Oceanographic Instrumentation: A Crisis of National Neglect

Oceanographic instrumentation represents one of the most important problems shared by the ocean engineering and marine sciences communities. In comparison with other areas of technology-notably with the aerospace fields-the state-of-the-technology in oceanographic instrumentation is still relatively primitive. Continuation of this situation is intolerable as it produces unreliable data and is wasteful of time, ships, manpower, and money. This paper examines some of the current problems of oceanographic instrumentation as they affect both the collectors and users of data from the marine environment and as they are derived from present policies and procurement practices of the Government agencies which are the major buyers and users. Several recommendations are developed for new policies and action programs by the Federal Government to support the advancement of the state-of-the-technology and improvement in the quality of oceanographic instrumentation that will remove the present constraints to meaningful change in this area.