First Paragraph
The purpose of this note is to provide a framework for establishing Grand Challenges for ocean research that would inspire the research community, our national legislators, and the general public. Such challenges should provide a middle ground between previously proposed long-term studies that encompass virtually all aspects of ocean research, and studies that address specific near-term issues that confront the contemporary world, such as tsunami prediction and disaster mitigation. Toward this end, specific issues are identified that can pose a challenge to the research community over the next decade while making a significant contribution to problems of national concern.