The World Ocean Atlas: A New Cartographic Work Devoted to the Nature of the World Ocean

This account describes the World Ocean Atlas, compiled by the USSR Navy with the Academy of Sciences and other institutions, focusing on the Pacific volume published in 1974; publication of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans volume was scheduled for November 1977. Together, the volumes cover approximately 96% of the World Ocean and use uniform scales, layouts, symbols, and corresponding page numbers to facilitate comparison. The author emphasizes their basis in direct oceanographic observations organized into a common system and their coverage of ocean waters to 5,000 metres and the atmosphere to 16–18 kilometres. Each volume comprises seven sections: exploration history, the ocean bed, climate, hydrology, hydrochemistry, biogeography, and reference and navigational-geographical charts, accompanied by explanations of sources, construction methods, and accuracy. The Pacific volume maps seabed relief and tectonics, seasonal atmospheric and oceanic conditions, tides and waves, water chemistry, and marine organisms; its hydrological charts draw principally on observations from 1925–1972. Reference charts cover geomagnetism, astronomy, transport, medical geography, and populations, while navigational-geographical charts include regional maps and port plans. The author presents the atlas as a resource for scientific research, navigation, marine survey planning, and higher education.