173 



testimony was presented by Dr. Waterman, Director of NSF, Dr. 

 Robertson of Ids staff, and Dr. Rubey, oceanographer at the Univer- 

 sity of California at Los Angeles and a member of AMSOC. The 

 request for Mohole funding, by NSF, was for $1 million for the fiscal 

 year 1962. The justification language said, in part : 



* * * To continue a program of research in the geology and geophysics of 

 the deeper layers of the earth by drilling in the ocean floor. The ultimate 

 objective of this program is to obtain samples of actual materials from the 

 deeper layers of the earth's crust and from the mantle, which lies beneath 

 the crust and constitutes the bulk of the earth. Cores from such depths would 

 I)rovide invaluable information on a number of critical questions in geology and 

 geophysics. 



[The program just completed] will provide the scientific and technical data 

 required in preparation for drilling to much greater depths * * *. 



The funds requested for fiscal year 1962 will provide for the evaluation of the 

 information obtained in the initial phase and for engineering studies and 

 design work required to construct or modify a drilling barge and equipment 

 capable of drilling in water 15,000 to 20,000 feet deep and of penetrating the 

 floor of the ocean by 15,000 to 30,000 feet.'' 



Ill reply to a question, Dr. Waterman briefly summarized the initial 

 accomplishments of the program. Dr. Rubey elaborated further on 

 this subject, noting that the work just completed "opens up a tre- 

 mendous new picture for oceanography." The question was then 

 addressed to Dr. Rubey as to ''what is the next step?" To which he 

 replied : 



The immediate plan is to look over the data that were obtained to try to design 

 a barge that will be able to handle more drill stem and pipe. The plans are for 

 a ship that can drill to the Mohole. 



That would be the plan for this next year, with money also being spent in the 

 meanwhile trying to pick the best place for a deeper drilling, a site for the 

 Mohole that would not be too deep."" 



At this point, Dr. Waterman interposed: "* * * We are now en- 

 gaged in finding out what the next step should be." This next step 

 was a ".serious one." There were many teclmical problems, such as the 

 limitations of materials for deep drilling. He then invited Dr. Robert- 

 son of the NSF staff to enlarge on this point. Dr. Robertson said there 

 were "two roads we might take in parallel." 



One is more drilling in deep water, relatively shallow drilling * * *. This will 

 give us a great deal of interesting geological information * * *. On the other 

 hand, we have to push ahead at the same time to plan for the very deep drilling 

 '■'■ * * to get down into the mantle * * *. 



Our budget for this * * * contemplates primarily getting on with the engineer- 

 ing studies relating to the very deep drilling. 



Another direction the program is taking is that people who have been thinking 

 about oceanographic ships now feel that there should be a certain number of 

 oceanographic ships with a drilling capability built in. I believe we are going 

 to get a proposal in the near future for [another] oceanographic ship [contain- 

 ing] built into it, a center well and so on. for drilling in water up to 20,000 feet 

 deep, and drilling 2,000 feet below the bottom. 



Dr. Robertson estimated that the "cost to go 15,000 feet" would be 

 "something like" $15 or $20 million. At this point in the program, NSF 

 had spent $1,570,000. The budget for 1962 called for the apportion- 



^*U.S. Congress. House Committee on Appropriations. Independent OfBces Appropriations 

 for 1960. Hearings before the subcommittee of the * * *. 87th Cong., 1st sess. pt. 2. 

 (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1961), p. 444. 



20 Ibid., p. 445. 



