Apr 16 1971
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NASA announced development of new underwater camera system designed to photograph algae on bottom of Lake Erie. Developed by LaRC for Environmental Protection Agency, 35-mm Nikon-F camera with Braun Lite 515 flash unit, timing electronics, and water-tight plastic cases could automatically click off one frame per hour for more than 10 days underwater and unattended. Summer 1970 joint study with Canadian Centre of Inland Waters-Project Hypo-had investigated causes of eutrophication (process leading to overabundant algae growth, robbing lake of oxygen). The 400 color slides taken traced developments in seasonal surge of algae growth and revealed previously unobserved effects of bottom currents on sediment resuspension. (NASA Release 71-65)
Government of Jamaica had asked U.S. to assist in surveying Jamaica's natural resources with aircraft specially equipped for purpose, NASA announced. U.N.'s Food and Agricultural Organization had invited NASA to provide instrumented C-130 aircraft to gather experimental, thermal imagery data by cameras for high- and low-altitude infrared photography and sensors during flights at altitudes from 900 to 7600 m (3000 to 25 000 ft) over Jamaica and selected coastal waters. Jamaican Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey would provide personnel and equipment for gathering ground data. (NASA Release 71-70)
U.S. and Canadian scientists were planning to build $12- to $15- million upper-atmosphere observatory to study relationship of space energy to weather, radio communications, and other phenomena on earth, Science reported. Transmitter and four receivers would be erected near Great Lakes, "where the earth's magnetic field causes ionized layers of the upper atmosphere to form a low-density `trough.' Preliminary engineering studies for observatory, which was scheduled for completion in 1974, were being conducted under $99 950 NSF grant. (Science, 4/16/71, 244)
ComSatCorp reported net income for first quarter of 1971 had increased to $6 691 000 (67 cents per share) from $3 345 000 (33 cents per share) for first quarter of 1970. Operating revenues for first quarter of 1971 totaled $21 934 000, increase of $6 499 000 (42%) over $15 435 000 received in first quarter of 1970. (ComSatCorp Release 71-25)
Science editorial commented on underemployment of scientists and engineers: "Some companies and congressmen would like to believe that high technology can be effectively directed to solving problems of society such as pollution. This is only wishful thinking. A limited number of individual scientists and engineers are being hired by municipalities, states, and industries, but no mass hiring is likely: 'It would be "mistake to place too much dependence on government. " Retraining without specific job openings was "waste of money, time, and emotion." Experience had shown scientists and engineers quickly developed needed skills on the job. "What is needed is a strenuous effort to identify possible openings that match to some degree the potentialities of individuals." (Abelson, Science, 4/16/71, 221)
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