INTRODUCTION 



The bathyscaph, invented by Professor Auguste Piccard, has made it possible, for the 

 first time, for man to descend to the greatest ocean depths. The formerly impenetrable 

 pressure barrier has been surmounted and it is now possible to visually explore the 

 contents and characteristics of the deep sea. In addition to seeing and evaluating, the 

 observer can nov/ sample, measure, and v/ork with greater precision and comprehension 

 than ever before. 



The bathyscaph is a self-contained, surface-independent, navigable diving chamber, 

 accommodating two people, instruments, and power supply, with a possible submersion 

 time of more than 48 hours. At present, there are only two of these craft, both products 

 of the Piccard family. The first was built by Professor Piccard with funds provided by 

 the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research between 1938 and 1948. Following 

 historic dives off Dakar, Africa, the craft was turned over to the French Navy. In the 

 light of experience with an unusual submarine craft, they rebuilt the flotation tank and 

 produced a structurally altered vessel now known as the FNRS 3. A second and improved 

 version of the bathyscaph, the TRIESTE, was built by Auguste Piccard in collaboration 

 with his son Jacques in 1952 and 1953, with Italian and Swiss cooperation. 



The Office of Naval Research entered into a contract with Jacques Piccard in Feb- 

 ruary 1957 to assist in the further development of the bathyscaph, TRIESTE. The con- 

 tract provided financial assistance to Mr. Piccard for a series of scientific dives to be 

 made during the summer of 1957 in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The scientific program was to 

 be primarily an American effort, but provided that Italian, Swiss, or other European 

 scientists could participate. 



The broad objectives of investigation proposed by the U. S. Navy Electronics Lab- 

 oratory were: 



(1) To investigate the ocean environment at great depths taking maximum advantage 

 of being in situ for observations. 



(2) To evaluate the potentialities of the bathyscaph as a research tool. 



(3) To encourage modification and further development of the bathyscaph or bathy- 

 scaph-type craft. 



(4) To examine possible naval uses for this type of craft, e. g., in submarine rescue 



work, or as a deep-diving submarine. 



Objective (1) was to pursue a study of the ocean environment by the direct means, 

 such as visual observations, offered by the bathyscaph. Objective (2) was to be an evalu- 

 ation of the scientific results and the problems involved with a bathyscaph when used 

 for research purposes. Objectives (3) and (4) were to some extent dependent upon a 

 successful program of scientific research. To fulfill these objectives with a diverse sci- 

 entific program would be difficult; therefore, the scope of the research program was 

 restricted to the study of the field of sound in the ocean and associated phenomena. 

 This decision was predicated upon the Navy's great interest in underwater acoustics 

 in submarine warfare. The bathyscaph offers a much needed capability for research in 

 this field. Although the program emphasized acoustical studies, it was supported by a 

 program in oceanography and included studies of the biology, geology, and physics of 

 the deep ocean — these investigations contributing directly to the main program through 

 the identification of sound sources and the determination of the sound-transmission qual- 

 ities of the ocean and the bottom. 



