OBJECTIVE THREE - TO DETERMINE THE DISTRIBUTION, KIND AND ADAPTATION 

 OF THE LIVING POPULATIONS OF THE SEA AND TO UNDERSTAND THE INTER- 

 RELATIONSHIPS OF THE MARINE ORGANISMS TO THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL 

 PROPERTIES OF THE GEA 



DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 



DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 



Office of Naval Research FY-62 $1,232,000 



FY-63 $1,803,000 

 Marine biological interference with the propagation of acoustic signals 

 underwater represents a serious problem to the Navy, This problem 

 encompasses the recognition of false targets represented by whales, 

 large fish, etc, and the reverberation and attenuation of energies 

 resulting from the presence of concentrations of biological particulates 

 in the water„ Active sound production by marine animals is a corollary 

 problem since many biological sounds closely resemble operational noises 

 and seismic disturbances, Analyses of biological sounds will continue 

 to be made to determine their purpose and their acoustic characteristics 

 so that they can be predicted or recognized. Also, accurate emulation 

 of biological sounds underwater will be investigated and may result in 

 improved transmission systems for specialized uses. 



Investigations will be made of hydrodynamic characteristics and the 

 propulsion of marine animals „ These may give insight into mechanisms 

 to control turbulence and to manipulate boundary layers. Additional 

 knowledge of these mechanisms would be useful in hull design for 

 surface ships, submarines and underwater ordnance. Of interest also are 

 the orientation capabilities of marine animals which allow them to 

 identify targets, select them and navigate to them. 



Much additional information will be sought on the control of marine 

 deterioration and fouling of ship bottoms, cables, moored and bottom 

 mines, underwater sound equipment and hydrofoils. Since the biological 

 organisms responsible for deterioration and fouling often affect the 

 configurations of carefully planned shapes and coatings adversely, 

 causing them to lose their streamlining or anechoic properties, studies 

 will continue of life cycles of the animals and their reaction to 

 chemical substrata under various environmental conditions . An expansion 

 in scope in FY-63 will emphasize investigations of deep ocean conditions 

 since so little is known about the environment of abyssal waters and 

 the range of adaptability of marine organisms. 



Another area of interest will include investigations of biochemical and 

 biophysical properties of individual organisms and populations, since 

 such properties may affect the bottom sediments, the surrounding water 

 or the surface. Some organisms are capable of modifying bottom sediments 

 by affecting their hardness, compactness and motility. Also of interest 

 are the products these organisms put into the water as a result of normal 



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