A Workshop Proposal: Alternative Sampling Platforms for Oceanographic Research in the Antarctic

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The Office of Polar Programs (National Science Foundation) is considering the needs and future use of various potential non-ship based sampling platforms in the Antarctic in support of Antarctic oceanographic research activities. To help inform this discussion, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) will convene a workshop from August 2-3, 2006 in Washington, DC to discuss the present technologies available, the emerging issues, and the potential for such platforms to be used as part of Antarctic research. There will be approximately twenty workshop attendees invited, with both research and technical expertise in remote sampling platforms (including AUVs, gliders, tethered/oscillating instruments), as well as the difficulties of conducting research in the Antarctic, giving them valuable insights into the technology, its developments, and uses, as well as other research support requirements. Since the workshop would take place in Washington, DC, NSF program officers and other selected government officials will have an opportunity to attend the workshop and interact directly with participants, thereby gaining understanding of the needs of the Antarctic research community. All invitees will have the opportunity to present recent research advances that highlight the needs of alternate platforms, as well as presenting results from AUVs in non-polar settings. The proposed workshop will providing a summary of the state of development of alternative sampling platforms, as well as some of the critical science needs that can be addressed using these platforms. The assessment will have far reaching positive impacts for the oceanographic community and in particular polar researchers.