Ray Dibble bequeathed $20K to the ARC's Endowed Development Fund
Ray Dibble (1928 to 2018), the geophysicist who pioneered “listening to volcanoes”, has given $20,000 through his will to the ARC’s Endowed Development Fund.
Ray Dibble was employed straight from school in 1946 as a cadet in the Public Works Department, pursuing studies at Victoria University College part time. He turned to geophysics as a technical trainee in the Dominion Observatory in 1948, completed a BSc in geology in 1952 and an MSc in 1956, based on a gravity survey of the northern South Island. His first visit to Antarctica in 1962 was to try out a slow speed tape recording seismograph that he had designed for measuring ice quakes.
In 1965 he joined the Geology Department as the inaugural Lecturer in Applied Geophysics and began a PhD project on “The seismometric study of volcanic activity—to increase the knowledge and understanding of volcanic mechanism and behaviour, and to search for warning indications of potentially disastrous eruptions.” His thesis was based on monitoring the volcanos of Ruapehu, White Island, Kilauea and Stromboli, refining his recording seismograph in the process, and was completed in 1972.
In 1974 Ray returned to Antarctica to the more substantial physical challenge of understanding the eruptive behaviour of Erebus volcano (77°S; 3794 m asl). This involved 14 visits through to 1991. In 1981 he set up an array of seismographs and other sensors with the help of Phil Kyle and the US Antarctic Program. As part of the New Zealand Antarctic Programme he installed a video monitoring system of the volcano’s lava lake. This almost year-round data was telemetered to Scott Base from 1986, giving critical insights into characteristics of the frequent eruptions from the Erebus lava lake. Phil recalls “He was invaluable in building and maintaining seismic stations as part of the construction of the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory, amongst other vital contributions.” Both his insights into the plumbing of the volcano and his ability to set up electronic equipment around Erebus summit in sub-zero conditions were legendary.
Ray was a much-respected colleague at Victoria University of Wellington for many decades. He was innovative, versatile and at times very humorous. He continued to visit the Antarctic Research Centre until last year.
Ray’s generous bequest to the ARC’s Endowed Development Fund will provide support for future ARC students as they pursue their research.