Oceanographic Information for Engineering Submarine Cable Systems

l.i General Oceanography, broadly defined, includes the study of all aspects of the oceans. As a science, it is concerned with gathering data and devising theories which describe and explain the past, present, and the future of the oceans. Oceanography includes physical description of the topography, sediments, and temperature of the ocean bottom; investi* T h i s is L a m o n t Geological O b s e r v a t o r y C o n t r i b u t i o n N o . 251. D r . Heezen is a m e m b e r of t h e L a m o n t Geological O b s e r v a t o r y of Columbia U n i v e r s i t y . Additional i n f o r m a t i o n on this s u b j e c t is being p r e s e n t e d by D r . Heezen in a publicat i o n by t h e Geological Society of America. 1047 107(3 THE BELL SYSTEM TECHNICAL JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER 1 9 5 7 gation of currents and circulation; study of the geology of the earth's crust under the ocean; and investigation of biological factors. In designing, in finding the best route for, in laying, and in repairing a submarine cable system one can benefit from as detailed a knowledge of the ocean floor as can be obtained. However, the vastness, complexity, and inaccessibility of the ocean bottom make its study difficult. One must depend on limited data, interpreted with the aid of a knowledge of the earth sciences. The acquisition of specific engineering information is further complicated by the inaccuracies of much of the existing data, and the rudimentary nature of many present theories. Yet, by culling, codifying, interpolating, and interpreting the data gathered during the past hundred years, much can be learned that is applicable to particular cable routes.