2 
THE OCEAN SURVEY PLAN 
A. Scope and Orientation 
This Ocean Survey Plan is to serve as the general frame- 
work within which each year's Ocean Surveys will be planned. 
Although the data requirements of various research problems 
will be considered in the formulation of the annual operational 
program, this is strictly a survey effort. That is, it is 
aimed directly at insuring systematic areal coverage with 
accurate navigational control, and it will incorporate the 
acquisition of as many different types of data as is possible 
from the platforms being used. Within the limits of practi- 
cality, the data acquisition and processing will be standardized 
to the extent that data taken by a variety of ships and buoys 
at different times and in different areas will be compatible 
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and can be easily combined with other similar data in tne 
presentation of results. Through the mechanism of an annual 
planning and review conference, each year's program will be 
responsive to the current requirements for oceanographic data 
and will be modified as new needs arise and as new instruments 
and techniques become available. 
Br Program Planning and Operations 
The operational responsibility for Ocean Surveys rests 
primarily in the various Federal agencies which will be 
carrying out the major portion of the operations at sea. 
Planning coordination, however, will be effected by the 
