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Area I is a portion of the Somali Abyssal Plain. Results of the VEMA show 

 a thick, layer or series of layers of sediments above a deep reflecting horizon, 

 with some peaks thrusting through the sediment cover. The CHAIN will dredge 

 one or two of these peaks for rock samples and core sediments. Scarps and 

 outcrops will" "be dredged. Bottom photographs will he taken, and oblique 

 reflection profiles will "be made using acoustic telemetering buoys. Heat 

 flow measurements will be made between Aden and the Seychelles. 



In Area II, the detailed study of the Seychelles-Mauritius Ridge will be 

 continued. The Yema Trench, the deepest spot in the Indian Ocean (3,501 

 fathoms), will also be studied in detail. In Area III the relationship 

 between Madagascar and the Seychelles-Mauritius Ridge will be investigated, 

 alternating broad- scale underway survey work with more closely spaced survey 

 tracks and with core samples and heat flow measurements. A small trench to 

 the southwest of the Almirante Islands is of particular interest in this 

 region and will be investigated with dredging and photography. 



Subsequent Woods Hole cruises are planned as follows: 



1964 Sept-March 1965 CHAIN Geophysics and Submarine Geology, 



Cape Agulhas to Lac cadi ves, Chagos to 

 India, India to Suez. 



1965 Feb-July ATLANTIS II Physical and Chemical Studies in Red 



Sea Agulhas Currents. 



The programs indicated for the CHAIN and ATLANTIS II respectively are the 

 primary ones. The CHAIN cruises will also include physical and chemical 

 oceanography and the ATLANTIS II cruises geophysics and submarine geology. 

 Key scientists involved in the above program are Earl E. Hays, J. B. Hersey, 

 C. O'D, Iselin and A, R. MUler, 



Also based at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the U. S. Program 

 in Biology under the direction of Dr. John H. Ryther, assisted by Dr. Edward 

 Chin. The Program in Biology has compiled and distributed more than 1,500 

 copies of A Partial Bibliography of the In dian Ocean (Yentsch et al., 1962), 

 and has supported the preparation of Preliminary Field Guides to the Birds 

 and Scombridae of the Indian Ocean (Watson, Zusi, and Storer, 1963, Collette 

 and Gibbs, , 1963IT These guides prepared under the sponsorship of the U. S. 

 National Museum are being distributed to ships and interested persons parti- 

 cipating in the International Indian Ocean Expedition. 



The major effort of the U. S. Program in Biology is based on a series of 

 nine cruises of a biological oceanographic research vessel scheduled to take 

 place during I963 and is6h a In addition, support is also being provided for 

 scientists to participate on an auxiliary vessel, at two existing shore 



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