Jahresbericbt Nr. 23/1968 
130 
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 Hydro- 
graphic 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 Forsebungsgemein- 
schaft, 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 biologic 
al-productivity. Physical-chemico-biological, geological, and aerological 
researches continued earlier German researches. The US stationary tele 
communication satellite ATS 3 made possible measurements and experiments 
concerning, apart from basic research, tests of its suitability for nautic 
al 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