XXIII. —Marine Research—The Work of the National Institute of Oceanography

Abstract

SynopsisThe National Institute of Oceanography owes its formation to a growing need for more detailed and systematic knowledge of the physics as well as the biology of the oceans, and the feeling that the United Kingdom, in co-operation with the Commonwealth countries, should play a part in marine science more in keeping with its tradition of interest in the oceans and their navigation. The Institute is controlled by the National Oceanographic Council, which was granted a Royal Charter in 1949 and operates with the aid of Government grants.The emphasis of the programme is on long-term research under the main headings:Interchange of energy between the atmosphere and oceansResponse of the sea surface to wind and pressure changesGeneral circulation of the oceansFree and forced oscillations in the oceansDistribution of marine organismsOrganic production in the oceansBionomics of whales.There are many other activities and as much as possible is done to work out the practical implications of the research, and to help other marine scientists. The headquarters of the Institute are at Wormley, near Godalming, Surrey, and its research ship, the R.R.S. “Discovery II”, is based at Plymouth.