Award Abstract # 0829286
Facility Support: Continental Scientific Drilling

NSF Org: EAR
Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient:
Initial Amendment Date: August 13, 2008
Latest Amendment Date: November 18, 2010
Award Number: 0829286
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: David Lambert
EAR
 Division Of Earth Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: September 1, 2008
End Date: August 31, 2011 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $0.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $249,547.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2008 = $249,547.00
History of Investigator:
  • Dennis Nielson (Principal Investigator)
    dnielson@dosecc.org
  • Douglas Schnurrenberger (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: DOSECC Inc
675 S ARAPEEN DR
Salt Lake City
UT  US  84108-1226
(801)583-2150
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: DOSECC Inc
675 S ARAPEEN DR
Salt Lake City
UT  US  84108-1226
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Instrumentation & Facilities
Primary Program Source: 01000809DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01000910DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 0000, OTHR
Program Element Code(s): 158000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

This award will provide management and operational support for the conduct of continental scientific drilling projects, allowing Principal Investigators to focus on scientific investigations. The methods proposed to implement this objective include: preparation of drilling plans and budgets, design and fabrication of equipment, implementation and management of drilling, communications with scientists and the public, program coordination and integration, human resource development and education, and health and safety protocols. DOSECC operates drilling systems that are dedicated to the needs of scientists. The result of funding this proposal will be to increase the efficiency of scientific drilling.

Drilling is the only method available for directly accessing and sampling the subsurface. Scientific drilling on continents is critical for understanding the third dimension including stratigraphic succession (history of earth processes), sampling poorly or non-exposed intervals and those altered by surface-weathering processes, and sampling the climate proxies preserved in modern and ancient lakes. Past and future projects are addressing transformative concepts in the earth sciences such as climate history, human origins and migration, and mass extinctions.

DOSECC provides infrastructure necessary for academic research of the Earth?s subsurface. Nearly all scientific drilling projects involve international teams of scientists and students. These projects integrate research and education and serve to increase diversity in science by bringing together investigators from different nations, cultures and backgrounds. In order to encourage student involvement in this research, DOSECC has initiated a Student Internship Program that funds teachers and students from any nation to participate in scientific drilling projects. Scientific drilling has societal benefits, including monitoring of seismic and volcanic hazards, identification of natural resources, and determination of climate variability. The projects are often the subject of television and web reporting. DOSECC has established a Distinguished Lecture Series to disseminate results of scientific drilling projects. This series is open to any university on request. DOSECC also produces a bi-annual newsletter for the scientific drilling community, and publishes manuals regarding the best practices for planning and implementing successful and safe scientific drilling projects.

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