NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
search program is to apply the advantages offered 
by this unique tool to urgent research problems in 
oceanography. Deep sea research vehicles will 
enable a more “‘personal” type of research than 
has traditionally been the case in a science frus- 
trated by the high pressure environment. The 
trained mind and eyes can be taken to the source of 
information, on a relatively stable working plat- 
form. Another advantage offered by a well 
equipped DRV concerns the instantaneous control 
over the experiment, by the observer on the spot. 
Delicate adjustments and revised programming of 
instrumentation can be executed to adjust to the 
requirements of the observer. The DRV platform 
aids in lowering the observational sensitivity thres- 
hold commensurate with the superiority of the eye 
over most instruments. As a test platform, it per- 
mits on-the-scene evaluation of new devices and 
instrumentation. f 
Potentially, the greatest value of the DRV lies in 
its own development process. Clearly, the United 
States must attain a deep ocean engineering capa- 
bility if it is to exploit its surrounding waters more 
eficiently and completely. 
An entirely new technology is needed to build 
in this environment the off-shore structures, moored 
buoys and bottom mounted arrays of instruments 
important to research and national defense. Deep 
sea research vehicles will enable the marine engi- 
neer to survey and study undersea areas where he 
plans to build. With a DRV, model structures and 
equipment prototypes may be located where their 
performance can be observed long enough to under- 
stand the limitations which are imposed by the 
sea environment. 
These, then, are a few of the immediate, prac- 
tical applications of the DRV to marine engineer- 
ing. The ultimate exploitation of the ocean floor 
presents engineering problems of a new and dif- 
ferent kind. DRVs will be needed to survey and 
explore mineral deposits. Then, to mine these 
resources man will have to go underwater—to work. 
Tools will have to be developed to dig, drill and 
manipulate safely at tremendous pressures. Ex- 
perience obtained in DRV construction and oper- 
ation is needed to design and to build these future 
engines of the deep. 
Out of a broadly conceived program for research 
using underseas vehicles can come an understand- 
ing of search and rescue techniques that would help 
locate and recover lost vehicles, space capsules or 
other items on the bottom of the sea. This subject 
28 
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is being examined in cooperation with the Navy's 
Deep Submergence Systems Review Group. 
Fiscal Year 1965 plans encompass operation of 
existing vehicles in various research projects and 
design and construction of new models. 
The only vehicles which will be available to the 
oceanographic community in FY 65 are the bathy- 
scaph TRIESTE, the ALVIN, and possibly the 
ALUMINAUT. 
The Bureau of Ships will fund TRIESTE’s in- 
vestigations at the Naval Electronics Laboratory. 
These will include studies of: (a) wave generation 
and wave spectra; (b) the Deep Scattering Layer; 
(c) correlation of characteristics of biological popu- 
lations with physical and chemical properties of the 
water; (d) fine-grain structure of the ocean bottom; 
and (e) sedimentation processes. These studies are 
planned for both near-shore and deep off-shore 
areas. TRIESTE has infinite depth capability, can 
carry 3 occupants, and can cruise at slightly more 
than a knot. 
The Office of Naval Research will sponsor the 
evaluation of ALVIN’s capabilities at the Woods 
Hole Oceanographic Institution. This study will 
be important in determining the future roles to be 
played by DRV’s in oceanographic research. It is 
believed at this point that the ALVIN type of 
vehicle will have particular application to under- 
water acoustics, biological and geological investi- 
gations. The ALVIN will be designed to carry two 
operators at a speed of 2-4 knots at depths up to 
6000 ft. 
The Office of Naval Research plans to construct 
one DRV in FY 65. It will utilize the ALVIN’s 
spare pressure sphere and thus will be similar in 
capability to that vehicle. Design and construction 
plans for FY 65 are still somewhat fluid; at least 
with respect to Navy’s program they will depend 
to a great extent on the findings and recommenda- 
tions of the Deep Submergence Systems Review 
Group. 
The ALUMINAUT is being constructed by 
Electric Boat Company under contract to the Rey- 
nolds Metals Co. Completion is expected in 1965. 
It is being designed to carry three operators at 
cruising speeds of 4-6 knots, to depths up to 15,000 
feet. 
* * * 
B. Oceanographic Services 
Ocean surveys and operation of the oceano- 
graphic data center are services which the federal 
government carries out for the benefit of the entire 
