23.—Oceanographic Activities in the Geophysics Branch, Office of Naval Research, 1950–1959.

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Section B. Biology
• Main Author: Lill, Gordon
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1972
• Subjects: General Engineering; Arctic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0080455x00001806; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0080455X00001806

Synopsis For a full decade, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) led the United States into the development of science by research contract. Marine geophysics and oceanography were a part of this, as were the solid earth sciences and meteorology. By 1950, ONR was firmly established, World War II seemed far behind, and oceanographers in the United States were enthusiastically looking forward to what turned out to be ten years of their most productive work. By combining oceanographic talent and ONR funds and logistics, there was created one of the most effective systems yet invented for accomplishing science and technology at sea. New institutions were established, old institutions revived, fleets were designed, deep diving initiated, ocean monitoring begun, Arctic oceanography started, expeditions mounted, and discoveries made which, when coupled with other knowledge, were to contribute to far-reaching consequences for the earth sciences and how we now view our geophysically active planet. The oceanographers will speak for themselves. This paper presents only the view from Washington at the time, and how at least some of the activity there helped to make possible the Great Decade of Oceanographic Development, 1950–59.