The US-ITASE program is a platform for multiple scientific research projects that focus on spatial variations across the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.  The primary goal of the 4-year expedition is to determine the spatial variability of the last 200 years across the ice sheet.  In cooperation with other international expeditions US-ITASE aims to contribute to how we understand ocean-ice sheet climate interactions, climate variabililty, and human impact on climate over the last 200 years.  The US-ITASE heavy-traverse platform offers capabilities similar to a large ocean-going research vessel with logistic and scientific support for numerous researchers while traveling long distances (1000+ km) with limited limited intermediate support.

(From the US-ITASE Executive Summary submitted to NSF):

In its entirety, ITASE incorporates a wide range of general scientific objectives. Those which are specific to US ITASE address the following questions: 

1. What is the current rate of change in mass balance over West Antarctica? 
2. What is the influence of major atmospheric circulation systems (e.g., ENSO) and oceanic circulation on the moisture flux over West Antarctica? 
3. How does climate (eg., temperature, accumulation rate, atmospheric circulation) vary over West Antarctica on seasonal, interannual, decadal and centennial scales, and what are the controls on this variability? 
4. What is the frequency, magnitude and effect (local to global) of any extreme climate events recorded in West Antarctica? 
5. What is the impact of anthropogenic activity (e.g., ozone depletion, pollutants) on the climate and atmospheric chemistry of West Antarctica? 
6. How much has biogeochemical cycling of S, N and C, as recorded in West Antarctica, varied over the last 200+ years? 

US ITASE provides an important spatial perspective for the shared research goals of a variety of research programs funded by the NSF, NASA and NOAA. Notably, questions 1-4 parallel closely themes identified by NSF's WAIS (West Antarctic Ice Sheet) intiative. It is expected that these overlaps of scientific purposes will make possible an efficient utilization of logistic resources in the execution of these linked research programs.

Complete US-ITASE Science & Implementation Plan (from the University of Maine)
Maps of US-ITASE routes