U.S. National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility (NSF-ICF)
Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, Colorado
Revised: May 2024
* All use of NSF-ICF requires the submission of the Sample Request/ Facility Use form. *
Contents
1. Introduction
The National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility (NSF-ICF) is a government-owned facility on the grounds of the Denver Federal Center. NSF-ICF provides approximately 50,600 cubic feet of safeguarded freezer space, which is maintained at a temperature of -36°C for the storage of ice cores collected from the polar ice sheets and glaciers from around the world. NSF-ICF currently contains approximately 22,000 meters of ice cores collected mostly by scientists funded by the National Science Foundation. NSF-ICF also includes a series of cold examination rooms, staging and changing areas, as well as instruments and equipment for routine examination and processing of ice cores.
The National Science Foundation supports 100% of NSF-ICF's operating cost through an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey.
This policy, developed by the Ice Core Working Group (ICWG) (a group of scientists who discuss scientific issues related to ice cores), establishes the policy for use of the NSF-ICF facility and allocation of samples stored at NSF-ICF.
2. General Provisions
NSF-ICF's scientific objectives are to (1) ensure maximum availability of samples to approved investigators, (2) encourage analysis over a wide range of research disciplines without unnecessary duplication, and (3) encourage prompt publication of results.
Decisions on sample allocation are coordinated by the Science Management Office (SMO) and reviewed and approved by the Sample Allocation Committee (SAC), appointed by the ICWG, with final approval from the NSF Office of Polar Programs. The Science Director of the SMO is the central point of contact for requests for ice core samples. Once a decision has been made to allocate samples to an investigator, the NSF-ICF staff will assist investigators in accessing the ice core samples and making arrangements for transportation – at the investigator's expense – of samples to home institutions, or for analyses to be performed at NSF-ICF.
3. Sample Requests
Requests for samples from NSF-ICF are coordinated through the SMO. Samples are available to investigators, but NSF funded investigators may be given priority to certain core sections.
Investigators interested in requesting samples from the NSF-ICF ice core archive must complete the Sample Request/ Facility Use form and email it to the SMO at least four weeks in advance of the proposal submission deadline.
Generally, there are three types of requests: pilot studies, funded proposals, and deaccession ice.
a. Pilot Studies
A limited number of samples are available to qualified investigators for use in pilot studies. Submission of the Sample Request/ Facility Use form is required. This request is sent to the SMO for review by the SAC and NSF.
b. Proposals Requiring Ice from NSF-ICF
All investigators (including NSF and non-NSF) interested in requesting samples from the NSF-ICF ice core archive must complete the Sample Request/ Facility Use form and email it to the SMO at least four weeks in advance of the proposal submission deadline. This will help ensure availability of samples after the review process. The Science Director will review the request. The information in the request will be kept confidential. If the Science Director approves the request, the SMO will provide you with a letter Facility Letter, which must be included in your proposal.
If the proposal is funded, the PI must contact the SMO at least four weeks prior to their expected NSF-ICF sample visit to obtain a sample allocation grant. Four weeks are needed for the Science Director to obtain the appropriate SAC/NSF approvals for your proposed sample allocation. NSF-ICF cannot release any core or allow any core to be cut without the appropriate sample allocation verification from the SMO. Contact the NSF-ICF Science Director, Joe Souney, at 603-862-0591 or nsf.icf.smo at unh.edu to begin the allocation process. Once access to the core has been granted, the PI can call 303-202-4830 or e-mail nicl at usgs.gov to schedule a site visit.
c. Deaccession Ice
The ICWG has selected a group of ice cores that have been placed on a deaccession list. These ice cores are generally older cores that have received minimal scientific interest in the last 15 years. These cores are available to investigators for testing analytical procedures, method development, outreach activities, and other scientific studies. Contact the SMO to determine the best core for your research needs. To begin the process, submit a completed Sample Request/ Facility Use form to the Science Management Office (SMO; nsf.icf.smo at unh.edu ).
d. Additional Information/ Requirements
Once the SAC and NSF have approved a request, the Science Director will notify the requesting investigator. The investigator should then contact the NSF-ICF Curator to arrange for a visit to NSF-ICF to work on samples or to arrange for transport of samples to their home institution (at the investigator's expense).
Data derived from measurement and analysis of all samples from NSF-ICF must be archived at an appropriate data center, as described in the NSF Office of Polar Programs data policy.
Subsequent sample requests for the same investigation must include an updated Sample Request/ Facility Use form that describes progress of the study, the need for additional samples, and the status of previous samples. Approval of an initial request does not constitute approval for subsequent access to the core collection. New requests by the same applicant or group will be honored when results from previous requests have been published as research papers in scientific journals or research reports, or when the data is archived at an NSF Office of Polar Programs approved data center. Any conflicts between NSF-ICF, the SMO, and the investigator will be referred to the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs.
If any work is conducted on samples in addition to, or different than, that stated in the original Sample Request/ Facility Use form, the Science Director must be notified. To prevent duplicative efforts, recipients of samples cannot perform research that differs substantially from the project's originally proposed sample request without first obtaining permission and approval from the SMO via the SAC/NSF. Samples cannot be transferred to other investigators without prior approval from the SMO.
Any unused samples or portions of cores are recommended to be returned to NSF-ICF for re-archiving. Prior to sample return, the following information and conditions are requested by the ICF:
- Notify the ICF Curator (nicl@usgs.gov) and Science Management Office (nsf.icf.smo@unh.edu) about your interest in returning samples to the archive.
- Provide metadata in electronic format for all samples.
- Include a printed hardcopy of the contents of each box or container shipped to the ICF.
- Provide the ICF with the reason the samples are being returned and, if applicable, any insightful recommendations for future studies that may benefit from them.
- Samples should weigh at least 30 grams. The ICF reserves the right to decline the return of samples that are less than 30 grams.
- All samples are clearly labeled, packaged in lay flat, and shipped with proper eutectics and temperature logger(s).
- The shipper (i.e., the investigator) pays for the delivery, preferably via FedEx.
- Provide the temperature history of the samples from the original receipt to the return shipment, if known.
Investigators who simply wish to make a brief examination of specific cores – without sampling or conducting analyses – may apply informally to the Science Director, but are still required to submit a completed Sample Request/ Facility Use form.
4. Investigator Responsibilities
- Prompt publication of significant results, with acknowledgment to the National Science Foundation and the National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility as the source of materials.
- Submittal of information resulting from samples obtained from NSF-ICF in your NSF annual report.
- Notification to the Science Director of any significant change in the research plan described in the original request.
- Data derived from material from NSF-ICF must be archived at an established data center in accordance with the NSF Office of Polar Programs data policy.
5. Storage of Cores at NSF-ICF
Ice cores from glaciers and ice sheets obtained through NSF-funded programs may be accepted for storage at NSF-ICF. Investigators must contact the Science Director during the planning stages of a project – prior to proposal submission – for permission to ship ice cores to NSF-ICF.
Investigators interested in storing new ice cores at NSF-ICF must complete the Sample Request/ Facility Use form and submit it to the SMO at least four weeks in advance of the proposal submission deadline.
Only ice cores comprised of meteoric ice are authorized for storage at NSF-ICF. No sea ice, permafrost, or sediment cores are permitted in the NSF-ICF facility.
The ICF realizes that investigators – either individually or in collaborative groups – may want proprietary access to a core obtained by them for a limited but defined period following the acquisition of the core. If no other conditions are defined at the proposal stage with the concurrence of the ICF and the SMO, the end date of the investigator's proprietary period will be the end date of the investigator's funded award. At the end of the proprietary period, the core becomes a part of the community archive at the ICF, from which anyone can request samples through the SMO.
If the investigator is using the ICF to sample their proprietary core, it is the responsibility of the investigator to sample the core within the scope outlined in their funded award.
6. Use of NSF-ICF (Scientific / Media / Outreach)
Investigators interested in using the NSF-ICF facility for core processing, laboratory work, or media and outreach activities must complete the Sample Request/ Facility Use form and submit it to the SMO at least four weeks in advance of deadlines.
Multi-investigator projects should designate a single point of contact that will work with the SMO and NSF-ICF.
Investigators funded by agencies other than NSF who wish to use NSF-ICF must contact the SMO prior to proposal submission to obtain permission to use the facility. Use includes – but is not limited to – storage of ice cores or samples, use of NSF-ICF workspace, use of NSF-ICF staff time, or use of any other NSF-ICF resources. The SMO will work with the investigator and NSF-ICF staff to determine the scope of work and provide a cost estimate, if needed. These costs may be incurred by the agency funding the work and must be negotiated in advance of access to the facility.