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Participant
Interview:
Dr. Robert W. Embley
Chief Scientist
Jeff: What are your main
responsibilities as the chief scientist for NeMO 2000?
Bob: My work started a year and a half ago. The scientists meet 4 months
prior to an upcoming expedition. Between the meeting and the time we sail,
there is a tremendous amount of work to be done; a thousand little details.
On the cruise I coordinate things. I make sure everybody gets what they
want and prioritize projects and experiments with the help of the scientific
party. I try to keep ahead of operations and get schedule information
to everyone about what's going to happen in the next few days.
Jeff: When was NeMO started?
Bob: We've been working for 15 years on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. However,
this is the 3rd year for NeMO. The expectation at NeMO's inception was
that there would be an eruption sometime during our program. It occurred
very early, 1998, and presented us with a wonderful opportunity. It has
been my intention for the last 10 years to have a ROV or sub out here
every year because we have plenty of things to do. If there's another
eruption we'll be able to go down and sample soon after it takes place.
Jeff: What lies ahead for
NeMO?
Bob: We look at NeMO as a long-term program; at least a decade. Volcanic
cycles are probably on the order of a decade so you have to study a site
for a while before you learn a lot about it. The future will depend on
funding from our own sources and Canadian sources.
Jeff: Since your first
ocean expedition 32 years ago, what is the most significant event?
Bob: I think the most exciting cruise was when we saw the first eruption
site in 1993. We looked at the site when it was basically still steaming.
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