The determination of who may own, lease, or explore the ocean floor must be reconciled first to precise means of defining the exact position of boundaries on the ocean floor. Definitions in terms of longitude and latitude at the surface cannot be used to determine on a slope on the sea floor where one company will cease drilling for oil and another will start.

A network of sonic transponders properly positioned on the sea floor by research submarines, guided by highly accurate underwater navigation equipment with X-Y plotters, will provide a 3-dimensional grid for locating fixed installations and tracking vehicles beneath the surface and on the surface. This network of transponders will correspond to "geodetic bench marks" on land.

Such catastrophes as the Torrey Canyon tanker, or crowded ports and zero weather conditions at ports, shorelines, or at sea require a new dimension in marine traffic control.

End_Page 458------------------------------

The same devices for definition of sea floor boundaries--the "transponder" geodetic bench marks--could be used for FAA type monitoring of surface or submerged vehicle movements first at ports, and then throughout coastlines and into the deep ocean waters.

The state of the art of technology with both battery powered transponders (for temporary fixes and short life) and atomic powered transponders (for long-life and long-range capability) makes the installation economical and reasonable at this time.

Areas such as the North Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Adriatic, the Gulf of Aqaba, and others could be surveyed and temporarily zoned in a technically accurate manner. A plan for five or six such pilot surveys will be proposed to the United Nations.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 459------------