U.S. Global Ice Core Research Program: West Antarctica and Beyond

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.