[2] His research was used by James Lovelock in the formulation of the Gaia hypothesis, that "Organisms and their environment evolve as a single, self-regulating system.

"[3] During World War II, the staff at "The Oceanographic" grew by thirty times, and military research became its top priority.

[3] Redfield moved permanently to Woods Hole from Cambridge, and was appointed WHOI's assistant director (though he retained his Harvard professorship).

[3] At this time Redfield, together with Allyn Vine, focused on studying how temperature gradients affect the accuracy of sonar in detection and tracking submerged submarines.

Redfield and Vine demonstrated that submerged submarines could take advantage of ocean temperature gradients to avoid detection by enemy sonar.

His great-grandfather was pioneering amateur meteorologist William Charles Redfield (1789 – 1857), the first president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[3] His son Alfred G. Redfield (d. 2019) was professor of physics and biochemistry at Brandeis University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

[8][3] His daughter Elizabeth R. Marsh (d. 2009) was said to have been "influential in founding" Stockton University in New Jersey, where she taught environmental studies, natural sciences, and mathematics.