NeMO EDUCATION OUTREACH

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The Juan de Fuca Plate off the Oregon Washington and Northern California coast is the newest frontier in oceanographic research. Within 200 miles of the Oregon coast is an active volcano, sea floor spreading sites, deep ocean hot springs, and strange deep sea creatures many of which have never been seen before.

During June and July, NOAA Scientists from the Hatfield Marine Science Center and their colleagues will be exploring the ocean floor to investigate this exciting frontier. We're inviting you to come along on the cruise and experience the excitement of discovering secrets of the deep sea.

NeMO ROPOS-Cruise 99, departs Victoria, British Columbia June 20, on board the research vessel Thomas Thompson. The destination is Axial Volcano located on the Juan De Fuca plate 200 miles off the Oregon Coast and 1500 meters deep. On board that vessel will be 34 scientists, high tech equipment such as the Remotely Operated Vechicle (ROV) ROPOS, rumbleometers and extensometers to facilitate deep sea experiments.

Teacher Greg Pillette, who teaches at Sunset High School in Beaverton, will join the scientists on board. Greg will be our eyes and ears on this cruise. He will provide photos and daily reports of shipboard activities and new research discoveries. Through his reports we can go aboard the research vessel Thomas Thompson and join scientists on this exciting cruise. Steve Babcock, a teacher from the Five Oaks Middle School in Beaverton, will be the NeMO teacher on-shore and deliver cruise activities to visitors at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

Axial rumbled in January 1998 and the NEMO 98 cruise confirmed an eruption had occurred. Sea floor faulting, deposits of new lava and deep hot springs with unique communities of marine life characterize the area. NeMO 99 will investigate bacteria, water chemistry and the deposits of new lava at the site. Information from the cruise will be presented daily at the Hatfield Marine Science Center Public Wing and posted on this web site.

Oregon Sea Grant and NOAA VENTS welcomes you to this exciting oceanography cruise.

For more information: Credits/Contacts
oar.pmel.vents.webmaster@noaa.gov