manyfold as the gulf was transited more regularly by tankers and 

 other types of ships carrying supplies and oil drilling equipment. 

 These ships provided some additional observational information and 

 data; but more important, the masters of these ships demanded 

 fuller and more detailed hydrographic information of the area. 



In the summer of 1948 a considerable quantity of oceanographic 

 data was collected throughout the gulf by Dr. K. O. Emery and his 

 collaborators. Results of this work were published in 1956 (2). This 

 survey, as well as the results, is not as complete as might be desired. 

 Sediments and marine geology are probably the most comprehensively 

 covered of all topics. However, some of the best quantitative infor- 

 mation of the area currently available for midsummer months is 

 supplied by Dr. Emery'-S work. Since observations were taken with 

 modern oceanographic instruments and in accordance with currently 

 accepted scientific techniques, these data represent the most accurate 

 data collected to that time. Oceanographic observations of similar 

 quality for the winter months are generally lacking. 



With the postwar increase in shipping in the Persian Gulf, the 

 need for a total revision of navigational charts of the area became 

 obvious. A critical evaluation of the Hydrographic Office charts on issue 

 in 1947-48 revealed that sounding information on existing charts was 

 largely from nineteenth century surveys, supplemented with later 

 incidental soundings from individual ships or limited surveys. In general 

 few sounding data after 1935 were shown. As a result this Office 

 arranged to conduct a series of detailed hydrographic surveys of the 

 Persian Gulf to bring its charts up to date. This hydrographic survey 

 requirement provided an opportunity to make oceanographic obser- 

 vations. This report is a descriptive compilation of the oceanographic 

 data collected during the 1948-49 hydrographic survey. Even though 

 this was not a systematic oceanographic survey, the data collected 

 for these winter months provide an appreciable quantity of additional 

 reliable information on the area. 



II. Temperature 



Figure 1 shows the locations of oceanographic stations and diurnal 

 warming observations made in and near Kuwait Harbor. Figures 2 

 and 3, respectively, present typical midwinter surface and bottom 

 temperatures in Kuwait Harbor, and Table I gives the observed data 

 upon which these figures are based. The usual Nansen bottles and 

 reversing thermometers were used for making the oceanographic 

 stations. 



