GeoPRISMS: A Successor to MARGINS

Draft Science Plan

At the request of NSF and following the recommendation of the MARGINS Decadal Review Committee (DRC), we have submitted to NSF a Draft Science Plan for a MARGINS successor program, here named GeoPRISMS (Geodynamic Processes at RIfting and Subducting MarginS).

This Draft Science Plan emerged from the MARGINS Successor Planning Workshop in San Antonio, 15-17 February 2010, taking into account the DRC's recommendations. Over 200 scientists attended the Planning Workshop, demonstrating great interest in a successor program and resulting in substantial community input to the design of these plans. The Draft Science Plan was written by a group of about 20 authors (listed in Appendix A) chosen by, and including members of, the MARGINS Steering Committee, with Julia Morgan overseeing the process. A complete preliminary draft was made public in late March 2010, allowing two weeks for public comment on the entire plan. The final version that you see below incorporates that feedback. This was a very rapid writing schedule, necessitated by crucial opportunities in FY11 and by the need for continuity of the Office. It is important to emphasize that this is only a draft plan at this time, and we expect a more extensive public vetting and input period when the final plan is written, should the program receive preliminary approval. We have outlined a plan for finalization in Section 6.2.

Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. Origin and Structure of GeoPRISMS
3. Overarching Scientific Topics and Themes
4. Subduction Cycles and Deformation
5. Rift Initiation & Evolution
6. Implementation of Science Objectives
7. Research Strategies
8. Partnerships and Collaborations
9. Education & Outreach for the GeoPRISMS Program
10. Other Impacts of the GeoPRISMS Program
11. Program Management
12. References
Appendices
Appendix A – Science Plan Writing Team
Appendix B – MSPW Agenda
Appendix C – MSPW Participant List
Appendix D – MSPW Vision Statements
Appendix E – Contributed White Papers

Download as one file (no appendices) here (high-res, 6.58 MB)

Links to planning and review documents

Help decide the program's new image! Please email with other logo suggestions or constructive comments about the following:

Please direct any inquiries about this web page to margins@nsf-margins.org, or phone (845) 365-8711.