1 Excludes $18,000 supplemental requested for wage rate increase effective Dec. 25, 1960.

1 Excludes $18,000 supplemental requested for wage rate increase effective Dec. 25, 1960.

RENOVATION OF EXHIBITS

1. Halls completed and opened to the public by the end of fiscal year 1960:

2. Halls to be completed and opened to the public by the end of fiscal year 1961:

(a) Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy (d) Numismatics Hall

(b) Fossil Plants and Invertebrates (f) The second North American ArcheHall ology Hall

(c) The first North American Arche- (g) Prehistoric Mammals Hall

3. Construction only partially completed by the end of fiscal year 1961: (a) Peoples of the Pacific Hall

4. During the fiscal year 1961 drawings will be finished and contracts awarded for the following halls:

NOTE.-Fiscal year 1961 and fiscal year 1962 obligations total $455,000.

WORK PERFORMED UNDER GRANTS AND CONTRACTS FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES

Grants

The Institution receives grants from funds available to Federal agencies. Listed below are the amounts and the agencies from which the Smithsonian received grants in fiscal year 1960 together with an estimate for fiscal year 1961:

These grants enable the Institution to participate in the satellite tracking program; to operate the Science Information Exchange, a clearinghouse for research in life sciences and physical sciences, and to conduct research studies in such diverse subjects as the economic system of the Herero; plant physiology; marine fauna, tropical Pacific area; morphology and paleocology of Permian brachiopods; behavior of tropical birds; phanerogams of Columbia; systematics of Chilopoda and Diplopoda; South American microlepedoptera; early Tertiary mammals of North America; lichens of the Western Hemisphere; and flora of Fiji. There follows a brief statement of the Smithsonian Institution's functions under the grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

THE SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM OF THE SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL
OBSERVATORY

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory assumed the responsibility for establishing and operating a program for optical tracking of artificial earth satellites, as a part of the U.S. participation in the International Geophysical Year. The most powerful equipment possible for the precise photographic observation and determination of satellite positions, the Baker-Nunn camera, was constructed, and 12 observing stations were set up throughout the world. Furthermore, to provide more data for observing objects before orbital calculations were underway, the volunteer moonwatch visual observing program was established as an international effort. The only international tracking system operating at the launching of the first satellite, The Smithsonian satellite tracking program continued to operate successfully.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has supported this program since the end of the International Geophysical Year.

Four specific scientific goals were established at the beginning of the satellite tracking program and continue to represent its purpose:

1. To develop and gain experience in observational and computational methods for dealing with artificial satellites and space vehicles.

2. To determine atmospheric densities at very high altitudes and to establish the laws of density variations with altitude, latitude, longitude, daily factors, seasonal factors, and solar activity.

3. To determine the gravitational potential of the earth of its effect on the motions of satellites.

4. To determine geodetically the geometric shape of the earth and to tie together the networks of the various continents to within an order of magnitude better than previous methods made possible.

The 12 Baker-Nunn camera stations are in Florida, the Netherlands West Indies, Peru, Argentina, the Union of South Africa, Spain, Iran, India, Autralia, Japan, Hawaii, and New Mexico. The associated 110 international volunteer visual moonwatch stations in 22 countries supply additional observations and act as a surveillance system for lost satellites.

Accomplishments

The range capability of the Baker-Nunn camera has made it possible to photograph Vanguard I, the 6-inch "grapefruit" satellite, at a distance of 3,000 miles, and the "paddle wheel" satellite nearly 14,000 miles from the earth.

Approximately 17,200 satellite passages have been photographed by the network as of September 30, 1960, and 17,000 recorded by moonwatch. The current output is approximately 1,200 useful photographs per month.

The data that have accumulated since the beginning of the program have already served to increase our knowledge of the earth and of the earth's upper atmosphere. In particular, these new facts are giving us a more detailed understanding of:

1. The effects on the earth and the ionosphere of solar ultraviolet light, cosmic and solar X-rays, and other particle radiations.

2. The physics of the upper atmosphere as it related to more accurate longand short-range weather forecasting.

3. The points in the upper atmosphere at which energy is either absorbed or radiated, and the problem of energy balance and dynamics of the upper atmosphere.

4. The disturbances in our atmosphere that result from solar flares and solar radiation.

5. The relation between conditions in the upper atmosphere and the weather at lower levels.

6. The variations of density and temperature at different levels of the upper atmosphere.

7. The nature and cause of the Aurora.

8. The forces that produce the changes and fluctuations in the earth's magnetic field.

9. The variations in composition and thickness of the earth's crust.

10. The size and exact shape of the earth.

11. The sizes and relative positions of land and water masses on the earth. Contracts

The Smithsonian Institution also performs research for Federal agencies on reimbursable contracts. In fiscal year 1960 these contracts totaled $341,851. This research was primarily in the fields of astrophysics, astronomy, and psychology.

The agencies for whom this work was performed and the amount of reimbursement, together with an estimate for fiscal year 1961 follows:

Dr. CARMICHAEL. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, may I make a general statement?

Chairman HAYDEN. Certainly.

Dr. CARMICHAEL. I am sure you know, gentlemen, that the Smithsonian Institution is responsible for maintaining what is probably the world's largest museum complex and for preserving and protecting for our citizens many of the irreplaceable treasures of the American people. The Smithsonian also conducts well-defined scholarly and scientific research activities that are not duplicated elsewhere. This is true because much of this research is based upon the specialized use of the unique collections in our museums. The Smithsonian has conducted research in the field of astrophysics for over three-quarters of a century and, because of the current importance of this area of study and the expertness of our staff, the scientific world looks to the Institution for basic research findings in this field. The Smithsonian