THE PROBLEM 



Investigate and report on the factors in the marine 

 biological environment that pertain to underwater sound; 

 identify and study organisms affecting sound attenuation 

 and reflection. Investigate the distribution of such orga- 

 nisms in space and time to gain a predictive understanding 

 of their fluctuations in critical areas of the ocean. Specifi- 

 cally, examine U.S. Navy submarine SQUAW (No. 29) and 

 report on the biological fouling present after approximately 

 5 years of submergence at a depth of 200 feet in the deep 

 oceanic environment. Identify the fouling organisms, esti- 

 mate their numbers, and describe their distribution on the 

 hull. 



RESULTS 



1 . The fouling intensity on SQUAW was relatively 

 light compared to equipment submerged in shallow water 

 for an equally long period. 



2. Vertical stratification was pronounced; hard, 

 calcareous forms were concentrated on the upper surfaces, 

 the sides were dominated by algae and the bottom by tube 

 worms. 



3. Associated noise-producing organisms would 

 raise the ambient sound level in the vicinity of the target. 



MBL/WHOI 



D301 D0MDSD7 E 



