Figure 20. Navy oceanographic aircraft flying 

 over ARGUS island instrumented tower. 

 (Navy photo) 



water vapor absorption band, and therefore is not 

 subject to any absorption "on the way" to the 

 aircraft. Interest is being shown in the develop- 

 ment of an instrument that would measure water 

 vapor in the lower layers of the atmosphere over 

 water by making use of the selective water-vapor 

 absorption of infrared radiation. 



The Navy's aircraft has also carried a radar that 

 provides a sea-surface profile, which can be modi- 

 fied for comparison with the usual point spectra. 

 In addition, work is under way on a radar 

 scatterometer, as well as a laser wave gage, to 

 provide higher resolution than existing instru- 

 mentation. 



Aircraft can also make ocean temperature 

 soundings using an expendable bathythermograph. 

 The buoy transmits a signal to the aircraft, where 

 it is recorded in both analog and digital forms. The 

 sensor is a free-falling thermistor probe, attached 

 to the buoy by a conducting cable. 



The Navy's instrumented aircraft has provided a 

 considerable amount of valuable oceanographic 

 data.'' 



NASA aircraft test-flying satellite instru- 

 ments have also proved the feasibility of col- 

 lecting oceanographic data by aircraft. Other 

 agencies are proceeding with plans to develop 

 similar capabilities. Satellite instruments tested 

 aboard aircraft may prove useful for operational 

 employment aboard aircraft. We are aware of the 

 considerable aircraft reconnaissance capabiUty of 

 the U.S. Air Force. Consideration should be given 

 to fuU utilization of this capabiUty for ocean- 

 ographic measurements by installation of ap- 

 propriate sensors. Efforts aimed at making air- 

 borne oceanographic sensors more rugged and 

 reliable are worthwhile. Further development of 

 the air-dropped expendable BT, with a view to 

 decreasing cost, may make an "aircraft-of- 

 opportunity" program feasible. Energy flux 

 measurements from aircraft would be extremely 

 useful in air-sea interaction research. The role of 

 the aircraft in an observational system, which 

 includes buoys, ships, and sateUites, requires 

 further study. 



Recommendation : 



The oceanographic aircraft role in an operational 

 enviroimiental monitoring system must be re- 

 viewed both as an alternative data-collection 

 method and as a means of collecting data of a kind 

 not easily obtainable by other means. Aircraft 

 operated for other missions by various Federal 

 agencies should be instrumented to collect ocean- 

 ographic data. 



B. Satellite Observations 



The TIROS, NIMBUS, and ESSA series of 

 sateUites have already amply demonstrated the 

 operational capabiUty to provide useful global 

 enviroimiental data (cloud photographs), and other 

 appUcations are under development. The ATS 

 series, in earth-synchronous orbits have demon- 

 strated the abiUty to keep major portions of the 

 atmosphere and ocean under constant daytime 

 surveUlance. 



Schule, J. J., Jr., and Wilkerson, J. C, Informal 

 Report, An Oceanographic Aircraft, Naval Oceanographic 

 Office, Washington, D.C. 20390, January 1967 (Re- 

 printed April 1967) and testimony by Di. C. Bates before 

 Marine Commission. 



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