Core Support for the Polar Research Board

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The Polar Research Board (PRB) is a standing committee of the National Academy of Sciences. Under this continuing award the Foundation, with research programs and assigned interagency leadership roles in both polar regions, partially funds "Core Support" of the PRB under Master Agreement No. 86-18641. Core support provides for maintenance of a support staff at the Academy, two annual meetings of the full Board (currently 16 members) and some subgroup meetings, and continuing PRB functions such as liaison with other scientific bodies, preparation of annually recurring reports, and association with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Beyond core support, the PRB is free to identify additional projects and to ask the Foundation or any other entity to support these projects. Some of these are discussed in the proposal, and others are likely to be identified over the course of the project. Major activities for which the Government is providing funds under this award follow: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). This committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) is charged with furthering the coordination of scientific activity in Antarctica. The Academy is the U.S.-adhering body to ICSU and thus to SCAR. Participation in SCAR furthers U.S. policy fostering cooperative research in Antarctica. SCAR working groups and symposia, and typing and printing of the U.S. Annual Report No. 30 to SCAR. Identification of Research Needs. The PRB will continue work on, contribute to, or complete studies on: U.S. research initiatives on global processes and change; U.S. capability of support research in polar regions; the scientific potential of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) vessels and polar research ship requirements; polar ice coring capabilities; arctic solid geoscience needs; Arctic social science needs review of ARPA documents and plans; international arctic research developments, and application of antarctic experience to space habitation. The PRB continues to assure active participation of U.S. scientists in the work of the SCAR. The PRB is uniquely suited to perform the proposed work. It is government-chartered to provide advice to the government, and its stature assures access to qualified scientists, engineers, and others who contribute their expertise and time to approved studies. Accomplishments in 1988/1989 included publication of major articles on polar science issues by PRB members; advice to the USCG and NSF on polar class icebreakers; reports on priorities in arctic marine sciences, arctic social science, physical and chemical oceanography of the Southern Ocean, and biomedical research. The Program recommends support at $145K from NSF. The PRB has succeeded in reducing its dependance on the NSF from 100% in 1978 to about 37% in 1987.