Jahresbericbt  Nr.  23/1968

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graphie"  (German  Commission  for  Oceanography)  that  will  have  to  co-ordinate
the  plans  of  Federal  Departments  and  Federal  States  to  set  up  a  several
years'  programme  of  the  Federal  Republic  for  the  field  of  oceanography
and  to  encourage  the  development  of  technology.  The  President  of  the  GHI
is  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Programme  Committee.  He,  as  well  as  other  staff
members,  are  also  on  a  number  of  other  committees.
Prom  t9  to  22  February,  the  5th  Conference  of  the  North  Sea  Hydrographic
  Commission  (NSHC),  a  subcommittee  of  the  International  Hydrographic
Organisation,  was  held  under  the  chairmanship  of  the  President  of  the  GHI
at  Copenhagen.  Problems  of  hydrographic  surveying  and  marine  cartography,
especially-of  the  North  Sea  Deep  Draught  Routes,  were  discussed.  The
specialists  of  the  Institute  are  becoming  involved  ever  increasingly  in
the  activities  of  these  organisations  and  other  national  and  international
bodies.
In  1968,  the  co-operation  with  other  authorities  and  institutes  led
to  numerous  visits  of  navigators  or  scientists.  On  30  May,  Captain  Y.A.
Moitoret,  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  International  Hydrographic
Bureau  (IHB),  and  Captain  H.S.KaergSrd,  new  Chairman  of  the  North  Sea
Hydrographic  Commission,  called  upon  the  GHI.  On  10  December,  high  officers
of  the  Bundesmarine  (German  Navy)  paid  a  visit  to  the  Institute  in  order
to  inform  themselves  of  its  tasks,  working  methods,  and  instruments.
In  1968,  according  to  the  treaty  with  the  Deutsche  Forsebungsgemeinschaft,
  the  rv  "Meteor"  was  at  the  disposal  of  the  GHI.  Several  German
and  foreign  institutes  participated  in  3  cruises  (Nos.13,  14,  15).
From  April  to  June  (Cruise.No.13),  the  vessel  operated  off  the  West
African  coast  in  the  area  of  cold  upwelling  water  the  spreading  and
variability  of  which  was  investigated,  especially  with  regard  to  biological-productivity. ­
  Physical-chemico-biological,  geological,  and  aerological
researches  continued  earlier  German  researches.  The  US  stationary  telecommunication ­
  satellite  ATS  3  made  possible  measurements  and  experiments
concerning,  apart  from  basic  research,  tests  of  its  suitability  for  nautical ­
  wireless  communication  and  the  position  fixing  of  ships.
These  experiments  were  continued  during  the  subséquent  14th  cruise
In  the  area  of  the  Iceland-Faroes  Ridge.  This  cruise  mainly  aimed  at
surveying  the  ridge  topographically,  magnetically  and  gravimetrically
with  the  greatest  possible  accuracy.
This  not  only  contributed  to  the  improvement  of  fisheries  charts
and  of  the  General  Bathymetric  Chart  of  the  Oceans  (GEBCO),  to  the
knowledge  of  the  geomagnetic  and  gravimetric  fields,  ’out  also,  through
the  geophysical  measurements  to  a  deeper  insight  into  the  geological