Palfrey 



of transmitted data revealed an accuracy of 99.6% in comparision to 

 original records submitted post-patrol by each vessel. It must be 

 noted here that the high success of transmitting data is not attribu- 

 ted to any oceanographlc scheme but rather to the tenets of security, 

 reliability and speed which govern the Navy and Coast Guard communi- 

 cations system which are used. 



As a result of the real-time quality control procedures of 

 the Coast Guard, corrected and verified oceanographic data can be 

 made available to operational and research uses within twelve hours 

 of observation as a maximum, and generally within six hours. Since 

 late 1965 the U. S. Fleet Numerical Weather Facility, Monterey, Cal. 

 has been a consumer for this real-time oceanographic data and has 

 used the information in the development of synoptic oceanographic 

 analyses. The Coast Guard has also participated in the National 

 Oceanographic Data Center's project "HOTLINE" using the same real- 

 time data scheme. 



The real-time data flow scheme employed by the Coast Guard 

 requires that all data from the observing vessels pass through the 

 Oceanographic Unit for correction and verification before reaching 

 the ultimate data consumers. The CGC EVERGREEN and CGC ROCKAWAY, 

 the Coast Guard's two primary research vessels, have on board data 

 processing facilities and submit completed data direct to any 

 consumer . 



In order to more fully realize the capabilities of the 

 Ocean Station vessels, a system of standard oceanographic sections 

 was established in 1966. These sections were designed so as to 

 include the areas of maximum oceanographic interest and to take 

 advantage of the normal routes of the Ocean Station vessels. At 

 present, most of the sections are occupied at least quarterly, mainly 

 by an Ocean Station vessel enroute to or from station or by a primary 

 research vessel. Pacific Standard Section One is occupied semi- 

 annually by a station VICTOR vessel, between patrols, as a part of 

 the Cooperative Study of the Kuroshio which began in 1965. In the 

 Atlantic Standard Sections 2, 3 and 4 are occupied several times a 

 month during the winter and spring to provide ocean current infor- 

 mation for the Commander International Ice Patrol. It should be 

 mentioned here that the Coast Guard's interest in the real-time 

 transmission of quality data stems from many years of experience in 

 this field in the course of providing the International Ice Patrol 

 Service. All observations along these sections are treated as for 

 Ocean Station data and are available in the same time frame. 



An automatic salinity-temperature-depth measuring system is 

 currently installed on EVERGREEN and ROCKAWAY, and will shortly be 

 provided to all Ocean Station vessels by the Navy as an adjunct to 

 ASWEPS. When the system is installed on the OSV's six-hourly obser- 

 vations will be made, with the data entered into the present trans- 

 mission and quality control system. These observations will be made 

 enroute as well as on station. The problem of long lead time in the 



123 



