Geoscience Reference
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could continue to serve a function as a synthesis center for focused effort on the
problems identified above.
Recommendation: EAR should pursue the development of facilities and
capabilities that will improve spatial resolution of deep structures in the
mantle and core, such as dense seismic arrays that can be deployed in various
favorable locations around Earth, enhanced computational software and
hardware to enable increased resolution of three-dimensional geodynamical
models, and improved high-resolution experimental and theoretical mineral
physics investigations. This will provide definitive tests of many hypotheses
for deep Earth structure and evolution advanced over the past decade. The
large scope of such facilities will require a lengthy development and review
process, and building the framework for such an initiative needs to commence
soon.
Instrument and Facilities Needs for Deep Earth Dynamics and Volatile
Distribution
Finding 1: Disciplinary-based facilities provide critical data for these major
undertakings. This includes the seismological facilities of IRIS, the mineral physics
facilities of COMPRES, the computational efforts of CIG, and maintenance of
geochemical and petrological laboratories and databases. Sustained access to
resources such as synchrotron radiation and large-volume presses along with
emerging experimental technologies is also of great importance for mineral physics
efforts.
Finding 2: For major deep Earth challenges, understanding follows discovery, and
discovery requires new technology and improved data. For example, dense seismic
and geodetic arrays such as the EarthScope facilities provide enhanced spatial
resolution of mantle and core structure, but more extensive global coverage with fine-
scale resolution remains a major goal. Advances in high-performance computing
hardware and software will allow construction of more realistic models with
improved assimilation of expanded Earth data. Current capabilities are not adequate
to achieve the resolution that is needed to solve the deep Earth problems of dynamical
structures and volatile distribution.
Finding 3: Strong coordination with efforts to develop and make accessible
supercomputing resources such as TERRAgrid, synchrotron, neutron, and nano-probe
facilities for mineral physics experiments in national laboratories, and deployments of
additional seismic and geodetic sensors in oceanic and polar environments, can
enhance the EAR research programs. This involves a coordination and cooperation
across NSF structural entities as well as interagency coordination with the U.S.
Department of Energy, NASA, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
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