Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant ... Full description.

As the importance of the oceans to society grows, so does the need to understand their variation on many temporal and spatial scales. This need to understand ocean change is compelling scientists to move beyond traditional expeditionary modes of investigation. Observing systems will enable the study of processes in the ocean basins over varying timescales and spatial scales, providing the scientific ... Full description.

In the summer of 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on a journey to establish an American presence in a land of unqualified natural resources and riches. Is it fitting that, on the 200th anniversary of that expedition, the United States, together with international partners, should embark on another journey of exploration in a vastly more extensive region of remarkable ... Full description.

Deep-diving manned submersibles, such as Alvin, which gained worldwide fame when researchers used it to reach the wreck of the Titanic, have helped advance deep-ocean science. But many scholars in this field have noted that the number and capabilities of today's underwater vehicles no longer meet current scientific demands. At the same time, the relative value of manned and unmanned vehicles is often ... Full description.

Elements for a Science Plan for the North Pacific Research Board provides guidance for the NPRB as they work towards fulfilling key organizational goals. The report makes specific recommendations on long-term research priorities, the NPRB management structure and the development of future programs. Full description.

Many coastal communities have built structures at their beaches and added quantities of sand in contoured designs to combat erosion. Are such beach nourishment projects technically and economically sound? Or are they nothing more than building sand castles, as critics claim? Beach Nourishment and Protection provides a sound technical basis for decisionmaking, with recommendations regarding the utility ... Full description.

America's ocean and coastal regions--which provide wildlife habitat, commercial fish stocks, mineral reserves, travelways, recreation, and more--are under increasing pressure as more and more people exploit marine resources, leaving environmental damage in their wake. Striking a Balance responds to the urgency for sound decisionmaking in the management of marine resources. An expert committee proposes ... Full description.

Building Ocean Science Partnerships describes a set of potential ocean science projects for cooperative research between scientists from the United States and Mexico, particularly focused on the Pacific Coast of California and Baja California, the Gulf of California, and the Gulf of Mexico. Barriers to cooperation between scientists of the two nations are identified, and methods to overcome such barriers ... Full description.

Missions by Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) teams and other naval units involved in Naval Special Warfare encompass some of the most unique and arduous challenges facing naval personnel in combat situations. Real-time decision- making is crucial, and the need for adequate and accurate environmental data is paramount for minimizing uncertainty, reducing risk, and ensuring mission success. Based on discussions ... Full description.

During recent years, large-scale investigations into global climate change and other highly visible issues have taken the lion's share of declining research funds. At the same time, funding for basic research in such core disciplines as physical oceanography, biological oceanography, chemical oceanography, and marine geology has dwindled. Global Ocean Science examines how the largest U.S. ocean research ... Full description.