IRNC Backbone: SXTransPORT Pacific Islands Research and Education Network

该项目建立在经过验证的合作伙伴先前成功工作的基础上，以支持和扩大主要的国际研究和教育（R&amp；E）网络连接，支持美国在太平洋和大洋洲的研究人员和学生参与的全球科学合作。该项目有两个主要目标。首先，它利用先前的NSF投资和成熟的国际合作伙伴关系，保持对当前从澳大利亚（AARNet）和新西兰（REANNZ）到美国的2 × 40Gbps海底光纤连接的弹性生产支持，并在2016年将这些连接升级到2 × 100Gbps。由于连接澳大利亚和新西兰的光纤要经过夏威夷，该项目还连接了世界上最重要的国际天文地点之一莫纳克亚山（夏威夷岛），以及哈雷阿卡拉岛（毛伊岛）的国际天文台。该项目利用跨太平洋海底光纤骨干网在美国主要的开放式研发网络交换和集线器上终止和传输连接。其次，该项目为整个太平洋岛屿的研发与电子网络能力建设提供了领导力。太平洋岛屿是地球上最受气候变化影响的地区，也是世界上最后一个没有区域研发与电子网络倡议的地区。这种促进天文学、海洋学、高能物理学、珊瑚礁研究等领域国际研究合作的作用反映了其智力价值和更广泛的影响。拓展到太平洋岛屿提供了一个无与伦比的机会，使在STEM领域代表性严重不足的太平洋岛民参与广泛的科学研究和教育倡议，这些倡议既吸引人（天文学），又对其社区至关重要（海洋学、生物多样性、珊瑚礁健康和气候变化）。

This project builds on the successful prior work of proven partners to support and expand the primary international research and education (R&E) network connections supporting global scientific collaborations involving U.S. researchers and students in the Pacific and Oceania. The project has two main thrusts. First, it leverages prior NSF investments and mature international partnerships to maintain support for the current resilient production 2 x 40Gbps submarine fiber connections from Australia (AARNet) and New Zealand (REANNZ) to the U.S. and, in 2016, upgrades these connections to 2 x 100Gbps. Since the fiber connecting Australia and New Zealand passes through Hawaii, the project also connects one of the world's most important international astronomy sites, Mauna Kea (Hawaii Island), as well as the international observatories on Haleakala (Maui). The project leverages the trans-Pacific submarine fiber backbone to terminate and transport the connections at major U.S. open R&E network exchanges and hubs. Second, the project provides leadership in R&E network capacity building throughout the Pacific Islands, the region of the planet most on the front line of climate change and the last area of the world with no regional R&E network initiative. Intellectual merit and broader impact are reflected in this enabling role for international research collaborations in astronomy, oceanography, high energy physics, coral reef research and more. Outreach into the Pacific Islands provides an unparalleled opportunity to engage Pacific Islanders, who are highly underrepresented in STEM fields, in a wide range of scientific research and education initiatives that are both appealing (astronomy) as well as of critical concern to their communities (oceanography, biodiversity coral reef health, and climate change).