Issue 20-30, July 5, 2020
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- DECADAL SURVEY WHITE PAPERS: AIRING KEY IDEAS TO PANELS MOST IMPORTANT (BASED ON MEPAG NOTICE):
- ICARUS PUBLISHES SPECIAL ISSUE ON CASSINI SCIENCE
- FALL AGU VIRTUAL MEETING, ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS OPEN
- PDS DATA SERVICES AND USER SURVEY
- JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
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DECADAL SURVEY WHITE PAPERS: AIRING KEY IDEAS TO PANELS MOST IMPORTANT (BASED ON MEPAG NOTICE):
Some clarification regarding Decadal Survey white papers was provided during dialog
between Dr. Lori Glaze and the caucus of Analysis Group (AG) Chairs: LEAG, MAPSIT,
MEPAG, OPAG, SBAG and VEXAG.
Specifically, the clarification answers that expressed concern of many in the community regarding
how much time and effort should be put into writing white papers, and in garnering signatories.
Given the current situation with the pandemic, many community members are struggling to carve
out the time needed to craft high-quality white papers, as well as find signatories for those papers.
Dr. Glaze emphasized the importance of getting the ideas of each white paper across clearly to the
panel, rather than making the white paper a “perfect” document.
All white papers will be read, and all white papers will be considered regardless of the number
of signatures attached. Writing white papers should thus not be considered a race or a
competitive proposal, but a mechanism for airing ideas and presenting them to the panels.
We will continue to dialog with HQ and with the Decadal Survey (DS) Chairs, as this situation
develops. In the meantime, the OPAG community and the entire planetary science community
are encouraged to use the extra time the DS Chairs have extended to take some of the pressure
off yourselves. This is a stressful time for everyone, so be kind to yourselves and to others.
We will get through this together.
Sincerely,
Linda Spilker and Jeff Moore, OPAG Co-Chairs
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ICARUS PUBLISHES SPECIAL ISSUE ON CASSINI SCIENCE
This Icarus special issue [Volume 344, 1 July 2020] was dispatched to subscribers
on 26 June 2020. The issue includes 19 of the 132 presentations given at a week-long
meeting, which was held at the University of Colorado in August 2018. The Cassini
Science Symposium was the final conference sponsored by the Cassini-Huygens mission.
The papers presented dealt with phenomena revealed in the Saturn system over the 13
years that the spacecraft orbited Saturn, including the 2005 Huygens landing on Titan.
The papers in this special issue cover diverse parts of the Saturn system: Titan; Saturn;
Enceladus plumes and jets; small inner satellites; and particle sizes in Saturn’s rings.
Together, these papers sample the discoveries of the Cassini mission, the questions raised
by those discoveries and the answers provided by dedicated observations and analysis…
showcasing the multiple capabilities and synergies of the Cassini payload and science teams.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/icarus/vol/344/suppl/C
Guest Editors: Larry W Esposito, Philip D Nicholson, Linda J Spilker
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FALL AGU VIRTUAL MEETING, ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS OPEN
The American Geophysical Union Fall Virtual Meeting 2020 abstract
submission site is now open. Go to: http://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting
Abstract submission guidelines are at: http://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting/2020/Present/Abstracts
Session Viewer/Abstract submission site is at: http://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/prelim.cgi/Home/0
We will be keeping all sites updated with information regarding the virtual meeting
as the planning continues.
AGU FALL MEETING SESSION “TITAN – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS OF SATURN’S GIANT MOON”
Titan’s unique standing as the only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere
provides an environment like no other. Its complex meteorology of rainfall, wind, rivers,
lakes and seas interacting with a solid surface is reminiscent of the planets of the inner
solar system, while its icy crust and deep liquid water interior provide comparison to outer
solar system ocean worlds, such as Europa, Ganymede and Enceladus. Titan alone straddles
these diverse environments, providing a fertile natural laboratory for studying one-of-a-kind
chemistry, dynamics, geology and more. This session welcomes new results from past missions
including Voyager and Cassini-Huygens; present day modeling, observations and experiments;
and on-going scientific research to prepare for future missions including Dragonfly.
The conveners invite abstracts to be submitted through https://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting/2020/Present/Abstracts
through July 29th, and look forward to a session filled with exciting new results.
Conor Nixon, Alex Hayes, Kathy Mandt and Christophe Sotin
AGU FALL MEETING SESSION “CONCEPTS FOR FUTURE PLANETARY SCIENCE MISSIONS AND INSTRUMENTS” (E-LIGHTNING)
Today planetary science missions are exploring the solar system as never before.
NASA spacecraft are headed to targets from Mercury to the Kuiper Belt, and aiming
to return the first samples from Mars and asteroid Bennu. ESA spacecraft are reaching
new targets from Mercury to Jupiter, and a wave of other missions from countries around
the world are targeting the Moon, Mars, near-Earth asteroids and beyond, with an dizzying
array of orbiters, rovers and landers. It is an exciting, dynamic time for planetary scientists
with new opportunities to propose mission concepts ranging from small Cubesats to traditional
large missions. This session solicits interactive electronic poster (e-Lightning) presentations
on novel mission and instrument concepts designed for future planetary science missions.
Abstract submissions are encouraged on all relevant mission and instrument concepts at:
https://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting/2020/Present/Abstracts by July 29th.
We look forward to another very interesting session in December.
Conor Nixon, Morgan Cable, Charles Hibbitts, Melissa Trainer
AGU-2020 SESSION ON PLANETARY ACCRETION AND DIFFERENTIATION
We invite contributions to the session “Accretion and differentiation of rocky planets:
perspectives from geophysics, geochemistry, & astronomy” at the AGU Fall Meeting
from 7-11 December 2020, which will be at least partially virtual this year. We welcome
contributions from all disciplines to advance the understanding of the formation and
differentiation of rocky planets including, but not limited to, geochemistry, geophysics,
cosmochemistry, planetary science, and astronomy: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/prelim.cgi/Session/101356.
The AGU abstract portal is already open and the deadline for submissions is Wednesday, 29 July.
Session description: The simultaneous advent of high-resolution observations of planet-
forming disks and enhanced prospects to characterize rocky exoplanets highlights the need
for increasing interdisciplinary collaboration to understand the birth and life cycle of terrestrial
worlds in our solar system and exoplanetary systems. Therefore, this session welcomes
abstracts that address new observational, theoretical, and laboratory constraints on the
formation of Earth and other terrestrial planets in the solar system as well as in exoplanetary
systems. This includes modeling, observational, and experimental studies related to properties
of planetesimals, impacts, pebble accretion, core segregation, moon formation, crust–mantle
differentiation, atmosphere formation, or other major geophysical/geochemical processes that
fundamentally shape the evolution of rocky planetesimals and planets during their formation
and early evolution.
Conveners: Laura Schaefer (Stanford), Rebecca Fischer (Harvard), Tim Lichtenberg (Oxford)
Invited Speakers: Bethany Chidester (UC Davis), Jennifer Bergner (UChicago)
Sections: Study of Earth’s Deep Interior (primary), Mineral and Rock Physics, Planetary Science
Themes: Origin and evolution, Planetary atmospheres, Planetary interiors, Planetary Geochemistry
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PDS DATA SERVICES AND USER STUDY
The Planetary Data System (PDS) is kicking off a User Study as a
follow-on to the PDS Survey, and next steps towards our Data Services
Initiative. This Initiative and User Study are integral to enhancing
the ways that we can serve you, our planetary science community. More
specifically, we are looking for volunteers to help us get a better
understanding of our how our community currently uses the PDS, but also
how we can improve to meet your future needs. The study will include
individual interviews/discussions (~45-60 minutes), with potential
follow-ups to demo some prototypes. We are looking for folks across all
planetary science domains and experience levels including, but not
limited to: Scientists, tool developers, data providers, educators,
students, international partners, and amateur astronomers.
If you would like to help, please send an email to
[email protected] and we will reach out to plan next steps.
Thank you for helping us better understand our community and assistance
in improving the PDS.
For more technical details regarding the PDS Data Services Initiative
see our abstract: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/planetdata2019/pdf/7105.pdf
and poster: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/planetdata2019/eposter/7105.pdf
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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
A) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS
Applications are now being accepted for two postdoctoral scientists to work with
the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory in
Greenbelt, MD. The position is funded through the CRESST II.
Position 1: The postdoctoral researcher will work for either the Juno
project with the primary responsibility of conducting analysis and
publishing magnetometer results. In addition, the candidate will
assist with magnetometer data validation and calibration.
Position 2: The data scientist’s primary responsibility will be to develop
a data production pipeline for future magnetometer missions. This involves
taking raw magnetometer data, applying the appropriate transformations
and calibrations, and producing the final public data products. The data
scientist is encouraged to pursue their own research interest.
Candidates for these positions should have Ph.D. in physics, astronomy,
planetary science, space physics, geosciences, or related fields. Successful
candidates should also have expertise with one or more programming
languages commonly used in space science and a demonstrated track record
in analyzing spaceflight data, especially magnetometer data and experience
with the NAIF SPICE software package is highly desired.
Applications received by July 15, 2020 will receive the best
consideration. Link to full job posting: https://jobregister.aas.org/ad/bb0cf722
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