ABSTRACT 



The purpose of th3.s project is to investigate the meteoro- 

 logical factors that affect materially the thermal structure 

 of the ocean and to develop techniques capable of predictin'^; it. 

 This report contains: (a) a description of the factors known 

 to affect the thermal structure; (b) a siammary of the known 

 principles concerning each of these factors; (c) proposed predic- 

 tion techniques based on those principles; (d) proceedures and 

 results of teclinique development so far undertaken by the pro- 

 ject; and (e) proposals for future \-Jork by the project. 



Two types of processes were studied: (a) those that are 

 caused mainly by varioias meteorological variables'; and (b) the 

 process of vertical motion caused by internal waves. Those 

 processes due to the horizontal field of miti^n were disregard- 

 ed because of inadequate data. 



Based on known or predicted meteorological variables, the 

 processes of radiation, evaporation and molecular conduction, 

 convection, and turbulent mixing are considered. The relation- 

 ships giving the magnitude of the effect of these processes on 

 the thermal structure are examined and typical values are pre- 

 sented under mean and extreme conditions. These relationships 

 are fused into a proposed prediction technique. 



A sample forerast illustrated by figures and graphs is 

 made by considering r.he above processes and using the above 

 mentioned techniques. Results are promising enough to v/arrant 

 further consideration of the -general appr-iach. Hovrever, data 

 presented indicate that an accurate and operationally useful 



