The U.S. Coast Guard, NSF, and UNOLS in September 1996 established a UNOLS
Committee - the Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee (AICC) - that
addresses support for science investigators carrying out Arctic polar
science aboard U.S. icebreakers. The purpose of the AICC is to provide
Arctic polar science projects with planning and scheduling assistance, and
to facilitate communications between scientists, science funders, and
facility providers. Particular concerns of this committee at present are
the USCG icebreakers POLAR SEA, POLAR STAR, and HEALY. The Arctic
Icebreaker Coordinating Committee consists of eight arctic scientists,
chaired by Jim Swift from Scripps. More information on our role, and what
we have accomplished to date, will be available at the upcoming AGU
(December) and ASLO (February) meetings. Additional information about the
AICC is available on the UNOLS Web site
http://www.gso.uri.edu/unols/unols.html or through the Arctic Research
Consortium of the United States at http://arcus.polarnet.com/AICC.
As one of our first public tasks, the AICC has been informed by the U.S.
Coast Guard that there is the possibility of a limited number (10-20) of
berths available for scientists on a "science of opportunity cruise" on
board the USCGC POLAR STAR during June of 1997. It is anticipated that the
scientists will embark in Barrow, Alaska on or near June 2, 1997 and
disembark in Nome, Alaska on or near June 30, 1997. The anticipated
operating area for the cruise will be the Chukchi shelf and slope, between
~72 to 74 degrees North and 155 to 165 degrees West. NO FUNDING IS BEING
MADE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE LOGISTICS OF ANY PROPOSED RESEARCH.
Science of opportunity is defined as follows: Following extensive yard and
maintenance periods, CG icebreakers may proceed to the Arctic to conduct
machinery trials, to exercise equipment, and to conduct training in
conditions which duplicate normal operating conditions. The Coast Guard
calls these missions "shakedowns". During these shakedowns Polar
icebreakers encourage scientists to deploy with the icebreaker to take full
advantage of research opportunities on a NOT-TO-INTERFERE basis with
machinery and equipment trials, or other training missions taking place.
Scientists who deploy on shakedown missions are not charged for icebreaker
use under the current multi-agency reimbursement agreement for dedicated
science missions. It is important to note that while science will be
accommodated whenever appropriate, science is NOT the first priority of the
mission, and in fact, there is no guarantee that ANY science will be
accomplished during these missions.
The Coast Guard, assisted by the AICC, is working to establish a set of
guidelines governing selection of cruise participants. For the 1997 cruise,
the Coast Guard will have final say on who occupies the available berths.
The Coast Guard requests that any individuals who are interested in going
on the science of opportunity cruise submit a letter indicating the number
of berths the investigator requests, the equipment the investigator plans
on deploying, where the equipment will be supplied from, and a 1 (one) page
summary of the proposed work. A copy of the summary page of the proposal
which will be funding the research may be submitted in lieu of the one page
summary. Individuals who are interested in obtaining samples from the
proposed cruise, but who do not need to be on the cruise, are also
requested to submit a letter indicating how the required samples would need
to be collected, as well as a one page summary of the proposed work.
The AICC has agreed to read through the one page summaries for the 1997
cruise. The AICC will NOT decide who is selected for the cruise, however we
will provide advice on the logistical compatibility of the proposed
projects. In order to facilitate collection of the summaries we ask that
interested investigators send 10 (ten) copies of the requested letter and
summary to:
UNOLS Office
P.O. Box 392
Saunderstown, RI 02874
ATTN: AICC
Requests must be received by 30 January, 1997. The Coast Guard will inform
participants by 1 March, 1997 as to the outcome of the request.
For those interested in obtaining further information about the proposed
cruise Commander Rick Rooth of the Coast Guard Ice Operations office may be
contacted at:
Commandant (G-OPN-1)
U.S. Coast Guard
2100 2nd Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20593-0001
(202) 267-1456
(FAX) 267-4427
rrooth [at] comdt.uscg.mil