Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




ICE WORLD
Recommendations for Streamlining Scientific Logistics in Antarctica
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 02, 2013


File image.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued a summary response to the recommendations of an external panel of experts that was charged with advising the agency on how to improve and streamline its logistical capabilities to more efficiently support world-class Antarctic science in coming decades.

The NSF document, which was made public on March 21, is the agency's response to the report, More and Better Science in Antarctica Through Increased Logistical Effectiveness, which was released in July of 2012 by the U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel.

NSF and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) co-commissioned the independent assessment of U.S. Antarctic Program logistics. Norman R. Augustine chaired the 12-member panel. Augustine was also chair of an external panel in 1990 whose recommendations led to the construction of a new research station at the South Pole.

NSF, through the Division of Polar Programs in its Geosciences Directorate, manages the United States Antarctic Program, through which it coordinates all U.S. research on the southernmost continent and aboard vessels in the Southern Ocean. The agency is also responsible for providing all of the logistical support required to carry out that research.

In the document, NSF responds directly to the 10 overarching recommendations made by the Blue Ribbon Panel.

Those topical areas are:

  • Antarctic Stations
  • Polar Ocean Fleet
  • Logistics and Transportation
  • McMurdo (Station) and Palmer (Station) Facilities
  • USAP Capital Budget
  • Science Support Costs
  • Communications
  • International Cooperation
  • Antarctic Policy

    NSF's response to the Blue Ribbon Panel was produced by an internal team of senior managers from various NSF offices and directorates, including the Division of Polar Programs.

    In his cover letter to Augustine, NSF Director Subra Suresh commented, "You will note that... substantial progress has already been made on many fronts in implementing these recommendations."

    He added, "I am confident that the changes we have put in place will enable us to strengthen our world-leading U.S. Antarctic Program."

    The Blue Ribbon Panel report was the second document issued in a two-part, multi-year review of the nation's program of research in Antarctica.

    In December of 2011, a committee of the National Research Council (NRC) issued its report, Future Science Opportunities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

    The Blue Ribbon Panel took into account the findings of the NRC report, as well as information gathered during site visits to NSF's three year-round stations in Antarctica, in formulating its recommendations.

    NSF's Response to the Blue Ribbon Panel notes that the panel "concluded that ushering in a new age of Antarctic science simply by expanding traditional methods of logistical support would be prohibitively costly" and therefore focused on more cost-effective and efficient ways to increase flexibility as research frontiers evolve over time.

    NSF Response to More and Better Science in Antarctica Through Increased Logistical Effectiveness.

  • .


    Related Links
    National Science Foundation
    Beyond the Ice Age






    Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

    Share this article via these popular social media networks
    del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








    ICE WORLD
    Summer melt season is getting longer on the Antarctic Peninsula
    London, UK (SPX) Apr 01, 2013
    New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over the last 60 years. Increased summer melting has been linked to the rapid break-up of ice shelves in the area and rising sea level. The Antarctic Peninsula - a mountainous region extending northwards towards South America - is warming much faster than the rest of Antarctica. Temperatures ... read more


    ICE WORLD
    Lunar cycle determines hunting behaviour of nocturnal gulls

    Ultraviolet spectrograph observes mercury and hydrogen in GRAIL impact plumes

    NASA's LRO Sees GRAIL's Explosive Farewell

    Amazon's Bezos recovers Apollo 11 engines

    ICE WORLD
    SwRI study finds liquid water flowing above and below frozen Alaskan sand dunes, hints of a wetter Mars

    Opportunity Moves Into Place for Quiet Period of Operations

    Measuring Mars: The MAVEN Magnetometer

    Opportunity Heads to Matijevic Hill

    ICE WORLD
    Miners shoot for the stars in tech race

    Space Innovation Center Will Help Govt Agencies Launch Future Space Missions

    The Future of Exploration Starts With 3-D Printing

    Lockheed Martin to Continue Providing Life Sciences Support To NASA

    ICE WORLD
    Shenzhou 10 sent to launch site

    China's Next Women Astronauts

    Shenzhou 10 - Next Stop: Jiuquan

    China's fourth space launch center to be in use in two years

    ICE WORLD
    New crew takes express ride to space station

    Soyuz Docks At Space Station Four Orbits After Launch

    Three astronauts blast off on express ride to ISS

    Russia may recycle space station modules

    ICE WORLD
    Future Looks Bright for Private US Space Ventures

    Europe's next ATV resupply spacecraft enters final preparatio?ns for its Ariane 5 launch

    ILS Proton Launches Satmex 8 Satellite for Satmex

    When quality counts: Arianespace reaffirms its North American market presence

    ICE WORLD
    The Great Exoplanet Debate

    Astronomers Detect Water in Atmosphere of Distant Planet

    Distant planetary system is a super-sized solar system

    Water signature in distant planet shows clues to its formation

    ICE WORLD
    CO2 could produce valuable chemical cheaply

    Catalyst in a teacup: New approach to chemical reduction

    Lasers could yield particle research tool

    Paint-on plastic electronics: Aligning polymers for high performance




    The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement