To provide charts and related information for the safe navigation of marine and air commerce, and to provide basic data for engineering and scientific purposes and for other commercial and industrial needs, the Secretary of Commerce, is authorized to conduct the following activities:

((1)) Hydrographic and topographic surveys;

((2)) Tide and current observations;

((3)) Geodetic-control surveys;

((4)) Field surveys for aeronautical charts;

((5)) Geomagnetic, seismological, gravity, and related geophysical measurements and investigations, and observations for the determination of variation in latitude and longitude.