Description
Project Mohole (1958-1967) was a multi-institutional federally funded science program to retrieve a sample of the Earth's
mantle layer by drilling through the crust layer in the deep ocean. This collection documents its committee support, technical
progress, and contributions to oceanography and ocean drilling.
Background
Project Mohole was a multi-institutional federally funded science program to retrieve a sample of the Earth's mantle layer
by drilling through the crust layer in the deep ocean. The project began under the leadership of the American Miscellaneous
Society (AMSOC), an informal group formed at the Office of Naval Research in 1952, with Walter Munk and Roger Revelle of Scripps
Institute of Oceanography (SIO) among the members. In 1958, AMSOC received approval and funds from the National Science Foundation
(NSF) to begin experimental ocean drilling. At this time AMSOC began functioning as an official unit of the National Research
Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
The project was planned for three phases: experimental drilling and technical feasibility, intermediate vessel construction
and site selection, and final Mohole drilling. The first phase was completed in 1961, after a drilling a shallow experimental
hole offshore of Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Extent
11.6 Linear feet
(29 archives boxes)
Restrictions
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.