EarthScope, a major initiative of the National Science Foundation (NSF), is a bold undertaking to apply modern observational, analytical and telecommunications technologies to investigate the structure and evolution of the North American continent and the physical processes controlling earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The President's FY03 Budget Request, which was released to the United States Congress on February 4, includes funding in the NSF budget for EarthScope. This is a major accomplishment and represents a significant effort on the part of several members of our community and our colleagues in the NSF.

EarthScope is not officially funded yet, however. The administration's budget request is only that... a "request". The United States Congress appropriates the funds. In FY01, for example, NSF also included EarthScope in their request, but the program was not funded.

From what we hear, EarthScope will face a tough battle in the Congressional Appropriations process. We need everyone's help to make EarthScope a Congressional priority and to get the program funded. See below for how you can participate in making EarthScope a reality.

More About the EarthScope Initiative

EarthScope is inspired by the need to address longstanding and fundamental questions about the forces that continue to shape our dynamic Earth. EarthScope's network of multipurpose geophysical instruments and observatories will significantly expand capabilities to observe the structure and ongoing deformation of the North American continent:

• Modern digital seismic arrays will produce three-dimensional images of North America's continental crust and the deeper mantle on which it "floats."
• Global positioning satellite receivers, strainmeters and new satellite radar imagery will measure and map the smallest movements across faults, the magma movement inside active volcanoes and the very wide areas of deformation associated with plate tectonic motion.
• An observatory deep within the San Andreas Fault will provide direct measurements of the physical state and mechanical behavior of one of the world's most active faults in a region of known earthquake generation.

EarthScope is a national initiative. Over 50 universities, research institutions, and federal agencies have already participated in the planning and organization of EarthScope. At least five hundred organizations across the nation will be involved in the operation and analysis. In fact, all data from EarthScope will be openly available in real-time to maximize participation from the scientific community and to provide on-going educational opportunities for students at all grade levels. A small-college researcher in any part of the country will now have access to data and resources that were previously limited to major universities.

EarthScope will be used for both scientific and educational purposes, and provide essential new data for hazard assessment and resource management. EarthScope will be used by the scientific research community to explore the deep Earth and develop physics-based models for earthquake and volcanic occurrence; by the engineering community in performance-based structural design; by planners and developers of urban infrastructure; and by those responsible for educating our nation's populace - in schools, museums, books, and the media. A strong educational and outreach program has been integrated throughout the project.

The National Science Foundation's budget request for the EarthScope initiative is supported by the Seismological Society of America, the Geological Society of America, the Association of American State Geologists, and the American Geological Institute. These scientific organizations and societies represent over 100,000 geoscientists.

More information about EarthScope is available at www.earthscope.org.

How can you help?

Specifically, we are asking you to:

• Write to both of your Senators and your Representative.
• If you are at a university, request that your university place EarthScope on their 'federal priority list."

Instructions are below. We realize that what we are asking may feel foreign and be time-consuming. Our community, however, has already made a huge investment in the planning and development of this initiative. Now is the time to pull together and convince the Congress to fund EarthScope.

Thank you for your help. Please feel free to contact any of us if you have questions.

Tom Jordan, University of Southern California
Art Lerner-Lam, Columbia University
John Orcutt, University of California, San Diego
Sean Solomon, Carnegie Institution of Washington
Gregory van der Vink, IRIS Consortium.

Specific Instructions

1) Write (both mail and email) to both your Senators and to your Representative: The correct address style is "The Honorable xxx", "Dear Senator xxx" or "Dear Representative xxx". If you do not know who represents you, go to http://www.house.gov/writerep and http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm for names, addresses, and contact information.

Keep your letter to one page. In the first paragraph, say that you are writing to support the FY03 NSF budget request and to explain the importance of the EarthScope project which has been included in NSF's MRE account. Briefly note your "credentials" and discuss how EarthScope is important to you, your students, and your university. In the second paragraph, use arguments to describe the importance of EarthScope to the nation (for suggested wording see EarthScope Talking Points at: http://www.earthscope.org/talkingpoints.html).

In the third, and concluding paragraph, request that they contact the Appropriations Committee to support EarthScope. Thank them for considering your views, offer assistance, and mention that you will be following up through your university and with their staff. To help keep track of activities, please send copies of your letters to

EarthScope
c/o IRIS
1200 New York Avenue, NW Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005.

2) Request that your university place EarthScope on their "federal priority list". Most universities have a federal affairs office or employ Washington lobby firms. Contact the office of your university's president and ask to meet with someone to discuss including EarthScope on the university's "federal priority list." Use the EarthScope Talking Points to make your case.

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