Evening star., 1950-07-14
U.S.-Cunudu I ask Force
Surveying Gulf Stream
Six Ships With $50 Men.
In Cooperative Project
By Thomos R. Henry

A joint United States-C Canadian task
force, consisting of six ships manned
by more than $50 men, now is survey
ing the Gulf Stream.
The survey is cooperative project
between the photographic Office Of the
Navy, the Canadian Naval Research
ographic Institution, the United States
Fish and WIdlife Service and the
ScrippS Institution Of Oceanograp1y,
1t now is known that the Gulf Stream
meanders widely between Cape Hatteras
and the Grand Banks. Sometimes 1t
moves north and sometimes south at
the rate Of two or three miles a day.
At other times it breaks of and forms
large eddies. It also has been found
that the swiftest part Of the great river
in the sea is much faster and narrower
than was believed in the past. The
pattern changes from day to day. and
it is impossible for any one ship to
obtain an accurate plot Of the circula-
ton at any one time.
Three Weeks Survey.
The survey is continuing for about
three weeks. First phase Of the opera
tion calls for all the ships to sail in
general easterly direction at spaced in
tervals.
During the second phase five Of the
ships will sail north and south along
q given latitude, stopping every two
hours to obtain salinity and tempera-
ture observations down to depth Of
5000 feet, where the current flow is
assumed to be at minimum.
Several plans are available for the
third phase, which will depend on the
information obtained during the first
two weeks of the survey. Any special
phenomena, such as major twists or
eddieS, also will be investigated. The
ships will converge in one area and make
observations 20 to 80 miles apart.
All information obtained during the
survey will be radioed to the U. s. 8. Pablo,
survey headquarters ship, where 1t will
be analyzed by staff Of Gulf Stream
experts.
Special Instruments.
The ships are fitted With special scien-
tif1c instruments. Among these is q
bathythermograph, known as . diving
thermometer" to record water temper
atures down to 1000 feet. This will
determine the walls" of the Gulf
Stream, which consists Of relatively
warm water flowing through cold ocean
water. ..t-
An instrument to measure changes
set up in the earth's magnetic neld by
the ocean currents also will be used on
each ship.
An airplane will fly over the area
where the vessels are operating to obtain
meteorological data. --
Processing and printing Of color nlm
has been speeded fivefold. ~,.-- ...
Hitherto the shortest time necessary
has been three hours. 1t has been cut
to IS minutes. .
This has been accomplished in O re-
search project carried out by the General
Aniline and Film Corp. Of Binghampton.
N. Y, under contract with the Air
Force. The process will be used, for
the present, exclusively by the armed
services. Under present conditions, It
may be a long time before any Of the
new film necessary, viii be available for
civilian use.
/. THE basis Of the new process is q pre-
hardening which permits carrying out
developing and printing at temperature
Of 30 degrees instead Of from SO to 10.
1t prevents the emulsion from becoming
too soft at the higher temperature.
Standard Chemicals.
Most Of the standard chemicals used,
with one exception, have been retained
in the new process which now is being
tested at the photo laboratory Of the
Air Force in Dayton. It will be stand
ardized for use Of all three services. It
can be used with either paper or Aim.
The greatest value, 1t is expected, will
come to the Air Force. Color photos
Of terrain taken from reconnaissance
planes have great advantages over black
and whites in the amount Of informa-
ton they reveal. Relatively slight color
differences are Of extreme significance
IN interpreting details Of the territory
flown over.
The essential three-hour delay was q
great disadvantage during the last war,
especially for Tactical Air Force opera
tions. where immediate action often was
essential. s4-