RAPID: Hot-water Drilling through the McMurdo Ice Shelf to Support Under-ice Biological Investigations and Remote Sensing.

SIMPLE--海洋和行星生态系统的冰下调查是一个主要由美国国家航空航天局资助的大型项目，它将探索南极洲冰架底部的潜力，以支持充满活力的海洋生态系统，尽管那里一直处于黑暗之中。最近在冰层底部发现的一种倒置的海葵，实际上刚刚被评为2013年十大新物种之一。这样的系统可能类似于遥远的冰雪覆盖的行星和卫星上的生命。目前的合同将支持热水钻探，以使遥控潜水器(ROV)能够在即将到来的2014/2015南极夏季野外季节期间勘测冰层底部。内布拉斯加州大学林肯分校在支持南极洲热水钻井系统方面拥有丰富的经验，继续使用UNL钻探机有助于保持美国在这一专业技能方面的专业知识。NSF提供的设备，与NASA支持的科学合作，代表着一种协同的联邦合作伙伴关系，以支持在南极冰架底部的独特栖息地进行有趣的科学研究。

SIMPLE- the Sub-ice Investigation of Marine and PLanetary Ecosystems, is a large, predominantly NASA-funded project that will explore the potential for the underside of Antarctica's ice shelves to support vibrant marine ecosystems, despite the constant darkness. A recently discovered "upside down" sea anemone from the underside of the ice was just named one of the top ten new species of 2013 in fact. Such systems could be an analog for life on distant, ice-covered planets and moons. The current award will support the hot-water drilling needed to allow a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to survey the underside of the ice during the upcoming Antarctic summer field season of 2014/2015. The award is supported as a RAPID because of the time-limited availability of specialized equipment.The University of Nebraska at Lincoln has extensive experience with supporting hot-water drilling systems in Antarctica, and continued use of the UNL drillers helps maintain US expertise in this specialized skill. The NSF provided equipment, teamed with the NASA supported science, represents a synergistic federal partnership to support interesting science in a unique habitat, the underside of Antarctic ice shelves.