
agency should be assigned the responsibility now to coordinate the further 
identification of the unique problems involved and to stimulate the necessary 
agency activities in this field. In view of its special interest and research 
experience in both meteorology and oceanography {Weather Bureau and 
Coast and Geodetic Survey), the Department of Commerce should bs 
