The U.S. National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility (NSF-ICF) — formerly the National Ice Core Laboratory (NICL) — is a facility for storing, curating, and studying meteoric ice cores recovered from the glaciated regions of the world. NSF-ICF allows scientists to conduct examinations and measurements on ice cores, and it preserves the integrity of these ice cores in a long-term repository for future investigations.
Sample Requests
Requests for samples from NSF-ICF are coordinated through the Science Director. Samples are available to investigators, but NSF-funded investigators may be given priority to certain core sections. Investigators must complete the SAMPLE REQUEST/FACILITY USE FORM and email it to the SMO at least four weeks in advance of their proposal submission deadline if the investigator plans to:
- request samples from the NSF-ICF ice core archive; or
- collect a new ice core and store it (even just temporarily) at NSF-ICF; or
- use the NSF-ICF facility for core processing or for other laboratory work.
Inventory
The NSF-ICF currently stores firn and ice cores collected from various locations in Greenland, Antarctica, and North America. Sample requests are coordinated through the Science Management Office at UNH. For information on how to access the cores, please see Services.