Advanced Science and Technology Planning for the Study of Subglacial Environments

Texas A&M Research Foundation, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports US-participation in the workshop "Advanced Science and Technology Planning for the Study of Subglacial Environments" to be held in Grenoble, France, in Spring-2006. Exploration of subglacial environments is a new, interdisciplinary scientific endeavor. Recently discovered lakes in these environments represent an exciting frontier for research on life in extreme environments, glaciology, climatology, and geology. Apart from discoveries about our own planet, the work has direct application to extraterrestrial bodies with liquid water, such as Jupiter's moon Europa. This workshop will develop an advanced science and technology plan to study subglacial environments over the next decade. It will be held in Grenoble, France, to ensure broad international participation. In terms of broader impacts, this workshop will promote international collaboration, broaden the perspective of U.S. scientists, and provide an opportunity for the next generation of scientists to interact with leaders in the field. Outcomes will be published in a proceedings volume, and have societal relevance in understanding global climate change.