solar and extrasolar planets, EAR should initiate a cooperative effort with
NASA and NSF-Astronomy in planetary science.
The scope of a multiagency cooperative program in planetary science would
likely include broad-based investigations of the fundamental processes that
produce and modify planets using an array of geophysical, geological,
geochemical, and modeling approaches. EAR is thus a logical leader of the
proposed collaborative endeavor.
To ensure the vitality of this effort, EAR should seek new funds to establish a
program in planetary sciences. The program should be sufficiently large to
support a robust and healthy research community, including individual
investigators, teams of investigators, and the instrumentation critical for groundbased planetary science investigations. Such a program would have natural links
to other high-priority research efforts within and beyond NSF, including the
intensive investigation of Mars and LExEn. It may ultimately be appropriate to
establish planetary sciences as a new core program within EAR.
INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES
The EAR Instrumentation and Facilities (I&F) Program has played a crucial
role in the development of many new research tools, ranging from major
facilities, such as synchrotron beamlines, accelerator mass spectrometers, and
seismic arrays and networks, to the development and dissemination of analytical,
computational, and information technologies in individual laboratories. Sustained
support of this type is essential for high-quality experimental research. In the
coming decade, this program will be subjected to the multiple stresses of rising
equipment, operation, and maintenance costs. To take advantage of new
technologies, EAR will no doubt have to expand the resources devoted to major
research facilities. An unprioritized list of areas with a growing need for
instrumentation and facilities support includes the following:
• Neutron-scattering facilities for the study of minerals, rocks, soils, and
other planetary materials: New intense sources coupled with state-ofthe-art detectors will allow dynamical (inelastic scattering) as well as
structural (diffraction) measurements on large (milliliter to liter) samples,
including at high or low pressure and temperature. Determining sites of
hydrogen in minerals, measurements of phonon density of states or
magnetic properties on small samples, specific surface properties,
chemisorbed speciation, characterization of large textured rock samples,
analysis of aperiodic and structurally complex Earth materials (e.g.,
liquids, glasses, soil components), including biomineral composites,
order-disorder, and microcrystallography of planetary materials,
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
108
About this PDF file: This new digital representation of the
original work has been recomposed from XML files created
from the original paper book, not from the original
typesetting files. Page breaks are true to the original; line lengths,
word breaks, heading styles, and other typesetting-specific
formatting, however, cannot be retained,
and some typographic errors may have been accidentally inserted.
Please use the print version of this publication as the authoritative
version for attribution.
NASA and NSF-Astronomy in planetary science.
The scope of a multiagency cooperative program in planetary science would
likely include broad-based investigations of the fundamental processes that
produce and modify planets using an array of geophysical, geological,
geochemical, and modeling approaches. EAR is thus a logical leader of the
proposed collaborative endeavor.
To ensure the vitality of this effort, EAR should seek new funds to establish a
program in planetary sciences. The program should be sufficiently large to
support a robust and healthy research community, including individual
investigators, teams of investigators, and the instrumentation critical for groundbased planetary science investigations. Such a program would have natural links
to other high-priority research efforts within and beyond NSF, including the
intensive investigation of Mars and LExEn. It may ultimately be appropriate to
establish planetary sciences as a new core program within EAR.
INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES
The EAR Instrumentation and Facilities (I&F) Program has played a crucial
role in the development of many new research tools, ranging from major
facilities, such as synchrotron beamlines, accelerator mass spectrometers, and
seismic arrays and networks, to the development and dissemination of analytical,
computational, and information technologies in individual laboratories. Sustained
support of this type is essential for high-quality experimental research. In the
coming decade, this program will be subjected to the multiple stresses of rising
equipment, operation, and maintenance costs. To take advantage of new
technologies, EAR will no doubt have to expand the resources devoted to major
research facilities. An unprioritized list of areas with a growing need for
instrumentation and facilities support includes the following:
• Neutron-scattering facilities for the study of minerals, rocks, soils, and
other planetary materials: New intense sources coupled with state-ofthe-art detectors will allow dynamical (inelastic scattering) as well as
structural (diffraction) measurements on large (milliliter to liter) samples,
including at high or low pressure and temperature. Determining sites of
hydrogen in minerals, measurements of phonon density of states or
magnetic properties on small samples, specific surface properties,
chemisorbed speciation, characterization of large textured rock samples,
analysis of aperiodic and structurally complex Earth materials (e.g.,
liquids, glasses, soil components), including biomineral composites,
order-disorder, and microcrystallography of planetary materials,
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
108
About this PDF file: This new digital representation of the
original work has been recomposed from XML files created
from the original paper book, not from the original
typesetting files. Page breaks are true to the original; line lengths,
word breaks, heading styles, and other typesetting-specific
formatting, however, cannot be retained,
and some typographic errors may have been accidentally inserted.
Please use the print version of this publication as the authoritative
version for attribution.