Collaborative Research: Digital Optical Imaging of Ice Cores for Curation and Scientific Applications

该奖项支持开发储存在科罗拉多州丹佛市国家冰芯实验室(NICL)的冰芯数字图像分析的新方法。冰芯是有关地球如何随时间变化的关键信息来源，因为当地气候(积雪、温度)、区域特征(海盐、尘埃和花粉等风吹物质)、全球过程(例如二氧化碳、甲烷)、甚至是外星影响(宇宙成因同位素)的指标都以共同的时间尺度存储在冰中。该项目将开发用于实验室管理冰芯图像的高分辨率光学扫描系统、基于互联网的搜索和检索能力、专门用于冰芯研究的数字图像分析系统以及将冰芯图像分析与其他测年方法相结合的方法。这些工具将结合对NICL持有量的科学调查进行开发和测试。光学扫描和分析工具将提高对从特定地点收集的冰的历史发展的了解，并将有助于解决诸如冰在流动过程中失去地层秩序等挑战。通过提供冰芯图像的永久在线数字档案，该项目将极大地改进冰芯数据的文件编制和可用性，同时减少后续科学调查的时间和成本。利用互联网，冰芯科学家将能够确定特定的NICL持有量是否适合进行各种科学研究。通过在NICL处理冰芯时对其进行光学扫描，任何研究人员都能够像少数有幸在采样和存储修改之前观察到冰芯的研究人员一样详细地检查冰芯。几十年后，任何人都可以在任何地点对岩心进行重新检查，这现在是不可能的，因为只记录了最初观察者的解释。将数字图像数据集成到冰芯分析中将加快发现速度，实现协作解释，并增强分析的一致性，以改进冰芯测年、融化层识别、流动扰动位置等。这些设备将被安置在NICL，并将提供给广大社区，改善科学基础设施。这项工作还将产生许多更广泛的影响。冰核科学解决了与全球变暖、突然的气候变化、生物地球化学循环等有关的人类利益的基本问题。首席调查人员通过许多渠道广泛传播他们的科学发现，包括会见政府官员、主持和担任核管理委员会小组成员、撰写通俗书籍和文章、在科学文献上发表文章、授课、与民间团体交谈，以及在广播和电视上露面。冰芯分析的结果已直接告知政策制定者，并将继续这样做。因此，通过改进冰芯科学，该项目将造福社会。

This award supports the development of novel methods for digital image analysis of glacial ice cores that are stored at the National Ice Core Laboratory (NICL) in Denver, Colorado. Ice cores are a critical source of information on how Earth has changed over time, since indicators of local climate (snow accumulation, temperature), regional characteristics (wind-blown materials such as sea salt, dust and pollen), global processes (e.g., CO2, methane), and even extraterrestrial influences (cosmogenic isotopes) are stored in the ice on a common time scale. This project will develop a high-resolution optical scanning system for laboratory curation of ice core images, internet-based search and retrieval capabilities, a digital image analysis system specifically for ice core studies, and methods to integrate ice core image analysis with other dating methods. These tools will be developed and tested in conjunction with scientific investigations of NICL holdings. Optical scanning and analysis tools will improve understanding of the historical development of the ice collected from a particular location and will help to resolve challenges such as ice that has lost stratigraphic order through flow processes. By providing permanent online digital archives of ice core images, this project will greatly improve the documentation and availability of ice core data while reducing time and costs for subsequent scientific investigations. Using the internet, ice core scientists will be able to determine the appropriateness of specific NICL holdings for various scientific studies. By optically scanning ice cores as they are processed at NICL, any researcher will be able to examine an ice core in similar detail to the few investigators who were fortunate enough to observe it before modifications from sampling and storage. Re-examination of cores could be done decades later by anyone at any location, which is not possible now because only the interpretation of the original observer is recorded. Integration of digital image data into ice core analysis will speed discovery, allow collaborative interpretation, and enhance consistency of analysis to improve ice core dating, identification of melt layers, location of flow disturbances, and more. The equipment will be housed at NICL and will be available to the broad community, improving scientific infrastructure.This work will also have numerous broader impacts. Ice core science addresses fundamental questions of human interest related to global warming, abrupt climate change, biogeochemical cycling, and more. The principal investigators broadly disseminate their scientific findings through numerous outlets, ranging from meeting with government officials, chairing and serving on NRC panels, writing popular books and articles, publishing in scientific literature, teaching classes, talking to civic groups, and appearing on radio and television. The results from ice core analyses have directly informed policymakers and will continue to do so. Thus, by improving ice core science, this projectl will benefit society.