THE PROBLEM 



Develop an oceanographie research tower and evaluate its 

 use for studying the shallow water oceanographie environment. 



RESULTS 



1. The Navy Electronics Laboratory (NEL) has constructed a unique 

 oceanographie research tower for the study of a broad range of 

 marine environmental problems. 



2. The tower is readily accessible from NEL. It provides labora- 

 tory-like conditions (stability, quietness, extensive instrumen- 

 tation) for shallow water research in the open sea. It is adapted 

 to a wide diversity of studies. It is also more economical to 

 operate than a ship anchored in the same location. 



3. The tower is being successfully used to study water motion, 

 underwater acoustics, electromagnetic propagation, marine 

 chemistry, marine biology, and marine geology. It also serves 

 to test and evaluate newly developed techniques and equipment, 

 and to furnish assistance to other Navy laboratories working on 

 oceanographie problems. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



1. Expand facilities on the NEL Oceanographie Research Tower to 

 meet the need for a larger work area. 



2. Initiate new research, including investigations with radar, 

 infrared, laser, and at the air- sea interface. 



3. Build a new similar tower west of the present one in water 100 

 feet deep. This deeper tower will: 



(a) Permit study of water- structure features at greater depths 

 and allow for investigating the seasonal thermocline for 

 longer periods of time. 



(b) Facilitate joint research projects with ships, submarines, 

 and other submersible vehicles requiring deep water. 



(c) Serve as a second platform for intertower acoustic studies. 



