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A Guide to the Papers of Nicholas P. Fofonoff, 1961-1994

Manuscript Collection MC-38
23 boxes (11.5 lin. ft.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biographical Information

Scope and Content Note

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Index Terms

Folder List


Biographical Information

Dr. Nicholas Fofonoff was born August 18, 1929 in Queenstown, Canada. He completed his B.A. and M.A. at the University of British Columbia. He first came to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) as a summer fellow in 1952 and again in 1953 when he was a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University. He received his Ph.D. in 1955. Following a postdoctoral year at the National Institute of Oceanography in England and six years on the staff of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Fofonoff came to the Institution in 1961 to participate in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics program. In 1962 he was appointed to the scientific staff. The following year he was appointed Senior Scientist. From 1968-1986 he was a Professor of the Practice of Physical Oceanography at Harvard University and Associate of the Center for Earth and Planetary Physics from 1971-1986.

Nick Fofonoff served as the Department Chairman for the Physical Oceanography Department at WHOI from 1967-1971 and from 1981-1985. He was active in the management of the Buoy Group at WHOI for many years. He received the Henry Stommel Research Award from the American Meteorological Society in 1988. Fofonoff served on various scientific committees and was involved in several international projects including MODE (Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment); POLYMODE (Joint US-USSR Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment); WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment); and IWEX (International Wave Experiment).

His research interests include the dynamics of ocean circulation, physical properties and thermodynamics of seawater, and the development of mooring technology and reliable current measurement. These were all major areas of inquiry for the Russian/American POLYMODE project, which took place from 1975 to 1981 and for which Fofonoff served on the organizing committee. His knowledge of the Russian language aided in the success of the partnership.

Fofonoff was a leader in the development and introduction of the now standard Practical Salinity Scale. His later research focused on the Gulf Stream. Dr. Fofonoff retired from the Institution in December of 1991. He is currently a Scientist Emeritus.

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Scope and Content Note

The Nicholas P. Fofonoff papers consist of 23 boxes (9.25 linear feet) that span the years 1961-1994. The material covers his years at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, including memos and correspondence created during his tenure as Physical Oceanography Department Chairman and Buoy Group manager. Also included are presentations and lectures from classes he taught at Harvard and WHOI, as well as considerable correspondence between Fofonoff and colleague, Ferris Webster.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

The custodial history of the records is undocumented.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Nicholas P. Fofonoff, 1961-1994. MC-38, "Folder Name." Data Library and Archives, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Acquisitions Information

Nicholas P. Fofonoff donated his papers to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Data Library and Archives (DLA) in 1999.

Processing Information

Third-level processing completed in March 2001 by Lisa M. Raymond. Processing of this collection was partly supported by a grant from the Friends of the Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics.

The papers were put in acid free folders. Paper clips and staples were removed. Newspaper clippings, overhead transparencies and acidic items were photocopied. Notebooks were cut and the contents put in folders and labeled. The files were consolidated and put into acid free boxes.

Access

Open: materials are available for research.

Use

Copyright: Permission to publish material from the collection must be authorized by the Institution Archivist.

Related Material

Dr. Fofonoff was interviewed as part of the Office of Naval Research project, Oceanography: The making of science. This oral history is available in the DLA.

Separated Material

Photographs were put in archival sleeves and added to scientific photograph collection.

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Arrangement

The papers are divided into five series:

List of Series:
Chronological Files
Correspondence Files
Telemail Files
Buoy Group Management Files
Subject Files

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Index Terms

Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the MBLWHOI Library catalog under these terms.

International Wave Experiment (IWEX)
Joint US-USSR Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment (POLYMODE)
Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment (MODE)
Ocean circulation.
Ocean currents --Measurement.
Oceanographic buoys.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
World Ocean Circulation Experiment.

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Folder List

Chronological Files 1971-1989 2.5 boxes (1.25 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
The series consists mostly of reviews of journal articles and correspondence.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged chronologically.
1 1 Chronological Files 1971-1972
2 Chronological Files 1973
3-4 Chronological Files (2ff.) 1974
5-6 Chronological Files (2ff.) 1975
7-8 Chronological Files (2ff.) 1976
9-10 Chronological Files (2ff.) 1977
2 1 Chronological Files 1978
2 Chronological Files 1979
3 Chronological Files 1980
4-5 Chronological Files (2ff.) 1981
3 1 Chronological Files 1982
2 Chronological Files 1983
3 Chronological Files 1984
4 Chronological Files 1985-1989
Correspondence Files 1963-1981 1 box (.5 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
Includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence on various subjects.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged chronologically.
3 5 Correspondence 1963
6 Correspondence 1964
7 Correspondence 1966, 1967
8 Correspondence 1968
9 Correspondence 1969
10 Correspondence 1970
4 1 Correspondence 1971
2 Correspondence 1972, 1973
3 Correspondence 1974
4 Correspondence 1976, 1977
5 Correspondence 1978, 1979
6 Correspondence 1981
Telemail Files 1980-1981 .5 box (.25 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies of Fofonoff’s electronic mail from 1980-1981.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged chronologically.
4 1 Telemail “ATS-3” November 18–29, 1980
2 Telemail October–December 1980
3 Telemail November 30–December 6, 1980
4 Telemail January 1981
5 Telemail February– March 1981
6 Telemail April–May 1981
7 Telemail July–September 1981
Buoy Group Management Files 1968-1982 2.5 boxes (1.25 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
Includes proposals, memos and meeting minutes, as well as blueprints of buoys.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged chronologically.
5 1 Buoy Group 1968-1970
2 Buoy Project 1969-1973
3-4 Buoy Group & MODE proposals, memos, etc. (2 folders) 1971
5 Buoy Group – projects, schedules, proposals 1975-1976
6 Buoy Group Memos 1976
7-9 Buoy Lab Memos (3 folders) 1977
6 1 Notebook – Buoy Group Meeting 1972-1982
2 Buoy Group Memos 1978
3 Buoy Group Memos 1978, 1980, 1981
4-5 Buoy Group Management (2 folders) 1978-1982
6 Buoy Group Memos 1979-1981
7 Buoy Group Management 1979
7 1-4 Buoy Group Memos/Correspondence (4 folders) 1980
5-6 Buoy Group Management (2 folders) 1981
7 Buoy Group Management Memos 1981-1982
8 Buoy Group Management 1982
Subject Files 1961-1994 16.5 boxes (8.25 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
Subjects range from meetings and projects to classes Fofonoff taught and equations he wrote.
Arrangement
These files are arranged chronologically to maintain the original order of the collection.
7 9 Papers by Fofonoff and others undated
10 Spectral analysis … paper by Fofonoff undated
11 Spectral characteristics of single Ekman wind drift model undated
12 Paper – A simple model for mooring… by Fofonoff undated
13 Machine computation mass transport ocean undated
8 1 Oscillation modes of a deep-sea … by Fofonoff undated
2 Nonlinear model of decaying Rossby waves, by Fofonoff undated
3 Geostrophic velocity along potential density surfaces undated
4 Welander Lectures undated
5 Buoy photos undated
6 Presentation “Wed. morning Kort,” introduction undated
7 Rossby waves undated
8 Mooring kit undated
9 Beardsley & Gargett paper (Taylor-Proudman columns) undated
10 NAVOCEANO (Naval Oceanographic Office) undated
11 Visit from House Comm. on Oceanography undated
12 Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research (SCOR) Working Group 21 undated
13 Computer printouts-originally in folder labeled “Monster Buoy” undated
14 Woods Hole Curriculum, Things to do, Equations undated
15 Long range plans, including one by Stommel 1960s
16 Joint panel on the equation of state of seawater 1961-1964
17 Equations – correspondence about 1963, 1968
18 Invited paper for Royal Meteorological Society of Canada, Quebec City January 5, 1963
19 Photos Rossby waves in Fullers tank 1963
20 Advanced sea-based deterrent… and current measurements from moored buoys 1963
21 Format for current meters 1963
22 General Scientific Framework Symposium Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research (SCOR) 1963
9 1 Misc. Navy and Clearance 1963-1969
2 Buoy Projects 1963-1964
3 North Pacific Trade Wind Zone Investigation 1963
4 Buoy cruises 1963-1966
5 Convair Buoy 1966
6 Wednesday Seminar 1964
7 Notes on current meters 1964
8 Translation of Russian journal articles 1964-1965
9 Problem of measuring currents in ocean Circa 1964
10 “Operations” Moorings Bermuda Biol. Station 1964-1968
11 Joint Panel on Oceanographic Tables and Standards 1964-1968
12 Buoy Project proposal 1964
10 1 Advanced sea-based deterrent /Proposed scientific experiments 1964, 1968
2 Kuroshio Treatise 1964-1966
3 Synoptic Oceanography – Buoy Project Proposal 1964
4 Lectures, plus papers by other people 1965-1966
5 National Science Foundation (NSF), Worthington proposal 1965-1966
6 NSF, Hersey proposal 1965-1967
7 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) proposal 1965-1966
8 Buoy array drafts- Webster/MIT/Geodyne 1965-1966
9 National Academy of Sciences, Comm. on Oceanography (NASCO) report 1965
10 Indian Ocean Committee 1965
11 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Russian Translation Comm. 1966
12 Indian Ocean Expedition 1965
13 Atlantic Oceanography Proposal 1965
14 Internal waves of tidal period 1966
15 Spectral characteristics of internal waves 1966
16 Mooring motion, D.A. Foster September 14, 1966
17 United States Geological Survey (USGS) Buoy Study proposal 1966
18 Lecture- Sanders Assoc. buoy measurements 1966
19 Buoy array proposal Office of Naval Res. (ONR) Letter of intent, etc. 1966
11 1 Comm. Eulerian measurement, Pritchard report 1966
2 National Telemetering Conference 1966
3 Proposals Circa 1966
4 Second International Oceanographic Congress 1966
5 Moored Ocean Array Experiment, budget and proposal, 1967 1967
6-7 SCOR Working Group 21 on continuous velocity measurements (2ff.) 1966-1967
8 International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics/Symposium 1966
9 National Academy of Science – National Research Council (NAS-NRC) Air-sea interaction panel, notes December 19, 1966
10 Interagency Comm. on Oceanography-ICO 1966
11 American Association for the Advancement of Science December 1967
12 Proposals 1967-1970
13 Moored Ocean Array Experiment 1967-1968
14 Geo-marine technology, Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) 1967-1968
15 Chain cruise 76 1968
16 Station “P” mooring 1968
12 1 SCOR and IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) correspondence 1968-1969
2 Engineering – Berteaux 1968-1969
3 Operations, memos, Heinmiller, etc. 1968-1969
4 Stewart Turner correspondence 1968-1970
5 Engineering – Walden, Stimson, etc. 1968-1970
6 Moored array material and other proposals Circa 1968-1970
7 Drafts of a paper - Mass transport … 1969
8 “Operations” moorings 1969
9 SCOR 21 1969-1971
13 1-2 Fofonoff-Webster memos (2 folders) Circa 1969-1972
3 Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) University of Washington proposal, Columbia River Project 1969-1970
4 Schmitz Buoy Program proposal 1967
5 Statement by Richard Nixon 1969
6 Comments on a Fofonoff paper, Conversion of conductivity to salinity 1969
7 Proposal correspondence, etc. 1969-1971
8 First United States Coast Guard National Data Buoy Systems Scientific Advisory Meeting 1969
9 Calculations and Russian Announcement Circa 1969
10 University of Chicago papers undated
11 Wave equations/Ocean array research undated
12 Talk at Rockefeller University – Measurement of ocean currents undated
13 Miscellaneous 1970s
14 Physical oceanographer, presentations 1970
14 1 Specific volume formula and other equations 1970
2-5 Air-sea interaction papers (4 folders) undated
6 International Wave Experiment (IWEX) undated
7 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (GFD) Journal 1970
8 “Operations” moorings 1970
9 Engineering – Berteaux 1970-1971
10 Brunt – Vaisala frequencies 1971
11 Reviews, comments on papers 1971
12 Buoy engineering 1971
13 Ertel potential vorticity, misc. charts and figures, and Journal Club talk on Ocean Currents 1972
15 1 IWEX 1972
2-4 Research proposals, includes IWEX (3 folders) 1972-1974
5 IWEX proposals and status reports 1973
6 IWEX 1973
7 IWEX budget and figures 1973
8 Joint Panel for Oceanographic Tables and Standards, correspondence and papers 1973
9 MODE correspondence 1973
10 Equation of state of seawater, discussion 1973
11 SCOR reports 1973
16 1 Temperature lag correction 1973
2 GRENOBLE (orig. title on folder), MODE and POLYMODE material 1973, 1975
3 National Academy of Science workshop 1973
4 Joint Panel – Density of seawater 1973
5 MODE-I, The program and the plan 1973
6 Conversation with N. Fofonoff about large scale…in geophysical fluid dynamics and paper by Fofonoff, Surface vs. subsurface moorings 1973
7 Student – Harry Bryden 1973-1977
8 University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Advisory Council...at Harvard 1974-1975
9 Proposal - National Science Foundation (NSF) / International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE) 1974
10 Search Committee, Harvard 1974-1975
11 Geodetic leveling, positions on 1974
12 Projects, meetings, etc. 1974
13 Princeton Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (GFD) Graduate Program 1975
14 University of Miami visit 1975
15 Enthalphy and specific heat 1975
16 Geodetic leveling, position on 1975
17 Proposals / Grants 1975, 1978
18 GFD 1975
19 Russian material, including cruise report, R/V Akademik Vernadsky 1976
20 Research proposals – Fofonoff 1976
21 Research proposals
17 1 POLYMODE correspondence, meeting minutes 1976
2 POLYMODE correspondence, meeting minutes 1976-1977
3 Joint Panel of Experts on Oceanographic Tables and Standards 1977
4 Salinity Circa 1976
5 Presentation Annual Meeting Canadian Meteorological Society 1977
6 Calculations 1977
7 Telegrams, Russian 1977
8 Harvard / WHOI interactions 1977
9 National Science Foundation grants 1977-1980
10 Salinity, working groups – Correspondence and documents 1978
11 Staff Committee 1978
12 WHOI Staff Committee, Annual Report by Fofonoff 1978
13 “Conductivity results of atmospheric pressure” Circa 1978
18 1 Comments on Millero, et al. – Equation of state of seawater 1978
2 Equation of state of seawater 1978
3 SCOR working group, use of SI units 1978
4 UNESCO tables and standards 1978
5 Compressibility results from Al Bradshaw undated
6 Standards, including Joint Panel on Oceanographic Tables and Standards – correspondence undated
7 MODE – proposals and correspondence 1978
8 Student papers, Fofonoff interaction with students, etc. Circa 1978-1980
9 Student, Nan Bray 1978-1980
10 Gulf Stream Extension (GSE) 1979
11 Joint Panel Oceanographic Tables and Standards 1979
19 1-2 Original folder labeled “Gosnold 174 work 1973” various correspondence on conductivity and salinity (2ff.) 1979
3 Grand Banks Experiment, Paul LaViolette, reports and plans 1979
4 Translation of Doklady Akad. Nauk 1975, 22(3) p. 597-600 1979
5 Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) memos 1979
6 Gulf Stream Extension Experiment 1979
7 Conductivity – salinity algorithm 1979
8 Gulf Stream and North Pacific current, photocopies of charts undated
9 Wind, photocopies of charts undated
10 Equations undated
11 Deep Ocean Time Series Program undated
12 Navy, long range plans undated
13 Topics in physical oceanography, lectures, various years 1980s
14 Course – EPP 216 …Group velocity … Barotrophic waves. Air-sea interaction references and references on thermoclines 1980
15 Gulf Stream notes 1980
16 ONR (Office of Naval Research) site review, Fofonoff introduction 1980
17 Moorings site “L” 1980
20 1 POLYMODE 1980-1981
2 Moored Array Experiments 1980-1981
3 Harvard correspondence 1980-1981
4 Expendable bathythermograph (XBT) data 1980-1981
5 Equatorial Pacific Ocean Climate Study (EPOCS) 1981
6 Proposal, satellite communication for oceanographic research 1981
7 Proposal, use of Pandora II / Pisces IV 1981
8 SCOR, trip report – Germany 1981
9 Gulf Stream paper by Armi, Fofonoff, et al. Circa 1981
10-11 Department Chairman (2ff.) 1981-1985
12 Gulf Stream, including University of North Carolina talk 1982
13 Rob Reid Symposium and paper 1982
14-15 Manuscript reviews (2ff.) 1982-1985
16 Comments on paper by M.C. Gregg 1983
17 Courses he taught at Harvard 1983-1987
18 Problem sets 1983-1987
19 References 1983-1987
21 1 Article reviews, including Fofonoff and Hendry, J. Phys. Oceanogr. v.15, Physical Oceanography Department and Buoy Group memos no.7 1983-1985
2 Work schedules and noteworthy happenings 1984-1987
3 Manuscripts, other authors 1984, 1989
4 Polar oceanography notes 1989
5 Earth and Planetary Physics (EPP) course 210 1984
6 Physical Oceanography Department and Buoy Group memos 1984
7 Presentation (originally on transparencies) 1985
8 American Geophysical Union, Fofonoff elected member 1985
9 Notes, neutral surfaces and internal waves 1986
10 College of Marine Studies – CMS 810 lectures and references, includes Stommel’s wind driven … 1986
22 1-2 Remote sensing course, notes and lectures (2ff.) 1986
3 Earth and Planetary Physics (EPP) 222 1986
4-5 EPP 200c (2ff.) 1984
6 History of WHOI, by undergraduate student, E.R. Micheli 1987
7 12.758 Topics in Physical Oceanography 1988
8-9 EPP 226, Physical Oceanography, Prof. Fofonoff and Robinson (2ff.) 1988
23 1 Papers reviewed by Fofonoff 1989-1991
2 Problem sets, courses (EPP 216, 226, etc.) 1991
3 Visit to USSR May 28-July 6, 1991
4 Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) England, email correspondence with B. Gaffron 1991-1993
5 XBT, hydro format stuff (title of original folder) 1991
6 Reviews and recommendation 1994