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Contents:
INTRODUCTION
The National Science Foundation - Office of Polar Programs (NSF-OPP) supports the collection and analysis of ice cores from locations throughout the world. This statement, developed by the Ice Core Working Group (ICWG), establishes the policy and outlines the procedures for distribution of ice cores to research scientists and use of the facility.
The U.S. National Ice Core Laboratory (NICL) has been established on the grounds of the Denver Federal Center in association with the U.S. Geological Survey's Core Research Center. NICL is operated jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). NICL provides approximately 50,600 cubic feet of safeguarded meteoric ice core storage space at a temperature of -35C. This allows for the storage of about 13,000 meters of ice cores. Cold examination rooms, staging and changing areas, as well as instruments and equipment for routine core examination and processing are provided at the NICL facility.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
NICL's objectives are to (1) insure maximum availability of samples to qualified investigators, (2) encourage analysis over a wide range of research disciplines without unnecessary duplication, and (3) encourage prompt publication of results.
Decisions on sample allocation will be coordinated by the NICL-Science Management Office (NICL-SMO) and made by the Sample Allocation Committee (referred to as the Committee), appointed by the Ice Core Working Group (ICWG, referred to as Working Group), with final approval from NSF-OPP. The Scientific Coordinator of NICL-SMO is the central point of contact for requests for ice core samples. Through the NICL-SMO, the Committee has developed a communication system to allow for prompt handling of all requests. Once a decision has been made to allocate samples to an investigator, the NICL Curator will assist investigators in accessing the ice core samples and making arrangements for transportation of samples to home institutions, or for analyses to be performed at NICL.
SPECIAL CORE PROTOCOLS
Some cores at NICL have special allocation procedures. Requests for these cores need to go through the Scientific Coordinator and are reviewed by the Committee and the coordinator or representative for that core. The coordinator or representative has specific knowledge of the core, which allows them to assist the Committee in allocations.
SAMPLE REQUESTS
Requests for samples from NICL are coordinated through the NICL-SMO. Samples are available to any qualified investigator, but NSF funded investigators may be given priority to core sections. Generally there are three types of requests: pilot studies, funded proposals, and de-accessed ice.
Pilot Studies
The Working Group recognizes the valuable information archived in ice cores. To further the scientific knowledge available from the ice cores at NICL, requests for limited samples are available to any qualified investigator. Each request must be accompanied by a complete and concise statement describing the study for which samples are needed, methods and procedures to be used, the specific problem or objective of the study, and names and addresses of collaborating investigators. This request is sent to the Scientific Coordinator for review by the Committee and NSF.
Proposals Requiring Ice from NICL
All investigators (including NSF and non-NSF) must contact the Scientific Coordinator prior to submission of proposals if samples from NICL are being requested. This will help assure availability of samples after the review process. The project investigator must submit a request with a complete and concise statement describing the study for which samples are needed, methods and procedures to be used, the specific problem or objective of the study, and names and addresses of collaborating investigators to the Scientific Coordinator. The Scientific Coordinator will review the request and possibly send it for review by the Committee and NSF. This information will be kept confidential. Once funded final allocation of samples will be done by the Committee and NSF.
De-accession Ice
The Working Group has selected a group of ice cores that have been placed on a de-accession list. These ice cores are generally older cores and have received minimal scientific interest in the last 10 years. These cores are available to any qualified investigator for testing analytical procedures, method development, outreach activities and other scientific studies. The procedure for obtaining the cores is the same as the Pilot study requirements. To assist in finding the de-accessed core best fitted for your study, please contact the Scientific Coordinator for more information.
Additional Information/Requirements
Once a request has been approved by the Committee and NSF, the Scientific Coordinator will notify the requesting investigator. The investigator should then contact the NICL Curator to arrange for a visit to NICL to work on samples or to arrange for transport of samples to their home institution. NICL may charge investigators to recover labor, freight or mailing expenses involved in filling requests. The NICL Curator will furnish a charge estimate, if required, before processing the request.
Data derived from measurement and analysis of all samples from NICL must be archived at an appropriate Data Center, as described in the NSF-OPP data policy.
Subsequent sample requests for the same investigation must include a statement that describes progress of the study, the need for additional samples, and the status of previous samples. Approval of an initial request does not constitute approval for subsequent access to the core collection. New requests by the same applicant or group will be honored when results from previous requests have been published as research papers in scientific journals, as research reports, or as data is archived at an established data center. Any conflicts between NICL, NICL-SMO and an investigator will be referred to the Office of Polar Programs.
If any work is to be done on samples that is in addition to, or different than, that stated on the original request, the Scientific Coordinator must first be notified. In order to prevent duplicative efforts, recipients of samples must not allow research projects that differ substantially from projects originally proposed in sample requests to be undertaken by themselves or others without first obtaining permission and approval from the Scientific Coordinator. Samples must not be transferred to other investigators without prior notification to the Scientific Coordinator. Any unused samples or portions of cores must be returned to NICL for re-archiving and possible allocation to another investigator. The objective of this provision is not to restrict research; on the contrary, the objective is to insure that the best possible use is made of the samples and that the Scientific Coordinator is fully informed as to their use and disposition.
Investigators who simply wish to make a brief examination of specific cores (without sampling or conducting analyses) may apply informally to the Scientific Coordinator. A decision will be made quickly to facilitate this activity.
- Prompt publication of significant results, with acknowledgment of the National Science Foundation as the source of materials.
- Submittal of information resulting from samples obtained from NICL to the Scientific Coordinator. In addition, be sure to include this information in your annual NSF report.
- Notification to the Scientific Coordinator of any significant change in the research plan described in the original request.
- Data derived from material from NICL must be archived at an established data center in accordance to the NSF-OPP data policy.
STORAGE OF CORES AT NICL
Meteoric ice cores obtained through the NSF-OPP funded programs and the Geologic Division of the USGS will be accepted for storage at NICL, but conditions of the Principal Investigator's proprietary rights to the core must be established in advance. NICL expects that investigators, either individually or in groups, may want exclusive access to a core obtained by them for a limited but defined period of time following acquisition of the core. The conditions of these exclusive rights (including the duration of the period of exclusive access) should be established at the stage of proposal funding, so that the conditions may be considered as part of the peer review process. For cores from NSF-funded programs, these conditions should be established by the program supporting the work, with the concurrence of the Scientific Coordinator. NICL will accept cores with proprietary rights attached under these circumstances.
USE OF NICL
NICL is supported by NSF-OPP and the USGS-Geological Division. Investigators funded by these agencies may access the facility's resources. Investigators must contact the Scientific Coordinator prior to submitting a proposal to the funding agency, and must include details of expected usage of the NICL facility in the proposal. Multi-institutional projects (e.g., ITASE, WAISCORES) should designate a single point of contact who will work with the Scientific Coordinator and NICL.
Use of NICL by investigators funded by agencies other than NSF-OPP and USGS-Geological Division must contact the Scientific Coordinator prior to proposal submission. This use of NICL includes, but is not limited to, storage of ice cores or samples, use of NICL workspace, staff or other resources. The Scientific Coordinator will work with the investigator and NICL staff to determine the scope of work and provide an estimated cost for the use of NICL.
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
Computerized records for all information available on archived cores (handling, distribution, sub sampling, analytical results, location of core in core storage) are available to visiting scientists at NICL on a Data Management System. Information on the availability and location of cores at NICL is available on the Internet at the NICL website.
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