Long Range Science Plan

The U.S. National Science Foundation Ice Drilling Program (IDP) was established by the National Science Foundation to lead integrated planning for ice coring and drilling and provision of drills and drilling services. The IDP and its Science Advisory Board (SAB) update the Long Range Science Plan annually, in consultation with the broader research community. The purpose of this plan is to articulate goals and make recommendations for the direction for U.S. ice coring and drilling science in a wide variety of areas of scientific inquiry, and to make recommendations for the development of drilling technology, infrastructure and logistical support needed to enable the science. A companion document, the Long Range Drilling Technology Plan, provides details about drills available through IDP.

The Long Range Science Plan is revisited and revised as appropriate each spring.