Direct questions about this USCGC Polar Sea Science-of-Opportunity
Cruise in 2001 to:
UNOLS Office
Moss Landing Marine Labs.
8272 Moss Landing Rd.
Moss Landing, CA 95039
Tel: 831/632-4410
Email: office [at] unols.org
or submit an Icebreaker Science-of-Opportunity Request Form, available
through the UNOLS web site at:
http://gso.uri.edu/unols/aiccsoo/sooform.htm.
2001 Science-of-Opportunity Cruise on USCGC Polar Sea
The UNOLS Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee (AICC) is an
NSF/USCG-sanctioned committee which provides Arctic marine science
projects with planning and scheduling assistance and facilitates
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. Additional information
about the AICC is available on the UNOLS web site at:
http://www.unols.org or the Arctic Research Consortium of the United
States at: http://www.arcus.org/AICC/aicc.html.
The U.S. Coast Guard recently informed the AICC that USCGC Polar Sea may
have a limited number (10-20) of science berths available during ca. 17
June - 30 July 2001, for a Science-Of-Opportunity (SOO) cruise (the
dates are Seattle-Seattle). The anticipated operating area for the SOO
cruise will be the western Arctic. There is no funding being made
available by the USCG to support SOO research other than the possible
opportunity for ship time.
SCIENCE-OF-OPPORTUNITY IS DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
Following extensive yard and maintenance periods, Coast Guard
icebreakers may proceed to the Arctic to conduct machinery trials, to
test equipment, and to conduct training, in conditions which duplicate
normal operating conditions. The Coast Guard calls these missions
"shakedowns". During these shakedowns, the USCG allows scientists to
deploy with the icebreaker to take 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 an SOO mission, and in
fact, there is no guarantee that any science will be accomplished during
these missions. Despite these important and ongoing caveats, the AICC
would be remiss if we did not also note community satisfaction with many
SOO missions, during which most science objectives were accomplished by
the Coast Guard.
For the 2001 cruise, the Coast Guard requests that scientists who are
interested in participating submit an Icebreaker Science-of-Opportunity
Request Form, available through the UNOLS web site noted above or at:
http://gso.uri.edu/unols/aiccsoo/sooform.htm. Requests submitted by the
deadline of 26 January 2001 will be assessed by the AICC for
suitability, including geographic region, seasonality, number of berths,
compatibility of scientific programs and personnel responsibilities,
USCG equipment requests, and laboratory requirements.
Highly specific time and geographic requirements cannot be guaranteed.
Arrangements for sample-only requests will be the responsibility of the
investigators. Investigators without sea experience, or who contemplate
sending participants without sea experience, are very strongly urged by
the AICC to obtain relevant training, and to discuss plans and
recommendations with an experienced participant well ahead of time. The
AICC also very strongly recommends that all scientists who have programs
selected for SOO missions attend a pre-cruise meeting with the Coast
Guard. No other mechanism is as effective in promoting the
communications vital to ensure success.
The USCG will select the participants for the cruise. The AICC's role is
to facilitate communication between the scientific community and the
USCG, including assembling information about potential
Science-of-Opportunity investigations and assessing them for
suitability. Investigators are reminded that they may not use submission
of an SOO request for AICC assessment to leverage agency science
support.