Special Committee - Arctic Marine Research Capabilities Committee (AMRCC)

The Special Committee - UNOLS Arctic Marine Research Capabilities Committee (AMRCC) 

Federal agencies are working to acquire future icebreaking capability to support U.S. priorities and missions in the Arctic. The scientific community has been offered the opportunity to provide input to the federal agencies that may influence the capabilities to be incorporated into any future icebreakers to enable support for Arctic science for the next 30+ years.  

The AMRCC was established with support from the federal funding agencies to develop Science Missions and Science Mission Requirements to provide guidance to U.S. federal agencies regarding icebreaker support for Arctic marine research.  The Statement of Task for the AMRCC and other related information can be found here. 

The Committee brings together scientists, technicians, and operators who have extensive experience at conducting oceanographic science in the Arctic. WHOI’s Dr. Carin Ashjian is the Chair of the AMRCC. Taking this important step now ensures that the U.S. government is ready to move ahead to develop future any future Arctic icebreaking capability that includes the ability to support oceanographic science - such has been done by U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker HEALY for the past 24 years.

The AMRCC is planning a series of community meetings to be held in conjunction with major scientific meetings and to conduct a community survey on the needed scientific capabilities to support Arctic marine research for the next 30 years. 

The first community meeting is being held on Dec. 10 in conjunction with the AGU meeting in Washington DC.  A second meeting will be held on January 31 in conjunction with the Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage AK.  A third meeting will be held (date TBD) in conjunction with the Arctic Science Summit Week and associated meetings in Boulder CO. 

Current  UNOLS AMRCC members are below and can be found here.