New Organization for Ice Drilling and Coring Studies: Ice Drilling Program Office / Ice Drilling Design and Operations

U.S. scientific productivity in understanding the past climate and present environmental conditions from clues in and beneath glaciers and the polar ice sheets depends upon a mechanism for ensuring continuity and international cooperation in ice coring and drilling efforts, along with availability of appropriate drills, drilling expertise, and innovations in drilling technology. The Ice Drilling Program Office (IDPO) and Ice Drilling Design and Operations group (IDDO) work together under a cooperative agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for coordination of science planning and technology implementation, one that relies on ice coring and drilling community input for current and future planning, but that is coordinated nationally and internationally, conveyed to the public, and carried to fruition for the NSF through the daily efforts of the Ice Drilling Program Office which works hand-in-hand to oversee the Ice Drilling Design and Operations group.

The overarching goals of IDPO/IDDO are:

• To produce and maintain long-term and short-term integrated science and drilling technology plans on behalf of the U.S. ice coring and drilling research communities in conjunction with international partners;

• To identify new technology needs, seek funding for technology development, and acquire new technology;

• To provide the drills, equipment, and drilling expertise needed by the science; and

• To enhance communication and information exchange related to ice coring and drilling science and technology.

We work with the research community to conduct integrated planning for ice coring and drilling science and technology, design and develop new technology, provide drills and drilling expertise to the research community, and facilitate communication and information exchange.