676 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEMS FOR PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL DATA 
OCEANOGRAPHIC STATION DATA 
Although no new systems per se were developed during FY-63, a letter was sent out on 
18 January 1963 inviting certain oceanographers to serve on the NODC ad hoc Committee for 
Physical and Chemical Data. This committee will be asked to provide advice and guidance on such 
matters as ice data, current data (both surface and subsurface), surface observations, and the 
processing of oceanographic data from unmanned buoys. 
In conjunction with the International Cooperative Investigations of the Tropical Atlantic (ICITA), 
the NODC established an experimental communications system during the first phase (EQUALANT 1) 
of this program. Depth, temperature, salinity, and oxygen data were transmitted by radio ona daily 
basis from the Argentine research vessel: COMODORO AUGUSTO LASERRE. The messages were 
immediately processed and analyzed under simulated conditions of a return message containing com- 
pleted computed station data with precision evaluations, adequacy of sample spacing, possible station 
relocation, etc. The success achieved in this system has introduced a number of very interesting pos- 
sibilities for future investigations in oceanographic data radio transmissions. 
A second communication system was attempted which made use of a modified International 
Ship Weather Code (FM21.A, Surface Report from Ship in Full Form). The goal of this system was 
the production of synoptic layer depth charts. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, only 
two ships were able to transmit layer depth values. 
AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING 
During FY-63, new computer programs for processing data into the NODC Oceanographic 
Station Card were written and are in operation. In addition to the improvements in the punched 
card for recording station data, several significant improvements were made to the revised IBM 7070 
program. A few of these are: interpolation for additional standard depths (125, 700, 900, 1,100, 
1,300, 1,400, and 1,750 meters); improved modification to the 3-point Lagrange interpolation method 
to eliminate ‘‘nose-outs”’ (linearly interpolates a section of the curve); sound velocity routine (Wilson's 
method) was revised to record values in meters/second and also to compute sound velocity starting 
at any observed depth (surface or subsurface). 
A list of computer programs in use at various oceanographic institutions was compiled with 
the assistance of the EPOC Committee on Machine Processing of Oceanographic Data and 
disseminated with the June NEWSLETTER. NODC plans to continue this computer program library 
service on a continuing and improved basis to facilitate communication among oceanographers of the 
various ADP applications and techniques developed and in use for handling data. 
BATHYTHERMOGRAPH (BT) DATA 
Work continued on the evaluation and validity of BT observational and processing procedures. 
A comparision was made of various BT digitization schemes as well as a comparison of sea surface 
BT reference temperatures measured by different instrumentation aboard the same ship. The BT 
card developed during Fiscal Year 1962 for the digitization of BT data was distributed to the 
oceanographic community for comments and final approval. These cards presently are being used 
at the NODC and it is hoped will be used by SIO for their digitization in FY-64. 
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