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Earth system science

The controlling influence of the core and mantle on a habitable planet

Announcement of Opportunity

Closing date: 23 October 2011

The Natural Environment Research Council is working towards commissioning a new programme of research investigating the interactions of the whole Earth system; in particular, the relationship between processes occurring in the deep Earth (mantle and/or core) and consequences at the surface for a habitable planet.

A total of up to £250k is available to fund 5-10 community-led, small-scale scoping studies to synthesise the state of knowledge and inform the development of a Research Programme (RP) proposal to NERC's Science & Innovation Strategy Board (SISB). This approach is designed to engage a wide Earth Science community in a process of developing the programme to maximise the benefits.

Timetable

The timetable for this activity is as follows:

  • Scoping announcement of opportunity published: August 2011
  • Closing date for proposals: Sunday 23 October 2011
  • Assessment Panel meeting: November 2011
  • Grants start: December 2011
  • Scoping reports submitted to NERC: May 2012
  • Theme Action Plan to SISB: Q2 2012/13
  • Theme Action Plan to NERC Council for funding decision: Q4 2012/13

Research programme development process

These initial scoping activities are needed in order to frame the development of a major RP proposal, which will be considered as part of the fourth round of theme action plans (TAP4). The resulting RP proposal will be considered for recommendation by SISB and subsequently considered for funding by NERC Council. This Announcement of Opportunity for scoping studies details an opportunity for funding for the community to participate in this scoping activity.

The scoping study outputs will be used by the NERC Earth systems science (ESS) theme leader to define the detail of a new action for inclusion in the fourth round of theme action plans. A final report will be required from each funded study, and these will be drawn upon and synthesised by the ESS theme leader to formulate an action. Individual reports will not necessarily be used in totality, and elements of separate reports may be brought together to define the action put forward to SISB. Those elements taken forward will be on the basis that they satisfy the SISB criteria for high-quality RP investments.

Although SISB have agreed to support this scoping activity, there is no presumption that any particular scoping study will go forward to form a part of the TAP4 or that NERC Council will accept such a proposal. However, following the fourth round of theme action plans, the potential exists to take forward any of the remaining RP ideas in future theme action plans.

Please see the Announcement of Opportunity document for full details of the scope of the call and application procedure.

Announcement of Opportunity, PDF document (180KB)

Announcement of Opportunity
Posted: 12 August 2011

Awards

Details are now available of the eight scoping studies that received awards.

For further information, please contact:

Chloe Onoufriou
Tel: 01793 411603