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Naval Oceanographic Office 



FY 1965-12,1 13,000 

 FY 1966-12,036,000 

 FY 1967-$1,978,000 



Background 



The research program at the Na\al Oceano- 

 graphic Office (NAVOCEANO), the only Navv 

 laboratory de\otecl entirely to oceanographic 

 problems, is oriented toward the basic mission of 

 the Office: to support the combat effectiveness 

 of the Na\'v by seeming, analyzing, and dissemi- 

 nating oceanographic and hydrographic informa- 

 tion essential to the national defense, and to carry 

 out related jjrograms contributing to maritime 

 safety and to the national welfare as it |)ertains 

 to the sea. 



Oceanographic research at NAVOCEANO en- 

 compasses many scientific disciplines including 

 physical, biological, chemical, and geological 

 oceanograph)- as well as obser\ation and study of 

 air-sea interaction. Marine gravity and geomag- 

 netism as they influence navigation and other 

 systems are closely studied in Project Magnet and 

 Sea Scan. During FY 1966, NASA requested that 

 the Na\'y initiate a cooperative program to define 

 possible oceanographic experiments of a peaceful 

 and scientific nature that might be conducted from 

 orbiting spacecraft. This program, entitled the 

 "Spacecraft Oceanography Project" was assigned 

 to the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. 



Proposed FY 1967 Program 



Lo7ig Range Sonar — This project will de\elop 

 techniques for utilizing global oceanographic in- 

 formation to predict underwater sotmd propaga- 

 tion and will support the design and operation 

 of Navy long range sonar systems. Deep sea 

 thermistor array s)Stems will be used in conjimc- 

 tion with studies of tiubulence, microthermal 

 structme, microbubbles, acoustic impedance 

 \ariations and other short ]ieriod fluctuations 

 which exist in the water column. Field emphasis 

 will be directed toward obtaining time-series 

 profile data. A special volimie reverberation study 

 will be conducted wherein all environmental 

 parameters will be measiued simultaneously for 

 interpretation of bio-acoustic effects. Continued 



efforts will be directed towards study of the com- 

 plex interaction of acoustic energy at the bottom 

 interface with emphasis placed on the develop- 

 ment of improved models. A shipboard system 

 which obtains a sotmd speed profile and processes 

 the data for computer input will be tested. Work 

 on a recording sea sinface scattering strength 

 instrument will be initiated. 



Polar Ice Prediction — This program is designed to 

 improve the physical understanding and pre- 

 dictability of the distribution, formation, accretion, 

 drift, deformation, and disintegration of floating 

 sea and land ice forms. Special objectives are to 

 determine the causal processes governing the 

 frequency, origin, and stability of open water 

 features through which submarines may surface. 

 Other studies include the frequency, extent, and 

 character of pressure ridges which interfere with 

 the safety and s])eed of operating submarines 

 and which may affect arctic weaponry. Data ac- 

 quired in this program will peimit improved 

 estimates of the magnitude and variability of 

 the mass budget of polar ice and consequently, 

 the global heat balance. 



A primary subtask is to test and evaluate all- 

 weather remote sensing systems and to develop 

 imagery interpretation techniques. Aircraft, ships, 

 and drifting ice floe stations will be tised as plat- 

 forms for data collection. 



Wave Forecasting— This program is designed to 

 de\elo]) new or improved wa\'e observation, 

 analysis, and prediction methods. This will sup- 

 port Navy and commercial ship routing, coastal 

 constrtiction, and amphibious operations. Four 

 sub-tasks comprise the cnerall eflbrt. They are: 

 (1) Dexelopment and testing of an automated 

 niunerical wave prediction technique on an 

 oceanwide basis; (2) Study of the two-dimensional 

 wa\e spectrum by stereophotographv; (3) Devel- 

 opment of a theoretical wave model; and (4) De- 

 termination of the mechanics of wave generation 

 by cross-spectrum analysis of wind and wa\e data 

 close to the sea surface. 



Nearshore Environmental Prediction — This pro- 

 gram will infer oceanographic conditions in 

 harbors and other nearshore areas where en- 

 vironmental data are sparse or una\ailable. Pre- 

 diction techniques have been prepared for surface 

 wa\es. water temperatme, and salinity (densit)', 

 conducti\ity). Preliminary investigations have 

 been completed foi' bottom materials and tidal 



