Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Extending SEAMONSTER: Building a Wireless Infrastructure Across Coastal Alaskan Glaciers and Icefields  (CETUS Wireless Infrastructure Project)

Outline
We propose to build a wireless network infrastructure (CETUS) spanning the Alaskan coastal glacier network, facilitating rapid, low-cost multidisciplinary data acquisition and access for research, education and outreach applications. Two funded R&D programs serve as progenitors of this project: First, SEAMONSTER (Southeast Alaska Monitoring Network for Science/Telecommunications Research): A wireless network in development at the University of Alaska Southeast. SEAMONSTER will span a range of some 10,000 square kilometers from Admiralty Island and the Juneau Icefield up through Glacier Bay Alaska. Second, under NASA innovative research funding, Vexcel Corporation in Boulder Colorado is collaborating with Penn State to build and test Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) for seismology in harsh polar environments, particularly Antarctica. In both these programs a particular focus is on extending communication links to 30+ km range and 50+ Mbps data rate. Using advances in wireless technology that make high rates and long communication links possible we can address the third constraint in polar-environment network implementation: Limited power availability. In the operational model an investigator places instruments that produce a data stream. A low-power wireless unit uploads this data to the long-range network which in turn brings the data back to a web-accessible archive. The evolution and synthesis of the SEAMONSTER and WSN programs leads to the CETUS network, a major advance in Arctic infrastructure intended also to serve as a model for similar projects elsewhere. To this end we will adopt an open-source/open-design/open-data philosophy modeled on the GNU/Linux paradigm that prioritizes human enthusiasm for exploration, growth and learning. CETUS will provide the legacy of a communication network that can serve Arctic science for decades, supporting young researchers and reducing cost of operations. Furthermore the CETUS data server through time lapse and still photography will permit thousands of people, particularly students, to "virtually" stand at the margin of a surging glacier and better understand the behavior of flowing ice. With access to other data sources, this will be only the beginning of CETUS potential for education and outreach.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Infrastructure in support of low-cost rapid data retrieval to archive. - Durability, facilitating efforts of young investigators in years to come. - Open-design will encourage similar infrastructure development elsewhere. - Immediate access to data (particularly webcam still-photo and timelapse archives) will contribute to education and outreach IPY objectives. - Multidisciplinary: Supports any type of data.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
One purpose of our planned open-design/open-source/open-data paradigm is to encourage other groups to make use of our progress and build similar networks in other polar environments. Hence we hope to collaborate with other network-building teams across national boundaries.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The region addressed by this proposed wireless network is the coastal glacier/icefield network extending 1500 miles along the southern coast of Alaska from the Stikine-Leconte Wilderness to the Harding Icefield. The network will be built serially with location emphasis driven by collaboration with other investigators.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04--09/2006: Prelim. SEAMONSTER extension.      04--09/2007: Construct 4--6 Initial CETUS segments      04--09/2008: Construct 4--6 additional CETUS segments
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This project will use available laboratory space for hardware construction and integration. Field deployment will require fixed-wing transport aircraft, helicopters, and snow terrain vehicles. Network nodes will be emplaced either at existing or as new field stations.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will leave an infrastructure legacy: The network is intended to continue operation indefinitely, growing over time to fully encompass the south-central and south-eastern coastal Alaskan glacier system.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
National agency
Military support
Commercial operator
Own support
Other sources of support

We will optimize logistical support through the cooperative assistance of our collaborating investigators. Other alternatives include commercial and military support when feasible.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
While CETUS (at this early stage) has not been endorsed, we note that the "parent" research and development projects--SEAMONSTER and the Vexcel WSN program (see outline)--have both been funded through June 2006.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Exp
Matt Heavner (University Alaska Southeast) is building wireless network infrastructure in Southeast Matt Heavner (University Alaska Southeast) is building wireless network infrastructure in Southeast Alaska supporting remote scientific data acquisition (Project: SEAMONSTER). Concomitantly Vexcel Corporation (Colorado) is developing wireless sensor networks for Cryosphere research under NASA direction. The synthesis and extension of these projects forms the basis for this proposed work.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The wireless network will be designed and built by scientists at University of Alaska Southeast, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Vexcel Corporation in Colorado, as an extension of current/ongoing research. Deployment of wireless stations on SE/SC coastal Alaskan icefields will depend on collaboration with other investigators and agencies who will make use of the wireless network. Specific geographical segments of the full network will be designed and prioritized to accommodate these collaborators.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The CETUS archive will include a web-interface to provide education and outreach data, following the model of the NASA "Astronomy Picture of the Day" site (and not restricted solely to visual imagery). Using this as a starting point, a learning curriculum will be developed in collaboration with teachers to bring the polar science off the computer screen and into the classroom.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The base plan is a data archive / server with web interface that permits data download access to any agency (scientists, schools, municipalities, etc) using a (free) registered account. In the course of establishing collaborations with particular investigators, proprietary restrictions on certain datasets will be negotiated as necessary.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We will seek funding through appropriate national resources, particularly NSF programs: Major Research Instrumentation and Arctic Cyberinfrastructure and Sensors. We also note the recently developing "Designing an Arctic Observation Network" initiative. Parent research and development is currently funded through June 1996.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
IPY steering and oversight will be essential for the success of this infrastructure project. Any investigator or agency focused on monitoring the south coast of Alaska can reduce operational cost and accelerate data recovery by participating in this proposed program; the key is making connections and human networking. Well before IPY, before we can enlist collaborators and begin network station deployment we will be working to demonstrate the serviceability and reliability of our proposed network.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Dennis Fatland
Vexcel Corporation
1690 38th St
Boulder, CO
80301
USA

Tel: 303-583-0219
Mobile: 303-870-9980
Fax: 303-583-0246
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information