In July 1972, the U.S. Office of Naval Research identified several areas
that it interpreted as being of interest to the U.S. Navy. Four of these
research areas were then selected for their special importance in
understanding physical processes on the ocean floor. In some of these, a
great wealth of data has accumulated over the past two or three decades,
but controversy exists in the interpretation of the results. In others,
new techniques have re- cently been devised that could lead to the
collection and synthesis of new information. There was yet a third area
in which little study had been undertaken and the results available
appeared of great potential importance. The latter subject constitutes
the title of this volume. To assess the information available and to
facilitate plans for further research in the fields of interest that had
been identified, the U.S. Office of Naval Research sponsored four
symposia. The first was held in November 1972 at the University of
California Con- ference Center, Lake Arrowhead. The title of the
symposium was "Natural Gases in Marine Sediments and Their Mode of
Distribution". Twenty lectures were presented over a three-day period.
All but two participants at this symposium subsequently submitted
papers, which are published in this volume. In addition, Dr. K.O. Emery,
who did not attend the symposium, supplied a manuscript on a topic most
re- levant to the subject matter discussed.