Findings and Recommendations - New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences - page 102

Recommendation: EAR should explore new mechanisms for geochronology
laboratories that will service the geochronology requirements of the broad
suite of research opportunities while sustaining technical advances in
methodologies. The approaches may involve coordination of multiple facilities
and investment in service facilities and may differ for distinct geochronology
systems.
At present there is no mechanism within EAR for proposals of the large scale
the committee envisions; therefore, a bold new program with appropriate goals and
guidelines would need to be created.
INTERAGENCY AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND
COORDINATION
All of the research opportunity areas and associated facilities identified above
intersect interests and capabilities of other Federal agencies and international
programs. EAR can enhance the impact of its research portfolio by encouraging and
supporting interagency and international coordination of facilities, community
consortia, and individual investigations. Each activity is distinctive, and in some case
a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between agencies may clarify
relationships, and in other cases direct EAR representation in international programs
may be appropriate.
The Early Earth opportunity area overlaps with mission objectives of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and research activities
supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Large-scale modeling capabilities of
U.S. National Laboratories offer potential points of coordination as well.
Investigation of global thermo-chemical dynamics of the mantle directly engages the
global seismological communities loosely organized under the Federation of Digital
Seismic Networks, the in situ Global Earth Observation System of Systems, and the
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) International
Monitoring System (IMS). EAR can coordinate with these international activities
best through university consortia efforts such as the Incorporated Research
Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Development of increased resolution capabilities
for global imaging will require international coordination on data acquisition and
EAR could work together with the U.S. Geological Survey to support that
international effort. Expanding data collection to oceanic and cryosphere
environments remains a key challenge for global investigations, and EAR
coordination with the Division on Ocean Sciences (OCE) and Office of Polar
Programs (OPP) in instrument development and data acquisition in these challenging
locations needs to be sustained and expanded.
Pursuing the advances in understanding faulting processes requires continued
operation of GPS networks, and EAR can advocate for sustaining and upgrading
these capabilities of NASA and U.S. Department of Defense-supported satellites.
The broad infrastructure required for EAR science applications of geodetic data is
often not appreciated and EAR can play a valuable role in sustaining this