the responsibility of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, was first trans- 

 ferred to NOAA' s Environmental Research Laboratories in 1971 and 

 then to NWS in 1973. In conjunction with the system, NWS operates 

 the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and the Alaska Tsunami 

 Warning System (ATWS) and Center (ATWC). 



Its programs include the Shipboard Environmental Data Acquisition 

 System (SEAS), an automated meteorological/oceanographic observa- 

 tion system whereby data observations taken by oil tankers, merchant 

 ships, offshore supply vessels, and some naval vessels are transmit- 

 ted via the GOES to NWS where they are correlated with other environ- 

 mental data for improved forecasts and warning services; Severe 

 Environmental Storms and Mesoscale Project (SESAME); Atmospheric 

 Forces for the Mid-Atlantic Bight (AFMAB), a program to develop a 

 data base system to test oceanic models for the Mid-Atlantic Bight; 

 and the Automation of Field Operations and Services (AFOS), a program 

 to use modern devices such as on-site computers and display devices 

 to provide maximum assistance to forecasters, hydrologists, weather- 

 service specialists, and observers. 



It operates the National Meteorological Center (NMC) which collects, 

 processes, and distributes worldwide weather data on a continuous 

 time schedule describing the current and predicted state of the atmos- 

 phere from the surface to about 100,000 feet and conducts research 

 with emphasis on numerical weather prediction. NMC is a part of the 

 World Weather Program of the World Meteorological Organization and is 

 the Specialized Oceanographic Center (SOC) to provide services to 

 users of IGOSS/POLYMODE data. 



379. NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE: NTIS 



NTIS is the central source for the public sale of Government- 

 sponsored research, development, and engineering reports and other 

 analyses prepared by Federal agencies and their contractors or gran- 

 tees. Services of NTIS are varied and include retrospective searches 

 of its computerized bibliographic data bases, current-awareness 

 announcements, standing orders for microfiche services, software and 

 data files on magnetic tape, special bibliographies, and many others. 

 In addition to processing reports from civilian agencies of the Gov- 

 ernment, NTIS receives nonclassified reports and related bibliographic 

 data from the Defense Documentation Center (DDC), which are then made 

 known and available to the public. 



380. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: DOD 



Established in 1949, DOD includes the Departments of the Army 

 and Navy, both of which are involved in marine science activities. 

 DOD also has other activities of interest. Among these is the Defense 

 Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) established in 1958 as the 

 Advance Research Projects Agency (ARPA) under the Director of Defense 

 Research and Engineering and redesignated a separate agency in 1972. 

 DARPA initiates, sponsors, and funds research and development (R&D) 

 programs with military potential until the feasibility of concepts 

 is demonstrated, at which time it transfers responsibility to one of 

 the military services. Ocean-related research projects initiated by 

 DARPA include the design of stable floating platforms, surface effect 

 vessels, undersea power systems, underwater acoustics, and others. 



The Defense Documentation Center (DDC) is the military counterpart 

 of NTIS. DDC receives all documents producted by Defense agencies 

 or by contractors receiving defense funding. Its system of storage 

 and retrieval is compatible with NTIS, and all unclassified holdings 

 are made available to the public through NTIS. 



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