Enhanced Support for GPS Networks and Terrestrial Laser Scanning in Polar Regions

Unavco, Inc., Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

Intellectual Merit: UNAVCO provides NSF-funded PIs geodetic engineering, equipment, and data management and archiving services. Significant increases in polar applications of these services arose though projects funded as part of the International Polar Year. The IPY investment has stimulated a surge of more detailed scientific investigations that were not anticipated at the time when UNAVCO?s current core funding was planned. As such, these activities must be supported thought a separate proposal. Polar geodetic networks provide first order constraints on the interactions between the cryosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and the evolving mass balance that governs changes in global sea level and climate. In particular, these observations advance understanding of vertical deformation associated with glacial isostatic adjustment of the land surface, glacier dynamics and wasting of the ice sheets, and tectonics. The proposed terrestrial laser scanning resources will support a wide range of geoscience investigations including detailed mapping of surfaces and changes in surfaces including fault scarps, geologic outcrops, fault-surface roughness, frost polygons, lava lakes, dikes, fissures, glaciers, columnar joints and hillside drainages. Broader impacts: Polar geodetic investigations have direct relevance to changing global climate and sea level rise. Facility support for polar studies lowers the barriers for broad investigator and student involvement in these science investigations, creating infrastructure and data sets that serve broad and diverse investigator communities. The broadest impact of the project is through the university partners whose research is supported. These investigations commonly involve students and early career investigators, and thus directly support workforce development. The impact on national competitiveness, both through science contributions and on workforce development, is largely realized through UNAVCO community investigators whose students and post-docs are enabled by facility support.