on the chemistry of the ocean. Currently, studies of 
the inorganic and physical chemistry of seawater are 
being deemphasized because of advances made in 
previous years. Conversely, studies of chemical fluxes 
are being accelerated to determine the routes and 
rates of transfer of chemical elements among the 
major repositories of these elements: the ocean, 
atmosphere, crystalline rock, Earth mantle, rivers, and 
sediment. The program is also increasing its emphasis 
on organic chemical studies to obtain more knowl- 
edge of the interrelationships between the chemistry 
and the biology of the ocean. 
The configuration and properties of the ocean floor 
influence a number of Navy activities including 
acoustic and nonacoustic submarine and antisub- 
marine operations; surveillance system design, in- 
stallation, and maintenance; search and recovery 
operations; and inertial navigation, guidance, and 
trajectory calculations. Navy research in marine 
geology and geophysics is directed to understanding 
seafloor properties and is concentrated in studies of 
the processes that control bathymetric, gravity, mag- 
netic, and acoustic variability of the ocean basins. 
The primary emphasis of this work is on seismic/ 
acoustic studies of the layering, variability, and trans- 
mission characteristics of the deep-sea floor. A second 
major research area is concerned with understanding 
the sources and location of bathymetric, gravity, and 
magnetic anomalies. A third program element ex- 
amines the dynamics of sediment transport. 
Navy oceanic biology studies are concerned with 
the biofouling and deterioration of underwater equip- 
ment and structures, protection of swimming and 
diving operations, and acoustics. This program en- 
compasses research in biochemistry, physiology, 
ecology, behavior, taxonomy, zoogeography, micro- 
biology, and microacoustics. 
Navy acoustics studies seek to contribute to under- 
sea surveillance, target localization and detection, and 
underwater communications. The acoustics program 
consists of three categories of research. These three 
categories focus on the effects of the water column, 
surface, and bottom on acoustic propagation. The 
current emphasis of the program is on the effects of 
internal waves, currents, and mesoscale eddies on 
acoustic signals. In addition to these studies, the 
acoustics research program relies on the findings of 
the physical, chemical, geological, and biological 
programs. 
In 1976, the Marine Board of the National Academy 
of Engineering and the Ocean Sciences Board of the 
National Academy of Sciences completed a joint study 
of the Navy’s oceanographic program. The emphasis 
of this study, initiated at the request of the Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development, 
was on projected Navy needs in order to provide the 
basis for planning its future ocean science and engi- 
neering programs. In reviewing the recent history of 
the Navy ocean program, the study noted that the 
funds expended for basic ocean science research have 
remained virtually constant since 1965, but owing to 
inflation, have declined in absolute terms.*® The 
Academies attributed the decline to strict measures 
instituted by Secretary of Defense McNamara “to 
insure that military research and development would 
be mission-oriented.” The funding for some parts of 
ONR’s research program was cut back in subsequent 
Navy budgets. This effect was compounded in 1969 
after enactment of the Mansfield Amendment to the 
1970 Appropriations Act, requiring that all Navy 
research be relevant to the Navy’s mission.*® 
Although the Mansfield Amendment had the effect 
of law for only 1 year, it has had a lasting impact on 
naval research programs. The 1971 Appropriations 
Act required that research have a potential relation- 
ship to a military activity as determined by the Secre- 
tary of Defense. Since 1971, there have been no legis- 
latively enacted restrictions on Navy research, but 
the constraints of the 1970 and 1971 Acts have been 
regarded as guidelines for research. 
The steering group noted that “projects dropped 
from Navy programs as not being mission-oriented, 
or those appearing to duplicate work in other agen- 
cies often would not turn up on other agency pro- 
grams in a form that could be useful to the Navy.”*° 
The group noted that the Navy may have too strictly 
interpreted the term “relevance”. It recommended 
that “mission relevance’ be more broadly defined 
for ocean science and engineering.”* 
48 National Academy of Sciences. Directions for Naval Ocean- 
ography. Washington, D.C., 1976, p. 111. 
49 Tbid., p. 110. 
50 {bid. 
51 Tbid., p. 113 
Department of Energy 
The marine science program of the Department 
of Energy (DOE) originates from the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, which established the former Atomic 
Energy Commission (AEC). AEC was charged with 
preventing pollution of the sea by radionuclides in 
amounts that would adversely affect man and the 
marine resources used by him. 
The AEC marine science research program was 
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