French polar research on the eve of the International Polar Year

SENAT

Report n° 230 (2006-2007) by M. Christian GAUDIN, Senator (for the parliament office for the evaluation of scientific and technological choices)

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• COMPOSITION OF THE OFFICE
  
• CONTENTS
  
• INTRODUCTION
  
  • I. THE POLAR REGIONS: AN URGENT NEED FOR PROTECTION
    
    • A. EXTREME BUT FRAGILE REGIONS
      
      • 1. The Arctic Ocean
        
      • 2. Antarctica
        
    • B. FRANCE'S RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ANTARCTICA TREATY
      
      • 1. The origins of the treaty and the Antarctic system
        
      • 2. Mining a suspended issue
        
      • 3. Tourism: a new peaceful threat?
        
  • II. THE POLES: THEIR KEY ROLE IN UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE
    
    • A. UNDERSTANDING PAST CLIMATES TO UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE CLIMATE
      
      • 1. Recent ice cores from Greenland
        
      • 2. Ice cores from Antarctica
        
      • 3. Ocean core samples: the transpolar link.
        
      • 4. The future of glacial core sampling
        
    • B. THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION
      
      • 1. The general circulation system
        
      • 2. The importance of the creation of cold, deep waters
        
      • 3. The Antarctic Ocean, a carbon sink
        
    • C. THE POLAR REGIONS AT THE HEART OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
      
      • 1. Will the Arctic ice shelf disappear in the summer?
        
      • 2. Will Greenland melt completely?
        
      • 3. Can a diagnosis be made concerning the assessment of Antarctica's mass?
        
  • III. FRANCE'S FIRST-CLASS BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
    
    • A. AN EXCEPTIONAL HERITAGE
      
      • 1. A unique geographic situation
        
      • 2. 40 to 50 years of continuous observations
        
    • B. ADAPTING TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
      
      • 1. Adapting to climate change
        
      • 2. Understanding the adaptation to extreme environments
        
    • C. INNOVATIVE RESEARCH
      
      • 1. The equipment of animals
        
      • 2. Hormonal, molecular and genetic research
        
      • 3. The implications for the organization of research
        
  • IV. OBSERVING THE EARTH, OBSERVING THE UNIVERSE
    
    • A. OBSERVATORIES FOR THE EARTH AND THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE
      
      • 1. Seismology
        
      • 2. Measuring gravity and terrestrial magnetism
        
      • 3. Studying the stratosphere and monitoring the ozone layer
        
      • 4. Observing the ionosphere
        
    • B. ANTARCTIC ASTRONOMY: A NEW FIELD
      
      • 1. Recognizing this fast-growing discipline
        
      • 2. Concordia: the best site in the world for astronomic observations?
        
      • 3. Searching for meteorites in Antarctica
        
      • 4. Measuring cosmic radiation
        
  • V. PREPARING THE SPACE MISSIONS IN ANTARCTICA
    
    • A. PREPARING AND VALIDATING THE SATELLITE MISSIONS
      
      • 1. Space and the polar regions: preparation complementarity
        
      • 2. Validating on the ground observations made from space
        
    • B. PREPARING MANNED SPACE FLIGHTS AND MOON OR MARS-BASED STATIONS
      
      • 1. Concordia - a unique research site
        
      • 2. Studying behaviour in an extreme environment
        
      • 3. Physiological studies
        
    • C. TESTING EXPLORATION MATERIAL
      
      • 1. American examples and projects
        
      • 2. European perspectives
        
  • VI. FRANCE'S PRESENCE IN THE POLAR REGIONS
    
    • A. DEVELOPING FRANCE'S PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC, STRENGTHENING ITS PRESENCE IN ANTARCTICA
      
      • 1. Developing France's Arctic presence
        
      • 2. Strengthening our presence in the southern regions
        
    • B. IPEV (THE FRENCH PAUL-ÉMILE VICTOR INSTITUTE), AN AGENCY OF MEANS
      
  • VII. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: A NECESSITY AND A GOAL
    
    • A. HOW TO ENCOURAGE A EUROPEAN PROCESS?
      
      • 1. The European Union: a sufficient framework?
        
      • 2. The practical and political limitations of cooperation
        
      • 3. Towards an Italian-German-French engine?
        
    • B. WHAT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR FRANCE ON THE EVE OF THE IPY?
      
      • 1. Excellence, proximity and longevity: three key criteria for cooperation.
        
      • 2. Developing a network for the stations
        
  • VIII. THE RAPPORTEUR'S CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS
    
    • 1. Strategic regions
      
    • 2. Regions to protect
      
    • 3. Essential regions for understanding climate change:
      
    • 4. Life in the polar regions: of great value to humanity
      
    • 5. The polar regions: an observatory for the Earth
      
    • 6. Strongly support the development of astronomy at Concordia
      
    • 7. Take advantage of the polar regions' complementarity with the space missions
      
    • 8. Strengthen France's presence in the polar regions
      
    • 9. Reorganize France's presence in the polar regions
      
    • 10. Better coordinate polar research
      
    • 11. Solve the problem of insufficient funding for polar-research logistics
      
    • 12. Define a French strategy for European and international cooperation
      
• APPENDICES
  
  • I. IN FRANCE
    
    • A. THE POLAR CIRCLE ASSOCIATION
      
    • B. THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND ADVANCED TRAINING IN SCIENTIFIC COMPUTATION (CERFACS)
      
    • C. CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)
      
    • D. THE CHIZÉ BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE (CEBC)
      
    • E. CITÉ DES SCIENCES
      
    • F. COLLÈGE DE FRANCE
      
    • G. THE EARTH SCIENCES SCHOOL AND OBSERVATORY (EOST)
      
    • H. ETHOSPACE
      
    • I. THE PAUL-EMILE VICTOR FRENCH POLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE
      
    • J. THE HUBERT CURIEN MULTIDISCIPLINARY INSTITUTE
      
    • K. THE PIERRE-SIMON LAPLACE INSTITUTE (UNIVERSITY OF VERSAILLES)
      
    • L. THE UNIVERSITY ASTROPHYSICS LABORATORY IN NICE (LUAN)
      
    • M. THE EUROPEAN OCEANIC INSTITUTE - UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN BRITTANY
      
    • N. THE RESEARCH LABORATORY FOR SPACE-BASED GEOPHYSICS AND OCEANOGRAPHY (LEGOS)
      
    • O. MERCATOR (OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY)
      
    • P. MÉTÉO FRANCE
      
    • Q. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
      
    • R. THE MINISTRY OF ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
      
    • S. THE MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
      
    • T. THE MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS TERRITORIES
      
    • U. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
      
    • V. THE PARIS OBSERVATORY
      
    • W. SEPTIÈME CONTINENT
      
    • X. TARAWAKA
      
    • Y. FRENCH AUSTRAL AND ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES (TAAF)
      
    • Z. JOSEPH FOURIER UNIVERSITY IN GRENOBLE - LABORATORY OF GLACIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOPHYSICS
      
    • AA. LITTORAL UNIVERSITY
      
    • BB. PROF. CLAUDE DUCHAMP, DIRECTOR
      
    • CC. THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT-ÉTIENNE
      
  • II. GERMANY
    
    • A. THE ALFRED WEGENER INSTITUTE (AWI)
      
    • B. THE FRENCH EMBASSY
      
    • C. ASTRIUM
      
    • D. UMWELTBUNDESAMT (UBA)
      
    • E. BUNDESMINISTERIUM FüR BILDUNG UND FORSCHUNG (BMBF)
      
  • III. AUSTRALIA
    
  • IV. BELGIUM
    
    • A. THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES
      
    • B. THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR FOUNDATION
      
    • C. THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF LOUVAIN
      
    • D. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
      
    • E. THE NORWEGIAN MISSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
      
  • V. THE UNITED STATES
    
    • A. THE FRENCH EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
      
    • B. THE ITALIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
      
    • C. THE EARTH INSTITUTE
      
    • D. THE LAMONT-DOHERTY EARTH OBSERVATORY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
      
    • E. THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION - OFFICE OF POLAR PROGRAMS
      
    • F. PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
      
    • G. THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
      
    • H. THE POLAR RESEARCH BOARD - NATIONAL RESEARCH BOARD
      
    • I. NASA
      
    • J. THE «SCIENCES AT THE POLES» SEMINAR
      
  • VI. GREAT BRITAIN
    
    • A. THE FRENCH EMBASSY
      
    • B. THE BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY
      
    • C. THE SCOTT POLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE
      
  • VII. ITALY
    
    • A. THE FRENCH EMBASSY
      
    • B. THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
      
    • C. THE NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION ON THE ANTARCTIC (CNRA)
      
    • D. THE MINISTRY OF RESEARCH
      
    • E. THE SENATE
      
  • VIII. THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
    
    • A. THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
      
    • B. THE FRENCH EMBASSY
      
    • C. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - ARCTIC COUNCIL
      
    • D. THE DUMA
      
    • E. THE FRENCH INSTITUTE
      
    • F. THE GEOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE
      
    • G. THE ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE (AARI)
      
    • H. THE OTTO-SCHMIDT GERMAN-RUSSIAN LABORATORY
      
    • I. ROSYDROMET
      
• PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1 MARCH 2007 SEMINAR:
  
  "OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR
  IN FRANCE"
  
  • I. MR. HENRI REVOL, PRESIDENT OF THE OPECST
    
  • II. MR. JEAN-LOUIS ÉTIENNE
    
• 
  
  
• PART TWO: OFFICIAL OPENING SESSION
  
  • I. INTRODUCTION
    
    • A. MR. CHRISTIAN GAUDIN, SENATOR, RAPPORTEUR FOR THE OPECST
      
    • B. MS. CATHERINE BRECHIGNAC, PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)
      
    • C. MR. MICHEL JARRAUD, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
      
    • D. MR. CHRISTIAN COINTAT, SENATOR, PRESIDENT OF THE ANTARCTIC AND ARTIC STUDY GROUP
      
  • II. OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR IN FRANCE BY MR. CHRISTIAN PONCELET, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
    
  • III. THEMATIC DEBATE - THE POLES: INDICATORS AND EVIDENCE FOR MANKIND
    
    • A. MS. NELLY OLIN, MINISTER OF ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
      
    • B. MS. VALÉRIE MASSON-DELMOTTE, CLIMATOLOGIST, CEA
      
    • C. MR. YVON LE MAHO, BIOLOGIST, CNRS
      
    • D. MS. JOËLLE ROBERT-LAMBLIN, ANTHROPOLOGIST, CNRS
      
    • E. DEBATE
      
  • IV. CLOSING SPEECHES
    
    • A. MR. FRANÇOIS GOULARD, MINISTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
      
    • B. HIS SERENE HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO
      
• APPENDICES
  
• APPENDIX 2:
  DOCUMENTS PRESENTED BY MS. JOËLLE ROBERT-LAMBLIN, ANTHROPOLOGIST - CNRS