Listeros:

The Nicaragua Caribbean Margin is a candidate site for the MARGINS
sed/strat project (http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/margins/SedStrat.html).
Nicaragua Caribbean Margin Site is at:
http://busycon.csi.lsu.edu/

Please read notes below and visit web sites for more information. The
balloting is due Dec. 24. Note that there will be a Margins meeting at
AGU in San Francisco next week. Knowing what the Nicaragua Rise is about
has structure, tectonic, geomorphic, and economic significance.

-Rob Rogers

Paul Mann wrote:
>
> Hi Rob: Note that the Nicaraguan Rise has been proposed as a site so vote
> early and vote often.
>
> Its possible that this site gets eliminated in Jan. but its also possible
> that it ends up in the top 2 or 3.
>
> Cheers, Paul.
>
> PS. You might post this link on the Honduras web site and encourage all
> those bona fide Honduras researchers out there to vote for this site. A lot
> of times it just comes down to how many proponents vote and are vociferous
> enough at the town meeting they have at the fall AGU meeting.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-marginsus-l@...
> [mailto:owner-marginsus-l@...]On Behalf Of Andreas
> Aichinger
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999 11:47 PM
> To: marginsus-l@...
> Subject: Evaluating candidate sites for MARGINS Source-to-Sink program
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> PLEASE DO NOT USE "REPLY" TO RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE!
> Send inquiries to Chuck Nittrouer or Neal Driscoll
> (mailto:nittroue@... or
> mailto:ndriscoll@...).
>
> To unsubscribe the MARGINS electronic mailing list send
> a message to mailto:margins@...
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> We thank all the people who helped prepare the site descriptions that
> are now accessible at the MARGINS web site
> (http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/margins/SedStrat.html). The MARGINS
> Sed/Strat community has a number of exciting sites from which to select.
>
> We must now begin a careful and objective evaluation of the sites. We
> would like to emphasize that the specific site is important, but so is
> the integrated approach we will apply to its study. Such an approach is
> going to require widespread cooperation within our community. We should
> use the site criteria developed at Lake Quinault to choose study areas,
> and move on with a consensus to undertake the research. If we allow
> site selection to be a divisive process, we will fail, other groups will
> seize the resources, and the Sed/Strat community will miss a great
> opportunity.
>
> The following plan will require people to conscientiously evaluate the
> areas and will allow those attending or not attending AGU to be involved
> in the process.
>
> a) An evaluation form has been posted on the MARGINS web page
> with the site criteria distinctly highlighted (look under "site
> selection criteria and evaluation form"). The form lists each potential
> study site and requests readers to identify what they perceive as the
> strengths AND weaknesses of each site.
>
> b) You are requested to provide a quantitative evaluation for
> each site: 5 = excellent choice, 4 = very good, 3 = acceptable, 2 = poor
> choice, 1 = unacceptable. However, the forms will not be accepted,
> unless justification (strengths and weaknesses mentioned above) is given
> for the evaluations on the basis of site criteria.
>
> c) All evaluations have to be submitted through the web. The
> Town Meeting at AGU will be used to orally introduce and openly discuss
> the sites within our community. Hard copies of the evaluation form will
> be distributed at the Meeting, and people can record their views.
> However, they will have to return to their offices and submit the forms.
> The deadline for submitting evaluations is Friday, 24 December (bah,
> humbug), a week after AGU.
>
> d) The forms cannot be anonymous. Hopefully, this approach will
> force people to read the site descriptions, will inhibit them from
> evaluating based on their preconceived prejudices, and will require them
> to put thought into their evaluations.
>
> e) Evaluations are limited to advanced scientists (i.e., not
> students) who can submit proposals to NSF as principal investigators.
> As referees, Chuck and Neal will not submit evaluations. We encourage
> those people helping with site descriptions to submit evaluations, and
> we ask them to be fair.
>
> f) Hopefully a consensus will appear for two "focus" sites. If
> not, the three leading sites (i.e., highest evaluations) be will
> identified. Those people having already submitted evaluation forms will
> be asked to choose two out of the three sites.
>
> g) A simlar sequence will be used to evaluate "allied" sites.
> However, we could have two, one or no "allied" sites, depending on the
> absolute value of the site to the overall program. Remember that these
> are sites that provide a special opportunity, but do not meet the
> "source-to-sink" criteria. Candidates for "focus" sites that are not
> selected, will not be demoted to "allied" sites.
>
> h) We hope to complete this process as expeditiously as possible
> (by mid January). As mentioned previously, we also expect to hold an
> education/planning workshop later in the year 2000. Experts for the
> chosen study areas will teach the community about them, and the
> community will create outlines for the research projects. This will
> open opportunities for investigators to submit proposals.
>
> >From discussions with many people, it has become obvious that it would
> be unwise to push toward the 15 January 2000 NSF deadline for MARGINS
> proposals. The plan above will allow a larger portion of the community
> to submit competitive proposals, regardless of what study areas are
> chosen. It also will allow for better coordination of diverse
> communities involved in the Source-to-Sink program, and well integrated
> proposals will separate the program from "business as usual". The goal,
> therefore, is to first submit coordinated Sed/Strat proposals for the 15
> January 2001 deadline.
>
> Please feel free to send this message to other members of the community,
> and encourage them to evaluate the potential study sites shown on the
> web. In addition, we will distribute this message to the MARGINS
> mailing list.
>
> The Town Meeting will be a excellent opportunity to address questions to
> people who know about the candidate study sites. We also will discuss
> the status of the Science Plan and alternatives for the
> education/planning workshop in 2000. So, pass word about the Town
> Meeting: 5:30-8:00 PM, Monday, 13 December, room 120 Moscone Center.
>
> Please contact us, if you have questions or comments.
>
> chuck and neal