Exploring the Earth at High Resolution:
The IRIS Proposal

In August, IRIS submitted to the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences a proposal to continue IRIS's funding through another 5-year Cooperative Agreement. The proposal was produced by the IRIS

Executive Committee on behalf of the IRIS Board of Directors, who in turn represent the full membership of the Consortium. The proposal, titled "Exploring the Earth at High Resolution", consists of a project description plus two appendices.

The proposal's project description outlines the role of the IRIS facilities in the context of four major themes: a) high resolution, b) long-term observations, c) high performance, and d) linking research with education. The front section describes the science supported by IRIS facilities, and it includes an overview of what is proposed for the next five years. The project description concludes with a discussion of how each program will be implemented.

The first appendix documents the impact of IRIS on the Geosciences. A series of one-page descriptions, contributed by over 100 researchers, provides specific examples of how IRIS data have advanced our understanding of topics ranging from global tomography and continental structure to the mechanics of volcanic eruptions and the development of innovative educational programs and products. The one-pagers also describe how IRIS facilities have become fully integrated into both the research and operational systems associated with the National Earthquake Information Center and the International Monitoring System for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. Following the collection of one-page examples is a sample list of publications that specifically acknowledge IRIS data or instrumentation.

The second appendix contains detailed program plans for each of the IRIS facilities. For example, the GSN will be operated and maintained (including replacement costs amortized at 5%/year), data communications will be upgraded, and stations will be enhanced with additional geophysical sensors. The PASSCAL plan places a high priority on completing the PASSCAL inventory to its design goal of 1000 short period instruments for active source and microearthquake studies, and 500 instruments for passive source studies requiring longer deployments. The plan for the Data Management System includes a request for continued operation, replacement of the multi-terabyte mass store system, and continued development of data distribution software. The Education and Outreach Program will continue its current programs, expand its educational displays, and provide more access to real-time data for educational purposes.

Developing a single proposal that represents the collective scientific interests of almost 100 research institutions is a complex task. Although the formal process of proposal development began in the Spring of 1999, the review, auditing, and self-evaluation that form the background for the proposal has been an on-going process within IRIS.

The IRIS Proposal will be reviewed over the next year by external reviewers, a "special emphasis panel", the Instrument and Facilities Program, and various other committees of NSF. The process culminates with a presentation to the National Science Board and a funding decision in Spring 2001.