PREFACE 
In recent conferences and discussions, an attempt has been made to 
determine the oceanographic instrumentation needs of oceanographic 
survey vessels. Although the resulting instrument and system descrip- 
tions contained herein have been particularly oriented toward outfitting 
oceanographic survey vessels, a number of these instruments and systems 
are considered to have additional application to both basic and applied 
research investigations. i 
These descriptions are presented in the combined form of both per- 
formance and general engineering specifications. This has been done 
intentionally, in order to stimulate the needed and desired new thinking 
and fresh approach that must be applied to oceanographic instrumentation. 
The engineering specifications have been presented primarily for informa- 
tion and not to restrict or channel thought on how any given problem may 
best be solved. Likewise, the performance specifications have been pre- 
sented as guideline goals, to be improved where possible. Should the 
state-of-the-art prevent the attainment of one or more of the goals set 
forth, it may be necessary to consider interim solutions. However, 
interim instruments or instrument systems will have to be individually 
evaluated on: (1) the inherent merit of the method employed, (2) the 
degree to which the proposal attains the stipulated goal, (3) its re- 
lationship in time to the achievement of the desired goal, and (4) de- 
velopment and production model costs. 
The priorities, which have been tentatively assigned to the instru- 
ments and instrument systems described herein, have been dictated primari- 
ly by the urgency of the requirement for the information that the particular 
instrument or system can provide. Unit and development costs, the current 
state-of-the-art, and the estimated time period required to perfect a 
particular instrument or system have not entered into the setting of these 
priorities. Furthermore, these priorities will not prevent the procure- 
ment of a fully-developed, low-priority instrument merely because all of 
the higher priority instruments have not yet come into being. 
A general requirement for all instruments and instrument systems, ex- 
cluding those whose sole function is the collection of various samples, 
is that the data which they collect must be able to be read directly into 
the Master Shipboard Data Logging and Processing System. This requirement 
remains regardless of whether the information is internally recorded with- 
in the instrument or system vehicle or whether the instrument or system 
transmits or telemeters the data directly to the survey vessel. In this 
connection, the final data output of the Master Shipboard Data Logging 
and Processing System must be in proper form for direct inclusion in the 
archives of the National Oceanographic Data Center. 
