Issue 17-06, February 5, 2017
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- IN MEMORIAM: AKIVA BAR-NUN (1940-2017)
- JWST EARLY RELEASE SCIENCE PROGRAM: PRE-PROPOSAL WEBINAR
- MINOR PLANET CENTER USERS ADVISORY GROUP
- SUMMER INTERNSHIPS AT JOHNS HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS LAB (APL)
- 2017 AGU FELLOWS NOMINATIONS OPEN
- UPCOMING MEETINGS
- JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
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IN MEMORIAM: AKIVA BAR-NUN (1940-2017)
Akiva Bar-Nun, a leader in the field of cosmochemistry, died in Jerusalem,
Israel on January 25, 2017, after a long illness. Akiva was born in 1940. After
completing his doctorate in shock wave chemistry at the Hebrew University
in Jerusalem in 1968, he did his postdoc at Cornell University, where he
worked with the late Carl Sagan. This led to a lifelong interest in the origins
of life. His formal entrance into the field of planetary science came with a
1975 paper predicting that thunderstorm shocks were the source of short-lived
hydrocarbons in Jupiter’s atmosphere. This prediction was eventually
confirmed by spacecraft observations. In 1976, after six years as lecturer at
the Hebrew University, Akiva joined the faculty at Tel Aviv University.
There he continued to explore the importance of shockwaves for the origins
of life. In addition, he investigated the photochemical production of planetary
aerosols. Later on, he set up his unique and world-famous laboratory, where
he conducted pioneering studies of ices under conditions typical of comets.
His investigations on trapping of volatiles by cometary ices and their subsequent
release upon warming of the ice, revolutionized cometary research. Akiva’s
expertise made him a valuable contributor to several international space
projects, including the HASI experiment on the HUYGENS spacecraft that
landed on Titan, as well as the ALICE and ROSINA instruments on the
ROSETTA spacecraft. Akiva served as the Director General of the Israel
Space Agency between 1989-1993, and then for another two years as its
Vice Chairman. He was an excellent teacher and mentor, who inspired
numerous students, and he played an important role in advancing the public
understanding of science. Generations of young students have delighted in
his book on the Solar System (New Worlds, published in 1984, in Hebrew).
Akiva was also a good friend. He will be sorely missed.
Morris Podolak and Dina Prialnik
Submitted by Jonathan Lunine
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JWST EARLY RELEASE SCIENCE PROGRAM: PRE-PROPOSAL WEBINAR
Pre-proposal Webinar: Feb. 7, 11a – 1p Eastern Time (US)
Notice of Intent Deadline: Mar 3, 2017 (Mandatory)
Call for Proposals Finalized: May 2017
Proposal Deadline: Aug 18, 2017
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is pleased to announce the
Call for Proposals for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Director’s
Discretionary Early Release Science (DD ERS) program. The initial DD ERS
Call for Proposals is available at: http://j.tinyurl.com/hjt3u7e. The DD ERS
program is intended to support planning of Cycle 2 JWST proposals by
providing example data sets to the community within 6 months of the start
of science operations (c. May 1, 2019) . The JWST project encourages
submission of DD ERS proposals for all science themes, including Solar
System science. Proposals should address a broad range of applications and
observing modes relevant to their relevant theme. Participation in the program
is open to all categories of organizations, both domestic and foreign, including
educational institutions, profit and nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers, and
other Government agencies.
STScI will host an initial webinar to help inform the community about the
goals and requirements of the DD ERS program and JWST capabilities,
and encourage submission of proposals. Webex connection information
for the webinar can be found here:
https://jwst.stsci.edu/events/events-area/stsci-events-listing-container/solar-system-
community-webinar-jwst-early-release-science-program?mwc=4
Additional webinars will be scheduled as needed depending on interest
expressed at the first.
We would also like to recommend a number of other events including
ETC demonstration and other lectures listed at the JWST events page: https://jwst.stsci.edu/events
John Stansberry JWST — NIRCam Operations, Solar System Lead
Space Telescope Science Institute
410-338-2442
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MPC USER’S ADVISORY GROUP
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) has become a functional sub-node of the
Small Bodies Node (SBN) of NASA’s Planetary Data System (PDS). As part
of that transition, we are creating a User’s Advisory Group for the
MPC. We would like to include both data providers to the MPC and users
of the data produced by MPC. We would also consider an orbital
dynamicist who compares his/her results with those of the MPC. At this
point we would like to solicit both volunteers and nominees from the
community. We anticipate an annual face-to-face meeting at the MPC
(in Cambridge, MA) and intervening electronic meetings perhaps 2 or 3
times per year. International, i.e., non-US, members are welcome but we
can not use NASA funds for the travel of international members. Please
contact both Matt Holman, Director of the MPC, and Mike A’Hearn, PI of
the PDS Small Bodies Node, with a very brief statement of your, or your
nominee’s, relevance to the committee. See the web pages for the MPC:
http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/mpc.html
and/or the SBN:
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SUMMER INTERNSHIPS AT JOHNS HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS LAB (APL)
APL is looking for the next generation of explorers! The 2017 APL NASA
Intern Program provides unique opportunities for university students
to work on NASA missions or other space-related research projects. The
internship program runs 10 weeks in the summer and applications are
due March 26; however, selections are made on a continuous basis, so
interested students should apply as early as possible. More information
is available at:
http://www.jhuapl.edu/NASAIntern/
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2017 AGU FELLOWS NOMINATIONS OPEN
The 2017 AGU Fellows nominations is now open. The deadline for
submission is set for 15 March 2017. The timeline for the 2017
nominations and committee work is posted at:ite:
http://honors.agu.org/fellows/
Some of these dates may change as we move along the process.
Sarah T. Stewart
President, AGU Planetary Section
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
A) JPGU-AGU 2017 SESSION P-PS02: SMALL BODIES – EXPLORATION OF THE
ASTEROID BELT AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM AT LARGE
May 20-25, Makuhari Messe
http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2017/
Abstract deadline: February 16, 2017 05:00PM JST (UTC/GMT +9hours)
Small Solar System bodies, including asteroids, comets, satellites,
and interplanetary dust particles have undergone a recent scientific
renaissance with new observations that have greatly expanded our
understanding of the origin and evolution of our Solar System. This
new information comes from telescopic data, and in-situ observations
with spacecraft carrying high resolution instruments sensing IR,
visible, UV, X-rays, gamma ray photons and neutrons. In addition,
Hayabusa 1 has returned samples to earth and Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx
have been sent to return more. In this session, all contributions on
small solar system bodies are welcome. We welcome all contributions
on recent advances in the study of asteroids whether obtained by
rendezvous spacecraft, sample return, analysis of meteorites, remote
sensing and laboratory research on analogous materials.
Conveners:
Eleonora Ammannito (UCLA),
Taishi Nakamoto (Tokyo Institute of Technology),
Masanao Abe (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency),
Christopher T. Russell (UCLA),
Sei-ichiro Watanabe, (Division of Earth and Planetary Sciences,
Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University)
B) WOMEN IN ASTRONOMY IV: THE MANY FACES OF WOMEN ASTRONOMERS
June 9-11, 2017
Austin, TX
Women in Astronomy IV: The Many Faces of Women Astronomers, a
conference sponsored by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
(NRAO) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS), with support
from the National Science Foundation (NSF), will take place June 9 – 11,
2017, following the 2017 AAS Summer Meeting in Austin, Texas.
Through extensive use of workshops, panels, and small group discussions,
WiA IV will focus on issues that affect a broad spectrum of women in
astronomy. It will address the challenges specific to women and what
institutions can do to create welcoming, equitable workplaces. Workshops
and breakout sessions will be structured with the aim of producing policy
white papers, tool kits, and resource lists.
For more information, please visit the following link:
http://www.cvent.com/events/women-in-astronomy-iv-the-many-faces-of-women-
astronmers/event-summary-589214b84ab94f26ac269ad9823ef977.aspx
C) TITAN THROUGH TIME IV WORKSHOP
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
April 3-5, 2017
Abstract Deadline: February 15
https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1929367
D) MICROSYMPOSIUM 58, SURFACE EXPLORATION AND SAMPLE RETURN:
A NEW ERA IN PLANETARY SCIENCES
The Woodlands, TX
March 18-19, 2017
Featuring updates on the Chinese Lunar and Planetary Exploration Program
Micro 58 is co-sponsored by Brown University, Vernadsky Institute, the Institute
for Space Research (IKI) and the Brown-MIT NASA Solar System Exploration
Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI-SEEED). The highly successful flyby of Pluto
has completed the reconnaissance exploration phase of our Solar System during
the last half-century. The emplacement of sophisticated international orbital
spacecraft around seven Solar System planetary bodies has provided a first-order
characterization of their surfaces and atmospheres. On the basis of these findings,
we are now poised to define more clearly the major scientific goals for the next
half-century, and to accomplish these goals utilizing robotic surface exploration
and sample return, and human exploration of the Moon, Mars and other destinations.
But what are these goals? Where are the most appropriate destinations for surface
exploration and sample return missions? And how can different countries, agencies
and commercial enterprises work together to optimize robotic exploration leading
to human exploration?
Microsymposium 58 will address several of these questions as we chart exploration
strategies for the coming decades. What are the major outstanding scientific questions
for the Moon, Mars, Venus, Phobos/Deimos and asteroids? What are the optimum
landing sites for robotic exploration, leading to sample return for these bodies?
Where can human exploration optimize the scientific return? The workshop will be
focused on 1) keynote presentations for identifying fundamental questions for each of
these destinations, followed by 2) reports and discussion on current and future plans for
landing and sample return sites on the Moon, Mars, Venus, Phobos/Deimos
and asteroids. Invitations are extended to, and participation is expected from,
representatives from Russia, China, ESA, India, Japan, the United States, Korea,
and other space-faring nations and commercial enterprises.
The program will be a mix of invited and contributed papers and will convene on
Saturday, March 18, 2017 (1 PM-6 PM) and Sunday, March 19, 2017 (8:30 AM-12 Noon).
The Microsymposium will emphasize an open discussion format and will be
anchored by invited overviews, commentaries and posters. If you are interested in
participating in Micro 58, please register
Details and updates can be found at the Microsymposium 58
to attend the conference can register at any time, including up to the time of the
conference, but advance notice helps us to plan refreshments and seating.
Co-conveners: James Head, Carle Pieters, Maria Zuber, Lev Zelenyi, Alexander
Basilevsky, Harald Hiesinger, Long Xiao. Co-Sponsored by Brown University,
Vernadsky Institute, Institute for Space Research (IKI), and the Brown-MIT
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI-SEEED).
E) SHOCK METAMORPHISM WORKSHOP
2017 International Workshop on: Shock Metamorphism in Terrestrial and
Extra-Terrestrial Rocks will be held June 26 – July 2 in Perth,
Australia, including a field trip to the Wolfe Creek crater in Western
Australia.
We invite researchers of all backgrounds and interests in studying
shock effects in geologic media and impact-related processes in the
solar system for this four-day multi-disciplinary workshop.
Early bird registration is now open and submissions close 1st May 2017.
More info:
http://www.sserviaustralia.org/event/shock-metamorphism-in-terrestrial-and-extra-terrestrial-rocks/
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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
A) POSTDOCTORAL POSITION: INTERIOR MODELING OF ROCKY PLANETS AND SOLID EXOPLANETS
https://www.dlr.de/dlr/jobs/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10596/1003_read-20762/
This vacancy at DLR Berlin is part of a new DFG Research Unit, focusing
on the development of improved structural and thermal models of rocky
planets and solid exoplanets in close collaboration with experimental and
theoretical research groups studying matter under extreme conditions.
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