resource surveys. Instruments and procedures for 
on-site measurement of engineering properties of 
sediments is needed. 
While great progress has been made in develop- 
ing instrumentation having digital capabilities, 
further progress is essential before long-range rapid 
ocean environmental surveillance becomes a 
reality. 
Much instrumentation available has been crit- 
icized as being unreliable and unsuited for service at 
sea. Instrumentation development will flourish to 
the extent of the commitment to utilize the sea—a 
commitment in part dependent on the state of 
undersea technology. 
It follows that initial efforts in opening the vast 
economic potentials of the ocean may be invested 
best in developing precise, rugged, seaworthy 
measuring instruments. Calibration and evaluation 
of new instrumentation is needed to provide the 
proof-testing leading to dependable use. 
3. Conclusions 
Increased knowledge of the oceans can be 
obtained through better survey equipment and 
mapping techniques. Technology and scientific 
study can provide information for proper explora- 
tion and development of ocean resources. New 
equipment is needed for precise measurement of 
the ocean environment both for single in-place 
measurements and for high-speed continuous 
measurements of variable water and sediment 
properties. 
Except where abrupt topographical changes 
occur or where a need for detailed studies in deep 
water exists, the accuracy of vertical dimension 
measurements by current systems is adequate for 
mapping. However, surveys are limited in speed 
and economy, partially due to the lack of rapid 
data collection and processing capability. 
Platforms, equipment, data systems, and such 
other tools of undersea technology as test range 
operations depend inherently on instrumentation 
capable of adequate performance and acceptable 
reliability. A primary deterrent to equipment 
development is the inadequacy of facilities for 
evaluation and calibration. 
Ocean simulators and laboratories to evaluate 
and calibrate equipment are not only scarce, but 
are not generally available to either manufacturers 
or users. Because of high capital costs, test 
facilities should be provided on a reimbursable 
basis to service the manufacturers and users of 
both military and non-military equipment. 
Properly operating survey equipment is critical 
to the exploration and development of ocean 
resources. Separate groups using similar equip- 
ments not calibrated to the same standards often 
obtain substantially different results. At present 
no mechanism exists whereby uniform standards 
of measurement can be established. Such standards 
are essential to efficient evaluation and analysis of 
data obtained under various conditions. 
Recommendations: 
Highest priority should be assigned to develop- 
ment of survey equipment for detailed mapping of 
bathymetric, geological, and ecological features; 
high-speed, wide-path width bottom scanning; and 
three dimensional plotting. Realtime? digital re- 
cording and processing systems adopted to oceanic 
instrumentation should be pursued. Improved 
equipment should be developed to perform high- 
speed surveys of (1) shape, thickness, and extent 
of sediment layers, (2) depth and shape of rock 
surfaces, and (3) spatial distribution of engineering 
properties of rock sediment layers. 
Technology should be advanced in (1) rapid 
at-sea analysis of chemicals in ocean and estuarine 
waters and in sediments for pollution monitoring, 
nutrient evaluation, corrosion control, and geo- 
chemical exploration, (2) on-site measurement of 
microgradients of salinity, pH, Eh, and water and 
sediment densities, and (3) magnetic and gravi- 
metric survey instruments for use at depths. 
Consideration should be given to observation, 
measurement, and sampling functions as integral 
components of a system including navigation, 
communications, observation platform, and han- 
dling equipment. 
Programs involving mapping, surveys, explora- 
tion, research, and preconstruction engineering 
functions will be most cost effective by applying a 
systems approach and automation. The ultimate 
goal should be to return to shore with data 
reduced, plotted, and ready for interpretation, or 
to relay realtime data via synchronous satellites to 
data processing centers ashore. 
; ?Realtime refers to the capability to process data 
simultaneously with the event being observed, permitting 
conclusions to be drawn and corrective action to be 
implemented immediately. 
