Office of Polar Programs Office Advisory Committee May 2005 Office of Polar Programs Office Advisory Committee May 2005 Antarctic Science Highlights Dr. Scott Borg Head, Antarctic Sciences Section Office of Polar Programs National Science Foundation CReSIS: Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets University of Kansas, Elizabeth City State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, University of Maine, The Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University International and industry partners; NASA Understand the role of polar ice sheets and predict future changes and effect on sea level Initial 5 year award, potential 5 year renewal Greenland and Antarctica IPY Contribution Antarctic Research Overview Microcosm of NSF Disciplinary Organization Numerous Connections (x-directorate, interagency) Aeronomy and Astrophysics Biology and Medicine Geology and Geophysics Glaciology Ocean and Climate Systems Ice Cube Antarctic Artists and Writers Some Recent Events Completed ICEFISH 2004 Cruise Completed AGASEA airborne survey with BAS Airborne science workshop many opportunities Deep ice coring drill development on track Ice Cube successfully deployed first DOM string NBP; stability problem this year, engine problem last year; both solved but delayed science Polar instrumentation interest high MRI, S&SN ICEFISH 2004 Cruise May-July 2004, Punta Arenas to Capetown First comprehensive international survey of the fishes of the Sub-Antarctic marine habitat baseline for understanding these sensitive ecosystems Scientists and students from 7 countries; planned IPY project completing circumpolar cruise from Capetown to Punta Arenas on Italian vessel Comparative study: relate lower latitude fishes to the evolution, physiology, biochemistry and population dynamics of high-latitude Antarctic fishes of the suborder Notothenioidei WAIS Research New AGASEA Data BAS + UTIG (NSF) Whats Happening GLOBEC Synthesis competition underway SHALDRIL NBP stability issues forced split into 2 parts; part 1 done, lessons learned for part 2 ANDRILL planning on track, formal agreements circulating new investigators; strong Edu/Outreach; 06/07 and IPY; US, NZ, D, IT CReSIS New Science & Technology Center International Polar Year Proposals Welcome see Antarctic Research - NSF Also focused announcement mid-late summer Strong interest in other directorates within NSF Interest in ice sheet focus area from NASA and BAS Some contributions almost on the table e.g. ANDRILL, GLOBEC Synthesis, US-ITASE, WAIS Divide Core, CReSIS Expect proposals for US participation in areas led by other countries e.g. CML, international traverses, others Antarctic Science Photo: S. G. Borg Questions? Antarctica and Global Environmental Change Marine geological records of ice sheet evolution implications for a warmer world SHALDRIL FY05 ANDRILL - TBP Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Sheet Dynamics -Future behavior West Antarctic Deep Ice Core -Paleoclimate Records (Temp, Precip, CO 2, etc.) Bindschadler Alley Polar Biota & Ecosystems in the Polar Night with Genomic approaches McMurdo Dry Valleys Kuparuk River, AK Toolik Lake, AK