Recommendations of the review panel
EXTERNAL REVIEW OF R2K PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The accomplishments and trajectory of the RIDGE 2000 (R2K) program have been excellent. The program has achieved the following major goals:
- Carried out comprehensive multi-disciplinary studies at two Integrated Studies Sites (ISS) with work on the third site (Lau Basin) well established.
- Made time-series measurements of seismicity, hydrothermal flow, fluid composition and biological systems at the ISS.
- Mounted rapid response expeditions which enabled observation of the recovery of physical and biological systems after singular events.
- Established accessible data repositories for considerable cruise information
- Developed an effective outreach program to scientists and the public.
The program must ensure that it achieves its original objectives of integrating and synthesizing its observations to model the wide-ranging interactions at mid-ocean ridges. These synthesis objectives must become the highest priority during the remaining years of R2K, preparing for the planned end of the program in 2012. This work should take precedence over, and provide the justification for, any new field studies.
Our major specific recommendations are:
- The planned field work scheduled for the Lau basin ISS is a high priority, and additional studies may be justified. However, it is important at Lau to begin fostering integration and synthesis of data to entrain the modeling community as soon as possible
- It is unlikely that there is sufficient time and resources in the R2K program to permit development of a full new ISS at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The need for any new field studies should be evaluated carefully against the priority for modeling studies for integrating and synthesizing existing data.
- The excellent web-based data repository generated by the program needs to be extended to include all the data, particularly fluid chemistry and biological data.
- R2K should ensure that the office and Steering Committee (StCom) are appropriately staffed to achieve the integration and synthesis goals in the final part of the program.
With this restructuring, the panel is confident that the final phase of R2K can match and even exceed the major achievements attained in the first phase.
INTRODUCTION
NSF convened a panel to consider terms of reference addressing the accomplishments and future of R2K. The panel met for 2 days and discussed issues relating to science directions, broader impacts and management. The documents provided in advance to panel members contained the original science plan, information about budgets and resource distribution, management, program and data policy, review of phase I accomplishments (2002-7), plans for 2008-12, education and outreach activities, program operations, documentation of impacts, and lists of participants, PI summaries and publications.
The panel feels the R2K program has made significant and unique contributions to the understanding of mid-ocean ridges that would not have been possible without a coordinated program. Particular strengths have been (a) the focusing of observations at selected locations allowing an integrated view, (b) time series measurements of co-located, multidisciplinary parameters, and (c) the rapid response capability to study the impact of singular events on hydrothermal systems. The Panel is excited about the prospects inherent in the integration and synthesis activities that should become the primary focus of the final phase of R2K. The material below synthesizes the discussion and identifies the next steps that the program must take.
THE SCIENCE OF RIDGE 2000
The panel felt strongly that the concept of "mantle to microbe" upon which the R2K program is founded remains compelling, realistic and cutting-edge. The Integrated Study Site (ISS) concept of focused research on the mid-ocean ridges has worked well, resulting in co-located observations, samples and data that have yielded exceptional scientific results and will continue to serve the broader community well in the future. The development of navigational, observational and in-situ chemical measurement tools are also notable achievements. The accomplishments made to date are dominated by observational results, and while the concepts of "synthesis and integration" remain prominent in the goals of R2K, there has been little implementation up to present.
In order to achieve the R2K vision by a projected end of the program in 2012 we feel that it is important that R2K undertakes the following major tasks:
Complete the work at the Lau ISS: In contrast to the EPR and Endeavour ISS, the Lau work began with an almost "clean slate" in terms of previous knowledge of the field area. The start-up phase at Lau has been highly successful, the first 3 cruises have been completed, the "bull's eye" chosen, and work seems to be on track with three cruises in the pipeline to collect further necessary data. The panel feels, however, that, in addition to the fieldwork, it is important at Lau to begin fostering integration and synthesis of data to entrain the modeling community as soon as possible.
Integration and Synthesis of Data with Modeling of Processes at Ridges: It is the view of this panel that integration, synthesis and modeling must become the highest priority during the remaining years of R2K, preparing for the planned end of the program in 2012. This work should take precedence over, and provide the justification for, any new field studies. In this respect, we agree with the R2K StCom that the EPR and Endeavour ISS have reached a level of maturity that should permit a very sophisticated level of integration. This work should be facilitated by workshops aimed at interpretation of data and the strategic targeting of experts from outside the "field observation" community. Input from communities such as GLOBEC, JGOFS, and WOCE, which have recently completed highly successful modeling, interpretation and synthesis activities, should be actively sought by the R2K Office and StCom.
Perform an in-depth and critical discussion of the need for a MAR ISS: The panel notes that with the time and funding remaining in the program, R2K will not manage a comparable ISS field program in the Atlantic to those carried out at the other ISSs. The panel recognizes the potential rewards in studying the slow spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge for the science, for involving a wider community and in collaborating with European scientists. In order to justify beginning any work in the Atlantic in collaboration with the Europeans, the panel considers that R2K needs first to (a) clearly explain how this work will benefit the synthetic modeling goals of R2K as stated in the Science Plan, and (b) present an in-depth synthesis of what is known about the MAR region chosen. With the possibility of funding for only 1 or 2 more field programs in R2K, MAR work that helps complete synthesis or modeling based on the other ISS may be justifiable.
Continue but re-focus Time Critical Studies: The Time Critical Studies have provided important insight into the connection between seismic and magmatic processes, volcanic processes and particularly the response of the biological communities to major perturbations in their environment. Future rapid response proposals should, however, be more tightly focussed to test hypotheses developed as a result of the initial rapid response expeditions or integrated studies. Research that addresses system integration and synthesis is particularly desirable. The panel notes that rapid response expeditions will likely remain unable to capture the critical initial phase of tectonic/magmatic events and increased involvement in in-situ monitoring is necessary to close this gap. The panel noted the 'high risk but high reward/cost ratio' of mounting rapid response expeditions.
Define and implement tractable portions of the "mantle to microbe" synthesis to achieve the overall goal of developing quantitative, whole-system models: While noting that the "mantle to microbe" questions of energy and mass flux from the mantle to the oceans are extremely important, it is unrealistic to expect that the program might lead to a single unified "mantle to microbe" model. Instead it is much more important that the program identifies tractable portions of the problem and develops implementation plans to achieve their solution. Nested models of various temporal and spatial scales are one option for developing models that link the mantle to microbe.
Information Management: Ready access to all data collected during R2K will be indispensable to the development of simulation models, including their calibration, validation and use in hypothesis testing. The panel recommends development of a searchable database based on metadata provided by all scientists funded under R2K. Resources, probably supervised by the R2K Chair, will have to be allocated to supporting information management.
BROADER IMPACTS OF RIDGE2000
Technological advances: The review panel considers that significant and important advances in technology and techniques have been achieved through the efforts of the R2K program. These have significantly benefited the community as a whole, and in particular seafloor studies involving deep submergence vehicles, through improvements in navigation, high-resolution mapping and in situ sensor development. We encourage the continuation of transmission of this knowledge to the rest of the marine science community. One opportunity provided to do this might be perhaps through an increased focus on technological advances in the Distinguished Lecture Series. Technology and techniques should also be highlighted on the web page.
Education/outreach activities: The R2K Program has done an excellent job on activities related to Broader Impacts, and is to be commended for the high quality of their educational and outreach programs developed since the start of the program. As R2K transitions into a phase of synthesis and integration, the review panel recommends that thought be given to how to use E/O activities to further the synthesis/integration efforts. The review panel also recognizes that it will be important for the R2K Office to balance its functions — coordination, information management, and E/O — to meet the needs of the program during this last phase of R2K. It may be necessary to redirect resources to other functions and reduce E/O activities to some degree.
In reviewing the E/O activities, the review panel developed recommendations concerning priorities for the future. The highest priority needs to be continuation of workshops, perhaps on a more regular basis than at present, to meet overall program goals of synthesis and integration. The recent RTI on modeling hydrothermal systems was a first step in this direction, but more focused workshops are needed to move the program in this direction. The R2K program has done well at working with other organizations in co-sponsoring workshops, and in sending people to other workshops, thus extending their reach to the broader marine science community.
The post-doc program has successfully brought in individuals from other fields into the R2K program. Continuation of this program should be thought of as part of the effort to move into R2K synthesis, and the R2K program should consider changing the past criteria for selection of post-docs to enhance this goal.
The K-12 activities of R2K have been exemplary to date and have resulted in some high quality curricula materials. The review panel believes these activities should continue as funds are available, as they will demonstrate the way that integrated science will be done in the future.
The Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS), which was developed to spread the word about the R2K program, has been a great success. In the future, some modification of its content and constituency might enable R2K to enable more effective technology transfer by disseminating information more broadly, and might provide better communication of the results across multiple disciplines. However the review panel believes that if resources are limited, the DLS should be of lower priority than the post-doc and K-12 programs.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OF RIDGE2000
RIDGE 2000 Office: The R2K Office has been effective in communicating and disseminating results of R2K science to the general marine science community. Given the priority for synthesis and integration, the R2K Office and the StCom need to be proactive in stimulating the key processes of synthesis and integration required for the completion of RIDGE 2000. This major change in emphasis needs a new leadership perspective for the R2K Office and the StCom. The transition towards a synthesis phase should start immediately with a priority of completing the RIDGE 2000 Program over the remaining 4 years. An urgent focus is required to complete data management and to provide community access to the existing, large data sets that were generated during the RIDGE 2000 program. Several other responsibilities and tasks for the R2K Office and StCom that, in the past, have enhanced the value of RIDGE 2000 to the broader marine science community need to be revised. The Review Panel has suggested a prioritization under the "Broader Impacts" section of this document.
The review committee was asked to consider whether there was a perception in the mid-ocean ridge community that the R2K program is not sufficiently open to PIs who are not already involved. The Review Panel believes that this may result from the two initial ISS (9°N and Endeavour) having well established collaborative PI groups prior to inception of R2K. The addition of the Lau ISS has opened up participation to new members of the community, which has helped in indicating the openness of the program to others. The program is now at a juncture of moving towards synthesis and integration, for which it will be necessary to bring in individuals with additional skill sets. This will provide yet another opportunity for entrainment of a new group of individuals.
Newsletter, Website: The Review Panel was complimentary about the RIDGE 2000 Newsletter and considered this to be an important mechanism to keep the community informed during the synthesis and integration phase of RIDGE 2000. The Newsletter should highlight the location of existing data sets that are essential for synthesis and modeling. Good examples of how this might be achieved are the synthesis documents released by other major programs (e.g., WOCE, JGOFS, GLOBEC). The RIDGE 2000 website is effective ("better than most"). It provides a good tradeoff between content and ease-of-use for the reader. The format is good, as are the updates on current work at ISS. Efforts should be made that as much data as possible is available on the website and external views on ease-of-use should be sought.
Data Management: The review panel was very positive about the current Ridge 2000 data portal interface and the availability of some data types, for example gridded bathymetry data at multiple scales for the ISSs. However the addition of other data types, particularly fluid chemistry and the results of biological analyses, will be essential for a successful synthesis and integration effort. The panel urges the R2K office to take a larger role in data management during the critical synthesis and integration phase, and to make information management one of their highest priorities. The review panel also suggests that the R2K office seek out the expertise of the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) at WHOI, which has handled data management for JGOFS and GLOBEC synthesis programs, in their data management efforts.
Ridge 2000 Steering Committee: Our most important direction to the StCom is to poise the program for continued success â primarily focusing on the synthesis goal of understanding and modeling mantle to microbes. New StCom tasks should include outlining the basic strategies for synthesis and integration and the coordination and oversight of this process. A key first step must involve data management. This is viewed as the responsibility of the R2K Office, but the StCom should work closely with the Chair on securing the data needed for synthesis and process integration.
Current StCom tasks are deemed appropriate but the emphasis needs to shift to integration and synthesis. One possible mechanism to help with this is formation of a subcommittee with this integration responsibility.
The R2K StCom selection criteria seem adequate. We praise the fact that there are increasingly new StCom members who have not served previously. Still, a broader announcement of opportunity to serve is recommended.
The Review Panel strongly recommends that new member selection by the StCom should take into consideration the synthesis emphasis. Active solicitation to people outside the RIDGE community should become increasingly important given the emphasis on synthesis. We recommend the StCom consider incorporating a member who has experience with successful synthesis in one or more other major program (e.g., GLOBEC, WOCE, JGOFS). Options also exist for getting StCom input when needed in different areas — without formal membership.
We note with interest that StCom membership includes a non-USA member. While this is not in accord with the original science plan, the review panel felt this was potentially a good thing.
R2K needs to consider potential conflicts of interest. The committee should note and report any potential conflicts of interest during meetings.