Polar Rock Repository Continuing Operations Proposal: Expanding Research Opportunities Through Legacy Collections

Non-Technical Abstract:

The Polar Rock Repository (PRR) at The Ohio State University provides a unique resource for researchers studying the polar regions by offering free access to geological samples and data. This project seeks support to continue expanding and managing the collection, which is vital for scientific studies and planning fieldwork in Antarctica. Over the next five years, the repository plans to add tens of thousands of new samples and images, making it easier for researchers to study polar geology without the high cost and environmental impact of traveling to remote Antarctic locations.

The PRR also supports education and outreach by providing hands-on resources for schools, colleges, and the public, including a "Polar Rock Box" program that brings real Antarctic samples into classrooms. This work ensures the preservation of important scientific materials and makes them accessible to a broad community, advancing understanding of our planet’s polar regions.

Technical Abstract:

The Polar Rock Repository (PRR) at The Ohio State University serves as a critical resource for polar earth science research, offering no-cost loans of geological samples and comprehensive metadata to the scientific community. This proposal seeks funding to support the continued curation, expansion, and management of the PRR, alongside its educational and outreach initiatives.

Over the next five years, the PRR anticipates acquiring approximately 15,000 new samples, including those from major drilling operations (RAID, Winkie drill cores) and polar cruises. The repository also aims to significantly grow its archives of images, petrographic thin sections, and mineral separates. By preserving these physical and digital assets in a discoverable online database, the PRR fosters transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility in polar research, fulfilling Antarctic data management mandates.

The intellectual merit lies in enabling cutting-edge scientific analyses through freely available samples and metadata. Broader impacts include reduced environmental costs of Antarctic research, enhanced educational opportunities, and outreach to a diverse audience through initiatives like the "Polar Rock Box" program.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.