OARS funding Geology & Earth Science

his ROSES NRA (NNH17ZDA001N) solicits basic and applied research in support of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). The NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences, including, but not limited to: theory, modeling, and analysis of SMD science data; aircraft, scientific balloon, sounding rocket, International Space Station, CubeSat and suborbital reusable launch vehicle investigations; development of experiment techniques suitable for future SMD space missions; development of concepts for future SMD space missions; development of advanced technologies relevant to SMD missions; development of techniques for and the laboratory analysis of both extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft, as well as terrestrial samples that support or otherwise help verify observations from SMD Earth system science missions; determination of atomic and composition parameters needed to analyze space data, as well as returned samples from the Earth or space; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support SMD science missions; development of integrated Earth system models; development of systems for applying Earth science research data to societal needs; and development of applied information systems applicable to SMD objectives and data. Awards range from under $100K per year for focused, limited efforts (e.g., data analysis) to more than $1M per year for extensive activities (e.g., development of science experiment hardware).

The NGA mission is to provide timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security objectives. GEOINT is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. GEOINT consists of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information. NGA offers a variety of critical GEOINT products in support of U.S. national security objectives and Federal disaster relief, including aeronautical, geodesy, hydrographic, imagery, geospatial and topographical information.The NGA Academic Research Program (NARP) is focused on innovative, far-reaching basic and applied research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics having the potential to advance the GEOINT mission. The objective of the NARP is to support innovative, high-payoff research that provides the basis for revolutionary progress in areas of science and technology affecting the needs and mission of NGA. This research also supports the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG), which is the combination of technology, systems and organizations that gather, produce, distribute and consume geospatial data and information.

This solicitation seeks the services of a qualified organization to manage and operate an Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Center established and sponsored by Marine Geology and Geophysics research programs within NSF’s Division of Ocean Sciences. Research activities requiring the use of the existing pool of instruments supported by NSF are expected to continue well beyond the period of performance for the existing Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Pool Management Office award, scheduled to expire in early 2018. The award resulting from this solicitation will be administered as a Cooperative Agreement with a single Lead Institution that will perform the OBSIC activities described herein.

This solicitation seeks the services of a qualified organization to manage and operate an Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Center established and sponsored by Marine Geology and Geophysics research programs within NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. Research activities requiring the use of the existing pool of instruments supported by NSF are expected to continue well beyond the period of performance for the existing Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Pool Management Office award, scheduled to expire in early 2018. The award resulting from this solicitation will be administered as a Cooperative Agreement with a single Lead Institution that will perform the OBSIC activities described herein.

This project will explore the refinement of a coating system for stone conservation that can be applied by spray, cures under ambient conditions, penetrates into the pores of the stone, and, ideally, forms a hydrophobic protective coating while allowing for transmission of water vapor in and out of the coating. Additionally, this project will substantially involve graduate and undergraduate students in the development of polymeric coating systems for cultural heritage. Student will have the opportunity to intern with NPS/NCPTT and learn about the use of polymers in the preservation of cultural heritage.

Programmetry Support for Planetary Mapping

The US Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to develop models that quantify and predict the evolving risk of vector-borne diseases, and can be leveraged to develop effective control and management actions, design strategies to optimally allocate limited resources, and combat future disease threats. Vector-borne diseases have severe and continued impacts on the health of humans, domestic animals and wildlife nationally and internationally. This research will specifically target improving and expanding capacity of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the wildlife health field at large to leverage readily available ⿿big data⿝ and computer vision approaches to examine, at a broad-scale, micro-habitat factors affecting vector populations within urban landscapes. The overarching objective of this project is to develop new tools that will increase understanding of current and future risk of vector-borne diseases, and drivers of vector populations responsible for disease of humans, domestic animals and wildlife.

US Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU parnter to develop a synthesis of knowledge that clearly identifies what is known and not known about the response of Northwest forest communities to changing fires regimes. This synthesis will provide an important resource for regional managers and help identify future science opportunities for the NW CSC to pursue. In particular, managers need information about how climate change will affect fire regimes and what plant communities will return after stand-replacing fires. This information is critical for development of post-fire restoration projects and forest management plans.

The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) awards Postdoctoral Fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to carry out an integrated program of independent research and professional development.Fellowship proposals must address scientific questions within the scope of EAR disciplines and must align with the overall theme for the postdoctoral program. The program supports researchers for a period of up to two years with fellowships that can be taken to the institution of their choice (includinginstitutions abroad). The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential, and provide them with research experience, mentorship, and training that will establish them in leadership positions in the Earth Sciences community. Because the fellowships are offered only to postdoctoral scientists early in their career, doctoral advisors are encouraged to discuss the availability of EAR postdoctoral fellowships with their graduate students early in their doctoral programs.

The goal of research funded under the interdisciplinary P2C2 solicitation is to utilize key geological, chemical, atmospheric (gas in ice cores), and biological records of climate system variability to provide insights into the mechanisms and rate of change that characterized Earth's past climate variability, the sensitivity of Earth's climate system to changes in forcing, and the response of key components of the Earth system to these changes.

The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) awards Postdoctoral Fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to carry out an integrated program of independent research and professional development. Fellowship proposals must address scientific questions within the scope of EAR disciplines and must align with the overall theme for the postdoctoral program. The program supports researchers for a period of up to two years with fellowships that can be taken to the institution of their choice (including institutions abroad). The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential, and provide them with research experience, mentorship, and training that will establish them in leadership positions in the Earth Sciences community. Because the fellowships are offered only to postdoctoral scientists early in their career, doctoral advisors are encouraged to discuss the availability of EAR postdoctoral fellowships with their graduate students early in their doctoral programs. Fellowships are awards to individuals, not institutions, and are administered by the Fellows.

Proposals are solicited to support needs of the marine seismic research community that are currently provided by the specialized seismic research vessel R/V Marcus G. Langseth. The vessel is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (LDEO). NSF has determined that the current operational model is unsustainable and, with this solicitation, seeks proposals that provide comparable access to marine seismic capability through innovative approaches to R/V Marcus G. Langseth use or by other means.  

Department of Landscape Architecture. Colorado Mesa University (CMU) will act as a subcontractor (through the University of Oregon) to provide archaeological expertise to portions of the project. The park contains nearly 800 archaeological sites, as well as multiple historic buildings, cultural landscapes, and cultural landscape features representing thousands of years of human occupation dating from the Archaic period through the Developmental, Coalition, and Classic periods of Ancestral Pueblo cultures, the Spanish Colonial and Mexican periods, the Territorial Period (including the Civil War), and the early years of New Mexico statehood. Pecos Pueblo and Glorieta Battlefield are particularly significant cultural resources, but the park also contains other prehispanic pueblo sites such as pit houses, rock art, field houses, and small pueblos, tipi rings from visiting Plains peoples, early Euroamerican homesteads, segments of the Santa Fe Trail and three associated stage stops, the site of a Civil War Union encampment, and a historic ranch complex with a ranch house designed by noted architect John Gaw Meem.

This project will complete an ethnographic overview and assessment. This will include (1) a summary of ethnographic research relating to CAGR, (2) an inventory of known ethnographic resources within CAGR, (3) recommendations for the management and interpretation of ethnographic resources in CAGR, (4) suggestions for future ethnographic research within CAGR.

UA anthropologists will invite FLAGâ¿¿s thirteen traditionally associated tribes to SUCR, WACA, and WUPA, and interview tribal members about their traditional associations with FLAG landscapes, places and resources, including plants necessary for the continuation of traditional ceremonies. UA will employ a Graduate Research Assistant (.50 FTE ) for two academic years to work with Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Austin on the project. Research with participating tribes is targeted for spring break and summer so that the Graduate Research Assistant can help conduct the field work. It is anticipated that members of the Paiute Consortium and the Western Apache Working Group will conduct joint field work, so eight sessions of field work are budgeted. Each session will entail three days of work with tribal research participants, including travel to and from reservations.

This project will develop an Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) baseline cultural anthropological study which aims to document traditional associations between distinct cultural communities and landscapes, places or resources. In partnering with traditionally associated tribes and distinct cultural communities, this project will identify and provide descriptions of resources and sites of cultural importance within Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, from the perspective of the associated groups themselves. A key goal of this project will be to provide baseline ethnographic documentation in a manner that is accessible to park staff and visitors, researchers and managers, interpreters and educators. To date, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has never conducted an EOA. Ethnographic research is essential to preserve, manage and interpret Florissant Fossil Beds National Monumentâ¿¿s cultural and natural resources in an effective, culturally informed manner. This project will identify and document culturally significant resources and contribute to the development and implementation of culturally appropriate resource management strategies at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

1) Conducting survey and inventory across BLM land, including areas of special designation like National Land Conservation System (NLCS) lands, or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). 2) Geologic map work related to developing and improving the Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) system. 3) Youth and adult education, such as National Fossil Day events, or the involvement of the public in field and laboratory experiences will be considered, and 4) Other projects that aid in the management of paleontological resources

Background: Native American Tribes have specific cultural and religious ties to the land and landscapes. In Montana and North and South Dakota that means that much of the physical environment has meaning and significance to tribes. BLM manages and authorizes activities on this landscape. To understand the tribal specific ties to the land it is important to understand the significance of the landscape to tribes including where Sacred sites and Traditional Cultural Properties (TCPs) are located. The proposed program in the Spring Creek area will address this need and will provide a mechanism to rediscover sites of religious and cultural importance to tribes. Objectives: Facilitate Identification of TCPs and Sacred Sites important to the tribes. The recipient will conduct field work and record historic properties to assist with special expertise to help recognize and evaluate eligibility of sites, especially TCPs or Sacred sites for areas in their Aboriginal Territories beginning with the Spring Creek area which will be 1350 acres. The information will be invaluable to determine significance of sites and for tribes to re-establish connections to places they have heard about in their oral tradition. This information also contributes to our knowledge of our National Heritage. The information will provide background and holistic use information for future management of public lands. Public Benefit: These potential TCPs and Sacred sites are important because they give us a more complete picture of our National Heritage. The project will benefit the general public, by giving the tribes the chance to share important cultural information to assist in better management of important sites and areas on the landscape and a contribution to our National Heritage. These sites are irreplaceable.

he NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences, including, but not limited to: theory, modeling, and analysis of SMD science data; aircraft, scientific balloon, sounding rocket, International Space Station, CubeSat and suborbital reusable launch vehicle investigations; development of experiment techniques suitable for future SMD space missions; development of concepts for future SMD space missions; development of advanced technologies relevant to SMD missions; development of techniques for and the laboratory analysis of both extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft, as well as terrestrial samples that support or otherwise help verify observations from SMD Earth system science missions; determination of atomic and composition parameters needed to analyze space data, as well as returned samples from the Earth or space; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support SMD science missions; development of integrated Earth system models; development of systems for applying Earth science research data to societal needs; and development of applied information systems applicable to SMD objectives and data.

EarthScope is an Earth science program to explore the 4-dimensional structure of the North American continent. The EarthScope Program provides a framework for broad, integrated studies across the Earth sciences, including research on fault properties and the earthquake process, strain transfer, magmatic and hydrous fluids in the crust and mantle, plate boundary processes, large-scale continental deformation, continental structure and evolution, and composition and structure of the deep Earth. In addition, EarthScope offers a centralized forum for Earth science education at all levels and an excellent opportunity to develop cyberinfrastructure to integrate, distribute, and analyze diverse data sets.