|
The FY 2002 Budget Request for the Ocean Sciences
Subactivity is $255.25 million, a decrease of $2.68 million, or
1.0 percent from the FY 2001 Current Plan of $257.93 million.
(Millions of Dollars)
|
FY 2000
Actual |
FY 2001
Current Plan |
FY 2002
Request |
Change |
Amount |
Percent |
Ocean Section |
81.54
|
97.58
|
96.10
|
-1.48
|
-1.5%
|
Integrative Programs Section |
67.98
|
83.29
|
82.85
|
-0.44
|
-0.5%
|
Marine Geosciences Section |
71.72
|
77.06
|
76.30
|
-0.76
|
-1.0%
|
Total, OCE |
$221.24
|
$257.93
|
$255.25
|
-$2.68
|
-1.0%
|
The Ocean Sciences Subactivity (OCE) supports research
to improve knowledge of the physical, chemical and biological processes
that characterize both coastal seas and deep ocean basins, and the
geological and geophysical processes that shape the continental
shelves and deep sea floor. Support is also provided for the facilities
required to gain access to the ocean, including research vessels,
manned deep diving submersibles and a wide range of technologically
advanced observational instrumentation. Oceanography is a highly
interdisciplinary research endeavor that is fundamental to the understanding
of the Earth's climate, to resource and hazard assessment, and to
the health of the ocean's complex and diverse ecological systems.
NSF provides over 70 percent of federally supported basic research
in the ocean sciences performed in colleges and universities.
Recent discoveries demonstrate that the ocean has
much yet to reveal. Scientists with the Hawaii Ocean Time-series
(HOT) project discovered that Archaea, one of three separate domains
of life on our planet, may constitute up to 50 percent of the biomass
of the open ocean. This discovery will have a major impact on our
view of how the oceans function ecologically. Another team of scientists
unexpectedly discovered a new hydrothermal vent field, dubbed "The
Lost City," on the mid-Atlantic ridge. The Lost City contains
the largest hydrothermal chimneys of their kind ever observed, reaching
180 feet above the seafloor. The knowledge resulting from discoveries
such as these, and subsequent research, will greatly advance our
understanding of how the ocean functions.
The FY 2002 Budget Request includes $96.10 million
for Ocean Section research support. Studies span a wide range of
research topics involving processes occurring within the water column
from the air/sea interface to the ocean floor. Research problems
increasingly require focused, collaborative, and coordinated programs
of observation and interpretation that are often interdisciplinary.
Projects range in size from individual investigator laboratory-based
work to multi-investigator collaborations and international programs
that require substantial amounts of shiptime and other facility
resources. Priorities for FY 2002 include support for:
studies of marine biocomplexity, particularly
studies of marine ecosystems at all levels of organization from
functional genomics of marine organisms at the molecular level
to open ocean non-linear processes;
continued development of capabilities for data
assimilation and modeling for ocean circulation and biogeochemical
flux studies, resulting from a growing history of sustained time-series
observations;
research to identify, understand, and quantify
the processes controlling carbon cycling in the oceans;
efforts to understand the linkages among oceans,
climate, and human health;
nvestigation of the role played by the extra-tropical
oceans in the major patterns of climate variability; and
enhanced long-term process studies of deep ocean
and coastal systems using sustained time-series observations,
and development of new technology for ocean and seafloor observation
systems.
The Integrative Programs Section totals $82.85 million
and coordinates those critical functions integral to the Ocean Sciences
Subactivity as a whole. They include educational and diversity programs,
ship operations, upgrades, construction, instrumentation, technical
services, and oceanographic facilities, as well as new technology
development, ocean observatories and observation systems, the National
Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and its emerging OCEANS.US
coordination office. Priorities for FY 2002 include support for:
programs targeted at increasing diversity through
new educational opportunities at the pre-college and undergraduate
levels;
development of a Center for Ocean Sciences Education
Excellence (COSEE) designed to improve communications between
the ocean research and K-12 communities;
the academic research fleet to ensure that required
ship time and capabilities are provided to satisfy merit reviewed
research project requirements for NSF-sponsored studies;
effective participation in NOPP and its OCEANS.US
coordination office;
enhancement of technical and shared-use instrumentation
for research project awards to sea-going scientists;
continued maintenance and ship-improvement programs
and increased support for quality improvement activities in operations
and technical services programs; and
technology development, particularly for smart
environmental sensors and the design of infrastructure to support
seafloor observatories.
The Marine Geosciences Section totals $76.30 million
and supports research to improve fundamental understanding of the
composition, structure and evolution of the oceanic crust and continental
margins; the record of global environmental and biologic change;
and geochemical cycling as recorded in ocean sediments. This includes
support for core research in marine geology, geochemistry and geophysics;
coordinated community initiatives focused on thematic priorities
in planetary dynamics and earth system cycles; and U.S. management
and participation in the Ocean Drilling Program, which is jointly
financed with seven international partners. Priorities for FY 2002
include support for:
research project awards for field programs focused
on contributions to earth system history and continental margin
studies in coordination with the Earth Sciences Subactivity;
new scientific and technical requirements to
extend capabilities for deep biosphere investigations for ocean
biocomplexity studies;
equipment maintenance and operational funding
for the international Ocean Drilling Program;
research in planetary structure and dynamics
using scientific drilling samples from the Pacific basin and deep
earth structure studies focused on expansion of the global seismic
network; and
integrated studies of hydrothermal systems, ocean
geologic controls and associated biological communities using
submersibles, remotely operated vehicles and seafloor sensors
with a focus on their role in planetary metabolism and ecology.
Change in Budget Structure
The OCE Subactivity was organizationally restructured
in November, 2000. The new structure for the Division arranges programs
into logical groupings by research interests and functions, and
is expected to improve internal efficiencies. In FY 2002, a corresponding
budget restructuring is proposed to align the budgetary elements
in the Subactivity with the new organizational structure, promoting
effective and efficient management of budgetary resources.
Below is the table crosswalking between the old and
proposed new budget structure for FY 2001.
Millions of Dollars
FY 2001 OLD
STRUCTURE
|
NEW STRUCTURE |
Ocean Science Research Support |
Oceanographic Centers
and Facilities |
Ocean Drilling Program |
TOTAL |
Ocean Section |
97.58
|
|
|
97.58
|
Integrative Programs Section |
23.51
|
59.78
|
|
83.29
|
Marine Geosciences Section |
25.65
|
|
51.41
|
77.06
|
TOTAL |
$146.74
|
$59.78
|
$51.41
|
$257.93
|
|