Indian Ocean 



Although the Indian Ocean's 28,000,000 square miles 

 cover more than 14 percent of the earth's surface, very little 

 was known about the region prior to the initiation of the 

 International Indian Ocean Expedition in i960. The objective 

 of the IIOE is to delineate the features of the Indian Ocean's 

 topography, circulation, and the distribution of living 

 organisms in its waters. This goal will be attained through 

 the research efforts of 25 nations operating 44 vessels from 

 I962-I965. Of special interest to participating scientists: 

 air/sea interaction; studies of the chemical properties of the 

 ocean's water; investigation of marine life; and geological and 

 geophysical studies of the ocean's basin. 



The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental 

 Oceanographic Commission has responsibility for coordinating 

 the IIOE. Responsibility for the United States program has 

 been assigned to the National Science Foundation. .The U.S. 

 effort on the IIOE amounts to approximately one third the total 

 and has entailed 14 cruises to the area at an estimated cost 

 through 1965 of $20,000,000. 



In addition to using existing data centers such as the 

 National Oceanographic Data Center, two international centers 

 have been established during the IIOE: the International 

 Meteorological Center, Bombay, India; and the Indian Ocean 

 Biological Center, Ceylon, India. Both may become permanent 

 establishments after completion of IIOE. 



