Transcript Questions from the committee

Surface Earth Science
An NSF Perspective
SoilCritZone Workshop
Sept. 5-8, 2008
Chania Crete
Our Good Earth
The future rests on the soil beneath our feet
National Geographic Magazine
OIA
NSF Director
NSB
OPP
OCI
Deputy Director
OISE
IG
Engineering
Math and Physical
Sciences
Biological Sciences
Geosciences
Division of
Atmospheric
Sciences
Division of
Earth Sciences
SEP
Division of
Ocean Sciences
Computer and Info.
Science & Eng.
DEP
Education and
Human Resources
Social, Behavioral &
Economic Sciences
We are here
Surface Earth Processes
Section (SEPS)
Jun Abrajano, Section Head
Hydrological Sciences (HS)
Douglas James, Program Director
Richard Cuenca, Program Director
Geomorphology & Land Use
Dynamics (GLD)
Richard Yuretich
Michael Ellis
Education & Human Resources
(EHR)
Lina Patino, Program Director
Geobiology & Low Temp
Geochem (GG)
Enriqueta Barrera, Program Director
Steve Macko, Program Director
Sedimentary Geology &
Paleobiology (SGP)
Rich Lane, Program Director
Paul Filmer, Program Director (50%)
Ray Bernor, Program Director
Crosscutting Programs
ETBC: Emerging Trends in Biogeochemical Cycle
CZO: Critical Zone Observatories P2C2: Paleo-Perspectives
on Climate Change
CZEN: Critical Zone
Exploration Network
WATERS Network
CUAHSI
Testbeds
NEON and LTER: National Ecological
Observatory Network and Long
Term Ecological Research
HIS: Hydrological
Information System
SAHRA: Semi-Arid Hydrology
and Riparian Areas
NCED: National Center for
Earth-Surface Dynamics
CSDMS: Community Surface
Dynamics Modeling Systems
Other Water Cycle and Climate Initiatives
Era of OBSERVATORY Earth Science
CZO: Critical Zone Observatories
OOI: Ocean Observatory Initiative
CZEN
WATERS Network
EARTHSCOPE
NEON and LTER
CUAHSI Testbeds
What?
• Platforms for studying the environment and
fundamental processes within it in real time
(hours, seasons, years, decades) at large
scales.
• It includes suites of instruments and sensors,
power supplies, data storage capability, and
other associated cyberinfrastructure.
• “We are not alone.” Numerous related
observatories and observing systems including
LTERs, NEON sites, and non-NSF
observatories.
Why?
• “Business-as-usual” field studies are not suited for
detecting long-term trends and abrupt or extreme events.
• Alternative time-continuous remote observations are only
“skin deep”, and fail to capture the three dimensional
complexity of critical zone.
• Simultaneous observations are required to discern
interconnected processes (atm-hyd-pedosphere).
• There are serious limitations to our present ability to
“scale up” small-scale process and observations.
• If suitably networked, observatories can aid in
understanding regional, continental, and global patterns.
• Compatible scale of societal decisions and policies.
Era of OBSERVATORY Earth Science
CZO: Critical Zone Observatories
OOI: Ocean Observatory Initiative
CZEN
WATERS Network
CUAHSI Testbeds
EARTHSCOPE
NEON and LTER
What is an MREFC?
• MREFC = NSF acronym for “Major Research Equipment
and Facility Construction”
– each MREFC project typically has $80 to $400 million in
construction costs over 3-4 years
• NSF budget has “several compartments,” including:
–
–
–
–
R&RA
EHR
MREFC
Other
– Total
~$4.8 billion (research)
~$725 million (education)
~$220 million (“capital projects”)
~$250 million (NSF operations, OIG, NSB)
~$6 billion (FY 2008 estimate)
Alternatives to MREFC
• New major initiatives, often community
driven, can be advanced through nonMREFC route (e.g., Critical Zone
Observatory).
• Initiatives must be scientifically compelling,
and it is advantageous if it is disciplinarilybroad and societally-relevant
• The scale of funding is likely much smaller,
but the impact need not be
CZO: A child of multiple mothers
HYDROLOGICAL
Sciences
SOIL
Science
CZO
Sedimentary
Geology
Land Surface
DYNAMICS
NEON, LTER
Critical Zone Observatories:
An “Adaptive” Approach
• Sierra Nevada - University of California (principally at Merced)
• Front Range of the Colorado Rockies - University of Colorado at Boulder
• Appalachian Uplands - Pennsylvania State University
Separate but connected – A National Critical Zone Agenda
•
•
•
•
Diverse geology, climate,
research issues
Shared site access, data
format/technology
Coordinated research/
educ/ outreach programs
Single national steering
committee
Observatory Future:
• Longer-term Vision for CZO: time-space, links to
other observatories
• Holistic and coupled surface systems:
atmosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere and
biosphere
• Attention to data integration, modeling
• Nexus of basic science and societal needs
Other Notable Initiatives:
•
National Center for Earth Surface Dynamics (NCED)
•
Semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA)
•
Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of
Hydrological Sciences (CUAHSI) + Synthesis Centers
•
Hydrological Information System (HIS)
•
Paleo Perspectives in Climate Change (P2C2)
•
Emerging Topics in Biogeochemical Cycles (ETBC)
• Community Surface Dynamics Modeling Systems
(CSMDS)