Still other areas will shortly be ripe for further 

 research effort, if in fact they are not already. 

 Among them are hyperbaric physiology of mam- 

 mals, soil science and technology, and further 

 understanding of turbidity currents. Numerous 

 others might be mentioned. 



It is certain, in our view, that the effectiveness 

 of the Navy of tomorrow will be determined in 

 considerable part by our level of scientific under- 

 standing of the marine envirorunent, and that all 

 aspects of basic science in this area are of concern 

 to it. 



In the light of this assessment, the panel urges 

 strongly that the Navy maintain the broadest 

 possible view of its obhgations to support basic 

 marine science. 



Recommendation: 



The Department of Defense should continue to 

 recognize, as it has in the past, the vital nature of 

 all aspects of basic marine science research to its 

 naval missions, and adopt the broadest possible 

 view of its obligations to insure that the National 

 basic marine science effort meet not only its 

 short-term needs but future requirements for 

 marine information. It also should continue to 

 function as one of the cornerstones for the 

 support of the Nation's basic marine science 

 effort. 



The ability to see, detect, or destroy the 

 underwater enemy depends fundamentally upon 

 an understanding of energy propagation through 

 water and the effect upon such energy propagation 

 by the ocean bottoms, the air-sea interface, etc. 

 Electromagnetic energy such as light, radar, and 

 radio waves is quickly attenuated in the ocean. 

 Acoustical energy is known to propagate over long 

 distances in water. The capability to develop 

 techniques and equipment which will enable use of 

 acoustical energy as a basis for detection depends 

 on knowledge of how the ocean structure affects 

 such energy propagation. 



This has been an area of basic science to which 

 the Navy has given prime attention and its 

 detection capabilities are formidable. The im- 

 portance of the problem cannot be overstated. The 

 panel, recognizing the extensive effort maintained 

 by the Navy in the field of underwater acoustics, 

 nevertheless feels that understanding of the effect 

 of the boundary between air and water, in terms 

 of acoustic reflections and refractions as well as 

 the effects of the bottom topography and the 

 inhomogeneities of water masses, can be signif- 

 icantly improved through additional research. 



Recommendation: 



The Navy should maintain and, as required, 

 expand its underwater acoustic research program. 



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