Distribution: Limited NS/IOC/INF-16 



Paris, 25 October 1961 

 Original: English 



UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, 

 SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION 



INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION 



First Session 



Paris, UNESCO, 19-27 October 1961 



REPORT OF THE WORKING PANEL ON OBSERVING 

 STATIONS AND 'tfVEATHER SHIPS 



From the contributions at this, and other, conferences, 

 it is evident that the employment of 'fixed' stations for 

 taking oceanographic observations is of increasing importance 

 to modern oceanography, and that the establishment of networks 

 of such stations is of interest to many member states. 

 Information gathered continuously, or at frequent intervals, 

 from fixed stations is obtainable at relatively small cost and 

 is indispensable for the solution of several types of oceano- 

 graphic problems. Series of data from fixed points, closely 

 spaced in time, make possible the study of time variations 

 in oceanographic parameters; some of these vary importantly 

 with frequencies of a few minutes, others with frequencies of 

 days, months, or years. A network of fixed stations at 

 suitable locations can provide sets of truly synoptic 

 observations which can be employed to monitor changes in the 

 ocean circulation and the distribution of properties, and thus 

 can assist in the solution of problems of forecasting. Such 

 data, taken on conjunction with observations by moving ships, 

 which cannot themselves be truly synoptic, can assist in the 

 proper interpretation of the information from such moving ships, 



The fixed stations now in use, or in the advanced planning 

 stage, are of four kinds. Coastal and island stations, ocean 

 station vessels (weather ships), unmanned anchored buoys, and 

 manned anchored platforms. 



+ Footnote See example document; IOC/1-6, IOC/INF-1; IOC/INF-11; 

 and 0cean/92(l); and NS/163 of Paris Conference of 

 March 1960 



