US Global Ice Core Research Program
West Antarctica and Beyond
Foreword
The plan "The US Global Ice Core Research Program: West
Antarctica and Beyond" was developed over the past year by the
Ice Core Working Group (ICWG) on behalf of the US ice core research
community.
The ICWG was established following the recommendations of the "ad
hoc Panel on Polar Ice Coring" established by the Committee on
Glaciology of the Polar Research Board (National Academy Press,
Washington, 1986). The ICWG was to "provide the scientific
direction and the driving force" to a new Ice Coring and Analysis
Program (ICAP) to be funded and managed by the Division of Polar
Programs of the National Science Foundation (Recommendations for
Implementation", p. 7-8 and p. 31).
The "Global Ice Core Research Program" provides an outline
for US ice core research during the next decade based on the inventory
of the research priorities and capabilities of the US ice core
research community (Report "US Ice Core Research
Capabilities", ICWG., University of New Hampshire, 1987) and on
the conclusions of a Workshop on US Ice Core Research (13-17 June,
1988, "Compiled Reports of the US Ice Core Research
Workshop", ICWG., University of New Hampshire). Specific
scientific goals for the ice core projects outlined in the plan have
to be defined by the group of PI's that will do the research.
For the ice core research community the long range research goals
provide a scientific focus that will facilitate scientific exchange
and collaboration both within the community and with other
disciplines.
The development of a long-range ice core research plan by the
community will enable NSF, the lead agency in the funding of ice core
research, to institute a long-range funding and management plan for
ice core research. This is essential for the efficient use of
logistics and ice core drilling capability in support of the research
as well as for an efficient use of the ice core analysis capacity of
US laboratories.
A coordinated research effort over the next decade will greatly
improve our understanding of the dynamics of climate and global change
as well as of the dynamics and stability of the Polar ice masses.
Pieter M. Grootes
Chairman, ICWG
21 December, 1989
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