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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Physical Oceanography Program (PD 98 1610)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Physical Oceanography Program, Funding Opportunity Number PD 98 1610. It sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category and is associated with CFDA 47.050 (Geosciences).

What is the main purpose of the NSF Physical Oceanography Program?

The program is designed to fund research that improves understanding of how the ocean is structured and how it moves. It emphasizes the physical processes that shape ocean behavior across different regions and timescales.

What kinds of scientific topics does the program focus on?

The program broadly targets the dynamics of ocean circulation and variability, including how the ocean transports heat, freshwater, salt, carbon, nutrients, and momentum, and how those transports affect climate, weather, and marine conditions.

What does the program mean by studying the ocean as part of the Earth system?

A central theme is that the ocean is interconnected with the rest of the Earth system. Proposals are expected to address physical mechanisms in the ocean and, where relevant, how ocean structure and motion interact with biological and chemical processes.

Are interdisciplinary proposals allowed (for example, physical-biological or physical-chemical work)?

Yes, the opportunity notes that proposals may include interactions with biological and chemical processes where relevant. However, the core intellectual focus is expected to remain on physical ocean processes.

What physical ocean processes are explicitly mentioned as being within scope?

The description includes examples such as mixing, stratification, turbulence, fronts, eddies, boundary currents, overturning circulation, and air-sea exchanges, as well as other processes that influence how materials and energy move through the ocean.

Does the program support research on coupled ocean interactions with other parts of the planet?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly highlights coupled interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere, the solid Earth (including seafloor topography and tectonic influences), and the cryosphere (sea ice, ice shelves, and related ice-ocean processes).

Would research connected to climate variability or sea level change fit this program?

The opportunity indicates the program is suitable for projects that link physical oceanography to broader environmental questions such as climate variability and sea level change, as long as the core intellectual focus remains on physical ocean processes.

Is polar or ice-ocean research relevant to this opportunity?

Yes. The program description calls out interactions with the cryosphere, including sea ice, ice shelves, and related ice-ocean processes, making polar dynamics and ice-ocean physical mechanisms potentially relevant.

Can proposals address physical drivers of marine ecosystems?

Yes, the opportunity notes that projects may connect physical oceanography to broader questions including the physical drivers of marine ecosystems, provided the primary intellectual focus remains on physical ocean processes.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant, which indicates support for research activities rather than procurement.

Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is noted for this opportunity.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is generally open to a wide range of applicant organization types, subject to any additional eligibility language contained in the full program text.

Where does this opportunity fall within NSF and federal program classifications?

It is part of NSF's Physical Oceanography Program and is listed under CFDA 47.050 (Geosciences) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

When was this opportunity posted, and what were the closing dates?

The historical record shows it was posted on March 13, 2015. An original closing date is listed as August 15, 2015, and a later listed closing date appears as February 15, 2016.

Is this opportunity still active?

The record indicates the opportunity was archived on September 14, 2020.

Where can applicants find additional details about scope and expectations?

An NSF program description link is referenced as an additional information resource for full details on scope and expectations.

Who should be contacted for help accessing the announcement through Grants.gov?

The listed support contact for Grants.gov access issues is grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.