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Publication Date - 12/3/1999

58. NSF/GEO & NOAA - Earth System History

Earth System History (ESH) is a research initiative of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). It includes coordinated paleoscience programs supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Divisions of Atmospheric Sciences (ATM), Earth Sciences (EAR) and Ocean Sciences (OCE) and the Office of Polar Programs (OPP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Global Programs.

As the paleoscience component of the USGCRP, the emphasis of ESH is upon the Earth's paleoenvironmental system. In this context, the term "Earth system" refers to critical elements of the coupled atmosphere-biosphere-cryosphere-hydrosphere and terrestrial system. ESH proposals need not focus purely upon climate per se, but it should be clear how the project will contribute to understanding climate related processes and Earth system response.

The goal of ESH research is to understand the natural variability of the Earth system through records preserved in geo-biologic archives and to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of climate change with annual to millennial resolution, including the forcing mechanisms, interactions and feedbacks among its components.

The ESH Program invites proposals addressing the following areas of special emphasis. Depending on the scope of the project, proposals may be from individual investigators or from teams of investigators to work on crosscutting scientific issues involving multiproxy or interdisciplinary efforts. Linkage with programs at the international level is encouraged, but not required.

1. Paleoclimate Variability at Annual-Decadal Resolution
2. Rapid Climate Change
3. Extreme Warm Conditions
4. Spatial Patterns and Continuous Records of Climate Change
5. Arctic Paleoclimate Studies
6. Modeling of Past Change.

For all areas of emphasis, priority will be given to proposals that seek to use the record of past conditions to understand the dynamics of climate/Earth system processes or to integrate local/regional responses into the large-scale climate system. Proposals confined to descriptive reconstructions of local or regional conditions, without consideration of how those conditions result from or contribute to large-scale processes, will receive a lower priority. In general, the emphasis should be upon understanding mechanisms, processes, and linkages between different elements of the
earth/ocean/atmosphere system.

In addition to the areas of emphasis above, proposals will be considered in the following areas:

7. Quantification and development of biotic, physical, and geochemical proxy indicators for past Earth system processes;
8. Improvement of geochronological techniques relevant to ESH goals; and
9. Innovative development and application of statistical techniques that combine and simultaneously analyze various types of paleoclimate data to address regionally specific climate questions.

Each proposal must include a section explicitly describing how the proposed work will contribute to one or more of these nine areas. Proposals without such a statement may be returned without review.

Under this announcement, NSF solicits proposals for any funding amount up to $1.0 million per year for up to five years, and expects to make grants over a wide range of award sizes and durations. Depending on availability of funds, it is expected that approximately $3 - $4 million will be available each year for new awards. Awards may be made as standard or continuing grants.

The deadline for receipt of proposals by NSF is FEBRUARY 14, 2000.