This document has been archived and replaced by NSF-95-138

Polar Programs


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.

United States Antarctic Research

The United States Antarctic Research Program (USAP) aims to increase understanding of the antarctic region and its relationship to the rest of the planet. In the U.S. Antarctic Program, NSF supports only that research that can be done only in Antarctica or that can be done best in Antarctica. This research is the major focus of the USAP, the comprehensive name for U.S. Government-sponsored activities in Antarctica. The Foundation funds and manages the antarctic program in support of the range of U.S. interests and the Nation's adherence to the Antarctic Treaty.

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.

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); 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 oversnow 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 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-UNITED STATES 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 cross-disciplinary NSF programs (e.g., Research Experiences for Undergraduates and the Young Scholars Program). All persons proposed to perform fieldwork 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 are

The Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 94-2) gives NSF proposal requirements and guidance for preparing proposals to any NSF program and the forms necessary to do so. It includes the Proposal Forms Kit (NSF 94-3), which contains forms needed to submit a proposal.

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, or 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. Science program managers in the various disciplines within OPP can be telephoned at (703) 306-1030. Questions of an operational nature may be referred to a member of the Polar Operations Section, (703) 306-1032. Specialists also are available in the areas of environmental protection, safety, and Antarctic Conservation Act permits.

Deadline Window
Antarctic proposals may be submitted each year during the one-month window between May 1 and 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 1995 will be considered for the 1996-97 austral summer season and the 1997 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 the May before the fiscal year in which funds are sought. Thus proposals received in May 1995 will be considered for funding beginning in fiscal year 1996, which starts October 1, 1995.

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.

Other publications about Antarctica that are currently available include

Arctic Research

The goal of the NSF Arctic Research Program is to gain a better understanding of Earth's biological, geophysical, chemical, and sociocultural processes, and the interactions of ocean, land, atmospheric, biological, and human systems. Arctic research is supported at NSF by the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) as well as a number of other disciplinary divisions within the Foundation.

OPP offers a focused multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scientific program that emphasizes the unique character of the Arctic region for scientific study. OPP disciplinary programs encompass polar biology and medicine, 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 Program. The Arctic regions are among the Earth's most sensitive to climate change.

The United States 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 these boundaries but directly related to arctic science and engineering issues will be considered, as will related laboratory and theoretical studies.

The Foundation is one of 12 Federal agencies that sponsor or conduct arctic science, engineering, and related activities. It is anticipated that the U.S. Navy will provide access to nuclear submarines for research in the Arctic. Researchers are strongly encouraged to pursue this possibility directly with OPP and/or the Ocean Sciences Division in the Geosciences Directorate. Further information on other agency programs is presented in the journal Arctic Research of the United States, and the U.S. Arctic Research Planand its Biennial Revisions.

As the Arctic is the homeland of numerous Native people, 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. A copy of these guidelines is available from the Office of Polar Programs, (703) 306-1031, and is reprinted in the Fall 1992 issue of Arctic Research of the United States.

ARCTIC RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Arctic research projects are supported by OPP as well as by regular NSF disciplinary divisions and programs of the NSF. Dissertation Improvement Grants are offered by the Arctic Social Sciences and the Arctic System Science Programs. In addition, Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) proposals are encouraged by OPP. A compilation of all NSF arctic and related research grants for each fiscal year is available from NSF Forms and Publications. The publication titled Arctic Science, Engineering, and Education Awards: Fiscal Year 1993 (NSF 94-105) lists all arctic awards made in a one-year period and abstracts of each project.

Listed below are the principal OPP and NSF research programs that support arctic research.

Arctic Social Sciences Program

The OPP Arctic Social Sciences Program is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary funding program encompassing 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. Global change projects are especially encouraged and can be jointly funded with the ARCSS Program. In conjunction with the Polar Biology and Medicine Program, research on human factors in the Arctic and Antarctic is supported. Relevant themes are small group interactions, stress and adaptation, and cognition and performance.

Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program

The ARCSS Program is an interdisciplinary OPP program, the goal of which is to understand 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 four linked ongoing components: (1) Greenland Ice Sheet Program (GISP2), (2) Paleoclimate of Arctic Lakes and Estuaries (PALE), (3) Ocean/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (OAII), and (4) Land/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (LAII). In the future, ARCSS will incorporate synthesis, integration, modeling, and assessment studies. In cooperation with the Arctic Social Sciences Program, projects on human/environment interactions will address issues of system sustainability.

Specific program opportunities are announced annually for single and multidisciplinary investigations. Proposals are funded by OPP, the Atmospheric Sciences and Ocean Sciences Divisions within the Geosciences Directorate (GEO), and by the Division of Environmental Biology in the Directorate for Biological Research (BIO).

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES

The Office of Polar Programs and the Atmospheric Sciences Division in the GEO Directorate support projects in aeronomy, atmospheric chemistry, climate dynamics, large- scale dynamics meteorology, magnetospheric physics, mesoscale dynamic meteorology, physical meteorology, and solar-terrestrial research. 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 has research on atmosphere-sea and atmosphere-ice interactions.

In upper atmospheric physics, research currently funded includes magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, the plasmapause, and wave particle interactions. Very low frequency and ultra-low frequency waves are used as diagnostic tools. In the past this work has been carried out through conjugate studies in Antarctica and the Arctic through OPP's Polar Aeronomy and Astrophysics Program.

BIOLOGY

OPP's Polar Biology and Medicine Program supports projects emphasizing 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. Accelerated interest in the Arctic as a source of natural resources has stimulated research on the effects of man's activities on the environment and in its protection and management.

A special component of the program focuses on human factors research in the Arctic and Antarctic in collaboration with the Arctic Social Sciences Program (refer to information above).

The Division of Environmental Biology in the BIO Directorate supports programs in ecology, ecosystems studies, population biology and physiological ecology, conservation biology, systematic biology, and biological research resources.

EARTH SCIENCES

The Earth Sciences Division in the GEO Directorate supports programs in continental dynamics, geology and paleontology, geophysics, petrology and geochemistry, and instrumentation and facilities. Research supported by the OPP Earth Sciences Program includes geological and geophysical investigations in, but not limited to, physical and chemical processes active at or near the Earth's surface, paleomagnetism, stratigraphy, soil genesis, geological hazards, heat flow, permafrost, seismology, tectonics, crustal structure, origin of the Arctic Basin, and paleoecological and paleoclimatic reconstructions and comparisons with modern environments. In addition to disciplinary support, OPP funds basic research in quaternary geology and paleoclimatology, sedimentary geology and paleontology, and surficial processes (including permafrost). The Foundation does not support projects aimed at prospecting for mineral occurrences or deposits.

ENGINEERING

The NSF Directorate for Engineering supports research in bioengineering and environmental systems, chemical and thermal systems, design manufacturing and industrial innovation, and civil and mechanical systems. Arctic topics of interest include hydrology in cold environments, thermodynamic and transport phenomena, geomechanics, mitigation of natural and manmade hazards, structures, and building systems.

GLACIOLOGY

OPP's Glaciology Program 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. Program emphases include paleoenvironments from ice cores, ice dynamics, numerical modeling, glacial geology, and remote sensing of ice sheets.

The Climate Dynamics Program within the Atmospheric Sciences Division and the Geology and Paleontology Program within the Earth Sciences Division (both in the GEO Directorate) also fund paleoenvironmental research related to glaciology.

OCEANOGRAPHY

Oceanographic research in the Arctic encompasses a variety of disciplines whose goal is 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. OPP's Polar Ocean and Climate Studies program emphasizes research related to sea ice.

The Ocean Sciences Division in the GEO Directorate supports programs in biological oceanography, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, and oceanographic technology. The Foundation encourages the development of remote sensing techniques and their use on remotely operated vehicles.

SPECIAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

The Foundation arranges or provides logistics for certain research in Greenland, at sea, and in some ARCSS projects. In most other cases it is the responsibility of the proposers to arrange and budget for these items. The proposal must include sufficient information to assure the safety and feasibility of the fieldwork. It must identify all proposed field personnel and their qualifications. U.S.-sponsored research in Greenland requires prior notification to the Danish Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland along with indemnification. Investigators contemplating Greenland research should request a copy of the Project Proposal/Data Sheet for United States Scientific Research in Greenland from OPP.

Deadlines and Proposal Submission
Effective January 1, 1995, the Arctic Social Sciences and Arctic System Science Programs will have two target dates: June 1 and December 15. For arctic proposals submitted to the Polar Biology and Medicine, Aeronomy and Astrophysics, Glaciology, Earth Sciences, and Ocean Sciences programs the deadline is September 1. Proposals may be submitted as early as two months before the deadline.

Most other NSF programs supporting proposals for arctic research have no specific deadlines or have several target dates per year. Contact specific programs for these dates and refer to the NSF Bulletin for announcements of program deadlines and target dates.

For More Information
For further information on programs within OPP, call:


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