Science Planning

The CSD Facility coordinates the development of long-range science plans through community engagement and prioritization.

For the most up to date information on the ongoing CSD Community Science Planning process, please visit our Community Science Planning website where you will find:

Community Vision Executive Summaries
Content generated during the 2024 Integration Summit
Information about recent and future CSD projects
Calendar of events and Working Group meetings

Significant progress has been made toward community goals defined in the previous Science Plan. This Science Plan is similar to those for ocean drilling and ice drilling communities, and builds on past community white papers and reports, including:

A full archive of white papers and related publications can be found here

A science plan identifies the compelling scientific questions in the coming decade requiring drilling or coring activities, and the infrastructure (drilling tooling, downhole survey equipment, lab instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, etc.) required to meet the scientific goals. These plans prioritize resource development by the CSD Facility, and give funding agencies a roadmap for upcoming community scientific needs.

If you plan to core or drill on Earth's continents (including in lakebeds) in the next 10 years, regardless of the scope of your project, your ideas should be included in the science planning process, and your target sites should be defined. We encourage you to contact Facility staff to discuss your plans and join the biannual working group discussions.

These plans support long-term planning and resource allocation by NSF and the CSD Facility. Be sure your science is represented!