Workshop Proposal for a "Deep Time Earth-Life Observatory Network" (DETELON)

该基金支持在2010年秋季的几次专业会议上围绕广泛的地球科学界确定的主题组织研讨会。深时地球-生命观测站网络（DETELON）研讨会将提供一个广泛的以社区为基础的平台，以发展观测站网络的概念，作为古生物学和更广泛的软岩地质界的一项倡议。讲习班将围绕各论坛和执行委员会确定的主题起草一份白皮书。在特别积极的研讨会参与者的协助下，执行委员会将把这份白皮书变成一份初步的科学计划。最后，这个初步的科学计划将在网上发布，供公众评论一段时间，这些评论将被执行委员会用于最终确定DETELON的官方科学计划。最终的科学计划将于2011年5月提交给NSF和其他潜在的资助来源。今天，我们的社会和我们的星球面临着前所未有的环境和生态系统压力，我们可能正走向人类历史上从未经历过的全球状况。许多与理解地球可能的未来状态相关的非模拟条件都记录在地球的前第四纪历史中：过去是我们通往未来的窗口。了解这些行星状态需要将古生物学、地球化学、生物学、地层学和其他数据无缝整合到一个高度分辨率的时空框架中，以便开发和测试定量模型。当今地球科学面临的最重要的问题集中在复杂的、多方面的系统上，这些系统只能由跨学科的科学家团队利用现有的最佳技术来解决。这种以团队为基础的活动将为科学前沿领域的研究培训和经验提供许多机会，特别是对目前正在进入地球科学领域的越来越多的妇女和其他代表性不足的群体。

This grant supports a workshop organized around the themes identified by the broader Earth sciences community at several professional meetings during the fall of 2010. The Deep Time Earth-Life Observatory Network (DETELON) workshop will provide a broad community-based platform to develop the concept of an Observatory Network as an initiative for the paleontological and the broader soft-rock geological community.The workshop will craft a white paper around themes identified by forums and by an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, aided by particularly active workshop participants, will turn this white paper into a preliminary science plan. Finally, this preliminary science plan will be placed on-line for a period of public comment, and these comments will be used to finalize an official Science Plan for DETELON by the Executive Committee. This final science plan will be presented to NSF and to other potential funding sources by May 2011.Today our society and our planet face unparalleled environmental and ecosystem pressures, and we may be heading toward global conditions that are quite unlike anything experienced in human history. Numerous non-analog conditions relevant for understanding possible future states of the planet are recorded in the deep, pre-Quaternary history of the Earth: the past is our window to the future. Understanding these planetary states requires seamless integration of paleontological, geochemical, biological, stratigraphic and other data into a highly resolved temporal and spatial framework that allows development and testing of quantitative models. The most important problems facing the Earth sciences today are centered around complex, multi-faceted systems that can only be approached by interdisciplinary teams of scientists using the best available technology. Such team-based activities will provide numerous opportunities for research training and experience in forefront areas of science, particularly for the growing number of women and other under-represented groups that are currently entering the Earth sciences.