Newsletter 12-10

Issue12-10, May 14th 2012

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1) KEPLER COMMUNITY FOLLOW-UP OBSERVING PROGRAM
2) 2ND “PAOLO FARINELLA” AWARD (2012)
3) COORDINATION WITH ESA’S 2012 CALL FOR A SMALL MISSION OF
OPPORTUNITY IN ESA’S SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR A LAUNCH IN 2017
4) PLANETARY GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS (PGG) PROGRAM PROPOSALS
5) JOB OPPORTUNITIES
6) UPCOMING MEETINGS
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KEPLER COMMUNITY FOLLOW-UP OBSERVING PROGRAM

The Kepler Community Follow-up Observing Program (CFOP) is a web-based tool with the principal aim to optimize resources and facilitate collaboration in follow-up studies of planet candidates in the Kepler field. CFOP currently contains information from the Kepler Input Catalog (KIC), publicly available parameters on the Kepler planetary candidates, target finder charts and information on multiplicity, and links to analysis tools such as ephemeris calculations and periodograms at the NASA Exoplanet Archive, to help plan and execute follow-up studies. In addition, CFOP serves as a repository for community-gathered follow-up data by allowing upload and display of data and derived astrophysical parameters and in the future will contain follow-up data from the Kepler team. All data will be clearly associated with the user who provided it and contact information is available to facilitate additional discussion and begin collaborations. CFOP is available at http://cfop.ipac.caltech.edu/.

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2ND “PAOLO FARINELLA” AWARD (2012)

Since 2011 a Prize is dedicated to the memory of Paolo Farinella (1953-2000). Last year, the Prize was awarded to W.F. Bottke at the joint DPS-EPSC meeting in Nantes (F). (http://meetings.copernicus.org/epsc-dps2011/paolo_farinella_prize.html)
The second edition of the Farinella Prize is devoted to planetary science and specifically for studies of the formation and early evolution of the solar system, which was one of the research interest in Paolo’s career. The award ceremony will be hosted by the EPSC meeting in Madrid, Spain (23 – 28 September 2012).
Nominations (using a special form) must be sent by email not later than May 30, 2012, at the following address:
[email protected]

Contact / requests : Adriano Campo Bagatin
On behalf of the supporting committee of the Paolo Farinella Prize.
Departamento de Fisica, Ingenieria de Sistemas y Teoria de la Senyal
[email protected]

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COORDINATION WITH ESA’S 2012 CALL FOR A SMALL MISSION OF
OPPORTUNITY IN ESA’S SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR A LAUNCH IN 2017

– Request due to NASA by May 15
– NASA response to PI by June 1
– Proposal due to ESA by June 15
– Submission of full proposal and cover letter to NASA by June 22

NASA is prepared to provide proposing U.S. investigators with a letter
of acknowledgement for proposals in alignment with established NASA
strategic science objectives. Proposers desiring such a letter must
submit to NASA a brief description of (1) the mission concept
contemplated, (2) the relevance of its science objectives to
established NASA science objectives, and (3) contemplated U.S.
involvement in the mission to be proposed. This description may
not exceed 1000 words (~two single-spaced pages, 12-point type) and
must be submitted by email no later than May 15, 2012, to
[email protected]. Requests for letters of acknowledgement
should come from the lead U.S. collaborator on the proposed mission.
NASA will conduct an internal review of the proposed mission’s
relevancy to NASA science objectives and, for those submissions in
good alignment with these objectives, will provide a letter of
acknowledgement in time for submission to ESA with the proposal.

ESA Announcement website:
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=50119

Questions, contact:
Dr. Colleen N. Hartman
(202) 358-2165
[email protected]

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PLANETARY GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS (PGG) PROGRAM PROPOSALS

The Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) program supports
scientific investigations of planetary surfaces and interiors,
satellites (including the Moon), satellite and ring systems, and
smaller Solar System bodies, such as asteroids and comets. The
goals of the PGG program are to foster the synthesis, analysis,
and comparative study of data that will improve the understanding
of the extent and influence of planetary geological and geophysical
processes on the bodies of the Solar System.

The due date for proposals to this program has been delayed to
July 2, 2012, to permit proposers who recently received evaluations
of their PGG ROSES 2011 proposals additional time to prepare
proposals.

Questions may be addressed to:
Michael Kelley
[email protected]
202-358-0607

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH: SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY (SIMS)
MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), part of the Universities
Space Research Association, invites applications for a postdoctoral
fellowship in the area of SIMS isotopic and elemental analysis of
Martian meteorites.
The successful candidate will work with an international team at NASA
Johnson Space Center in Houston. Candidate should be self-motivated,
and must have a Ph.D. in geochemistry, cosmochemistry, or related.
Strong background in ion microprobe analysis essential. Experience in
analysis/interpretation of Pb isotopes is advantageous. Experience with
a Cameca 1270/80 is also advantageous. Knowledge of Martian
geochemistry and petrology is beneficial, but not essential. Travel is
required. Candidates should also present an independent research plan
that complements the Martian meteorite study.
Position is for one year, with possible extension to a second year.
Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with
list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and
three references to [email protected]. Further details contact
Justin Simon ([email protected]) or John Jones
([email protected]). Information on research and facilities at
the LPI can be found at:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu

Information on JSC facilities can be found at:
http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/index.cfm

The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity
Employer.

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UPCOMING MEETINGS

a) EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS 2012
IFEMA-Feria de Madrid
23–28 September 2012, Madrid, Spain

We invite the international community of planetary scientists to submit an abstract for presentation of their recent work at the EPSC 2012 Meeting, which will take place at the conference centre IFEMA-Feria de Madrid in Spain, 23-28 September 2012.

http://epsc2012.eu

Please consider submitting a paper : browse the list of sessions and identify the session that most closely matches your area of interest; your abstract can then be submitted directly to that session.
Abstract deadline: 23 May 2012.

The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions. There is a current list of over 70 sessions is organized around several topics.

Please note the 6 sessions in :
GP Giant Planet Systems :
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2012/sessionprogramme/GP

The whole scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2012/sessionprogramme

Travel funding will be available for students: EPSC will make a contribution to a
large number of European PhD students to support their attendance. Information on registration, accommodation, travel routes, visa requirements and social events are available on the meeting web site.

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.

b) DAP-2012 MEETING
The “Dust, Atmosphere and Plasma: Moon and Small Bodies” meeting will
take place on June 6-8, 2012, in Boulder Colorado. The program is now
available at:

http://lasp.colorado.edu/ccldas/ldap_2012

Please register online by June 1, 2012, if you plan to attend.

c) EXOPLANETS IN MULTI-BODY SYSTEMS IN THE KEPLER ERA
February 9-16, 2013
Aspen Center for Physics, Aspen, CO, USA

http://www.astro.ufl.edu/~eford/meetings/aspen2013/

For centuries, theories of planet formation were guided exclusively by
our solar system. However, the discovery of planets orbiting other
stars (exoplanets) has demonstrated that nature often produces
planetary systems quite different from our own, neither anticipated by
nor well explained by the current theories of solar system formation
and dynamics.
In this one week program, scientists from the fields of planetary
science, celestial mechanics, astronomy and astrophysics will meet to
discuss new developments in the field of extrasolar multi-planet
systems. Our workshop will provide an environment where these
scientists can present new ideas, discuss their implications for
identifying the most important problems in the field and chart the
field’s future direction.
The meeting will be held either February 9-15 or February 10-16, 2013.
We anticipate nearly 100 participants. The Aspen Center for Physics
will coordinate applications, registration and housing. We will
update the meeting website with information as these details become
available. See the ACP website for further information about
registration, housing and day care for previous winter meetings.
Young scientists, women and underrepresented minorities are all
encouraged to apply.

d) 2012 NEXT GENERATION LUNAR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS
WORKSHOP

The 3rd annual Next Generation Lunar Scientists & Engineers (NGLSE)
Workshop will be held on Monday, July 16, 2012 at the NASA Ames
Research Center (ARC), preceding the NASA Lunar Science Forum. This
one-day workshop for graduate students, postdocs, and early career
professionals will focus on effective career strategies for navigating
today’s job market. The purpose of this group is to engage and
develop the next generation of lunar scientists and engineers, and to
enable their successful involvement in current planning for the
exploration of the Moon.

Please indicate your interest in attending at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6G53ZQG

Email any questions to: [email protected]

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