Chapter 7 - POLAR PROGRAMS

• Introduction
• United States Antarctic Research
• Arctic Research

The Earth's polar regions offer compelling scientific opportunities, but their isolation and their extreme climates challenge the achievement of these opportunities.

The Foundation's programs for support of research in the Antarctic and the Arctic acknowledge the need to understand the relationships of these regions with global processes, the need to understand the regions as unique entities, and the opportunities presented by the regions as research platforms. NSF's polar programs thus provide special support for investigations in a range of scientific disciplines.

In both polar regions, NSF has developed and can provide to investigators the operational capability to deploy and support modern field and laboratory science.

The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) encourages proposals for high risk research, proposals involving educational initiatives, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR).

Research Objectives

The Foundation provides funding and operational support for basic research in the disciplines discussed below. On occasion applied research is supported, usually on a contract basis, to improve operational capabilities in Antarctica.

• Astrophysics--Located at the Earth's spin axis on the 2.8-kilometer-thick East Antarctic ice sheet, South Pole Station is well situated for long, continuous astronomical and astrophysical observations. The high elevation of the station (2,835 meters), the dry atmosphere, the extremely low effective sky temperature, the isolation from man-made and other noise, and long periods of clear weather provide superior observing conditions. The program objective is to advance astrophysical research by taking advantage of these special characteristics.

• Atmospheric Sciences--Antarctica has an active relationship with regional and perhaps global weather and climate patterns. Far removed from pollution sources, it is an important monitoring and research area for world background levels of natural and anthropogenic atmospheric constituents. Conditions in Antarctica have proven to be reflections of global atmospheric changes on many scales. Research objectives are to improve understanding of physical processes of the atmosphere, to determine the relationship between events and conditions in the antarctic atmosphere and global events, and to determine the region's role in past and present global climate.

• Earth Sciences--Antarctica represents about 9 percent of the Earth's continental crust and has been in a near-polar position for more than 100 million years. Reconnaissance studies have elucidated many general aspects of the geology of the continent, and major evidence in support of plate tectonics models and of the Gondwana supercontinent has been developed. Geologic maps have been made for some areas. Geophysical investigation of the sub-ice bedrock is a relatively new element of the program. An aerogeophysical facility has been developed with the capability of acquiring ice-elevation, ice-thickness, magnetic, and gravity data over the continent. Over-snow seismic capabilities are anticipated for the future. Overall objectives of the program are to elucidate the geology and geological evolution of Antarctica and to understand the relationship of Antarctica to global geodynamic systems.

• Environmental Research--Support is given to peer-reviewed basic and applied research to help reduce the environmental footprint of NSF's activities in Antarctica and establish a baseline for future measurements. Areas of inquiry include basic research, environmental policy research, effects of past practices, environmental monitoring activities, materials and waste management, current impacts, resilience of ecosystems, and promising technologies. Proposals will be considered from basic and applied research disciplines in any field of science, mathematics, or engineering normally supported by NSF at academic institutions, federal agencies, and the private sector.

• Glaciology--The world's largest ice sheet covers 97 percent of the Antarctic continent and is up to 4.8 kilometers thick. It is a storehouse of information about climate and atmospheric constituents and their variation over time. Objectives are to determine the dynamics of the ice sheets, to understand the climatic record stored in the layers of firn and ice, to determine the history of glacial advance and retreat through study of glacial-geologic deposits, and to determine the present dynamic status of the ice sheets and their relationship to glacial and climatic history.

• Instrumentation--Instrumentation development and support will be considered for funding in such areas as acquiring new research equipment or modernizing existing equipment, developing instruments or techniques that extend research capabilities, supporting research technicians, doing demonstration or feasibility projects, and developing new or enhanced remote sensing techniques.

• Marine Biology--The oceans around Antarctica make up one of the world's most productive regions. Objectives are to understand the structure and function of the antarctic marine ecosystems; to determine the major features and adaptations of organisms; and to acquire more knowledge of their distribution, abundance, and dynamics. Major focus is on ship- and shore-based studies that stress trophodynamics including detailed investigations at all trophic levels. Emphases include krill, ice-edge ecosystems, and low-temperature adaptations.

• Marine Geology and Geophysics--The seafloor around Antarctica is complex and presents fundamental problems in marine geology and geophysics. Its sediments provide a detailed record of changes over time in the size of the antarctic ice sheet. Objectives are to interpret geological and glacial history as recorded in sediments and to support studies of specific scientific problems revealed by earlier surveys.

• Medical Research--Biomedical studies are directed toward epidemiology of viral infections and physiological and psychological attributes of people in small isolated groups.

• Physical and Chemical Oceanography--The Southern Ocean has a central role in world ocean circulation. Large-scale heat exchange and ice formation at the ocean surface overturn the water column and mix trace constituents, making the Southern Ocean the site of global-scale ventilation and a major source of the world's intermediate and deep water masses. Huge changes in the extent of sea ice (varying annually between 4 and 20 million square kilometers) also influence energy transfer. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the world's largest ocean current, has a major effect on general oceanic circulation. Research objectives are to determine the dynamics of formation and distribution of water masses, currents, and sea ice; to investigate the relationship between oceanic and atmospheric circulation systems and the physical basis for biological productivity; and to investigate the relationship of the Southern Ocean and climate.

• Terrestrial and Freshwater Biology--The biota of terrestrial and freshwater Antarctica are of special interest, particularly their adaptation to the extreme environment. The simplicity of these ecosystems provides opportunities for analysis that is more difficult or impossible in the complex systems of the lower latitudes. Research objectives are to understand features and adaptations of organisms and to gain further knowledge of their distribution, abundance, and dynamics.

• Upper Atmosphere Physics--Unique studies of the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere and of Sun/Earth relationships are possible in Antarctica because of its physically stable location at a high geomagnetic latitude. Year-round station-based research is possible at geomagnetic latitudes ranging from 53 degrees south at Palmer to 79 degrees south at McMurdo Station. Automatic Geophysical Observatories (AGOs) are also available to provide year-round support for low-powered autonomous instruments at several remote sites on the ice sheet. Research objectives are to improve understanding of Earth's upper atmosphere and near-space environment; to investigate coupling among the neutral atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the magnetosphere; and to investigate solar terrestrial effects.

• Long-Duration Ballooning--NSF and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have developed the capability to launch from McMurdo balloon science payloads weighing over a ton to altitudes of approximately 40 kilometers; they will then drift once or twice around the South Pole in 10 to 30 days. This capability can be used by several disciplines and can in some cases serve as a low-cost substitute for space flight.

Operational Support

In addition to granting funds for research, the program provides scientists with logistics, operational, and laboratory support in Antarctica. The support includes a year-round inland research station at the South Pole (90 degrees south latitude); two year-round coastal research stations (McMurdo at 78 degrees south and Palmer at 64 degrees south) with extensive laboratory and computing capabilities; summer camps (as required for research); the ice-strengthened research ship Polar Duke (67 meters in length); the icebreaking research ship Nathaniel B. Palmer (94 meters in length); a fleet of ski-equipped LC-130 airplanes; Twin Otter airplanes (when required); helicopters; an icebreaker for channel breaking at McMurdo and research support; a variety of over-snow vehicles; and automated unmanned weather and geophysical observatories. Ships of the U.S. academic fleet and the Ocean Drilling Program also support research in Antarctica on occasion.

Air transport between New Zealand and McMurdo is provided several times per week in the austral summer from early October to the end of February. From McMurdo, the logistics hub, parties can access other sites including the station at the South Pole. Several flights are made in August between New Zealand and McMurdo, providing an opportunity for winter access. Other winter flights to McMurdo are feasible if required. Between February and October the summer camps are closed, and winter research is limited to the immediate environs of the South Pole and McMurdo, where station residents are isolated as long as eight months.

Palmer Station, located on Anvers Island by the Antarctic Peninsula, relies mainly on the Polar Duke (during or between research cruises) for transport to a port at the southern tip of South America. The ship makes several trips throughout the year. Air access via a Chilean station on King George Island is provided on occasion. The Polar Duke provides onboard research support in marine biology, oceanography, and geophysics and can support science in other areas of the southern oceans.

U.S. antarctic stations and ships provide voice and data communications (including Internet) to locations outside Antarctica.

Non-U.S. Facilities--International Cooperation

The United States enthusiastically cooperates in research with the other Antarctic Treaty nations. U.S. scientists wishing to do research with other nations' programs are asked to contact the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) science program manager before submitting a proposal.

Eligibility

U.S. academic institutions and academically related nonprofit organizations may submit proposals for research project support. Industry and local, State, and federal agencies also are eligible. The Foundation particularly encourages proposals from women and minorities and proposals for research projects that include participation by undergraduates and high school graduates under guidelines established by NSF cross-disciplinary programs such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates and the Young Scholars Program. All persons proposing to work in Antarctica must pass a physical examination that has standards specified by the USAP.

Proposal Preparation

The following publications describe research opportunities in more detail than does the NSF Guide to Programs. They contain material to help proposers evaluate the potential environmental impact of their projects and describe their operational needs in Antarctica, give instructions that are special to the USAP, and describe individuals' legal obligations for antarctic conservation and waste management under the Antarctic Conservation Act, a U.S. law. These publications include

• Antarctic Research Proposal Guide (Annex) (NSF 94-62);
• Antarctic Research Program Announcement and Proposal Guide (NSF 93-49); and
• Cooperative Agreements for Environmental Research in Support of U.S. Antarctic Program Environmental Management (NSF 93-96).

To obtain copies of these publications by mail, write to the NSF Publications Unit, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room P15, Arlington, Virginia 22230; by phone, call (703) 306-1130; by Internet: pubs@nsf.gov.

For scientists writing proposals who are not familiar with the USAP, prior discussion with someone in OPP can be helpful if your questions are not readily answered in the books referenced above. To talk to a program manager from any one of the various disciplines within OPP, call (703) 306-1033. For questions of an operational nature, contact a member of the Polar Operations Section at (703) 306-1032. Specialists also are available in the areas of environmental protection, safety, and Antarctic Conservation Act permits.

Deadline Window

The annual antarctic proposal submission period is a one-month window from May 1 to June 1. Proposals received before May 1 normally will be returned for later submission. Those postmarked after June 1 are subject to return without review.

To provide time for proposal review and for operational planning, proposals normally will be considered for fieldwork beginning no sooner than a year later. Thus proposals received in May 1996 will be considered for the 1997-98 austral summer season and the 1998 austral winter.

Field projects requiring large amounts of cargo in Antarctica may require additional lead time to allow for transport by ship.

Requests for support of antarctic research not involving work in the field should be received in May prior to the fiscal year in which funds are sought. Thus proposals received in May 1996 will be considered for funding beginning in fiscal year 1997, which starts October 1, 1996.

Literature

• Antarctic Journal of the United States (since 1966). Washington: National Science Foundation. Available from the Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Quarterly news plus annual reviews of the United States Antarctic Research Program.

  The following publications are available from the Polar Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, (202) 334-3479.

• An Evaluation of Antarctic Marine Ecosystem Research (1981)*
• Physical Oceanography and Tracer Chemistry of the Southern Ocean (1988)*
• Recommendations for a United States Ice Coring Program (1986)
• Research Emphases for the U.S. Antarctic Program (1983)*
• Science and Stewardship in the Antarctic (1993)
• Scientific Plan for a Regional Research Program in the Antarctic on Global Change (1994)

  Other publications about Antarctica that are currently available include the following:

• An ongoing antarctic bibliography prepared by the Library of Congress (with NSF support) abstracts and indexes antarctic research literature from around the world and has been published between 1951 and the present. Twenty-one hardbound volumes and two cumulative indexes have been published to date and cite more than 50,000 titles.
• Current Antarctic Literature is a monthly compilation of abstracts issued by the Library of Congress staff who produce the Antarctic Bibliography. It is available free to working scientists and librarians from NSF's Polar Information Program, (703) 306-1031; by Internet: dfriscic@nsf.gov.
• The Antarctic Bibliography is on line as COLD (Orbit Search Service) and, with other polar bibliographies, is on a CD-ROM disk available from NISC, (410) 243-0797. It is scheduled to be on the Internet in 1994. Further information is available from NSF's Polar Information Program, (703) 306-1031; by Internet: gguthrid@nsf.gov.
• The U.S. Geological Survey has reconnaissance maps of portions of Antarctica at various scales. An Index to Topographic Maps--Antarctica is available from the Distribution Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25286, Federal Center, Building 41, Denver, Colorado 80225.
• Ice cores, ocean-bottom sedimentary cores, terrestrial sedimentary cores, dredged rocks, biological specimens, meteorites, and ocean-bottom photographs are available for study. Further information regarding these samples is in the publication Antarctic Research Program Announcement and Proposal Guide (NSF 93-49). For more information on this publication, see "Eligibility" elsewhere in this chapter.

Grants for Arctic Research

The National Science Foundation invites U.S. scientists to submit proposals for research in the Arctic and to perform arctic research at institutions in the United States.

The goal of the NSF Arctic Research Program is to gain a better understanding of the Earth's biological, geophysical, chemical, and sociocultural processes and the interactions of ocean, land, atmosphere, biological, and human systems. Arctic research is supported at NSF by the Office of Polar Programs (OPP), and by a number of other disciplinary divisions within the Foundation that are linked through an Arctic Affiliates system. This system, which consists of representatives of NSF programs that support arctic research, provides for coordination across NSF, including the potential for joint funding.

OPP offers a focused multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scientific program that emphasizes the special character of the Arctic for scientific study. The arctic regions are among the Earth's most sensitive to environmental change and have exceptionally long natural climate records and thousands of years of human settlement. This interplay provides a unique foundation for research on integrated global systems and human adaptation.

Disciplinary programs within OPP encompass biological sciences, social sciences, earth sciences, ocean sciences, atmospheric sciences, and glaciology. Research in the geosciences, biosciences, and social sciences is linked through the Arctic System Science Program to the U.S. Global Change Research Program. In addition to supporting research on long-term human/environment interactions, OPP encourages the study of contemporary socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic issues in the changing environment of the post- Cold War world and encourages bipolar research, especially glaciology, permafrost, sea ice, ecology, conjugate magnetic field lines, and human factors studies.

The U.S. Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 defines the Arctic as all areas north of the Arctic Circle and all U.S. territory north and west of the boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim Rivers; all contiguous seas including the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas; and the Aleutian chain. Field projects falling outside of these boundaries but directly related to arctic science and engineering conditions and issues are appropriate, as are related laboratory and theoretical studies.

The Foundation is one of 12 federal agencies that sponsor or conduct arctic science, engineering, and related activities. Under a five-year agreement with the U.S. Navy, access to a nuclear submarine will be available for research in the Arctic Ocean. Researchers are strongly encouraged to pursue this possibility directly with OPP and/or the Division of Ocean Sciences located in the Directorate for Geosciences. Further information on other agency programs is presented in the journal Arctic Research of the United States (NSF 94-167) and the U.S. Arctic Research Plan and its biennial revisions (NSF 93-127).

As the Arctic is the homeland of numerous Native peoples, special attention must be given to all aspects of research that may potentially impact their lives. An interagency statement of "Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic" has been developed, and all arctic research grantees are expected to abide by these guidelines. These guidelines are presented in the appendix section of the program announcement.

Arctic Research Opportunities

Arctic research projects are supported by OPP and by other disciplinary divisions and programs of the NSF.

The publication Arctic Science, Engineering, and Education Directory of Awards is produced each year and contains a compilation of all NSF arctic and related research grants for the previous fiscal year. Copies currently available are for fiscal year 1993 (NSF 94-105). A list of NSF programs with direct relevance to arctic and polar research is included in this brochure. Additional program information can be found in the NSF Guide to Programs (NSF 94-91).

Arctic Logistics

An arctic logistics component has been established to address special logistics needs. Investigators proposing research projects that require logistics support are encouraged to contact the OPP arctic logistics program officer for information.

Research Programs

Listed below are the principal NSF research programs that support arctic research. There are three integrated programs in OPP: Arctic Natural Sciences, Arctic Social Sciences, and Arctic System Science.

• Arctic Natural Sciences Program--The OPP Arctic Natural Sciences Program is a multidisciplinary program that supports research in atmospheric sciences, biological sciences, earth sciences, glaciology, and ocean and climate systems. The program helps facilitate OPP multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, and bipolar projects and coordinates arctic natural sciences research with the Geosciences and Biological Sciences Directorates. The scope of the Arctic Natural Sciences Program is described below.

  Atmospheric Sciences--Traditionally research interest in arctic meteorology is focused on stratus clouds, tropospheric chemistry, radiation balance, arctic lows, and arctic haze. Research on past climates and atmospheric gases as preserved in snow and ice cores has also been supported in the arctic, as have atmosphere/sea and atmosphere/ice interactions.

  In upper atmospheric physics, research currently being funded includes auroral studies, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, the plasmapause, and wave particle interactions. Conjugate studies can be considered jointly with the Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics Program.

  Biological Sciences--OPP supports projects that emphasize the adaptation of organisms to the arctic environment. Biological studies in the Arctic include support of research in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial biology; organismal adaptation to the arctic environment; ecology; ecosystem structure and processes; and the biological consequences of ultraviolet radiation. An increased interest in the Arctic as a source of natural resources has stimulated research on the effects of human activities on the environment and in its protection and management.

  A special component of the program focuses research on the human factors in the Arctic and Antarctic in collaboration with the Arctic Social Sciences Program (see below).

  Earth Sciences--Research supported by OPP includes all subdisciplines of terrestrial and marine geology and geophysics, including, but not limited to, physical and chemical processes active at or near the Earth's surface, stratigraphy, soil genesis, permafrost, crustal origin of the Arctic Basin, and paleoecological and paleoclimatic reconstructions and comparisons with modern environments. The Foundation does not support projects aimed at prospecting for mineral occurrences or deposits. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the geological processes that are important to the arctic regions and the geologic history dominated by those processes. The Earth Sciences Division in the Geosciences Directorate supports programs in tectonics, continental dynamics, geology and paleontology, geophysics, petrology and geochemistry, hydrology, and instrumentation and facilities.

  Glaciology--OPP is the focal point for glaciological research within the Foundation. Glaciological research is concerned with the study of the history and dynamics of all naturally occurring forms of snow and ice, including seasonal snow, glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet. Of particular emphasis are paleoenvironments from ice cores, ice dynamics, numerical modeling, glacial geology, and remote sensing of ice sheets.

  Ocean and Climate Systems--Oceanographic research in the Arctic encompasses a variety of disciplines whose goals are to develop knowledge of the structure of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas, their physical interactions with the global hydrosphere, and the formation and maintenance of the arctic sea-ice cover. Areas of interest are the formation, movement, and mixing of arctic water masses; the growth and decay of sea ice; the exchange of salt and heat with the Atlantic Ocean and the Bering Sea; magnetic anomalies, heat flow, sedimentary history, and gravitational values at the ocean floor; and the role of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas in global climate. The interdependencies of chemical and physical processes and marine organisms and productivity are considered here and under biology.

• Arctic Social Sciences Program--OPP's Arctic Social Sciences Program is a multidisciplinary- and interdisciplinary-funded program that encompasses archaeology; cultural, social, and physical anthropology; ethnology; history; geography; sociology; psychology; linguistics; political science; law; economics; and related subjects. Interdisciplinary research themes of particular concern are rapid social change, community viability, and human/environment interactions including issues related to subsistence and sustainable development. Joint review and funding with disciplinary programs in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate is pursued when appropriate. A special Human Dimensions of Global Change (HDGC) funding opportunity is also available together with the Arctic Systems Science Program (see below). Support can be provided for general HDGC research, policy sciences research, and research centers and teams. More information on the HDGC Program can be found in the flyer Human Dimensions of Global Change (NSF 94-166). In conjunction with the Antarctic Polar Biology and Medicine Program, research on human factors in the Arctic and Antarctic is supported by OPP. Relevant themes include small-group interactions, stress and adaptation, and cognition and performance.

• Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program--The ARCSS Program is an interdisciplinary program in OPP whose goals include understanding the physical, geological, chemical, biological, and sociocultural processes of the arctic system that interact with the total Earth system and thus contribute to or are influenced by global change. ARCSS has five linked ongoing components: the Greenland Ice Sheet Program (GISP2); Paleoclimate of Arctic Lakes and Estuaries (PALE); Ocean/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (OAII); Land/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (LAII); and Synthesis, Integration, and Modeling Studies (SIMS). In cooperation with the Arctic Social Sciences Program, projects on human/environment interactions, system sustainability, and the HDGC are supported (see above).

  Specific program opportunities are announced periodically for single and multidisciplinary investigations. Successful proposals are funded by the Office of Polar Programs, by the Atmospheric Sciences and Ocean Sciences Divisions in the Directorate for Geosciences, and by the Division of Environmental Biology in the Directorate for Biological Sciences.

• Dissertation Improvement Grants--Dissertation Improvement Grants of $10,000 per year for a period of up to two years are available in all disciplines as part of the OPP Arctic Research Program. This support covers travel, field expenses, data management, and other costs connected with doctoral research projects. Proposals are submitted by the dissertation advisor with the student as co-investigator.

OPP Deadlines and Proposal Submission

Effective January 1, 1996, the Arctic Natural Sciences, Arctic Social Sciences, and Arctic System Science Programs will have two target dates: June 1 and December 15. Proposals for workshops or Dissertation Improvement Grants can be submitted at any time. A minimum of nine months' advance notification is required for research vessel clearances for Russian waters. For the Ocean Sciences Division, a target date of February 15 will allow nine months' precruise notification, and proposals to the OPP Arctic Program should be submitted by the December 15 target date. All proposals may be submitted as early as two months prior to target dates or deadlines.

Other Support

Most other programs supporting proposals for arctic research have specific deadlines or target dates. Contact the desired program or refer to the NSF Bulletin, a monthly publication produced by the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, for upcoming program deadlines and target dates.

For more information about activities in OPP, contact

                                        Area Code (703)
The Office of Polar Programs               306-1030
Arctic Natural Sciences                    306-1031
Arctic Social Sciences                     306-1031
Arctic System Science                      306-1031
Polar Aeronomy and Astrophysics            306-1033
Polar Biology and Medicine                 306-1033
Polar Earth Sciences                       306-1033
Polar Glaciology                           306-1033
Polar Ocean and Climate Systems            306-1033
Arctic Research and Policy                 306-1031
Arctic Logistics                           306-1031
Antarctic Environmental Research           306-1033