Date

New Funding Announcement
Synthesis of Arctic System Science
NSF 06-523

National Science Foundation (NSF)
Office of Polar Programs, Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program

For the full program solicitation, see the NSF website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06523

Full Proposal Deadline: Friday, 24 March 2006

For further information, please contact:
Neil R. Swanberg, Arctic System Science Program Director
E-mail: nswanber [at] nsf.gov

or contact:
Janet Intrieri, Arctic System Science Associate Program Manager
E-mail: jintrier [at] nsf.gov

The National Science Foundation Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program is
soliciting proposals for research that synthesizes our understanding of
the arctic system.

The arctic system is a set of interconnected and interacting physical,
biological, and human components and processes in the northern region
influenced by the existence of perennial ice (sea ice, ice sheets,
glaciers, permafrost, etc.). Research efforts supported will build on
and integrate the wealth of existing data and knowledge to advance our
understanding of the behavior of the arctic system or key subsets of the
system and to understand the role it plays in the global system and
society.

Proposals are sought that discover, clarify, and improve our
understanding of linkages, interactions, and feedbacks among two or more
components of the arctic system. Strong proposals focused on arctic
synthesis will meet all of the following criteria (addressed explicitly
in the proposal):

  • Incorporate elements from the existing arctic data, information, and
    models. Proposed investigations should build upon past research efforts
    by using data sets, model output, knowledge of processes, and other
    available information. New data collection or dataset development
    efforts may be considered only if a key knowledge gap can be clearly
    identified, and the efforts demonstrated to be absolutely indispensable
    to the synthesis activity that is being proposed.

  • Focus on interdisciplinary, cross-cutting questions that will lead to
    a better understanding of how the system components function and
    interact. Cross-cutting questions should complement (not duplicate)
    those being addressed by current synthesis projects
    (http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/synthesis.html) and might focus on such
    themes as: unique aspects of arctic radiative forcing and extreme
    seasonality; causes of spatial and temporal variability in system
    components; interaction of physical, biological, and social factors on
    dampening or amplifying arctic change; human versus natural
    perturbations to the system; or adaptation, management and policy
    issues. Investigations might, for example, explore processes and
    interactions that are responsible for, or driven by, phenomena such as
    sea ice thinning, land surface changes, alterations in ocean
    productivity, permafrost degradation, changing modes of energy transfer
    from lower-latitudes, damage to infrastructure, effects of arctic
    warming on human communities, economic development, or economic
    transitions. Proposals that explore the linkages between the Arctic and
    the global system are also welcome. Proposals that approach system-level
    science in novel and unique ways are encouraged.

  • Demonstrate clear relevance to the entire arctic system, and if
    appropriate, relevance to the role of the arctic system in the broader
    Earth system. By their nature, synthesis studies may address a suite of
    time (including paleo) and space scales (from regional up to
    pan-Arctic), however the highest priority will be placed on studies that
    focus on the system at a pan-arctic scale. Investigations need not have
    a pan-Arctic geographic scope, but must demonstrate the relevance of
    site-specific research to the entire arctic system and provide an
    explicit plan for how findings will be applied or integrated across
    temporal and spatial scales. Topics that link multiple spatial and/or
    temporal scales are encouraged.

  • Include specific plans for deposition of data and products resulting
    from the project into the ARCSS data and information system before the
    end of the project. The plan should include the preparation of metadata
    documentation for the data, identification of which repository or
    repositories will receive the data, and how the data will contribute to
    the larger arctic system synthesis. Project data management plans should
    also articulate clearly how they will promote integration and synthesis
    with existing and future ARCSS projects. Dataset development will only
    be funded if it is explicitly part of a well defined synthesis activity.

Projects could approach synthesis through any mechanism deemed
appropriate given the focus and scope of proposed research. These
methods or mechanisms could include integrated analyses, community
workshops, applied/decision-support tools, conceptual, numerical or
spatial models, or others as applicable. The existing ARCSS web pages
(http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/synthesis.html) describe a number of
synthesis mechanisms that are currently used within ARCSS, but new
proposed approaches are encouraged as well.

For the full program solicitation, see the NSF website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06523

Full Proposal Deadline: Friday, 24 March 2006

For further information, please contact:
Neil R. Swanberg, Arctic System Science Program Director
E-mail: nswanber [at] nsf.gov

or contact:
Janet Intrieri, Arctic System Science Associate Program Manager
E-mail: jintrier [at] nsf.gov