Outline of cruise #61 on the R/V Chain to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Red Sea : July 9 - December 17, 1966

Abstract

During the period July 29, 1966 and December 2, 1966 the R/V CHAIN is going t be engaged in acoustical, geophysical, oceanographic, geological and geochemical studies of the Easter Mediterranean and Red Seas. En route to the Mediterranean CHAIN will participate in a multiship examination of water structure in the northeastern Atlantic planned by NATO (16 July - 25 July). The specific objectives are studies of the acoustical properties of sea water, i.e., continuous vertical profiles of sound velocity on stations and the sea water temperature measurements on stations and underway, also the acoustical studies of the sea floor: its reflectivity, shape and the deep structure. While on stations we will also obtain samples of the sea floor materials by coring or dredging, stereo-photographs of the bottom features and preform heat flow measurements. In the Red Sea the central objective is to study the occurrence of hot brines near the bottom in the central rift valley. This work include both the direct sampling and analysis of the brines, associated water masses and subjacent sediments, an a delineation of related geologic structure.