Newsletter 13-16

Issue 13-16, June 21, 2013

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1) NEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR PLANETARY SCIENTISTS
2) 45TH DPS MEETING : CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS
3) JULY 19, 2013: A DAY TO CELEBRATE THE PALE BLUE DOT, THE DAY THE EARTH SMILED
4) PLANETARY SCIENCES : NEWS FORUM AND SPECIAL ISSUES
5) NEW HORIZONS ENCOUNTER HAZARD UPDATE
6) HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT STUDY CALL FOR PAPERS
7) REMINDER OF DPS ELECTIONS
8) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
9) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

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NEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR PLANETARY SCIENTISTS

The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) is pleased to announce the formation of the Susan Niebur Professional Development Fund. The fund will provide financial assistance to qualifying DPS members to facilitate their attendance at the annual DPS meeting by offsetting dependent-care costs, either at the meeting location or at home during the week of the conference. In this, its inaugural year, the Susan Niebur Professional Development Fund will support Dependent Care Grants for the 45th annual meeting of the DPS in Denver, Colorado, 6-11 October 2013.

Dr. Susan (Mahan) Niebur (1973-2012) was a principal investigator, manager, and former Discovery Program Scientist at NASA Headquarters and the CEO of her own consulting firm specializing in space-science policy, the history and development of missions, and the success of women in planetary science. More importantly, Susan was a tireless supporter and strong advocate for creating professional development programming for early-career planetary scientists. It is the Division for Planetary Sciences’ hope that this new fund will provide an additional legacy for Susan’s contributions to the planetary-science community.

The initial budget for the Susan Niebur Professional Development Fund has been graciously provided by the DPS Committee; outside donations are also welcome.

More information about the new fund, including how to donate:
development/susan-niebur-professional-development-fund

Contacts:
Dr. Vishnu Reddy
DPS Press Officer
+1 808-342-8932
[email protected]

Dr. Rosaly Lopes
DPS Chair
+1 818-393-4584
[email protected]

More information about Dr. Susan Niebur:
news/susan-niebur-1973-2012

45th Annual Meeting of the DPS, 6-11 October 2013:
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) is the largest organization of professional planetary scientists in the world. The DPS was formed in 1968 as a sub-organization within the AAS and is devoted to solar system and extrasolar planet research. Today it is the largest special-interest division of the AAS.

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45TH MEETING OF THE DIVISION FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES (DPS 2013) : CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS

Denver, CO 6-11 October 2013

Details on the Denver DPS meeting are taking shape, and abstract submittal is currently open, with a deadline of July 18 9:00pm EDT for regular abstracts. See
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences for information.

See in particular http://aas.org/dps-45th-meeting/45th-dps-meeting-abstract-and-presentati… and go to:
http://abstracts.aas.org/abstract_pass/dps

DPS specifies the following regulations for submission and presentation of abstracts at a Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting:
– Any person may submit an abstract.
– Presenters must be listed as the first author on the paper.
– Presenting/first author must register for the meeting.
– Nonmembers can only present once every 10 years.
– Nonmembers are required to have a sponsor who is an active AAS Full Member or DPS Affiliate; the sponsor will be notified.

If you are planning a workshop in association with the 2013 DPS meeting in Denver, please note that June 20 was the deadline to submit your proposal if you wished it to be included as an option on the DPS Meeting Registration form. Note that workshops that have registration fees must be listed on the DPS Meeting Registration form. The proposal deadlines for other workshops are Sept. 2 (for public workshops) and Sept. 30 (for private workshops). At the website above, choose the “Submit a Workshop Proposal” button. Be certain to read the read the “Instructions, terms, and conditions” linked at top prior to submitting your workshop proposal.

We hope to see you in Denver in October! The SOC and LOC.

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JULY 19, 2013: A DAY TO CELEBRATE THE PALE BLUE DOT, THE DAY THE EARTH SMILED

Dear Colleagues,

Something great, something big, something very special that’s never happened before is about to happen!

On July 19, 2013, the Cassini spacecraft will be turned to image Saturn and its entire ring system during a total eclipse of the sun, as it has done twice before during its previous 9 years in orbit.

But this time will be very different. This time, the images to be collected will capture, in natural color, a glimpse of our own planet next to Saturn and its rings on a day that will be the first time the Earth’s inhabitants know in advance their picture will be taken from a billion miles away.

It will be a day for people all over the globe to celebrate together the extraordinary achievements in our space programs that have made such an interplanetary photo session possible. And it will be a day to celebrate life on the Pale Blue Dot.

We, the DPS membership, have much to gain by spreading word of this event as widely as possible. To this day, I meet people who don’t know we have a spacecraft in orbit around Saturn. We can change that.

Already, the BBC and PBS/Newshour have published an article I wrote calling attention to this event, for which I am very grateful:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/06/celebrating-saturn.html

Word about it, which we’re calling `The Day The Earth Smiled’, is making the rounds on Twitter, with the hashtag #DayEarthSmiled.

Here are some things that are already underway ….

. JPL is planning a ‘Wave At Saturn’ program. Information about that can be found here:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/waveatsaturn/

. With a group of advisors and the help of organizations interested in astronomy (such as Astronomers Without Borders), I will be running two contests associated with this event, hopefully to be announced early next week.

. Astronomers Without Borders has graciously volunteered to coordinate The Day The Earth Smiled events around the globe. Soon, their website — http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/ — will have information on this.

At the moment, for future information on the non-JPL activities (as well as graphics showing where Earth will be relative to Saturn and what portion of the Earth will be illuminated during the picture-taking event) you can go to:

http://ciclops.org/view_event/193/

It would be grand if others within the DPS community could make this a teachable moment for kids in their area, and maybe even some adults, and turn it into a day of interplanetary self-awareness and celebration.

And by all means, do remember to go out and smile at the appropriate time!

Best to all of you,

Carolyn Porco
Cassini Imaging Team Leader
Director, CICLOPS, Space Science Institute
Adjunct Professor, University of Colorado
Boulder, CO

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PLANETARY SCIENCES : NEWS FORUM AND SPECIAL ISSUES

A) PLANETARY NEWS — INFORMATIONAL NEWS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE COMMUNITY.
The Lunar and Planetary Institute is pleased to announce
Planetary News — informational news for the planetary science community.

www.lpi.usra.edu/planetary_news

Subscribe and opt-in to receive a weekly e-mail digest with the latest informational news from NASA, international space agencies, and other news sources.

Planetary News is an interactive forum and encourages discussion on articles. Sign in with your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, or Google account and make a comment.

Be sociable and share news stories with your colleagues on your favorite social media sites.

B) ICARUS SPECIAL ISSUE ANNOUNCEMENT: DYNAMIC MARS
We are well into the 2nd decade of continuous Mars observations that began with MGS and have continued with ODY, MEX, MRO, and our landed spacecraft. Bridged to earlier times by spacecraft observations from the 1960s onwards, and a continuous telescopic campaign, our view of Mars is now one of a planet on which surface and atmospheric changes occur at frequencies of days, years, and decades, a testament to long-term monitoring that continues to this day. At this time, it is appropriate that this record, with implications for Martian geology, climate, atmospheric dynamics, and other processes, be integrated into a journal special section, submitted to Icarus by November 15, 2013.

This special issue is for papers that:
• Include surface, sub-surface, and atmosphere observations, or model results, that are new and a unique outcome of the long-term data acquisition provided by Mars spacecraft and telescopes
• Highlight the long-term implications of processes that are observed and ongoing now
• Are not reviews of previous work, unless new conclusions are drawn

Author guidelines for preparation of manuscript can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/505620/auth…
For more information, please contact the editorial office at [email protected].

C) SPECIAL ISSUE IN PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCE : OUTER PLANETS SYSTEMS

We invite colleagues who have recently given a presentation or plan to give one concerning outer planets and their systems at one of the 2013 Planetary meetings (EGU, EPSC, AOGS, etc), to submit a paper in a new special issue of Planetary and Space Science on the subject of the sessions : ” Atmospheres, Magnetospheres and Surfaces of the outer planets, their satellites and ring systems: Part X “.

All papers presented in these meetings (solicited, contributed oral and posters) and concerning results on the outer planets and their systems, as well as laboratory or modelling work for the analysis of such data, are welcome to an article in this issue of PSS. In particular, we welcome papers from presentations at the upcoming Uranus Workshop in Paris, France and other such workshops.

We will send out further information when the system is open for submissions in a few days at the Elsevier web site. The usual refereeing process is applied for publication in PSS. The deadline for submission of the manuscripts for this issue will be end of November 2013.

AS A FIRST STEP WE ASK FOR AN INDICATION OF INTEREST FROM THE AUTHORS SO AS TO KNOW HOW MANY PAPERS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, PREFERABLY BY END OF JULY 2013 OR BEFORE. SEND AN E-MAIL TO THE EDITORS HEREAFTER.

The Editors:
Athena Coustenis ([email protected])
Sushil Atreya ([email protected])
Julie Castillo ([email protected])
Patrice Coll ([email protected])
Ingo Müller-Wodarg ([email protected])
Linda Spilker ([email protected])

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NEW HORIZONS ENCOUNTER HAZARD UPDATE
Alan Stern (SwRI) & Hal Weaver (JHU/APL)

The New Horizons Project recently completed a 1.5-year study of the potential dust impact hazard from small-satellite-generated debris as the spacecraft flies through the Pluto system in July 2015.

This study concluded that the probability of a mission-ending dust impact is <0.3% if the spacecraft follows the current baseline plan, far below some early, more conservative estimates. Thus, the expectation is that the NH spacecraft will follow this baseline plan, with a close approach of ~12,500 km from the surface of Pluto.

However, two alternative plans (called SHBOTs, for Safe Haven By Other Trajectories) are also being developed to mitigate the (however-unlikely) possibility that new knowledge (e.g., from NH observations during the approach to Pluto, from new dynamical analyses, or from other non-NH observations) indicates the hazard risk is greater than predicted.

One plan, GIS (Generic Inner SHBOT), has essentially the same trajectory as the baseline (i.e., a closest approach distance from Pluto of ~12,500 km), but with the spacecraft turned so that the antenna faces the incoming dust particles (“Antenna-To-Ram”, or ATR), thereby protecting the spacecraft underneath. The other plan, DIS (Deep Inner SHBOT), would also use ATR attitude as protection, but would additionally divert the trajectory to within ~3000 km of Pluto’s surface, where atmospheric drag removes dust on very short timescales.

Further discussion of the impact hazard study and the SHBOTs is provided at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/overview/piPerspective.php

The NH Project presented the results of this impact hazard study, and this mitigation plan, to an independent NASA review panel and to the NASA SMD Program Management Council (PMC). Both of these groups endorsed the plan.

The NH Project is now moving forward to finalize the Encounter plans for 2015.

An in-flight rehearsal of the most critical 9-day portion of the baseline Encounter plan is taking place in early-July 2013.

The NH spacecraft remains on target for a close approach to Pluto in 2015, all subsystems are performing nominally, and the anticipated science observations promise to revolutionize our understanding of dwarf planets and the Kuiper belt.

The NH mission and its planned scientific returns will be presented and discussed, as will pre-encounter scientific predictions, at a scientific conference July 22-26, 2016 at APL in Laurel, MD, where the entire planetary community is invited to share their predictions for what can be expected during this first in situ exploration of the Solar System’s third zone. More on and registration information can be found at: http://plutoscience.jhuapl.edu

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HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT STUDY CALL FOR PAPERS

The National Research Council’s (National Academies) Committee on Human Spaceflight has recently released a call for short input papers on the role and future of human spaceflight. This opportunity, which has a deadline of July 9, 2013, may be of interest to members of the various space science disciplines such as planetary science. We would welcome your letting your readers know about this opportunity to provide inputs and perspectives to our study committee. This request for input papers is open to any and all interested individuals and groups. For more information on the committee and the goals of the study, please see the statement of task at http://www.nationalacademies.org/humanspaceflight.

The Committee on Human Spaceflight invites interested individuals and groups to submit input papers describing their own ideas on the role of human spaceflight and their vision for a suggested future. In developing their papers, respondents are asked to carefully consider the following broad questions.
1. What are the important benefits provided to the United States and other countries by human spaceflight endeavors?
2. What are the greatest challenges to sustaining a U.S. government program in human spaceflight?
3. What are the ramifications and what would the nation and world lose if the United States terminated NASA’s human spaceflight program?
This request for input papers is open to any and all interested individuals and groups. For more information on the committee and the goals of the study, please see the statement of task at http://www.nationalacademies.org/humanspaceflight.

Submissions must be made through http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/ASEB/DEPS_083343
by no later than July 9, 2013.
All submitted white papers will be made public.

Contact
Sandra J. Graham, Ph.D.
Study Director
Space Studies Board
National Research Council
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202)334-3477

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REMINDER OF DPS ELECTIONS

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE !!
The 2013 election for DPS Vice-Chair and Committee is now open, and will close on July 31st 2013.

To vote, go to
http://aas.org/vote/

You will need your AAS member login ID (which defaults to your membership number), and your password. If you haven’t registered to or renewed your DPS membership recently, you are getting this e-mail because we are using large recent DPS lists, but you may actually not be an active member anymore… So, please take a moment to check your status now and renew if you haven’t done so already. This will allow you to vote and benefit from all membership advantages.

And if you haven’t already done so, renew online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging into your membership record. You must have your login and password information.
Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

If you have any problems, and for general replies, or if you are a special status (affiliate, etc) write to or call :
Faye Peterson
Director of Membership Services
[email protected]
202.328.2010, extension 109
202.234.2560, fax

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JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) LECTURER IN PLANETARY PHYSICS AT IMPERIAL COLLEGE, LONDON

This is a three year, fixed term appointment at Lecturer Level, based in the Space and Atmospheric Physics Group in the Department of Physics.

Following the recent award of the magnetometer Principal Investigator role on the JUICE mission to SPAT and our continued success within the Cassini magnetometer PI team within the group, the goal of this post is to consolidate the group’s expertise in Planetary Physics. The group’s high profile instrument building role in space and planetary missions over the last 50 years has been driven by the cutting edge science activities within the group. The recent focus on magnetic field observations at Saturn via Cassini has examined magnetospheric dynamics, the planetary internal magnetic field and the moon-magnetosphere interactions. This research links well into the goals of the JUICE mission to the Jupiter system.

The successful candidate will be expected to support and lead high profile research in the areas of planetary magnetospheres, internal planetary fields and moon-plasma interactions as well as identify opportunities for future involvement in space and planetary missions through the ESA programme, bilateral missions and other opportunities. The candidate will have a 30% teaching load, to allow them the opportunity to focus on research and potential funding opportunities. The post is central to the SPAT group’s programme of planetary research and will strengthen and expand that within the Department of Physics.

For further information visit http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/employment and enter “Planetary Physics” or Reference Number NS2013077SC as the “keyword” on the Job Search page.

Informal enquiries should be addressed to Prof. Michele Dougherty, Planetary Lead ([email protected]) or Prof. Steve Schwartz, Head of Space and Atmospheric Physics ([email protected]). Application queries should be addressed to the Space & Atmospheric Physics Admin Office ([email protected]).

Closing date: 22 July 2013

Contact : Prof. Michele K. Dougherty FRS
Space and Atmospheric Physics
Imperial College London
SW7 2AZ, UK
+44-207-5947757
[email protected]

B) NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research at NASA Centers. Each NPP fellowship opportunity is designed to advance NASA research in a specific project related to space science, earth science, aeronautics, exploration systems, lunar science, astrobiology, or astrophysics.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. U. S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply.

Stipends start at $53,500 per year, with supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $8,000 per year is provided for professional travel.

Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.

For further information and to apply, visit:
http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm

Questions may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected]

C) OSTP STUDENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is currently accepting applications for its Fall 2013 Student Volunteer Program. Deadline: 28 June 2013.

http://aas.org/posts/opportunity/2013/06/applications-welcome-ostp-stude…

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UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) ANALOG SITES FOR MARS MISSIONS II: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE MISSIONS TO MARS

Abstract submission is now open for the Workshop on Analog Sites for Mars Missions II. The workshop will be held on August 5–7, 2013, at the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Washington, D.C. The organizers invite submission of abstracts that are discussing terrestrial analog research relevant to astrobiology or geological processes on Mars. Abstracts discussing field instrument testing in terrestrial analog environments are also welcome.

The Abstract Deadline is Tuesday, June 25, 2013, 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time (GMT -5)

For more information visit http://planetsonearth.com/

B) COMET ISON OBSERVER’S WORKSHOP
Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite you to the Comet ISON Observer’s Workshop. In order to facilitate the maximal observing of ISON, we will be holding a 2- day pre-encounter workshop at JHU/APL on 1-2 August 2013. The meeting’s overarching goal is to maximize the scientific return from ISON’s 2013 apparition. Confirmed speakers to date include Fast, Green, and Johnson of NASA HQ and Schrijver, Feaga, Fernandez, Knight, Lisse, and Wooden of our comet community.

All interested parties are welcome to attend and discuss their observing plans and needs, and what is currently known about the comet. The format of the meeting will maximize group discussion and communication. There is no cost for attending this meeting, and a light breakfast and afternoon snacks will be served. Pre-registration using the Registration page linked to https://dnnpro.outer.jhuapl.edu/isonworkshop/Home.aspx is required for attendance. Nearby hotels and restaurants are listed on the linked Lodging and Accommodations page.

We look forward to seeing you at a lively and informative meeting. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email.

– Carey Lisse + the NASA Comet ISON Observing Campaign (CIOC) Team

C) 4TH PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM MEETING
The 4th Planetary Crater Consortium meeting will be held August 14-16, 2013, at the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff, AZ. The Planetary Crater Consortium is open to planetary scientists interested in any aspect of impact cratering on solar system bodies, including observational, theoretical, experimental, and numerical studies. The meeting is a combination of invited talks, contributed talks, and open discussion. Abstract deadline is Friday, July 26, 2013. For more information, see www.planetarycraterconsortium.nau.edu/ or contact Nadine Barlow ([email protected]).

D) OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG) MEETING DATES ANNOUNCED
Dates for the next OPAG meeting have been confirmed.
The meeting will be held July 15–16, 2013, in the Washington, DC, area.

When more details are available, they will be posted on the OPAG website:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/

E) GSA 2013 OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM SATELLITES COMPANION SESSIONS
We call to your attention two companion planetary science sessions at the annual Geological Society of America meeting held Oct 27-30 in Denver, CO focusing on studies related to the outer solar system satellites.

T9: “Outer Satellite Exploration: The Next 50 Years”. This session will discuss current paradigms and unanswered fundamental questions about outer planet satellites that will be important considerations in future outer solar system exploration, and mission and instrument concepts that address them.

T12: “Voyager to New Horizons: Exploring Surface and Interior Processes of Icy Worlds”. This session will highlight surface and tectonic processes, interiors, and the thermal evolution of icy satellites, KBOs, and planetary analogs. We encourage experimental and theoretical modeling studies, as well as observational approaches to address current scientific objectives.

Additional information about the GSA meeting can be found at:

http://community.geosociety.org/2013AnnualMeeting/Home/

To submit an abstract to either session please visit (Submission Deadline August 6th, 11:59pm PST):

https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/cfp.epl

Questions about session T9 should be directed to David Williams
([email protected]), and for session T12 should be directed
to Emily Martin ([email protected]).

F) AGU FALL MEETING
San Francisco, CA, December 9–13, 2013.

– SPECIAL SESSION P018: MERCURY AFTER TWO YEARS OF MESSENGER ORBITAL OBSERVATIONS

After two full years of orbital observations of Mercury, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft began its Second Extended Mission in March. The Second Extended Mission is addressing Mercury’s surprising volatile inventory, exploring newly revealed aspects of the planet’s geological evolution, and witnessing the dynamic response of Mercury’s exosphere and magnetosphere to the peak and early waning phases of solar activity. This session will highlight the latest results on Mercury from MESSENGER orbital observations and welcomes contributed papers on future mission opportunities, complementary ground-based observations, laboratory measurements, and theoretical developments relevant to planetary processes at Mercury.

Please consider submitting an abstract for this session. For more information, visit: https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/scientific-program/session-search/sessi…

The submission deadline is August 6, 2013.

Conveners:
Paul Byrne (Carnegie Institution of Washington)
Sean Solomon (Columbia University)
Larry Nittler (Carnegie Institution of Washington)

We look forward to seeing you in San Francisco.

– SPECIAL SESSION: P008. ENCELADUS: LITTLE MOON, BIG POSSIBILITIES

With towering jets of icy particles and organic compounds deriving from a salty, subsurface sea, Enceladus likely offers the most accessible extraterrestrial habitable zone in our solar system. In this special session, now in its 8th year, we will focus on those topics relating to the origin and state of the moon’s geologically active south polar terrain (SPT). These include observational, theoretical and modeling investigations of the composition, state, and dynamics of Enceladus’ jets and plume, its thermal and interior state and evolution, and the geomorphology of the SPT and similar provinces. We also welcome studies addressing future spaceflight missions and the moon’s potential for biological activity.

Abstract deadline: August 6, 2013, 23:59ET/3:59+1 GMT

CURRENT SECTION/FOCUS GROUP: Earth and Planetary Surface Processes (EP)
CO-SPONSORING SECTION(S): Biogeosciences (B)

Also:
. All accepted sessions will be available to search on the meeting website the week of 17 June.

. The abstract submission site will open the week of 17 June. The deadline for all submissions is 6 August 23:59 EDT/03:59 +1 GMT. There can be no exceptions.

Conveners: Chris McKay, NASA, Moffett Field, CA, United States.
Carolyn Porco, Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, United States.

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Newsletter 13-15

Issue 13-15, June 10, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) 45TH DPS MEETING : CALL FOR PAPERS
2) PLEASE CHECK YOUR DPS MEMBERSHIP AND REMEMBER TO VOTE !
3) INVITATION TO THE MAVEN LAUNCH
4) ACS ASTROCHEMISTRY SUBDIVISION OPENS UP AFFILIATE STATUS FOR AAS AND DPS MEMBERS
5) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
6) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

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45TH MEETING OF THE DIVISION FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES (DPS 2013) : CALL FOR PAPERS

Denver, CO, 6-11 October 2013

Abstract submissions are now open for the 2013 DPS meeting, which will be held in Denver on October 6-11th.
See http://aas.org/dps-45th-meeting/45th-dps-meeting-abstract-and-presentati… and go to:
http://abstracts.aas.org/abstract_pass/dps
The deadline for regular abstracts will be 9:00pm EDT on July 18th.

This year, as an experiment, the DPS is offering extended time slots for talks by PhD students whose dissertation is almost complete, or those who have graduated since the last DPS meeting, to present thesis results. Time slots for PhD talks will be 15 minutes long, rather than the usual 10 minutes. Normal speaker rules apply, and there will be a lifetime limit of one such talk per person. Select the appropriate checkbox to take advantage of this opportunity.

Note that the AAS Historical Astronomy Division will be meeting in conjunction with the DPS and will use the same abstract submission system- be sure to select “Regular Abstract Submission” to submit a contributed abstract to the DPS meeting.

Other meeting details are at http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

We hope to see you in Denver in October! The SOC and LOC.

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PLEASE CHECK YOUR DPS MEMBERSHIP AND REMEMBER TO VOTE !

Please, if you haven’t already done so, renew online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging into your membership record. You must have your login and password information.
Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

ALSO, PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE !!
The 2013 election for DPS Vice-Chair and Committee is now open, and will close on July 31st 2013.

To vote, go to
http://aas.org/vote/

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INVITATION TO THE MAVEN LAUNCH

Members of the Division for Planetary Sciences are cordially invited to the launch of the MAVEN mission to Mars from Kennedy Space Center. The launch period begins Nov. 18, 2013, ten days before Thanksgiving. To begin the process of receiving the formal invitation form NASA, please read the extended information at http://lasp.colorado.edu/maveninvite/signupform/ and enter the required information for your group. (The form itself is accessed at the bottom of the last tab at this website.) Each DPS member may bring up to five additional people. When completing the form, be sure to (1) enter Nick Schneider as your sponsor, (2) enter DPS as the sponsor connection and (3) use the same email address at which you received this message. Note that foreign nationals (including green card holders) are welcome at the launch but may not use the same signup form – please inquire via the email listed below. Launch guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and expenses. Note that there is a hard deadline of 15 July for submitting your information.

MAVEN stands for The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission which will explore Mars’ climate history by studying the planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind.
For more information, see http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/ .
For more information about the launch, please carefully review the website above, then contact nick.schneider at lasp.colorado.edu.

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ACS ASTROCHEMISTRY SUBDIVISION OPENS UP AFFILIATE STATUS FOR AAS AND DPS MEMBERS

The recently established Astrochemistry Subdivision of the Division of Physical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (ACS) invites members of the American Astronomical Society and the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences to join the ACS Astrochemistry Subdivision
http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/Bil301/ACSAstrochemistryjoin.html

as an Affiliate Member., see :
https://aas.org/posts/news/2013/05/acs-astrochemistry-subdivision-opens-…

Please complete a division application form at:
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/membership/td/join/CTP_004160

and email or fax (614-447-3671) it to ACS Member Services. Note that the PHYS annual membership dues are $15, which should be remitted with the form. Please indicate that you would like to join the Astrochemistry Subdivision.

The Astrochemistry Subdivision provides an interdisciplinary “home” for individuals interested in astrochemically related research via experiments, theory, observations, space missions, and modeling. Astrochemistry is the study of the abundances and chemical reactions of atoms, molecules, and ions and how they interact with radiation in the gas phase and in the condensed phase in solar systems and in the interstellar medium (ISM) leading to the formation and breaking of chemical bonds. Astrochemistry presents both an interdisciplinary and a multidisciplinary field with ties to the traditional disciplines chemistry, planetary science, chemical biology, physics, and astronomy.

Here chemistry, defined as the change of matter, is vital in unraveling the chemical and astrobiological evolution of matter on the microscopic (elementary chemical reactions) and macroscopic (planets, moons, interstellar medium) levels. Since the present composition of each macroscopic environment reflects the matter from which it was formed and the chemical processes that have changed the chemical nature since the origin, a detailed investigation of the processes altering the chemical composition of the pristine environment is critical to rationalize its contemporary makeup and to understand its origin and chemistry. Astrochemistry exploits molecular tracers to rationalize the origin and chemical evolution of the interstellar medium and of solar systems by combining laboratory studies (chemical dynamics and kinetics, spectroscopy), theoretical chemistry, astrochemical modeling, astronomical observations, and space missions. This work requires a concerted interdisciplinary relationship between chemists, physicists, astronomers, chemical biologists, and planetary scientists.

We would also like to thank those of you who supported the establishment of the Astrochemistry Subdivision! We hope that this creates a thriving Astrochemistry Subdivision that is able to serve the community.

Ralf-Ingo Kaiser, PhD

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5
JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) PERMANENT JOB RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT NASA GODDARD

NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. Permanent
position. The Science and Exploration Directorate, Solar System
Exploration Division (SSED), Planetary Systems Laboratory, is seeking
a research scientist to provide expertise in spectroscopic study of
small solar system bodies and planetary atmospheres. Studies include:

1) High resolution infrared spectroscopic characterization of comets,
asteroids, and planetary atmospheres.
2) Development of LTE/non-LTE radiative transfer models capable of
interpreting high resolution infrared spectra of small bodies,
planets and exoplanets
3) Development of quantum-mechanical models of polyatomic molecules
of astrobiological interest.
4) utilization of 3-D general circulation models of planetary
atmospheres to understand transport of trace species detectable
with high resolution infrared spectroscopy.

Candidates must have research experience in planetary atmospheric
science and surface composition; infrared spectroscopic observation,
analysis, and data reduction; and radiative transfer and atmospheric
modeling. U.S. citizenship required. To view the full vacancy
announcement go to:

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/344238800

Applications must be received by June 28, 2013. For information
about the research program and the Planetary Systems Lab, contact
Keith Noll, Chief, Lab Chief, at 301-614-5968, or by e-mail at
[email protected].
NASA, GSFC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

[From PEN. Edited for length.]

B) NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers scientists and engineers
unique opportunities to conduct research at NASA Centers. Each NPP
fellowship opportunity is designed to advance NASA research in a
specific project related to space science, earth science, aeronautics,
exploration systems, lunar science, astrobiology, or astrophysics.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before
beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree
requirements. U. S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign
nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply.

Stipends start at $53,500 per year, with supplements for high cost-of
-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial
assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $8,000
per year is provided for professional travel.

Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and
November 1.

For further information and to apply, visit:

http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm

Questions may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected]

C) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER, PLANETARY SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

The Earth and Planetary Sciences Department at the University of
Tennessee invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in
planetary remote sensing. Research will focus on thermal modeling of
asteroid regoliths in support of the NASA-funded OSIRIS-REx sample
return mission. Specific tasks will include assisting in the
development and testing of an asteroid thermal emission model to be
used by the mission as well as analysis of existing thermal data of
analog asteroids. Experience with numerical modeling is required.
Candidates must have a PhD in the physical sciences (planetary
science, geology, astronomy, physics, or related fields).

The initial appointment is for one year, but the appointment is
renewable for an additional year. Review of applications will begin
July 1, 2013, and the position will remain open until filled. The
expected start date is October 1, 2013.

Applicants should submit (electronic submission is preferred) resume,
statement of research experience and interests, and letters of
recommendation from three references to Prof. Joshua Emery
([email protected]), Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996. UTK is a EEO/AA/Title
IX/Section 504/ADA employer.

D) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN PLANETARY MAPPING AND IMPACT STUDIES: LUNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE

Universities Space Research Association (USRA) invites applications
for a postdoctoral fellowship in planetary science in Houston, Texas.

The candidate will work with Dr. Paul Schenk, investigating the impact
crater shapes and distributions on icy satellites, including Enceladus,
using the entire Cassini image library, and supplementary stereo and
shape-from-shading techniques (although experience in these tools is
not required). The candidate will also be expected to develop their
own research projects using this data.

Candidate must have a recent Ph.D. in geology or geophysics and have
a strong background in remote sensing/image processing of spacecraft
data, and preferably experience in geophysical or mapping
investigations. The position is generally for two years, with a
possible extension to three years. Apply to the posting at:

https://usracareers.silkroad.com/

Include a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with a list of
publications, a brief statement of research interests, and a list
of three references. Review of candidates begins August 1, 2013,
with a hiring decision, as soon as possible thereafter.
Information on current research and facilities at the LPI is found
on our website:

www.lpi.usra.edu

E) POSTDOC AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCHING PLUTO’S EXTENDED ATMOSPHERE

The University of Texas Center for Aeromechanics Research has a
postdoctoral research position available to develop a three dimensional
DSMC simulation of Pluto’s extended atmosphere in anticipation of the
New Horizons arrival.

A researcher in the field of planetary atmospheres with a background
in programming and outer solar system physics is desired. Knowledge of
the direct simulation Monte Carlo method or related stochastic
modeling would be very helpful.

Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant discipline and a strong
interest in upper atmospheric physics. Position is available
immediately.

Initial appointment is for one year but is renewable for an additional
year. To apply, please contact Prof. David Goldstein at
david(at)ices.utexas.edu.

F) POST-DOC AT INAF-OSSERVATORIO ASTRONOMICO IN PALERMO, ITALY

INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo is offering a post-doc position on “Planet Search around low-mass stars”.
Applications must be received by 30 June 2013. Starting date is 1 September 2013.

Any questions may be addressed to: [email protected]

G) PHYSICS INSTRUCTOR POSITION, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

The Department of Physics & Astronomy at Northern Arizona University
invites applications for a non-tenure track, one-year Physics
Instructor position for the 2013-2014 academic year. Applicant must
be able to begin work, with all degrees completed, on 19 August 2013.
The position may be renewable for a second year contingent on
satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

The minimum requirements for this position are: a Master’s degree in
physics or a closely related field.

The preferred qualifications are: a strong academic record and the
ability to teach a wide variety of lower-division courses; experience
teaching physics courses at the college level; evidence of high
quality teaching and commitment to student success; strong
communication skills; the experience and/or commitment necessary to
work with a diverse population.

For full position announcement, please see:

http://hr.nau.edu/node/2796&job_req=600330

NAU is an AA/EEO/MWDV employer.

H) JAXA INTERNATIONAL TOP YOUNG FELLOWSHIP

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) International Top Young
Fellowship (ITYF) was established as a prestigious new fellowship
program in 2009. The ITYF is designed to attract outstanding, highly
motivated, early-career researchers in any of the space science fields
covered by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) to
work in Japan for 3 (extendable to 5) years. An excellent remuneration
package is offered, including research budget (including travel
expense) so that the fellow can extend their international profile, as
well as developing collaborations within Japan.

The most recent call for JAXA International Top Young Fellowship
applications, for FY2013, has been issued.
The application deadline is 31 August 2013. Please see the below the
link for further details.

http://www.jaxa.jp/employ/index_e.html

Please feel free to forward this information to those who might be
interested in it.

Masaki Fujimoto
ISAS, JAXA

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6
UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) SOLAR SYSTEM FORMATION AND OBSERVATION CONFERENCE : REGISTRATION DEADLINE TODAY !!

This is a reminder that the abstract deadline for the SFO – Solar System Formation and Observation Conference, to be held in Bern from 21- 23 October 2013, will close in 10 days (Friday, 14th of June, 2013).

The SFO conference will address the topics of how our solar system formed and how different regions are investigated by instruments onboard space missions. Five invited speakers will give a review talk each as an introduction to one of the five sessions that will take place. The program will be complemented by presentations (oral and poster) from the participants. Therefore we encourage the submission of abstracts about the mentioned topics and related ones.

With this conference we would like to address PhD students and young researchers, their supervisors as well as senior scientists. For PhD students and young researchers the SFO conference offers the nice possibility to present the own research project and work to an audience of specialists and colleagues from related subjects.

Participants shall register on www.sfo.unibe.ch not later than 31st of August, 2013. The conference fee is 200,- CHF (~160 €) and includes the participation in all sessions, a conference dinner on the second evening and all conference materials. Abstract submission is possible until 14th of June, 2013.

On behalf of the SFO organizing committee,
Susanne Finklenburg

B) CROSSING THE BOUNDARIES IN PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES: FROM EARTH TO EXOPLANETS : DEADLINE COMING UP SOON

REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Information regarding registration and housing for the Chapman Conference on Crossing the Boundaries in Planetary Atmospheres: From Earth to Exoplanets.

Registration Deadline: 12 June 2013

Housing Deadline: 22 May 2013

http://chapman.agu.org/planetaryatmospheres/my-meeting/

Select your arrival and departure dates
Choose ‘Group‘ from the Partner/Group Rates dropdown
Enter group code, AGU622, in the ‘Code’ field.

C) TARGET NEO 2 WORKSHOP – UPDATE
July 9, 2013
National Academy of Sciences Bldg. 2101 Constitution Ave, NW,
Washington, DC from 8 AM – 6 PM

Registration (free) and information:

http://targetneo.jhuapl.edu

This follow-up to the highly successful Target NEO Workshop, held in
February 2011, supports the development of a robust human exploration
program by ensuring that the technical viewpoints of experts pertinent
to robotic and human NEO exploration are provided and documented.

Key Questions: What are the technical challenges involved and what new
capabilities are needed for the newly proposed Asteroid Retrieval
Mission (ARM)? Are there any alternative approaches? What technical
information is still needed to support and sustain a robust human
explortion program to a NEO?

Outcome: Public Report

Session Descriptions:
Update to Flexible Path Architecture (Asteroid First)
The Small (< 10 m) NEA Population
Finding Small NEAs: Current Capabilities and Gaps
Small NEA Mission Design Challenges
Technical Value of ARM – Panel Discussion

D) URANUS BEYOND VOYAGER 2
International conference: “Uranus beyond Voyager 2 : from recent advances to future missions”. Paris from 16 to 18 September 2013.

In the frame of the rising interest of the community for Uranus and its environment, we are glad to announce an international conference on “Uranus beyond Voyager 2 : from recent advances to future missions”. The meeting will be hold from 16 to 18 September 2013 at the Observatory of Paris (Meudon, France), immediately after the EPSC meeting (the week before in London, UK) to facilitate travels.

The meeting will be organized along eight sessions adressing the various aspects of the study and the exploration of this planetary system, with ample time for presentations and discussions. A preliminary program, including invited presentations, will be posted soon. We warmly welcome contributions to these sessions *** by 15 June 2013 ***.

More details can be found on the webpage : http://uranus.sciencesconf.org

Laurent Lamy on behalf of the organizing committee

E) 4TH PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM MEETING
The 4th Planetary Crater Consortium meeting will be held August 14-16, 2013, at the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff, AZ. The Planetary Crater Consortium is open to planetary scientists interested in any aspect of impact cratering on solar system bodies, including observational, theoretical, experimental, and numerical studies. The meeting is a combination of invited talks, contributed talks, and open discussion. Abstract deadline is Friday, July 26, 2013. For more information, see www.planetarycraterconsortium.nau.edu/ or contact Nadine Barlow ([email protected]).

F) OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG) MEETING DATES ANNOUNCED
Dates for the next OPAG meeting have been confirmed.
The meeting will be held July 15–16, 2013, in the Washington, DC, area.

When more details are available, they will be posted on the OPAG website:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/

G) HAYABUSA 2013: SYMPOSIUM OF SOLAR SYSTEM MATERIALS
Date: 16-18 Oct., 2013
Place: Sagamihara Campus of JAXA, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, JAPAN

We would like to announce that the international workshop entitled “Hayabusa 2013: Symposium of Solar System Materials” will be held on 16-18 October, 2013, at ISAS, JAXA (Sagamihara, Japan). Since the return of samples from Itokawa by Hayabusa in 2010, the initial analyses followed by studies selected in the 1st International AO have been performed. Now is the right time to review these results as a whole. Furthermore, multiple asteroid sample return missions are in progress, and the analysis of returned samples has become one of the key components of planetary science. Now is the right time to set a perspective on the driving force that returned samples will give to the future of solar system science. It is in this spirit that the workshop “Hayabusa 2013: Symposium of Solar System Materials” is designed.

We especially welcome presentations on the following topics:
– Hayabusa sample analysis results
– Solar system science via sample return missions
– New techniques in solar system sample analysis
– New ideas on the origin and evolution of the solar system

There will be no registration fee for this workshop. Please go to http://hayabusaao.isas.jaxa.jp/symposium/
for more details. Please note that the web-page will be updated frequently.

Point of Contact:
[email protected]

H) INTERNATIONAL METEOR CONFERENCE 2012 AUGUST 22-25, POZNAŃ, POLAND

The 2013 International Meteor Conference will be held in Poznań, the capital of the western Poland. This conference will be organized by the Polish Comets and Meteors Workshop (CMW/PKiM) and will take place from 2013 August 22–25. This IMC will be closely connected with Meteoroids 2013 Conference organized a few days later in the same city. Such location of the IMC will help both amateurs and professionals to meet and exchange their scientific results. There are many traveling possibilities to reach Poznań; the city is very easy reachable for all European participants.
Participants will be accommodated in the IOR Congress Center, the modern hotel, conference and restaurant all-in-one facility. During the weekend the IMC participant will visit the Morasko Reservoir – a group of the large meteorite impact craters located north of Poznań and the meteorites exhibition with largest, 178 kg piece of Morasko meteorite, found in 2006.
IMC 2013 registration fee is €150 before 31 May 2013 and €165 after this date. Participants will be accommodated in double rooms. The registration deadline is 2013 July 31. The LOC can be contacted via email on [email protected]. This is the second time the IMC is organized in Poland. The previous was a successful IMC 2002 in Frombork. Hope to see you next time in Poland!

I) EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS (EPSC 2013)
We would like to inform you that the online pre-registration for the European Planetary Science Congress 2013 from 08 to 13 September in London, United Kingdom, has started.

You will be able to register at Early Registration Rates until 31 July 2013.
Please note that bank transfer payments for registrations are only possible up to this date. As of 01 August 2013, pre-registration at late registration rates will only be possible by credit card payment.
On-site registrations are of course possible by credit card or cash payment. However, please consider that cash payments can only be handled in Euros (not in GBP).

Detailed registration information can be found at:

http://www.epsc2013.eu/registration.html

Moreover, we would also like to draw your attention to the Social Event taking place on Wednesday, 11 September 2013.

Detailed information about the Social Event can be found at:

http://www.epsc2013.eu/social_event.html

Places for the Social Event are strictly limited, we therefore encourage you to book your place as soon as possible.

Please log in with your Copernicus Office User ID and password in order to process your Conference and/or Social Event registration.

J) GSA 2013 OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM SATELLITES COMPANION SESSIONS
We call to your attention two companion planetary science sessions at
the annual Geological Society of America meeting held Oct 27-30 in
Denver, CO focusing on studies related to the outer solar system
satellites.

T9: “Outer Satellite Exploration: The Next 50 Years”. This session
will discuss current paradigms and unanswered fundamental questions
about outer planet satellites that will be important considerations
in future outer solar system exploration, and mission and instrument
concepts that address them.

T12: “Voyager to New Horizons: Exploring Surface and Interior
Processes of Icy Worlds”. This session will highlight surface and
tectonic processes, interiors, and the thermal evolution of icy
satellites, KBOs, and planetary analogs. We encourage experimental
and theoretical modeling studies, as well as observational approaches
to address current scientific objectives.

Additional information about the GSA meeting can be found at:

http://community.geosociety.org/2013AnnualMeeting/Home/

To submit an abstract to either session please visit (Submission
Deadline August 6th, 11:59pm PST):

https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/cfp.epl

Questions about session T9 should be directed to David Williams
([email protected]), and for session T12 should be directed
to Emily Martin ([email protected]).

———————————+

Newsletter 13-14

Issue13-14, May 31st 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) DPS ELECTIONS 2013: PROCEDURE AND HOW TO VOTE
2) CANDIDATES BIOS AND STATEMENTS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
2013 DPS ELECTIONS : PROCEDURE

The 2013 election for DPS Vice-Chair and Committee is now open, and will close on July 31st 2013.

To vote, go to

http://aas.org/vote/

You should vote for one of the three candidates for Vice-Chair:
o Bonnie Buratti, JPL
o Torrence Johnson, JPL
o Carey Lisse, JHUAP

The elected Vice-Chair will take his/her functions in October 2013 and will become the DPS Chair in October 2014.

You should also vote for two of the four candidates for DPS Committee:
o Julie Castillo, JPL
o Ben Greenhagen, JPL
o Jani Radebaugh, BYU Geological
o Tom Spilker, Solar System Science & Exploration consulting firm

The successful candidates will serve on the committee for three years after October 2013.

The detailed vitae and position statements for each of the candidates follow. This information is also linked from the main election page,
http://aas.org/vote/

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
CANDIDATES BIOS AND STATEMENTS

Candidates biographical notes and statements follow in alphabetical order.

CANDIDATES FOR VICE-CHAIR (Vote for 1)

a) BONNIE J. BURATTI: VICE CHAIR

Bio/CV : Buratti

Education:
– Ph. D. Cornell University, Astronomy and Space Sciences, 1983
– M. Sc. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1976

Career:
– Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Senior Research Scientist and Group Supervisor, 1983-present
– Pomona College, Visiting Professor of Astronomy, 2001-2004
– American Science and Engineering (Cambridge, MA), Associate Scientist, 1974-1977
– Maria Mitchell Observatory Summer Student, 1973
– Strassenburgh Planetarium Intern, 1977

Selected honors, awards, and NASA mission selections:
– NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, 2006
– NASA Group Achievement Awards: over a dozen
– Asteroid 90502 Buratti
– JPL Nova Award for workshop ìTeachers Touch the Skyî and other outreach activities, 1998
– Amer. Assoc. of University Women, Pasadena-Arcadia Chapter, Woman of the Year, 1998
– NASA selections for Science Teams: Mars Observer, Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby, Clementine, Deep Space 1, Cassini, New Horizons, Moon Multispectral Mapper, and Dawn (Participating Scientist)
– Lew Allen Award for Research Achievement, 1989

DPS service:
– DPS Nominations Committee, 1992-1994
– DPS Committee, 1996-1998
– DPS Meeting Scientific Program Committee, 2010-2011
– Icarus, Editorial Board, 2011-2014

Selected other community service:
– AGU Secretary, Planetology Section, 1992-1994
– Program Chair, Planetology, AGU Fall Meetings, 1992-1994
– Associate Editor, Reviews of Geophysics, 1994-1997
– NASA and NSF Review Panels: over 20 (some chaired)
– JPL Speakers Bureau: over 100 talks given
– ‘Teachers Touch the Sky’ weeklong teachers’ workshop, 1992-2013
– COMPLEX, 2006-2008
– NASA Enceladus Flagship Science Definition Team, 2008-2009

Statement : Buratti

During the past two decades, the DPS has successfully met two great challenges: the passing of our leadership onto the next generation, and the incorporation of the international planetary community into our organization. Under the current crisis in funding for planetary sciences, with the great bulk of NASA’s science funding going to the James Webb Telescope, we face even greater challenges. I am optimistic we will meet these successfully. I have two ideas for making DPS a more effective organization: first, we need to broaden our base, and second, we need to enhance our cooperative work with our parent and sister organizations. The DPS should be the organization that speaks to and for the broad scope of planetary science. Even today, the cadre of DPS members – leaders especially ñ consists largely of those with backgrounds in planetary astronomy. We need to reach out to underrepresented groups: space physicists and planetary geologists come to mind (although the latter group has made recent inroads). We can draw these groups into more active participation if we attract them with special sessions and invited talks. If we increase our base, we will be prepared to more effectively inform Congress and the public both on a day-to-day basis and when a crisis erupts. Second, there are great resources available in the AAS, AIP, and AGU that we haven’t fully utilized. Jointly sponsored sessions and meetings on interdisciplinary topics such as the physical characterization of exoplanets and the search for habitable environments will increase our visibility. The AAS and AGU both have systems in place for holding topical meetings that the planetary community does not fully utilize.

Another advantage to having the DPS more broadly-based is that we can more effectively work together, as the astrophysicists do (at least that is how it appears to me). I believe a lack of consensus has often damaged our field. Clearly, the current Administration needs to be informed in the field of space science, and the more people we have speaking in unity, the better.

I have been a tireless promoter of outreach and education. I have taught a teachers’ workshop, ‘Teachers Touch the Sky’ for over 20 years, and I try to give at least two popular talks each month. We are beholden to the American people ñ the space program is their heritage ñ and it is their right to be informed about our work. They are our best supporters. DPS does a great job at outreach and education, but I would like to enhance its efforts by encouraging ‘every member to do at least a little bit’. Our organization can realize that goal by making it easy for our members to sign up for speakers’ bureaus, and by having experienced speakers coach those who want to be more active. A special workshop during an annual meeting would be a start. Giving effective presentations and finding venues takes practice, and having a coach at the beginning really helps.

I am the type of person who works very hard behind the scenes, speaking to people, gathering consensus, and asking people to do things. I would also like to ask each member to be more involved. The future of Planetary Science is not being played out as a movie to be watched: what you do now will make a difference in our future.

b) TORRENCE V. JOHNSON : VICE-CHAIR

Bio/CV : Johnson

Torrence Johnson is currently a Senior Research Scientist in the
Science Division at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena California
Past DPS service – Secretary/Treasurer (1977-1980)

He earned his undergraduate degree in physics from Washington University in St. Louis in 1966 and went on to graduate studies in planetary science at Caltech, receiving his PhD in 1970. His dissertation dealt with telescopic observations of the spectral reflectance of Jupiter’s Galilean satellites. After postdoctoral studies at MIT, he returned to California as a NRC Research Associate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and became a member of the technical staff at JPL in 1973. Since then he has worked in many areas of modern planetary research, including ground based telescopic observations, laboratory and theoretical studies, and planetary spacecraft missions. His primary research interests have been in the geochemistry and geophysics of planetary satellites, the Moon and asteroids. On the Voyager mission, he played a major role as a member of the Imaging Science Team, chairing the Satellite Working Group and planning and analyzing observations of satellites at Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In 1977 he was named Project Scientist for the Galileo mission and was a Co-I on the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer. During the course of the Galileo mission he directed the activities of the Galileo science teams, and science operations. Galileo spectacularly achieved its primary goals in the Jupiter system and continued with extended studies of Europa and Io. He is currently involved in ongoing research into the properties of giant planet satellites as a team member of the Cassini imaging team and a Co-Investigator on the Cosmic Dust Analyzer experiment.

Honors and Awards: In the course of his career he has received numerous awards, including two medals for scientific achievement from NASA and one for outstanding leadership. His is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union, the International Academy of Astronautics, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Explorers Club. He is a member of the IAU. He has an asteroid (2614 Torrence) named for him in recognition of his contributions to asteroid science. In 1997 he received an honorary degree in astronomy from the University of Padua, where Galileo made his original observations of the satellites of Jupiter in 1610.

Publications: He has published over 190 research articles as well as numerous popular articles and book chapters. He is also an editor of the reference work (with Lucy McFadden and Paul Weissman), Encyclopedia of the Solar System (Academic Press).

Community Service: He has been a member of numerous NASA advisory and science working groups, including the Jupiter Orbiter Probe (later Galileo) Science Working Group, the NASA/ESA joint Cassini Science Working Group, NASA Space Science Advisory Committee and currently the steering group of the Outer Planet Analysis Group. He served as the third DPS Secretary Treasurer (1977-1980), is a past President of the AGU’s Planetology Section, and has been a Vice-Chair of COSPAR Scientific Commission B (Solar System) and is the past Commission B Chair.

Statement : Johnson

Since its inception, the DPS has played a unique and important role in providing a focus for planetary researchers of all types from around the world. It is emblematic of the breadth of the DPS that the initial organizing committee and early Chairs included luminaries in such diverse fields as atmospheric science (Chamberlain), meteoritics and geochemistry (Anders), planetary photometry (Irvine) and exo (now astro-) biology (Sagan). During the second decade of the new millennium, the DPS is now playing a leading role in extending the study of the origin and nature of planets in our solar system to the origin and nature of planetary systems around other stars. With the advent of increasingly powerful ground-based and space-based observing facilities and with spacecraft active at, on the way to, or planned for, virtually every class of planetary target, never has our science created more excitement, both professionally and publically. But what of the future?

A professional organization such as the DPS rests on three pillars: 1. Meetings, to provide the community with a forum for reporting results and exchanging ideas, 2. Publications, to provide a high quality vehicle for documenting and reviewing research results, and 3. Communications with the public and government agencies supporting our science. All three require constant attention and development as conditions change, and all three face significant challenges in the coming years. If elected Vice-Chair, I would purpose to work with the Chair and the Committee to assess the state of each of these pillars and develop plans to strengthen them for the future.

In the area of meetings, I am sure the membership is well aware of the stresses that economic conditions put on DPS finances in the years following 2008. The Committee and program organizers have succeeded in placing the DPS on a more solid financial footing since then. Holding the type of meeting that the membership has come to expect will undoubtedly require continual attention. Current areas of concern include increasing pressure from Congress and NASA to limit civil service attendance at “heavily attended conferences” such as the DPS. This seriously impacts NASA center scientists (including JPL) as well as having a dampening effect on all NASA funded travel. While recent innovative efforts to exploit web-based broadcasts, social networking and virtual meetings may alleviate some of the effects, I feel that a vital annual DPS meeting is essential to the community and the advancement of our science, with presentations, discussions and many face-to-face scientific interactions. I would work with the Chair and Committee to advocate to NASA, the Administration and Congress that full participation in DPS science meetings by the whole planetary science community is vital to the health of the discipline, including providing more student and post-doc support.

In the publications arena, we have seen many societies and journals struggle with the rapid transition to electronic publication. Icarus has its own set of specific problems but is not alone in these. Indeed electronic publication and new forms of media are changing the face of nearly every aspect of society as a whole. The DPS will need to keep abreast of changing conditions and business models affecting electronic publishing generally.

Finally, it is the taxpayers and our governments that support the science that we do. The DPS has been proactive in supporting outreach to the public and legislative sectors to explain and promote our science, but we can do more.

A major element of the Communications pillar is advocating a strong solar system exploration and research program. This effort is increasingly international in character, with India, China and Japan having all begun serious planetary exploration, in addition to the strong ESA program already in place. Advocating effectively for our science is particularly vital to the DPS due to our discipline’s narrow funding base. Most broad scientific disciplines, Atmospheric Science, Earth Science, Geophysics, and yes, even Astronomy and Astrophysics, receive support from multiple departments and agencies throughout the government – e.g. NSF, DOE, DOD, Interior, etc. Planetary Science is unusual in receiving practically all of its support from a relatively small division of a relatively small agency, NASA. This makes strategic planning and long range goals extremely susceptible to short term political decisions. Our community recently spent a large amount of effort working with the NRC to produce the current Decadal Survey, which laid out priorities and achievable goals across a balanced program. Almost immediately after its completion, essentially all of the Survey’s major recommendations were rendered inoperative or placed in great jeopardy by a few pen strokes in budget items buried deep within the NASA budget. We cannot change the history which resulted in the current funding structure, but we can use the Decadal Survey as our best tool for advocating a reasonable, community supported plan for planetary exploration. We should do this as a unified community as well as reaching out to related disciplines in astronomy and astrophysics (exoplanets) and geophysics to make our case for continued support.

If elected, an important part of my job would be to help the DPS and its members vigorously promote an exciting solar system exploration program for the future and advocate for the required investments in missions, technologies, education, research and data analysis needed to sustain major advances in understanding our (and other) planetary systems.

c) CAREY M. LISSE: VICE-CHAIR

Bio/CV: Lisse

My scientific focus is on the origin and evolution of solar systems, using primitive bodies and dust as tracers. These studies bring together my backgrounds in materials physics, history, and astronomy. Born and raised in Maryland near Washington DC, my early college studies (A.B from Princeton, M.S from UC Berkeley, M.S from UMD) were in solid state physics and physical chemistry. I began my astronomy career in 1985 as an instrument scientist at NASA/Goddard on the Nobel prize winning COBE project, where for 10 years I was steeped in studying the history of the cosmos and infrared astrophysics. I moved over to planetary studies when I wrote my dissertation on comets detected in the COBE all sky survey with Mike A’Hearn of UMD and Mike Hauser of NASA/GSFC in 1992. I continued my post doctoral work at UMD, where I used my cross disciplinary astrophysics-planetary training to discover X-ray emission from comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake with ROSAT while observing its close perihelion passage from the NASA/IRTF on Mauna Kea. I went on to work at STScI from 1999-2001, where I helped design and build the current generation WFC3 camera. In 2001 I moved back to UMD, where I worked on the Deep Impact (DI) mission from start to finish, helping to design, build, launch, operate, and analyze its workings. Since 2004 I have worked at JHU-APL in Laurel, MD, one of the centers of excellence for solar system studies in the country, where we are orbiting Mercury, orbiting and roving Mars, circling Saturn, and speeding towards Pluto. At APL in 2005 I obtained seminal Spitzer measurements of primordial dust excavated from the interior of comet 9P/Tempel 1 by the DI experiment, and continued working on the Deep Impact Extended mission to comet 103P/Hartley 2 in 2010. Between the comets we studied Earth and Mars as examples of extra-solar planets using DI remote sensing. At APL in 2009 I used Spitzer to discover glassy silica debris created by a massive planet forming collision in the nearby HD172555 system, and in 2010 used this result to demonstrate the asteroidal nature of the 2009 Wesley impactor into Jupiter. In 2012 I demonstrated that a Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) must be occurring in the nearby Eta Corvi system, which we are currently studying in greater detail in order to learn more about our own LHB.

My scientific interests are broad, and I am as interested in solar system and planet formation and evolution as I am in the search for water and life in the galaxy. I have authored and co-authored over 160 papers cited over 4500 times, and have used the APO, ESO, IRTF, Keck, and Kitt Peak ground based telescopes and the BeppoSAX, Chandra, COBE, EUVE, Hubble, MSX, ROSAT, Spitzer, and XMM spacecraft to observe asteroids, comets and nascent evolving solar systems, bringing me into professional and personal contact with a broad cross-section of the DPS and AAS membership. My leadership activities are also varied – along with my service to the DPS Committee as part of the Federal Relations Subcommittee (FRS), I have worked with NASA headquarters as a member of the NASA Keck & IRTF MOWG oversight committee since 2005, and am now leading NASA’s Comet ISON Observing Campaign (CIOC) to study this unique Sungrazing comet on its first passage through the inner solar system since its scattering into the Oort Cloud 4.56 Gya. I give numerous outreach talks each year, and am very good at talking to non-experts, including Congress, about the importance of our work.

Statement: Lisse

We live and work in very uncertain times for our scientific discipline and the society that supports us. Strong connections and interactions with our employers (Congress, NASA, and the American people) will be required to maintain and to revitalize our community. My service to the DPS community on the FRS over the last 5 years, including the last 2 years as chair, gives me the opportunity to exercise connections with Congress and NASA on behalf of the DPS. The FRS was instrumental in getting $200M back from Congress to help restore the $309M cut by the administration in the FY2013 budget. The FRS as well as the last 3 DPS chairs + DPS Committee representatives from the Mars, Outer Planets, and Small Bodies communities have just returned from Congress asking that the same be done in FY2014, as we have been cut again by $300M in the President’s proposed budget (down to $1.2B). We have also asked Congress and the Office of Management and Budget to help with correcting new cuts from NASA EPO, and to relieve the restrictions on travel to scientific meetings so that we can do our jobs efficiently. Utilizing my strong multidisciplinary background in planetary science and astrophysics, and calling on my many years of community service leadership, as DPS chair I plan on continuing these efforts to restore NASA’s support for EPO activities and scientific meetings, while supporting the best and brightest proposed missions across the spectrum of Discovery, New Frontiers, and Flagship missions for new starts, and seeing that R&A and critical future technology development are maintained vibrantly, as called for in our 2012 Decadal Study. To do this will require someone knowledgeable about all aspects of our DPS community, about the DPS leadership, about the broader AAS community, and about how NASA and Washington DC works.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMITTTEE (Vote for two)

a) JULIE CASTILLO-ROGEZ: COMMITTEE

Bio/CV: Castillo-Rogez

Research scientist in the Planetary Ices Group and Ice Physics Laboratory at NASA/JPL/Caltech.
I am a geophysicist who starts the day with numerical models, spends lunch watching ice being crunched, and participates in mission planning in the afternoon. I work on asteroids, icy satellites, and Mars, Discovery missions and “nano” satellites.

Education:
Ph.D. Planetary Geophysics, Rennes University, France, 2001.
M.S. Geology, Rennes University, France, 1998;
B.S. Geology, Nantes University, France, 1997.
Positions:
Research Scientist, JPL/Caltech (2007-present); Caltech postdoctoral researcher (2005-2007);
National Academies Research Associate (2002-2005)

Mission Involvement: Cassini-Huygens (Radio science team affiliate, science planning); InSight: Investigation Scientist; Dawn: science planning and operations; INSPIRE Cubesat precursor for Deep Space: study scientist.

Outreach (Examples):
Caltech Space Challenge (science mentor 2013), Women History Month event at JPL Organizing Committee (2012); Mentor for small satellite engineering classes (U. Michigan, UCLA); NASA Planetary Science Summer School Mentor (2010)

Service:
NASA Planetary Science Subcommittee (2010-2013); SBAG Roadmap Action Team; DPS Local Organizing Committee (2011); Icy Satellite Workshop co-organizer (DPS 2011); Science of Solar System Ices Workshop co-organizer (2008)

Statement: Castillo-Rogez

The role played by our professional society in advocating for planetary exploration continues to be remarkable at a time when the state of affairs is in turmoil. My greatest interest in serving the DPS is to further carry the voice of our community to decision makers and the public, ensure that they appreciate our impact on society, and have them recognize our unique contribution to the education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists.
First, I will develop a projection of the state of our community for the next five to ten years as a tool for the DPS leadership to share with policy makers. Indeed, the sharp cuts in the planetary science budget and insufficient support to research and analysis will eventually lead to a loss of expertise, while it makes it difficult for early career scientists to break in. The prospective impact on workforce is unknown and this analysis is critical for lawmakers to appreciate the consequences of their choices.

In the same vein, the recent hit on NASA’s education programs is a source of anxiety among our junior scientists, in part because the drivers behind this drastic change and the expected outcome have not been clearly communicated. What this means for maintaining a pipeline of planetary scientists remains to be comprehended. But the impact of that policy goes far beyond: planetary science is a fantastic playground for STEM activities because of its appeal to students. Hence policy makers need to be reminded of the contradiction that comes with cutting our STEM funding while science and technology are so critical to society’s moving forward. I will participate with the DPS in ensuring more transparency from policymakers. I also would like to engage the private sector and identify opportunities for early career scientists.

Talking about opportunities, we are witnessing a renewed interest worldwide for Human exploration of the Solar system. While many new projects are starting as technology demonstrations, the long-term vision for the Human exploration of selected destinations relies on the involvement of the community at large. It is essential that scientists be invited to that discussion so that space agencies can make the best use of the skills offered by its workforce. This is part of the message that I will help carry out to policy makers.

Lastly, through my involvement in various missions I have a deep appreciation of the value of international collaboration, which I will communicate at any occasion. I will also help facilitate the exchange of information on opportunities available all over the world, the implementation of a platform (via the DPS website) for the exchange of practical information about working abroad, and organize multi-agency forums at future DPS meetings.

In summary, it would be a great privilege for me to serve this community, to apply experience gained through serving on the planetary science subcommittee, and to help further the DPS’ advocacy for space exploration.

b) BENJAMIN GREENHAGEN: COMMITTEE

Bio/CV : Greenhagen

Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

Research Areas: I use a combination of laboratory experiments, numerical models, and remote sensing datasets to study the composition and physical properties of surfaces and regoliths. My current focus is to use thermal infrared spectroscopy to study airless bodies from Mercury to icy satellites.

Education:
· Ph.D. Geology (Planetology), University of California, Los Angeles, 2009
· M.S. Earth and Planetary Science, Washington University, St. Louis, 2005
· B.S. Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 2003
· B.S. Geology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 2003

Positions:
· Research Scientist, JPL/Caltech (2009-present)
· Postdoctoral Researcher, UCLA (2009)
· Student Research Positions, UCLA/WashU/UofM (2001-2009)
· Research Staff, The Aerospace Corporation (2002-2005)
· Laboratory Assistant, 3M Corporation, (1999-2001)

Missions:
· Deputy PI, LRO Diviner Lunar Radiometer (2010-present), Compositional Investigation Lead (2005-present)
· Collaborator, MRO Mars Climate Sounder (2005-present)
· Deputy PI and Co-I on variety of other mission proposals, recently including JUICE Thermal Imager (UCLA) and MarcoPolo-R Thermal Mapper (Oxford)

Service:
· University of Oxford Dept. of Physics, AOPP Visiting Fellow (2012-2015)
· Young Scientists for Planetary Exploration, Founding Member (2012-present)
· Next Generation Lunar Scientists and Engineers, Leadership Council (2012-present), Member (2009-present)
· NASA ROSES Review Panels (2010, 2011)
· UCLA Graduate Student Association, Math and Physical Sciences, President (2007-2008), Forum Rep. (2006-2008), Appointments Board (2006-2008), Dept. of ESS Rep. (2006-2008)

Statement : Greenhagen

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera has a simple but important motto, “Scientia facultas explorationis, exploratio facultas scientiae,” essentially stating that science facilitates human exploration, and human exploration facilitates science. The LRO mission is the embodiment of this motto where the spacecraft began as an exploration precursor mission and then moved into a science mission. As Depty PI of LRO’s Diviner Lunar Radiometer, I’ve see first hand the effectiveness of this relationship. Yet it is also clear that some science research and science missions must be so forward thinking as to have minimal influence on the current plans for human exploration. Given its diverse membership, the DPS stands in excellent position to help balance and rationalize the relationship between science and human exploration and I would hope to add guidance in this area.

I was fortunate to participate in the DPS congressional visits in 2012 as a representative of the Young Scientists for Planetary Exploration. These visits opened my eyes to the political process and the critical role of the DPS in lobbying for planetary science funding. All of us are deeply affected by the current budget situation, including flat R&A funding, fewer new-start opportunities, and uncertainty regarding EPO. I strongly support the excellent service that the DPS provides for its members and would seek to enhance it through additional direct involvement from the membership. I would also encourage dialogues with other organizations such as the Planetary Society and the AGU to complement and reinforce the DPS efforts.

As an early career scientist, the professional development of students and early careers is very important to me. I am excited by the efforts organized by the DPS Professional Development Subcommittee. As a long-time member (and recently part of the leadership) of the Next Generation Lunar Scientist and Engineers I’ve participated in and helped organize a wide range of professional development seminar and activities. As a member of the DPS committee I would support an expanded program for students and early career scientists.

c) JANI RADEBAUGH: COMMITTEE

Bio/CV: Radebaugh

Associate Professor of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University

Scientific Focus: Planetary Geology

As an associate member of the Cassini Radar Science Team, I participate in analyses of the geomorphology of Titan’s surface, including dunes, mountains, rivers, lakes and cryovolcanoes. This research builds on my experience in studies of volcanoes and mountains on the surface of Io from Galileo, Voyager and Cassini. I do comparative studies of better-known Earth analogues to improve our understanding of the related planetary features and involve students in all areas of my research.

Education:

– Ph.D. Planetary Sciences, The University of Arizona, 2005.
– M.S. Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University, 1999.
– B.S. Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young University, 1993.

Service:

– Associate member of the Cassini RADAR Team, 2008-present
– Steering Committee Member for OPAG, Outer Planets Assessment Group, 2008-present
– Field participant in ANSMET, Antarctic Search for Meteorites, 2004-2005, 2008-2009
– Co-Organized planetary science sessions at IAG Brisbane 2009 and IGC Ethiopia 2010
– Peer reviewer for journals and NASA R&A proposals, instruments and missions
– Organized Io workshop, Provo, UT, 2010
– Assisted in planning and initial analysis of Galileo Io data, 2000-2003
– Led field trips to many important geology and planetary locales, with students, alumni, and scientist participants

Statement: Radebaugh

When I think of the Division of Planetary Sciences of the AAS, the first thing that comes to mind is the annual conference. I feel this meeting has the ideal size, diversity of disciplines and variety of locations to maximize international scientific interactions. Many of the most important formative experiences I had as a student learning about the field of planetary sciences occurred at DPS meetings in the US and abroad, and I continue to benefit tremendously from the meetings today. In these settings, I have heard about topics on the forefront of planetary research, have gotten detailed feedback on my own projects, and have forged new collaborations. For these reasons and many others, the DPS meeting is, I believe, the capstone of the DPS and must be protected from recent governmental threats to organized scientific meetings, kept current in organization and technology, and helped along its course into the future. I would do what I can to ensure these things will happen.

Another strong piece in the role of the DPS is advocacy for science to government leaders and society. The DPS has thoroughly and consistently informed the public and government and agency leaders, alongside other societies such as AGU and GSA. Education about the latest research results helps the public feel invested in the work being done, and bridges the gap between science research and societal benefits. Governmental leaders similarly need education on how taxpayer money is being spent, and how advancements in science and technology lead to the benefit of all. I would follow the current path of the DPS on this course of advocacy, and would work with other DPS leaders to continue to determine the most effective frequency and style of this task.

As we move ahead with our individual and group research projects, I hope we will remember how the DPS can strengthen those efforts through broader interactions, mainly at the annual meetings but also through our membership in the society. I would work to keep the DPS healthy, to help all of us as scientists to do the best job possible in our disciplines.

d) THOMAS R. SPILKER: COMMITTEE

Bio/CV: Spilker

Retired from JPL; Owner of Solar System Science & Exploration consulting firm

Education:
– Ph.D. Electrical Engineering/Radio Science, Stanford University, 1990.
– M.S. Electrical Engineering/Radio Science, Stanford University, 1984.
– B.S. Geophysics & Computer Science, Kansas State University, 1975.

Professional Positions:
– Principal Member of Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1999-2012
– Senior Member of Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1996-1999
– Member of Technical Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1995-1996
– Member of Scientific Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1993-1995
– NRC Resident Research Associate at JPL, 1991-1993

Space Flight Mission Involvement:
– Voyager 2 Radio Science and Radio Science Support Teams, 1985-1989
– Rosetta (ESA), Co-I on MIRO Instrument team, 1994-present
– Cassini/Huygens, 1999-2000
– Genesis Mission (Discovery Program), 2000-2004

Selected service roles:
– Member, Satellites of the Giant Planets Panel, NRC Planetary Science Decadal Survey, 2009-2011
– Member, NRC Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration (COMPLEX), 2003–2006
– Board Member, NASA planetary R&A programs

Professional Societies:
– American Astronomical Society
– Division for Planetary Sciences
– American Geophysical Union
– American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Publications:
Total of 36 refereed science and engineering publications, more than 80 talks at professional meetings and workshops.

Awards:
– JPL Award for Excellence, 2000
– Eight NASA Group Achievement Awards

Statement: Spilker

Having been a member for 25 years, DPS is the first professional organization I joined after entering graduate school. My current position as an independent consultant, after retiring last year from JPL, makes more of my time available for DPS business work.

There is ample need for that work. The planetary science community faces serious challenges as a result of shrinking budgets and the still-uncertain ramifications of the Sequester. There is much uncertainty in future R&A funding levels, and that uncertainty impacts both veteran and new researchers, as well as the ability to attract high-quality graduate students into university programs. I have recent experience evaluating R&A proposals for NASA and have seen first-hand how budget pressure has resulted in worthwhile, well-planned research proposals not being funded. In the near-term, I would work with the DPS to ensure R&A doesn’t suffer inordinate and debilitating cuts. Also in the near-term, even if the ramifications of sequestration make maintaining the magnitude of our planetary research effort impossible, we must work toward maintaining continuity of the highest priority research. In the longer term, I would work with the DPS toward rebuilding a robust and balanced program of planetary research, at levels similar to those expected in the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey (PSDS). This would include maintaining the priorities recommended in the PSDS.

My career in planetary science and engineering includes much scientific space flight mission involvement, in all stages of such missions: formulation and proposal, implementation, operations, and data analysis. This experience is international in scope, involving NASA and ESA missions and proposals. By working with and getting to know both the U.S. and European planetary science communities I have become familiar with their concerns. Also I know and have worked with many of the Program Scientists and Program Executives in the planetary science programs at NASA HQ, and ESA officials and staff. The years of space flight experience have given me a good understanding of which scientific investigations can be accomplished relatively easily with spacecraft, and which are more difficult, and I can communicate these clearly to educated lay-persons such as congressional staffers.

If elected I would work in concert with the DPS officers, other Committee members, and the DPS membership to maintain a strong and effective DPS presence, and use that presence to produce the best environment possible for the planetary science community.

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Newsletter 13-13

Issue 13-13, May 14, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP
2) DPS/FRS HILL VISITS REPORT
3) PLEASE CHECK YOUR DPS MEMBERSHIP
4) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR INSIGHT
5) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
6) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

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MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP

The DPS leadership met in Washington DC on April 29-May 1, 2013. In addition to the regular annual committee meeting, we visited NASA HQ, Congress, OMB, and OSTP on the 30th of April and 1st May. Major thanks for organization of these visits go to our Federal Relations Subcommittee (led by Casey Lisse, who is passing on the leadership to Makenzie Lystrup) and AAS’s Joel Parriott, and to the dedicated team of volunteers who fanned out across the Hill in support of the DPS. A core team met with staffers from both House and Senate committees (CJS Appropriations, S&T Authorization). Many staffers were knowledgeable about the planetary science situation (much more so than in previous years, so our community’s efforts have had some effect) and most were sympathetic.

Our main discussion topic was the budget, in particular the fate of the $200 million that Congress put back in NASA’s planetary budget for FY13. The NASA operating plan for FY13, which is not a public document, is due to be sent to Congress in mid-May. Senators Feinstein and Boxer, and Members of Congress Schiff and Culberson, have written a letter to Administrator Bolden expressing their concern about the operating plan. One impression we got is that the planetary science budget is not likely to be restored to the $1.5 billion level in a budget request anytime soon, because planetary science is not a priority for the current Administration. This can be changed, but it requires a lot of effort from our community.

We brought up two other items during our visits, namely NASA education and public outreach (E/PO) and travel restrictions. The E/PO situation is causing serious concern, because it seems to have been implemented with no transition plan. The AAS statement, which you should all have received, summed up the situation well. We also found staffers to be sympathetic to the travel situation for scientists from NASA centers and JPL, and there was general support to exempting scientific conferences in the US and abroad.

Onto more DPS-centric matters. The 2013 Denver meeting is gearing up to be fantastic, thanks to the efforts of Fran Bagenal, John Spencer, and all the volunteers on the LOC and SOC. Jim Green has requested an exemption from NASA so that more than 50 scientists from NASA centers can attend DPS, but the decision has not been made yet. We are trying to keep registration fees as low as possible, but there is great uncertainty in the number of attendees and the level of support we may get from exhibitors. This is a year of great change, and a lot of adaptation is needed. If you are not impacted by the travel restrictions, please plan to go to Denver and encourage your colleagues to do so.

As always, we encourage the membership to take action to help support planetary science. Put pen to paper, fingers to keyboards. Write articles, send letters, and ask your neighbors to do the same. We extend our thanks to all our volunteers and supporters.

– Rosaly Lopes, DPS Chair
– Heidi Hammel, DPS Vice-Chair

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DPS/FRS HILL VISITS REPORT

(Apr-May 2013; leadership/frs and public_policy)

On Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 the FRS and DPS Committees (represented by Blaney, Pappalardo, Reddy, Coustenis, Withers, Choi, Schmidt, Chojnacki, Martin, Beyer, Heavens) went down to the Hill and visited 8 House offices and 4 Senate offices, focusing on the key members of the House SST and Senate CJS committees. Concurrently a delegation consisting of the DPS Chairs Emeritus, Current, and Future (Britt, Lopes, and Hammel) along with FRS Chair Lisse visited 6 House and Senate Committees charged with NASA’s Authorization and Appropriation. The timing for our visit was very good, in that we arrived 3 weeks after the release of the new FY2014 Federal budget request and before NASA delivered its Operations plan to Congress on May 10th detailing how it would spend the $1.4B allocated to Planetary by Congress in the CR 2013 budget (H.R 5236) passed in March 2013. Our 3 main messages were (1) the need for continuing the NASA Planetary Sciences budget in FY2013 and FY2014 at a $1.4B level/yr, (2) our concern over the proposed removal of EPO from NASA missions and transfer of most EPO activities to the NSF, Smithsonian, and the Dept. of Education without a concrete implementation plan, and (3) our need as productive scientists to attend scientific conferences. We delivered updated versions of our 2012 handout, listing some of our latest Planetary Science results of 2013, and what 2012 NRC decadal survey (“Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2023) work we could and could not do in the next year at the Administration’s proposed Fy2014 $1.2B/yr funding level.

We found good knowledge of the Decadal and support for our budget, EPO, and scientific conference positions from most of the offices we visited, especially on the Senate side. We expressed concern in our visits that the $200M restored by Congress to Planetary in the CR 2013 Act would be removed to pay for the Sequestration (~2%) + Rescission (~5%) of not only Planetary, but other parts of NASA as well, and distributed copies of an 18th April 2013 letter signed by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and John Culberson (R-TX).) requesting that these be applied equally across NASA’s divisions (in which case Planetary’s reduction would be $97M, not $200M). Congress was uniformly concerned about the proposed EPO redistribution, and supportive of our need to work together at scientific conferences – although it might take a few months to produce an exemption to support meeting travel. We learned that while the House is very supportive of our work, their CJS budget planning has built into it the Sequestration Act levels for FY 2014, i.e. they are planning to a total budget of $966B including NASA, while the Senate is working towards a $1058B level, assuming the Sequestration will be a 1-time occurrence (and not operative for the 10 yrs called for in the Act). This means that the House and Senate will likely start with very different budget #’s for NASA’s divisions when it is time to reach a final bill resolution in conference. OTH this is not an election year, and the economy is improving while the deficit is decreasing, so we may be hopeful.

On Wednesday, May 1st the DPS/FRS visited NASA HQ and OMB/OSTP. We found good support for our budget advocacy at HQ, as well as concern (but the beginnings of EPO removal) implementation at HQ. We also learned that Pu-238 production continues to be supported in the federal budget, but the FY 2014 budget calls for NASA, as the chief customer of Pu-238, to take over oversight of the DOE production facilities, which may require more resources and manpower than in previous years from NASA.

At OMB we learned that the Administration is committed to the new Mars 2020 rover, a 4-yr cadence for Discovery missions, and supporting R&A at current levels. A Europa flagship mission funding wedge start was not in their plans. We heard that the EPO initiative in the FY2014 was meant to centralize and streamline NASA EPO, roughly halving the current total budget but sending ~$27M to the NASA Education office to support the best of the current EPO efforts. We expressed concern that it was not clear how this would work in practice, and that mission EPO efforts are being zeroed out this month. As with Congress, we heard support for our request for an exemption for NASA scientists to attend scientific meetings directly related to funded NASA grant and mission work.

For more information about the FRS and the current FRS/DPS planetary science policy positions, or a copy of the Conressional giveway delivered to Congress in 2013, please see leadership/frs and public_policy.

– Carey Lisse, DPS/FRS Chair

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PLEASE CHECK YOUR DPS MEMBERSHIP

Please, if you’re among those who have not yet renewed and dropped out of our lists (still more than 400 !!!), do not think that you’re getting this e-mail because you’re back on…
This e-mail is addressed to current and recent DPS members to give you an opportunity to try again today and renew online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging in to your membership record. You must have your login and password information. Once at the site, you can request to be sent your password if forgotten. You should not attempt to create a new member record.
Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR INSIGHT

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for landing site surface and atmosphere characterization for the InSight mission to Mars.

The RFP can be accessed at:

Login Location: http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/rfp/GO-2691-022113/default.htm or http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/bizops/

User Name: GO-2691-022113
Password: L$iTE@JPL13

Regards,
Matt Golombek
InSight Co-I: Geology and Landing Site Lead

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JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) ORIGINS OF LIFE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

The Simons Foundation, a private nonprofit based in New York City, has
established the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life. This
collaboration will support research on topics such as the astrophysical
and planetary context of the origins of life, the development of
prebiotic chemistry, the assembly of the first cells, the advent of
Darwinian evolution, and the earliest signs of life on the young Earth.

The collaboration invites applications for Postdoctoral Fellowships to
support independent research on the origins of life at laboratories or
research institutions in any country.

For more information about the institution, see:

https://simonsfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities/life-
sciences/simons-collaboration-on-the-origins-of-life/

For more information about the fellowship, see:

https://simonsfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities/life-
sciences/simons-collaboration-on-the-origins-of-life/simons-
collaboration-on-the-origins-of-life-postdoctoral-fellowship-request-
for-applications/

[From the PEN. Edited for length.]

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6
UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) CANCELLATION OF THE JOINT MARSIS AND SHARAD SCIENCE TEAM MEETING
Dear Colleagues,

because of severe travel restrictions imposed by the current policies of NASA, the participation of our US colleagues to the Joint MARSIS and SHARAD Science Team Meeting was made practically impossible. After consultations, it was decided that it is not useful to have a team meeting that half of the team cannot attend. I thus regret to have to tell you that the Joint MARSIS and SHARAD Science Team Meeting of May 15-17 is cancelled. Another meeting will be scheduled this Fall if NASA policies have changed in the meantime.

Best Regards,
Roberto Orosei
Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Istituto Nazionale di
Astrofisica Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100
00133 Roma, Italy

B) IPEWG 2013: REGISTRATION DEADLINE POSTPONED TO MAY 17TH, 2013

The deadline for registration to the third Meeting of the International Primitive Body Exploration Working Group (IPEWG 2013) on May 29-31, 2013, in Nice, France, has been moved from May 10th to May 17th, 2013 (12:00 East US time). Information regarding how to register, the program (based on solicited speakers only), the meeting goals, the logistics are indicated on the following web site (click on the Registration Menu for explanations on how to register):
http://www.oca.eu/michel/IPEWG2013/

Discussions held at IPEWG 2013 are expected to impact and improve international collaboration activities for primitive body space exploration. We hope you will be interested in participating to this workshop and to the discussions that will encourage efficient international coordinations and efforts to improve our knowledge of these fascinating primitive bodies.

We encourage interested persons to register (and book their Hotel; see the web site for information) as soon as possible as the workshop is limited to a maximum of 100 participants. Please contact Patrick Michel, LOC Chair ([email protected]) with any questions.

We look forward to welcoming you on the “Nice” Côte d’Azur!

Sincerely,

Patrick Michel
[email protected]

C) 4TH PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM MEETING

The 4th Planetary Crater Consortium meeting will be held August 14-16, 2013, at the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff, AZ. The Planetary Crater Consortium is open to planetary scientists interested in any aspect of impact cratering on solar system bodies, including observational, theoretical, experimental, and numerical studies. The meeting is a combination of invited talks, contributed talks, and open discussion.
Abstract deadline is Friday, July 26, 2013.

For more information, see www.planetarycraterconsortium.nau.edu/ or contact Nadine Barlow ([email protected]).

D) SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT: PLANET MARS 4

Les Houches, 20-25 October 2013

The goals of the workshop are to integrate the main
results of both the recent Earth-based observations and the missions
to Mars into a new global picture of Mars evolution. With the same
spirit of the previous workshops, discussions among scientists of
different disciplines will be encouraged and it is foreseen that they
will help refine the scientific goals of the future missions to Mars.
Please see:
http://www.sciops.esa.int/mars4

Including the program:
http://www.sciops.esa.int/SYS/CONF2012/include/MARS4/images/
LesHouches2013_Programme.pdf

Deadline for registration: 31 May 2013

———————————+

Newsletter 13-12

Issue 13-12, April 25, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) DPS ELECTIONS 2013: CANDIDATE SLATE
2) ON LINE EXTENSION AND SPECIAL 2013 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
3) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
4) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
DPS ELECTIONS 2013: CANDIDATE SLATE

The DPS Nominating Committee has identified the following candidates for the 2013 DPS elections for Vice-Chair and Committee:

Vice-Chair (1 to be elected):
o Bonnie Buratti, JPL
o Torrence Johnson, JPL

Committee (2 to be elected):
o Jani Radebaugh, BYU Geological
o Ben Greenhagen, JPL
o Tom Spilker, Solar System Science & Exploration consulting firm
o Julie Castillo, JPL

Additional candidates, supported by a petition of at least 20 DPS members, may be nominated by May 25th. Please send any nominations to the DPS Secretary, Athena Coustenis, at [email protected].

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
ON LINE EXTENSION AND SPECIAL 2013 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Please, if you’re among those who have not yet renewed, try again today online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging in to your membership record. You must have your login and password information. Once at the site, you can request to be sent your password if forgotten. You should not attempt to create a new member record.
Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit http://dps.aas.com/jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) TWO RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITIONS IN SPACE PHYSICS AT IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

* Topic 1: Planetary and Cometary Atmospheres
* Topic 2: Planetary Magnetic Fields

Location: Space and Atmospheric Physics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, UK
Fixed Term: up to 2 years
Application Deadline: 20 May 2013

More info about the posts and the application process available at:
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/spat/jobs

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4
UPCOMING MEETINGS

A) PLANETARY PROTECTION SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
29-30 April 2013
NASA HQ

The next meeting of the Planetary Protection Subcommittee will be held at NASA HQ on 29-30 April 2013. A focus of the meeting will be aspects of Mars Sample Return. A discussion of planetary protection for human missions is also planned. The meeting is open to all (up to the capacity of the room). Locations and teleconference and WebEx information are below and on the agenda.

April 29, 2013:
7:00 am – 5:30 pm
Room 9H40 (PRC)
https://nasa.webex.com/
Meeting Number: 995 580 265
Meeting Password: pps04292013!
Dial in: 1-800-857-7040, Passcode: PPS

April 30, 2013:
7:00 am – 2:00 pm
Room 1Q39
2:00 pm – 5:30 pm
MIC 6 (6H41A)
https://nasa.webex.com
Meeting Number: 994 280 426
Meeting Password: pps04302013!
Dial in: 1-800-857-7040, Passcode: PPS

Michael H. New, PhD
Astrobiology Discipline Scientist

B) EPSC 2013 – CALL-FOR-PAPERS
EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS 2013
University College London
08 – 13 September 2013, London, United Kingdom

http://epsc2013.eu

Abstract deadline: 06 May 2013.

The international community of planetary scientists is invited to submit an abstract for presentation of their recent work at the EPSC 2013 Meeting, which will take place at the University College London, United Kingdom, 08-13 September 2013.
The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions.
The current list of over 80 sessions is organized around the following topics:

– TP Terrestrial Planets
– GP Giant Planet Systems
– MG Magnetospheres and Space Physics
– MTI Missions, Techniques and Industry
– EX Exoplanets and Origins
– AB Astrobiology
– SB Small Bodies
– PD Planetary Dynamics
– LF Laboratory and Field Investigations
– OEP Outreach, Education, and Policy
– AM Amateur Astronomy
– CP Comparative Planetology

The scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/sessionprogramme

Please 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.
Information on registration, accommodation, travel routes, visa requirements and social events will become available soon on the meeting web site.

In particular, please note the following session:

– MTI7
Cubesats: a promising new platform for low-cost planetary and interplanetary missions?
Convener: J.-P. Lebreton
Co-Conveners: J. Castillo, P. Beauchamp
Link: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/session/13567

We invite you to submit an abstract for presentation of your recent work to this session. The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions. We expect a very well attended meeting, with many high quality presentations.

Forwarded by P. Beauchamp

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.

———————————+

Newsletter 13-11

Issue 13-11, April 21, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) INSTRUMENT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE EUROPA CLIPPER MISSION CONCEPT
2) PLANETARY INSTRUMENT CONCEPTS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOLAR SYSTEM OBSERVATIONS
3) ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE GAIA SCIENCE TEAM
4) ON LINE EXTENSION AND SPECIAL 2013 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
5) CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2013 IUPAP YOUNG SCIENTIST MEDAL IN THE FIELD OF ASTROPHYSICS
6) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
7) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
INSTRUMENT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE EUROPA CLIPPER MISSION CONCEPT

James L. Green, Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA HQ

Congress recently passed a FY13 budget for NASA that includes funding to continue pre-formulation and formulation activities for a Europa mission. As part of this effort NASA plans to release an amendment to ROSES 2013 describing a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) for instrument technology development in support of the Europa Clipper mission concept. The goal of this call is to mature and reduce the technical risk of instruments for the Europa Clipper mission to the point where they may be proposed in response to a possible future announcement of flight opportunity without additional extensive technology development.
Awarding the funds before the end of FY13 will require an extremely aggressive schedule. To that end, NASA plans to release the NRA no later than April 30; proposals will be due 45 days after the release of the NRA.

The Europa Clipper strawman payload includes an Ice Penetrating Radar (IPR), a Shortwave Infrared Spectrometer (SWIRS), a Topographic Imager (TI), a mass spectrometer (MS), and a magnetometer. The IPR, SWIRS, TI, and MS have been identified as needing significant early development to enable them to operate in the Europan environment, and NASA Plans to target those instruments with this funding opportunity. While other instruments may be proposed, selection preference will be given to proposed instruments in these four categories. US proposers to the recent JUICE AO are especially encouraged to consider proposing to ICEE if their JUICE instrument concepts are applicable to the Europa Clipper mission.

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
PLANETARY INSTRUMENT CONCEPTS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOLAR SYSTEM OBSERVATIONS

Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) program supports the development of spacecraft-based instrument systems that show promise for use in future planetary missions. The goal of the program is to conduct planetary and astrobiology science instrument feasibility studies, concept formation, proof of concept instruments, and advanced component technology development to the point where they may be proposed in response to Appendix C.19 of ROSES. Therefore, the proposed instrument system or advanced components must address specific scientific objectives of likely future planetary science missions. The objective of the program is to develop new technologies that significantly improve instrument measurement capabilities for planetary science missions (such as Discovery, New Frontiers, Mars Exploration, and other planetary programs).

Notices of Intent deadline: July 19, 2013
Proposals deadline: September 13, 2013.

Janice Buckner
202-358-0183
[email protected]

[From the PEN. Edited for length.]

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE GAIA SCIENCE TEAM

The Gaia mission, a global astrometric survey mission, is an element of ESA’s Scientific Programme, which is foreseen to be launched in September 2013.
Proposals are solicited for individual membership in the GST, whose mandate is to advise the Agency on all scientific matters regarding the Gaia mission as described in the Science Management Plan. The appointment of one of the photometry scientists in the GST as the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) chair has led to a vacant position in the team. As a result to the present Announcement of Opportunity one new photometry scientist will be selected, for a renewable period of three years.
The successful applicant is expected to have a keen interest and proven track record in at least one of the scientific fields to which Gaia will make a significant contribution. In order to complement the science coverage of the current GST, expertise in the area of our Solar System is a strong asset. Applicants for the position of the photometry scientist are expected to have a good understanding of the aspects of all Gaia instruments and specifically of the spectrophotometer.
Membership in the GST is on an individual basis; all scientists from institutions located in ESA Member States are eligible to apply. The GST with the new appointment as a result to the present Announcement of Opportunity is anticipated to first meet in July 2013. As described in the Announcement of Opportunity, the Gaia Science Team will be selected ensuring that they are to a reasonable degree independent from the management activities of DPAC.
With the present letter I therefore invite interested members of the scientific community to respond to the Announcement of Opportunity, available on line at http://sci.esa.int/GaiaGSTPhotAO. Responses to the Announcement of Opportunity are due by 30 April 2013 following the procedure described in detail at http://sci.esa.int/GaiaGSTPhotAO.

Yours sincerely,
Alvaro Giménez-Cañete
Director of Science and Robotic Exploration

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4
ON LINE EXTENSION AND SPECIAL 2013 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

The AAS membership services assure me that the renewal period, which has been more challenging to meet this time due to delays with the new online system, will be extended.
Please, if you’re among those who have not yet renewed, try again today online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging in to your membership record. You must have your login and password information. Once at the site, you can request to be sent your password if forgotten. You should not attempt to create a new member record.
Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2013 IUPAP YOUNG SCIENTIST MEDAL IN THE FIELD OF ASTROPHYSICS

The IUPAP Young Scientist Medal of 2013 and Award of 1,000 EUR will be awarded for a scientist working in the field of astrophysics. The winner will be invited to give a presentation of scientific achievements at the 27th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics (8-13 December 2013 in Dallas, U.S.A.).

The nominated candidate must not have completed more than eight years of research after their doctorate by December 2013. Interruptions for military service, family emergencies, etc (but not teaching) are allowed. One Medal cannot be shared between several candidates.

Nominations may be made by anyone with an interest in the field. Self-nominations are not permitted, but a candidate could ask a mentor or colleague to provide a nomination.

The nomination papers must include:
• A citation of approximately 50 words.
• Curriculum vitae of the candidate, which must not exceed two pages in length.
• List of 6 of the candidate’s most significant publications, including citation information, not to exceed one page.
• Commentary on the publications, which makes the case for the award, not to exceed two pages.
• Two letters of support (up to a maximum of three pages), at least one of which must come from someone not at the nominee’s institution and not a mentor or significant collaborator.
The documents must be collated into a single pdf file called Surname_ysm.pdf, where Surname is the candidate’s name. The file must not exceed 2MB in size.
Nominations not conforming to these rules cannot be accepted.

The Medal winners will be selected by a committee composed of the members of
the IUPAP Astrophysics Committee (C19).

Nominations should be sent on or before the 1 June to the C19 Secretary and Chair of the Award committee (Grazina Tautvaisiene) by e-mail to [email protected].

LINK: http://aas.org/posts/opportunity/2013/03/call-nominations-2013-iupap-you…

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6
JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit http://dps.aas.com/jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) BIOSIGNATURES INVESTIGATOR

NASA Ames Research Center in the San Francisco bay area is seeking a Biosignatures Principal Investigator to join its Exobiology Branch. The position is responsible for conducting microbiological and/or geologic research to identify biosignatures that can reveal and characterize past or present life in environments relevant to astrobiology, such as Mars. A job announcement, required qualifications, and application procedure are available at:

https://www.usajobs.gov/

Search for announcement # AR13B0008.

B) POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN MIRO/ROSETTA GROUP AT OBSERVATORY OF PARIS

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at LESIA, Observatory of Paris. The position requires a PhD in astronomy/astrophysics, and candidates should have experience on observations and radiative transfer modelling of molecular lines in cometary/planetary or circumstellar atmospheres.
The successful applicant will carry out research with Dr N. Biver, D. Bockelée-Movan, J. Crovisier and colleagues on the analysis of data obtained by the Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter (MIRO). The Rosetta mission will arrive at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.
The goals of the MIRO instrument are to measure the sub-surface temperature of the nucleus, the production rates, and the relative abundances, velocity and excitation temperature of several gas phase species (CO, NH3, CH3OH, and three isotopologues of H2O), along with their spatial and temporal variability. The successful applicant will focus her/his research on the development of inverse methods for the analysis of the molecular lines.
The appointment will be for 15 months. The net income is on the order of 2000 Euros per month. Funds are provided by the French space agency (CNES). The starting date is ideally in October 2013.
Interested candidates should send a curriculum vitae, publication list and statement of research interests by 1 June, 2013 to Dr Dominique Bockelée-Morvan ([email protected]). Letters of reference can be sent separately or jointly with the application. Any question about the position can also be e-mailed.

7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7
UPCOMING MEETINGS

A) NASA LUNAR SCIENCE FORUM 2013 (LSF2013): SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT

***IMPORTANT CHANGE***

LSF2013 will be a VIRTUAL conference with NO “in-person” component this
year!

Due to the recent government restrictions on travel, The NASA Lunar
Science Institute will broadcast the annual NASA Lunar Science Forum
(LSF) as a virtual conference the week of July 15-19, 2013. The
conference will be broadcast between the hours of 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PDT,
Monday-Friday, to accommodate a wide spread in time zones.

The scientific program will feature sessions on in-depth scientific
results from the recent and pending missions, including: the Gravity
Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), Acceleration, Reconnection,
Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun
(ARTEMIS), and Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)
missions. This year’s conference will have unique features enabled by
virtual technology that will be described in later notices, along with
features of the LSF the community has appreciated in the past: the
annual Shoemaker Award Lecture (winner to be announced at the meeting),
the NASA Townhall, a virtual poster session, a virtual LunarGradCon
(for graduate students).

Abstracts deadline: Midnight PDT April 26, 2013

For more information about the format, abstract submission and
logistics, please visit:

http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/LSF2013/

B) FIRST CHEOPS SCIENCE MEETING
15-16 May 2013, Bern, Switzerland

This meeting aims at bringing together the community interested in the
CHEOPS mission and is intended to provide general information on the
advancement of the mission design, as well as to gather community
feed-back to prepare and optimize its scientific exploitation. An
immediate objective will be to collect scientific input as well as
comments on requirements in preparation of the writing of the
definition phase report (aka “red book”) for mission adoption.

Participants from all countries are welcomed. Since logistical
constraints limit the number of participants to ~100, priority will be
given to participants from countries that are member of the
consortium.

Information available here :
http://obswww.unige.ch/wordpress/cheops/meetings/science-m-01/.

C) INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM “THE SCIENCE OF MARCOPOLO-R”
3-4 June 2013, ESA/ESTEC

The International Symposium “The science of MarcoPolo-R” (sample
return mission to a primitive Near-Earth Asteroid in assessment study
phase of the M3 mission competition at ESA) will take place at
ESA/ESTEC (The Netherlands) on June 3rd – 4th, 2013. See the web
page: http://www.sciops.esa.int/The_science_of_MarcoPolo-R .

The workshop is now open for registration on the web site. The goal of
this workshop is to involve the broad science community in
presentations and discussions of the science of MarcoPolo-R. The
meeting is open to interested colleagues from both the science
community and industry. Please register as soon as possible to ensure
your participation, as the number of places is limited.

Contacts: Antonella Barucci (LESIA/Obs.Paris) and Patrick Michel (Lagrange/OCA)

D) EPSC 2013 – CALL-FOR-PAPERS
EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS 2013
University College London
08 – 13 September 2013, London, United Kingdom

http://epsc2013.eu

Abstract deadline: 06 May 2013.

The scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/sessionprogramme

In particular, please note the following sessions related to Giant planets:
– GP1 : Outer planets systems
Conveners : A. Coustenis, J. I. Lunine, P. Beauchamp E. Turtle, F. Postberg , C. Sotin , T. Rückriemen

– GP2 : Aeronomy of Giant planets
Conveners: J.N. Yates, L. C. Ray , M. Hollis , J. Cho

– GP3 : Titan’s Upper Atmosphere and Magnetospheric Interaction
Convener:s R. Yelle, I. C. F. Müller-Wodarg

– GP4 : Exploring the Surface and Interior of Titan
Conveners: E. Stofan, J. I. Lunine, E. Turtle, P. Encrenaz , A. Coustenis

– GP5 : JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE)
Conveners: D. Titov, J.-P. Lebreton, A. Coustenis, L. Duvet

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.

E) ORIGIN OF THE MOON
Two contiguous meetings sponsored by the Royal Society. Organized by David Stevenson (Caltech) and Alex Halliday (Oxford). The first will be September 23-24 in London and the second will be at the Kavli center (about 90 minutes from London), September 25-26. There will be a poster session for contributed papers at the second meeting only. For more information, visit
http://royalsociety.org/events/2013/origin-moon/
for the London meeting , and
http://royalsociety.org/events/2013/moon-origin-satellite/
for the follow-on meeting.

F) TENTH EUROPEAN SPACE WEATHER WEEK
November 18 – 22, 2013, Antwerp, Belgium

Space Weather in planetary systems
http://www.stce.be/esww10/sessions/planets.php
Gaël Cessateur – Alexander Shapiro – Mathieu Barthélémy

Deadline to submit papers in May 31 2013.

Stellar and Solar irradiance are the main external forcing on planetary atmospheres and also strongly impact the space environment. Stellar and Solar activity triggers the local space weather conditions, so it is a primary input for modellers. Although measurements and modeling of the solar irradiance were under close attention during the last decade, the complete picture of solar variability and its impact on climate is still far from being clear. In particular, the secular component of solar variability is poorly understood, mainly because long-term measurements are scarce. Nevertheless, there is a rich set of observational data of Sun-like stars collected from the ground (i.e. APT measurements at Fairborn Observatory) and space (i.e. Kepler or Corot). Comparison of solar and stellar data should allow us to better understand and constrain the solar and stellar variability at all time scale (from flares to secular variations), which is relevant both for the Earth’s climate and the habitability and detectability of extrasolar planets. This session invites contributions concerning all aspects of solar and stellar variability, especially emphasizing on what both communities can learn from each other. We also welcome contributions devoted to the interaction between planetary atmospheres and the Stellar/Solar flux in order to find out which tools might be used in the future for detecting Earth-like extrasolar planets.

Forwarded by Mathieu BARTHELEMY

———————————+

Newsletter 13-10

Issue 13-10, April 13, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP
2) DPS 2013 MEETING
3) REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS
4) AGU WHIPPLE AND GREELEY AWARDS : DEADLINE 30 APRIL
5) REMINDER : 2013 ONLINE MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
6) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
7) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP

Dear DPS Members,

Last year, the Administration proposed a FY13 Budget Request for NASA’s planetary science division that was $309M less than the FY12 approved operating plan. Recently, Congress voted — and the President approved — a restoration of $223M to NASA’s FY13 budget for planetary exploration. We have yet to see, however, how top officials at NASA will handle this $223M restoration in light of sequestration cuts required by the FY13 budget authorization bill HR933. What is ominous for the planetary science budget is that the NASA Administrator has repeatedly and publicly stated NASA’s top priorities, and they do not include planetary science. The discussion about sequestration of the FY13 budget is happening right now within Washington, so now is when you should weigh in with your voice.

On Wednesday, April 10, the President’s FY14 Budget Request was released. It continues the same cuts to NASA’s planetary science program that were proposed in last year’s FY13 Budget Request. The FY14 request is almost $300M less than the FY12 approved operating plan. Funding for planetary science would remain virtually flat at that level from FY15 through FY18.

The DPS leadership participated in a careful analysis of the planetary science funding in the FY14 Budget Request. There is some good news: the Research and Analysis (R&A) program appears to receive an $8M increase in FY14 compared to FY12, and remain flat for the out-years. Funding would be provided to the Discovery Program which may enable advancement of the next AO to FY14. Funding is identified for Pu-238 production. Many other elements of the NASA planetary program, however, suffer.

The Europa Clipper pre-project study funded by Congress in FY13 has no future according to the FY14 Budget Request. The Outer Solar System would go “radio-dark” in FY17 when the Juno New Frontiers mission is terminated. Funds would be provided only to support NASA’s small contributions to ESA’s JUICE mission. Cassini might be shut down in FY15.

The Mars program is cut $353M in FY14 compared with FY12. NASA might be able to operate the current on-going Mars missions, launch and operate MAVEN and InSight, and implement a Mars 2020 rover mission, but nothing else. One concern is that while the total funding requested for the Mars 2020 rover mission seems adequate, the funding profile is heavily “back-loaded” meaning the bulk of the funds would be provided in the last two years. Lessons learned from past missions show back-funded missions to be at high risk of cost over-run.

The technology program would be cut by $11M in FY14 compared to the FY12 funding level, and of the remainder, $50M per year will be transferred by NASA to the DOE for their infrastructure for Pu-238 production. This represents an aggregate loss of $61M for technology for future missions.

The proposed changes to NASA’s Education and Public Outreach (EPO) activities are not well understood. The DPS remains committed to sharing our planetary research with the world. It is widely acknowledged that NASA science missions provide an unprecedented opportunity to inspire, engage, and educate students of all ages and backgrounds in fundamental science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts. When education activities are embedded within NASA missions, the result is a productive, efficient, and intimate partnership between scientists and education experts. When NASA’s EPO is tied directly to each specific mission, it is not redundant with other agencies’ activities. The DPS strongly supports mission-related EPO activity.

The DPS awaits more information about the human-spaceflight program focused on asteroid retrieval. We note that the planetary decadal survey explicitly stated that “robotic and human exploration of space should be synergistic … however, this effort must proceed without burdening the space science budget or influencing its process of peer-reviewed selection of science missions.”

We hope to maintain the funding provided to planetary science by Congress in the FY13 HR933 budget act, and we hope to restore planetary science to the FY12 level during deliberations over the FY14 Budget.

We urge every member of the Division to write letters to your two senators and your representative expressing: (1) your thanks for the past support of Congress; (2) your concern about the sequester and the implications of the President’s FY14 Budget Request for the FY13 budget and all later years; and (3) your plea for continued support from Congress.

Please write to your senators and representative today. A hand-written letter, faxed to your representative, is best. You can also use the website provided by The Planetary Society to send your own letter or their letter, which you can edit (http://www.planetary.org/get-involved/be-a-space-advocate/take-action/); you do not need to be a member of The Planetary Society to use their website.

To influence the FY13 NASA operating plan and the FY14 budget, the time to act is now. Please support planetary science and do not delay. A sample letter is given below, and will be posted on our website.

Rosaly Lopes, DPS Chair
Heidi Hammel, DPS Vice-Chair

Dear Senator or Representative [fill in your senator or representative’s name]

I write to you with great concern regarding the future of NASA’s Planetary Science Program. The Administration’s FY2014 budget proposal, if enacted, would continue to cut our inspirational, unique, and affordable program of solar system exploration. I ask that Congress once again reject this cut and fund NASA’s Planetary Science Division at $1.5 billion this year.

Last year, the Administration’s FY13 budget proposed a devastating 21% cut to NASA’s Planetary Science Division, which builds and manages all of NASA’s robotic spacecraft that explore the solar system, including the extremely popular Curiosity rover on Mars and the Cassini spacecraft currently orbiting Saturn.

Congress rejected this cut, restoring much of the funds for the Planetary Science Division when it passed HR933 in March. I thank you and the rest of Congress. But a few days ago, the Administration proposed cutting this program again, removing close to $300 million compared to the FY12 approved operating plan for NASA. This would cripple NASA’s ability to maintain the balanced program of planetary exploration as recommended by the National Research Council’s Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Moreover, these cuts send an ominous message regarding the Administration’s intent for using the funding that Congress voted to restore to NASA’s FY13 budget.

Some have said that planetary exploration is the crown jewel of our space program, a national treasure. I ask that you once again reject the Administration’s proposal to cut this program. I ask that you help support the Planetary Science program at the level of $1.5 billion per year, which is the FY12 level without any adjustment for inflation. Planetary science missions represent less than 10% of the overall NASA budget of $17 billion dollars, yet are a highly visible and successful NASA activity.

With a restored budget of $1.5 billion for the planetary science division, NASA would have the resources available to achieve a balanced program of robust science. Its exciting, engaging missions represent the best of the American spirit of exploration and will yield discoveries to inspire the public.

Respectfully yours,

[signed]

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
DPS 2013 MEETING

Denver, Colorado, 6-11 October 2013
at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

Visit the DPS2013 website for updates
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

Remember these important dates and send your abstracts and registration forms in on time.

– 29 May to 18 July 2013 :
45th DPS Regular Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET
– 23 July 2013 :
45th DPS Early Registration Deadline
– 2 September 2013 :
45th DPS Workshop Proposals Due
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Hotel Reservations Deadline
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Late Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS

Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. It is time to consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes.

· The Gerard P. Kuiper Prize honors outstanding contributions to the field of planetary science.
· The Harold C. Urey Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in planetary research by a young scientist.
· The Harold Masursky Award acknowledges outstanding service to planetary science and exploration.
· The Carl Sagan Medal recognizes and honors outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public.

For all the above prizes the deadline is April 26, 2013. Detailed descriptions of each of the prizes and the criteria for nominees for each can be found at prizes. The nomination form and instructions can also be retrieved from this website.
The completed nomination form and supporting material should be emailed to [email protected].

Anyone may submit a nomination. A completed nomination will be retained and considered by the Prize Subcommittee for three years, or as long as the nominee is eligible, whichever is less. Past nominees may be re-nominated after the expiration of a prior nomination. A posthumous nomination is allowed for a limited time after the nominee’s death, except for the Sagan Medal. For specific details, see the URLs noted above.

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AGU WHIPPLE AND GREELEY AWARDS : DEADLINE 30 APRIL

Nominations are now being solicited for the Ronald Greeley Early Career and Whipple awards. Details are provided on the Planetary Sciences Section Web site. Please consider outstanding students for the Greeley Award and colleagues for the Whipple Award. Awardees represent the best and brightest in our community, showing the talent and vitality of AGU’s Planetary Sciences section. Nominations due on 30 April and should be sent to Phil Christensen. The deadline has been postponed to 30 April 2013.
DPS Congratulates Greeley Award 2012 winner, Alex Hayes. You can find the interview on the Planetary Sciences Section Web site and also via the AGU Blogosphere.

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REMINDER : 2013 ONLINE MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Several of you (about 300 !!!) receiving this e-mail have not paid your 2013 membership dues and will soon be removed from DPS/AAS lists, not receiving our e-news any more.
Please, if you’re among those, renew today online at https://members.aas.org/ by logging in to your membership record. By renewing online and not receiving a paper renewal, you will help your Society save enormous costs.

Also, please take a moment to update your personal DPS member file.

Thank you for your attention.
If you have any problems, and for general replies write to [email protected].

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JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit http://dps.aas.com/jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

A) DIRECTOR, NASA ASTROBIOLOGY INSTITUTE

NASA seeks a new Director for the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI).
The ideal candidate will be an internationally recognized scientist
with proven experience in leading large, multi-disciplinary, multi-site
research programs or projects, possessed with a vision for leading the
Institute into the future. Established in 1998 as part of NASA’s
Astrobiology Program, the NAI is a collaboration between NASA, US
academic institutions, and foreign institutions, governments and
research organizations. The NAI, currently headquartered at NASA Ames
Research Center in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, functions
as a virtual institute, its members linked by modern information
technologies.

The NAI Director, a member of the federal Senior Executive Service
(SES), is both the senior scientific officer and chief operating
officer of the NAI.

U.S. citizenship is required. Interested applicants should apply
directly to USAJobs to vacancy number AR13S0001 at:

http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/339239100

This website also provides additional details and the application
Deadline is Friday, June 21, 2013.

NASA Ames Research Center does not discriminate in employment on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political
affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status,
disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee
organization, or other non-merit factor.

B) PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES RESEARCHER (GSFC/CRESST/UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND)

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s (GSFC) Planetary Environments
Laboratory, in conjunction with the Center for Research and
Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), is soliciting
applications for a researcher in the field of Planetary Atmospheres
to support Mars upper atmosphere investigations with the MAVEN
mission. Additional details are available at:

http://www.astro.umd.edu/employment/

Candidates should have a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline with a
strong and demonstrated interest in and understanding of upper
atmospheric physics. IDL skills and experience in acquisition and
analysis of data from space flight instruments are highly desirable.

The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity employer. All
applications received by Monday, April 29, 2013 will receive full
consideration.

C) POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT THE SPACE RESEARCH AND PLANETOLOGY DIVISION (WP) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BERN, SWITZERLAND

The position is available immediately and initially for one year with extension highly probable. The project is primarily aimed at the investigation of gas-jet phenomena in thin and rarefied atmospheres in the Solar System and would be suitable for persons with expertise in CFD techniques.

Details can be found at http://space.unibe.ch/staff/thomas/positions.htm

Electronic applications should be submitted to Tina Rothenbühler ([email protected]) by April 21st.

WP is the leading planetary sciences institute in Switzerland (http://space.unibe.ch) and participates in a large number of European Space Agency and NASA missions. Involvements have recently expanded to include participation in JAXA, ISRO, and Roskosmos-led programmes. The Division is currently engaged in developing and completing hardware for ESA’s BepiColombo mission to Mercury, analyzing results from the HiRISE (MRO), ASPERA-4 (VEx), ROSINA (Rosetta), and OSIRIS (Rosetta) experiments and preparing for future missions such as the JUICE mission to the Jupiter system.

The project is aimed at the investigation of dusty gas jets that have been observed in several different environments in the Solar System. These jets are frequently driven by sublimation into vacuum or into thin atmospheres. Examples include the geyser activity seen on the Mars polar caps in spring, geysers on Triton, and cometary outgassing. The study of sublimation-driven atmospheres on outer planet satellites (e.g. Ganymede) is a related topic of interest following successful experiment selection for JUICE.
Applicants should have a PhD and experience in computational fluid dynamics using an established technique (e.g. Navier-Stokes and/or DSMC). Knowledge of Solar System physics would be desirable but is not essential. The post is open initially for 12 months but an extension for up to a further 2 years is likely.
Applications should include a curriculum vitae and the names of two references (including contact information).

Further information can be obtained from Prof. N. Thomas ([email protected]).

D) MAX PLANCK RESEARCH GROUP LEADER IN COMETARY SCIENCE

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) offers outstanding young scientists the opportunity to set up and lead a Max Planck Research Group in the field of cometary research.
The MPS is one of the leading research institutes devoted to solar system physics. With its three research departments “Sun and Heliosphere”, “Planets and Comets” and “Solar and Stellar Interiors” it covers the full range of physics inherent in the field of solar system science and is heavily involved in the Rosetta mission. It is the PI institution for four of the scientific instruments, is involved on Co-I level in five other instruments and holds one of two lead scientists positions for the lander unit.
In order to foster the scientific exploitation of the Rosetta mission the MPS intends to establish a new Max Planck Research Group dedicated to cometary science. The new Max Planck Research Group leader will have the unique chance to play a leading role in the research that is based on the Rosetta data. In close collaboration with the several instrument teams at the MPS he/she is expected to take advantage of the multiple involvements of the MPS in the Rosetta mission and to utilize the corresponding synergies in order to answer the key science questions.
The successful candidate will be offered a Max Planck Research Group for a period of five years with the possibility of twice a 2-years extension after successful evaluation and subject to financial and legal conditions.
The institute is currently located in Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, but will move in the beginning of 2014 to Göttingen, in the immediate vicinity of the University Institutes for Astrophysics and for Geophysics.
Applicants must hold a PhD in a relevant discipline and are expected to have several years of re- search experience in cometary science or a closely related field. They should have an excellent publication track record and the proven ability to conduct internationally recognized research of high quality. In addition they are expected to possess leadership skills and should be able to supervise students.
Applications, including a CV, a publication list, a summary of previous research experience, a brief statement of Rosetta related and other research interests and contact information for three references should be sent to [email protected]. Applications received by 30 April 2013 will receive full consideration.
For further information please contact Ulrich Christensen ([email protected]) or Hermann Böhnhardt ([email protected])

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UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

Dear DPS members,
Due to the sequestration and the travel restrictions applied in the US, several US and International meetings have been impacted. Hereafter is a report from the recent EGU in Vienna and, as you’ll see, among the announcement several cancellations of meetings we have announced in this Sections in previous mails.
We regret this situation and hope that in the near future, scientists will be able to share their findings and exchange with their colleagues in the same efficient and profitable way as before.

A) REPORT FROM EGU 2013 (EUROPEAN GEOSCIENCES UNION) ASSEMBLY IN VIENNA
The absence of many of US scientists from the 2013 EGU in Vienna, 8-12 July, was regrettable on several fronts. Their withdrawal was announced at the very last moment, and although some of them did come drawing on their vacations and on their own money, the numbers of those prevented from attending were significant enough to call for an action in the form of a letter from the EGU Leadership to NASA.

It is clear that while some types of interactions can be conducted by way of telephone and video-conference, there is no substitute for the face to face interactions among colleagues at key meetings to achieve optimum flow of information. The significant impact that a cessation of such interactions can have on the American talented and renowned workforce on an international level is dramatic, especially true for young scientists who are just beginning their careers and are critically dependent on the feedback they get in the face-to-face interactions that they are able to engage in, at international conferences such as the annual General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union. A year is a long time in the career of a young scientist. Missing such opportunities at the early stage of a career therefore, can have great negative impact. NASA has many exceptional young scientists who are potential future leaders, given the opportunity to grow that comes from such interactions. And of course the same can be said of the European young scientists who gain much from their interactions with their US counterparts.

NASA scientists are often the very ones with the most knowledge of the science missions for which NASA is so well known and respected. When they are not allowed to participate in international conferences, everybody suffers from the loss of opportunity to exchange ideas and insights that come only through direct face-to-face interactions.

These last-minute withdrawals also have a very disruptive impact in long-planned meeting activities. The cancellations mentioned hereafter refer to both European and US meetings. Coming back to the EGU conference, entire sessions had to be re-organized at the last minute due to lack of the appropriate US participation. Similarly, the several US cancelled planetary meetings hinders again opportunities for scientific exchange. This of course damages long-term partnerships between international scientists that have taken years to create and nurture.

Several highly important international conferences related to the space sciences will be held in Europe over the coming months. For example, the European Planetary Sciences Conference (EPSC) in September in London. They have been a long time in the planning. And they too, like the EGU General Assembly, have benefited greatly from active participation over the years by US scientists. They too, like the EGU, will suffer greatly should the same level of restrictions continue to apply. We all plead for a quick and efficient resolution of these issues.

Athena Coustenis
EGU/Planetary and Solar System Sciences President
DPS Secretary

B) POSTPONEMENT OF THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL MARS CONFERENCE TO 2014

The impacts of sequestration on the Federal budget have led to new
travel policies that severely constrain the participation of NASA
center employees, including JPL, and other government employees (e.g.,
the U. S. Geological Survey) in scientific conferences, including the
planned 8th International Mars Conference set for July 15-19 on the
Caltech campus. The current fiscal environment is sufficiently
restrictive that we, the organizers of the conference, have decided
to delay the meeting for one year, holding it instead in June/July of
2014. We sought advice from the MEPAG Executive Committee, which
unanimously concurred with our decision.

Although it was our strong preference to hold the conference this year,
the meeting in 2014 will include even more results from Mars, including
Curiosity’s further exploration of Gale Crater, as the rover will then
be well into the second year of its primary science mission. We look
forward to a full conference in June/July 2014 and hope to see you
there.

Dan McCleese / Dave Beaty / Rich Zurek
8th International Mars Conference conveners

[From PEN. Edited for length.]

C) INTERNATIONAL COMETARY WORKSHOP CANCELLED
Dearest Colleagues,
We regret to inform you that we must postpone the International Cometary Workshop “Comets as Tracers of Solar System Formation and Evolution in Toulouse, France“, originally scheduled for July 2013 until spring (probably April) 2014. The US Budget Sequester, and resulting NASA travel restrictions has blocked the travel of many of our invited speakers, two members of the SOC, and several US participants. As the goal of this workshop was to facilitate an international dialogue on comets leading up to the Rosetta encounter, we feel that the best option is to postpone the workshop. We are currently working with our LOC to determine an appropriate date when the facilities in Toulouse are available, and will announce a new date soon.

Best regards,
Kathy Mandt, Olivier Mousis and the SOC

D) THE 2013 STSCI SPRING SYMPOSIUM, HABITABLE WORLDS ACROSS TIME AND SPACE, HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Space Telescope Science Institute operates as a NASA contractor. Our contractual obligations include support of workshops and seminars. In response to fiscal impacts resulting from the United States Government sequestration, NASA has temporarily suspended the contract authority and all funding that enables us to host conferences and seminars. This suspension includes the upcoming STScI Spring Symposium, Habitable Worlds Across Time and Space, and the 2013 Calibration Workshop, both of which are now cancelled.
Refunds will be provided to all of you who have paid registration fees.

The ability of the HST and future JWST missions to push space exploration to its limits is crucially dependent on the collective intellectual resources of the astronomical community, and on the creative development of ideas that are enabled by direct interactions in face-to-face workshops, conferences and symposia. Activities such as the Calibration Workshop and May Symposium, which enable such creative interactions, are integral elements of STScI’s core science and community support mission.

That being said, we must recognize that these are exceptional circumstances, and acknowledge that this one-time deferral is unlikely to present a long-term risk to the Hubble or JWST missions or science. NASA, along with the rest of the Government, is facing challenging budgetary circumstances, and must make difficult decisions. While we are very disappointed that these two events must be cancelled, STScI looks forward to restarting our conference and seminar activities when the current suspension is lifted.

You can contact [email protected] should you need further information.

E) EPSC2013 – CALL-FOR-PAPERS
European Planetary Science Congress 2013
University College London
08 – 13 September 2013, London, United Kingdom

http://epsc2013.eu

Abstract deadline: 06 May 2013.

The world-wide community of planetary scientists is invited to submit an abstract for presentation of their recent work at the EPSC 2013 Meeting, which will
take place at the University College London, United Kingdom, 08-13 September 2013.
London is of course one of the great cities of the world, and the meeting is well placed in the city centre.
The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions. We expect a very well attended meeting, with many high quality presentations.
The current list of over 80 sessions is organized around the following topics:

TP Terrestrial Planets
GP Giant Planet Systems
MG Magnetospheres and Space Physics
MTI Missions, Techniques and Industry
EX Exoplanets and Origins
AB Astrobiology
SB Small Bodies
PD Planetary Dynamics
LF Laboratory and Field Investigations
OEP Outreach, Education, and Policy
AM Amateur Astronomy
CP Comparative Planetology

The scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/sessionprogramme

Please 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.
The session conveners, together with the Scientific Organizing Committee, will finalize the science program shortly after the abstract deadline.

Information on registration, accommodation, travel routes, visa requirements and social events will become available soon on the meeting web site.

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.
We look forward to seeing you in London.

With best wishes,
Manuel Grande and Ralf Srama
on behalf of the Scientific Organizing Committee
and
Mario Ebel
on behalf of Copernicus Meetings

F) IPEWG 2013
May 29-31, 2013, in Nice, France

The on-line registration to the third Meeting of the International Primitive Body Exploration Working Group (IPEWG 2013) on May 29-31, 2013, in Nice, France, is now open. Information regarding how to register, the program (based on solicited speakers only), the meeting goals, the logistics are indicated on the following web site (click on the Registration Menu for explanations on how to register):
http://www.oca.eu/michel/IPEWG2013/

The deadline for registration is May 10th, 2013 and we encourage interested persons to register (and book their Hotel; see the web site for information) as soon as possible as the workshop is limited to a maximum of 100 participants. Please contact Patrick Michel, LOC Chair ([email protected]) with any questions.

G) INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PLANETARY SCIENCES (IAPS2013)
July 1-4, Shanghai, China

The International Symposium on Planetary Sciences (IAPS2013) will be held at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, July 1-4, 2013, Shanghai, China

http://202.127.29.4/meetings/iaps2013

Also, an International Summer School on Planetary Geodesy and Remote Sensing will take place on July 5-7, 2013, see:
http://202.127.29.4/schools/school2013, which will train next-generation young scientists and graduates in planetary science.

H) THE PLUTO SYSTEM ON THE EVE OF EXPLORATION BY NEW HORIZONS:
PERSPECTIVES AND PREDICTIONS
Meeting Dates: July 22-26
Abstract Deadline: April 15
Early Bird Registration Deadline: May 31

The meeting is being held at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

Both registration and abstract submission are now open for the Pluto-2013 conference at: http://plutoscience.jhuapl.edu

Abstracts are solicited on all facets of the Pluto system—including origins, interiors, surfaces, compositions, atmospheres, satellites, plasma, and context in the Kuiper Belt.
Special issues of both Icarus and JGR-Planets are planned to publish new results and prediction papers in 2014.

Alan Stern (Program Committee Chair)
Hal Weaver (Local Organizing Committee Chair)

———————————+

Newsletter 13-9

Issue 13-9, March 29, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP
2) DPS 2013 MEETING CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : 18 JULY
3) REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS
4) AGU UNION HONORS
5) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
MESSAGE FROM DPS LEADERSHIP

Dear DPS Members,

The last week has been eventful. We received very good news about the planetary budget, but bad news about NASA restrictions on travel and cuts to E/PO programs.

NASA Budget:

First the good news for the planetary program: President Obama signed Appropriations Bill HR933 that was passed last week by Congress. The bill restores $223M of the proposed $309M funding cut from the planetary program in the President’s FY13 budget request and clearly signals the high priority Congress places on the program. The language in the bill (now law) is specific about increases for Europa (75 M) and for Plutonium production (14.5M).

We should thank the members of Congress in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle for their visionary and continued strong support for planetary exploration in the United States. The language in the bill and accompanying report clearly reflects Congress’s belief that NASA should pursue a strong, well-balanced program as outlined in the NRC Decadal Survey Vision and Voyages: that NASA conduct a balanced program comprised of the five major elements identified in the NRC report, namely small, medium and large missions, research and analysis, and development of enabling technologies.

While the passage of HR933 is a positive development, we note that the President’s last budget request continued to cut NASA’s planetary program for at least the next two years before leveling off at a greatly reduced level compared with FY12. Moreover, there is still the matter of the sequestration cuts that NASA and other agencies must deal with this fiscal year, and perhaps in the future. With respect to the FY13 distribution of NASA’s sequestration cuts, we are concerned about the omission of the planetary program in the many public statements made by NASA Administrator Bolden regarding the top priorities of the Administration.

NASA travel restrictions

The bad news is the restrictions that NASA is imposing on its employees and contractors such as JPL, in response to sequestration. The restrictions severely affect DPS and other AAS Divisions, so AAS has put out a statement on the impact (see below). NASA has effectively capped domestic conference attendance at 50 employees and contractors, and has prohibited all foreign conference travel. The impact on EGU, where MSL results were a highlight, is significant. We think that this sends a very negative message about international collaboration and, unless a waiver to the 50 employee rule is executed, it will have a very negative impact on the attendance at our annual DPS meeting in Denver this October.

NASA cuts to E/PO

We are still gathering information on this latest measure, but a statement was released by NASA’s office of Education, which can be viewed here:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/about/sequestration-NASA-education…

Rosaly Lopes, DPS Chair
Heidi Hammel, DPS Vice-Chair

AAS Statement on the Impact of Federal Agency Travel Restrictions on Scientific Conferences

The American Astronomical Society and its six divisions (Planetary Science, High Energy Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Dynamical Astronomy, Historical Astronomy, and Laboratory Astrophysics) are deeply concerned about the impact of the Administration’s new conference travel restrictions on the scientific productivity and careers of researchers who are Federal employees and contractors.

Scientific meetings and conferences are a principal mechanism for researchers, students, and educators to facilitate and strengthen their interaction and collaborations with peers in their field, thereby advancing the state of knowledge in that field. Scientists who are Federal employees or contractors play a critical role in all fields of science and engineering, so the Federal agency mission suffers when they, and any students collaborating with them, are unable to travel to relevant conferences.

In response to guidance from the White House Office of Management and Budget on implementation of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 sequestration, many agencies have issued new travel restrictions for employees, contractors, and grantees for the rest of FY 2013. For example, NASA has effectively capped conference attendance at 50 employees and contractors and prohibited all attendance at foreign conferences.
Given the mission need for NASA personnel to regularly meet with international collaborators, we believe our international leadership in space will be undermined by this prohibition.

While conferences occurring in the remaining six months of FY 2013 will be severely impacted by these new directives, our deeper concern is the likelihood that the restrictions and reduced conference travel spending will become standard policy going forward. We agree that all government travel expenditures should be subject to vigorous review and oversight, but we urge the Administration to consider carefully the harm that these top-down restrictions could cause the U.S. research enterprise and our international standing.

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
DPS 2013 MEETING CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : 18 JULY

Denver, Colorado, 6-11 October 2013
at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

The DPS2013 website is up and running!
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

Remember these important dates and send your abstracts and registration forms in on time.
– 18 July 2013 :
45th DPS Regular Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET
– 23 July 2013 :
45th DPS Early Registration Deadline
– 2 September 2013 :
45th DPS Workshop Proposals Due
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Hotel Reservations Deadline
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Late Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS

Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. It is time to consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes.

· The Jonathan Eberhart Planetary Sciences Journalism Award recognizes and stimulates distinguished popular writing on planetary sciences. Deadline for nominations for 2013 is April 15, 2013. See : prizes/eberhart .
All material must be sent to: Vishnu Reddy, DPS Press Officer at [email protected]

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4
AGU UNION HONORS

AGU has a diverse Union Honors program, which recognizes members and other individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Earth and space sciences through advancement and discovery, service to the community, and public outreach and education.

Please take this opportunity to nominate a colleague for one of the following:

• Union Awards
• Union Prize
• Union Fellows
• Union Medals

Learn more about AGU’s 2013 Union awards, medals, and prize.
Questions related to Union awards, medals, and prize nominations may be sent to Leah Bland.

Learn more about AGU’s 2013 Union Fellows nomination criteria.
Questions related to Union Fellows nominations may be sent to Danica Williams.

All nomination packages are due by deadline of 31 March 2013. Please note that only COMPLETE packages will be considered. The deadline time to submit nominations is 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). See the World Clock to calculuate your time difference.

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5
UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) IPEWG 2013: Second announcement (program and opening of on-line registration).
May 29-31, 2013, in Nice, France

Dear Colleagues:

We look forward to welcoming you on the “Nice” Côte d’Azur!

Sincerely,

Patrick Michel
[email protected]
———————–

B) 10TH INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY PROBE WORKSHOP
17 – 21 June, 2013,
San Jose State University, San Jose, California
Short Course: Entry, Descent, and Landing Systems 15 – 16 June 2013

http://ippw10.com

EXTENDED ABSTRACT DEADLINE : 3 APRIL 2013

Join us for the 10 International Planetary Probe
Workshop (IPPW-10), hosted by San Jose State University, June 17 – 21, 2013. The 10th Probe Workshop brings together engineers, technologists, scientists, mission designers, space agency leaders, and students from around the world for a week-long collaboration focused on exploration of Solar System atmospheres and surfaces using atmospheric entry and descent probes and aerial vehicles. Preceding the workshop, a 2-day short course on Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Systems is offered on June 15-16.

C) The INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PLANETARY SCIENCES (IAPS2013)
Dear Planetary Scientist:

The International Symposium on Planetary Sciences (IAPS2013) will be held at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, July 1-4, 2013, Shanghai, China (http://202.127.29.4/meetings/iaps2013) as well as the International Summer School on Planetary Geodesy and Remote Sensing on July 5-7, 2013, http://202.127.29.4/schools/school2013, which will train next-generation young scientists and graduates in planetary science.

We would invite you to attend the IAPS2013. Waiting for your confirmation and looking forward to seeing you in Shanghai, July 2013.

The deadline of abstract submission and registration is May 15 (see http://202.127.29.4/meetings/iaps2013).

Best Regards
Shuanggen JIN

D) COMETS AS TRACERS OF SOLAR SYSTEM FORMATION AND EVOLUTION
July 9-11, 2013,
Toulouse, France

Abstract submission deadline: March 31, 2013
On-line registration deadline: April 15, 2013

http://icw.space.swri.edu

A workshop on the role of comets in understanding the formation and evolution of the Solar System will be held in Toulouse, France 9-11 July, 2013. The workshop will cover topics ranging from the dynamical and chemical evolution of the solar nebula during formation, to the techniques for measuring the composition of comets. We will discuss the role that Rosetta measurements will play in understanding the origin of Solar System bodies, and what future missions to comets are being planned. Abstract submissions for posters and for talks are encouraged, though the number of talks available is limited in order to keep the meeting to three days. There will be a special issue of Planetary and Space Science devoted to the works presented at this meeting.

E) THE PLUTO SYSTEM ON THE EVE OF EXPLORATION BY NEW HORIZONS:
PERSPECTIVES AND PREDICTIONS
Meeting Dates: July 22-26
Abstract Deadline: April 15
Early Bird Registration Deadline: May 31

The meeting is being held at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

Both registration and abstract submission are now open for the Pluto-2013 conference at: http://plutoscience.jhuapl.edu

Alan Stern (Program Committee Chair)
Hal Weaver (Local Organizing Committee Chair)

F) EPSC2013 – Call-for-Papers

European Planetary Science Congress 2013
University College London
08 – 13 September 2013, London, United Kingdom

http://epsc2013.eu

Abstract deadline: 06 May 2013.

Dear colleagues,

We invite the world-wide community of planetary scientists to submit an abstract for presentation of their recent work at the EPSC 2013 Meeting, which will
take place at the University College London, United Kingdom, 08-13 September 2013.
London is of course one of the great cities of the world, and the meeting is well placed in the city centre.
The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions. We expect a very well attended meeting, with many high quality presentations.
The current list of over 80 sessions is organized around the following topics:

The scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/sessionprogramme

Information on registration, accommodation, travel routes, visa requirements and social events will become available soon on the meeting web site.

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.
We look forward to seeing you in London.

With best wishes,
Manuel Grande and Ralf Srama
on behalf of the Scientific Organizing Committee
and
Mario Ebel
on behalf of Copernicus Meetings

———————————+

Newsletter 13-8

Issue 13-8, March 17, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) STATEMENT FROM JIM GREEN
2) DPS 2013 MEETING CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : 18 JULY
3) REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS
4) TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: STEREO PROCESSING OF PLANETARY IMAGERY USING SOCET SET®
5) NOAO OBSERVING PROPOSAL DEADLINE 28 MARCH 2013
6) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
7) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
STATEMENT FROM JIM GREEN

LPSC TRAVEL CONFUSION UNDER THE SEQUESTER
James L. Green, Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA HQ

Recent guidance has come from the Administration that needs interpretation
relative to supporting travel for all NASA activities. These rules will go
into effect on March 19, 2013. We are in the process of executing all
elements of the guidance and will notify those that are affected. For
instance, we have worked with all the NASA Centers and JPL employees and
have completed an approved list of attendees. We are working on other
clarifications that will be issued as soon as possible. If you have any
questions about whether this applies to you or not and have not received
work from NASA please assume that you have permission to attend the
meeting.

To be perfectly clear, all those traveling to the Lunar and Planetary
Science Conference this week using funding on a NASA GRANT please go to
the meeting. You are exempt for now from these restrictions.

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
DPS 2013 MEETING CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : 18 JULY

Denver, Colorado, 6-11 October 2013
at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

The DPS2013 website is up and running!
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
REMINDER: CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS

Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. It is time to consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes.

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4
TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: STEREO PROCESSING OF PLANETARY IMAGERY USING SOCET SET®

The Planetary Photogrammetry Guest Facility at the Astrogeology Sci. Ctr. of USGS would like to announce a FREE training opportunity on the production of topographic maps from planetary images using BAE’s SOCET SET®. The training will cover hands-on procedures for surface extraction from Mars HiRISE images, including an overview of ISIS and SOCET SET, data import and export, orientation procedures, multisensor triangulation, manual and automated DTM extraction, and editing.
If you are interested in participating, please email us at the address below with your name, title, affiliation, and full contact information. Please include your preferred dates to attend and a statement describing your interest in the training. Seating is limited, so please reply ASAP.
Please note:
1. Training is 3 days, starting Monday or Tuesday.
2. Training will focus on HiRISE, but we can advise participants on the suitability of different sensors for their research projects.
3. If you would like to stay longer to process your own datasets, please let us know so we can schedule additional visits for further production time.
Please let us know if you require further information. Thank you.

Dr. Raad Saleh
Email: [email protected]
http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/geology/photogrammetry-guest-facility

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5
NOAO CALL FOR PROPOSALS DEADLINE 28 MARCH 2013

The National Optical Astronomy Observatory announces the availability of observing time for the 2013B semester, August 2013-January 2014. The facilities available this semester include the Gemini North and South telescopes, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (including SOAR), Kitt Peak National Observatory (including WIYN), community-access time with the Keck 10-m telescopes, as well as time available on the Subaru 8.2-m telescope and the 4-m Anglo-Australian Telescope through exchange programs.

Please see the NOAO Proposal Information page for details of instrumentation, observing modes, schedules, and proposal submission instructions.

LINK: http://aas.org/posts/opportunity/2013/03/noao-call-proposals-2013b-due-2…

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6
JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

For all Job opportunities, please visit http://dps.aas.com/jobs
and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]

THREE POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN BLACK HOLE ASTROPHYSICS (OBSERVATIONS, THEORY, SIMULATIONS) IN TOULOUSE, FRANCE

Applications are invited for three postdoctoral positions in the area of black holes astrophysics for a period of 2 years, within the CHAOS project, funded by the French Research National Agency. CHAOS is a joint project between three different world-leading institutes: IPAG (Grenoble), AIM (CEA Saclay/Paris) and IRAP (Toulouse). The three different positions are available precisely in:

– High energy processes around compact objects at IPAG/Grenoble (with Dr. Petrucci, Profs. Ferreira and Henri) with competences in radiative transfer.

– Observational properties in black holes astrophysics at CEA Saclay (with Prof. Corbel and Dr. Rodriguez) with emphasis given on the observational coupling between accretion and ejection process, and the broad-band spectral energy distribution of black hole transients.

– Modelling high energy processes in the X-ray corona and jets of accreting black holes at IRAP/Toulouse (with Dr. Malzac and Dr. Belmont) with competences in numerical simulations and a good knowledge of radiation processes in astrophysical plasmas.

Minimum qualifications include a PhD degree or higher in astronomy, physics or related field. The positions are for two years with an average annual salary of 24 000 €. Ample funding for conferences, collaborations, personal equipment and publication is available. Applicants should submit a resume, a publication list and a brief research statement by e-mail to jobs(at)chaos-project.fr. They should also arrange for three reference letters to be sent to this e-mail address. Review of applications will begin on April 30th and continue until the positions are filled. The CHAOS project is an equal opportunity employer.
Applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.

More details at http://www.chaos-project.fr/

7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7
UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) 10TH INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY PROBE WORKSHOP
17 – 21 June, 2013,
San Jose State University, San Jose, California
Short Course: Entry, Descent, and Landing Systems 15 – 16 June 2013

http://ippw10.com

EXTENDED ABSTRACT DEADLINE : 3 APRIL 2013

B) EUROPEAN PLANETARY SCIENCE CONGRESS 2013
University College London
08 – 13 September 2013, London, United Kingdom

http://epsc2013.eu

Abstract deadline: 06 May 2013.

Dear colleagues,

The meeting will consist of oral and poster sessions, as well as workshop-style sessions. We expect a very well attended meeting, with many high quality presentations.
The current list of over 80 sessions is organized around the following topics:

The scientific program and abstract submission are accessible at:

http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2013/sessionprogramme

Information on registration, accommodation, travel routes, visa requirements and social events will become available soon on the meeting web site.

Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.
We look forward to seeing you in London.
The SOC and Copernicus

———————————+

Newsletter 13-7

Issue 13-7, March 10, 2013

+—————————–CONTENTS——————————–+
1) THE 45TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE DIVISION FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES
2) CALL FOR DPS 2013 PRIZE NOMINATIONS : DEADLINE APRIL 26, 2013
3) CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE L2 AND L3 MISSIONS IN THE ESA SCIENCE PROGRAMME
4) AIDA CALL FOR EXPERIMENT IDEAS
5) NSO OBSERVING PROPOSAL DEADLINE 15 MAY 2013
6) REMINDER: CALL FOR CHAPTERS FOR ASTEROIDS IV, DEADLINE MARCH 31ST, 2013
7) JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES
8) UPCOMING MEETINGS
+———————————————————————+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1
THE 45TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE DIVISION FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES

Denver, Colorado, 6-11 October 2013 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

Dear DPS members, we invite you to attend the 45th Annual DPS meeting.

The DPS2013 website is up and running!
http://aas.org/meetings/45th-meeting-division-planetary-sciences

Remember these important dates:
– 18 July 2013 :
45th DPS Regular Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET
– 23 July 2013 :
45th DPS Early Registration Deadline
– 2 September 2013 :
45th DPS Workshop Proposals Due
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Hotel Reservations Deadline
– 3 September 2013 :
45th DPS Late Abstract Submission Deadline – 9:00pm ET

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2
CALL FOR DPS 2012 PRIZE NOMINATIONS

DEADLINE APRIL 26, 2013

Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. It is time to consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes.

Detailed descriptions of each of the prizes and the criteria for nominees for each can be found at prizes. The nomination form and instructions can also be retrieved from this website. The completed nomination form and supporting material should be emailed to [email protected].

The deadline for nominations this year is April 26.

Consider for example the Carl Sagan Medal, that recognizes excellence in public communication in planetary science. Do you have a colleague that excels in reaching out to the public, that has a particularly effective way of communicating new findings in our field? We want to recognize those efforts, that are so important to the health of our field!

The Masursky Award recognizes meritorious service to planetary science. Do you have a colleague whose efforts made a significant difference in the success of an endeavor you’ve been involved in through engineering, managerial, programmatic or public service activities? Consider nominating that individual!

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3
CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE L2 AND L3 MISSIONS IN THE ESA SCIENCE PROGRAMME

The Director of Science and Robotic Exploration intends to define, in the course of 2013, the science themes and questions that will be addressed by the next two Large (L-class) missions in the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan, ‘L2’ and ‘L3’, currently planned for a launch in 2028 and 2034, respectively.

This process starts with a consultation of the broad scientific community, in the form of the current Call, soliciting White Papers to propose science themes and associated questions that the L2 and L3 missions should address. The submission deadline for White Papers is 24 May 2013, 12:00 CEST (noon).

Full details are available at http://sci.esa.int/Call-WP-L2L3

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4
AIDA CALL FOR EXPERIMENT IDEAS

Submission date extended to 15 March 2013

Please note ESA’s Call for Experiment Ideas in relation to the ¨AIDA¨ joint asteroid impact mission concept. Both European and non-European institutions are invited to participate. The Call will help ESA map the interests of the different communities (asteroid risk assessment, hypervelocity impacts and debris, and detector technology among others) that are addressed by the ¨AIDA¨ project.

Here are the details and the links :

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Technology/NEO/AIDA_Call_For_Experimen…

and

http://www.esa.int/neo

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5
NSO OBSERVING PROPOSAL DEADLINE 15 MAY 2013

The current deadline for submitting observing proposals to the National Solar Observatory is 15 May 2013 for the third quarter of 2013. Information is available from the NSO Telescope Allocation Committee at P.O. Box 62, Sunspot, NM 88349 for Sacramento Peak facilities ([email protected]) or P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726 for Kitt Peak facilities ([email protected]).
For full instructions see the Observing at the NSO page.
The most frequently accessed, specific instructions include:
• The Observing Request Form
• Users’ Manual for the SP facilities
• Users’ Manual for the KP facilities
• The Observing-run evaluation form for the SP facilities.
Proposers are reminded that each quarter is typically oversubscribed, and it is to the proposer’s advantage to provide all information requested to the greatest possible extent no later than the official deadline. Observing time at National Observatories is provided as support to the astronomical community by the National Science Foundation.

LINK: http://aas.org/posts/opportunity/2013/03/nso-observing-proposal-deadline…

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6
REMINDER: CALL FOR CHAPTERS FOR ASTEROIDS IV, DEADLINE MARCH 31ST, 2013

The Editors and the SOC invite you to volunteer to participate in the Asteroids IV project. More specifically, they solicit ideas for chapter topics and a solicitation for volunteers for chapter authors. If you would like to recommend chapters for the book, or would like to volunteer to write a particular chapter as a first author, contact the editors no later than March 31st, 2013. To be most helpful, and to be seriously considered for selection as a chapter author, you need to send detailed information as outlined at the bottom of the call for chapters that can be seen and downloaded on the Asteroids IV web site:

http://www.oca.eu/michel/ASTEROIDSIV/

The SOC will then make the final choice of chapters, based on the received ideas and its own conclusions. Your participation would be an extremely valuable service to the asteroid and planetary science community. Detailed information for Asteroids IV chapters/authors as well as the participation form are indicated on the Asteroids IV website.

The editors wish to render Asteroids IV as useful as Asteroids (1979), Asteroids II (1989), and Asteroids III (2002) leading to the science community’s primary reference manual for at least the next decade, and they hope you will volunteer to participate to this challenge.

On behalf of the co-Editors and SOC,

Patrick Michel
Editor, Asteroids IV
[email protected]
web: http://www.oca.eu/michel/

7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7
JOB/POSITION OPPORTUNITIES

[Please visit the DPS web site at : jobs
for more information and also consider posting a job by filling out the jobs submission form at:
node/add/job

You can send any comments, questions, or suggestions to the DPS Jobs Czar at: [email protected]]

POSTDOC – BOSTON UNIVERSITY – VENUS AND MARS IONOSPHERES

The Center for Space Physics at Boston University invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position supervised by Professor Paul Withers. The research will involve the analysis of observations from the ionospheres of Venus and Mars, supplemented by numerical simulations. Candidates should possess a PhD degree in a relevant field. Experience conducting research on planetary ionospheres is desirable. The salary offered will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Funding is available for two years with the possibility of extension. The appointment is expected to begin as soon as possible after 1 June 2013. Please contact Paul Withers ([email protected]) for further information.

Applications should be sent by email to Paul Withers ([email protected]). The application should be submitted in PDF format and contain a curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and contact information for three referees. Review of applications will begin on 30 April 2013. Women and underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Boston University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

8———8———8———8———8———8———8———8
UPCOMING MEETINGS

See also: PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html

A) HABITABLE WORLDS ACROSS SPACE AND TIME
The 2013 STScI Spring Symposium
April 29 – May 2, 2013

Abstract submission deadline: March 15, 2013
On-line registration deadline: March 29, 2013

Within a matter of years, humanity will know for the first time the frequency of terrestrial planets in orbit around other stars. In this four-day symposium, scientists from diverse fields will discuss the formation and long-term evolution of terrestrial bodies throughout the various phases of stellar and Galactic evolution. A particular focus will be in how the specific conditions and challenges for habitability on Earth extend to other bodies in the Solar System and beyond. The existence of these overlooked environments may provide motivation for novel astronomical observations with existing and next generation ground and space-based observatories.

Registration for this Symposium is now open and there are a limited number of spots. Please go to:
http://www.stsci.edu/institute/conference/habitable-worlds
and click on the “Register” link. We also invite contributions in the form of talks and posters, which can be submitted during the registration process or after one has registered. Only a small number of contributed talks are available.

B) 10TH INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY PROBE WORKSHOP
17 – 21 June, 2013,
San Jose State University, San Jose, California
Short Course: Entry, Descent, and Landing Systems 15 – 16 June 2013

http://ippw10.com

EXTENDED ABSTRACT DEADLINE : 3 APRIL 2013

Student Scholarship Application Deadline : Friday,15 March 2013
AI Seiff Award Nominations Deadline : Friday, 15 March 2013

C) SUMMER COURSE “MOLECULES IN SPACE”
Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden
25 June – 2 July 2013

Application deadline: April 2, 2013

– Lectures by leading scientists
– Observations on a 20m telescope
– State-of-the art model calculations
– Poster session for participants

More info on: http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Onsala2013

D) COMETS AS TRACERS OF SOLAR SYSTEM FORMATION AND EVOLUTION
July 9-11, 2013,
Toulouse, France

Abstract submission deadline: March 31, 2013
On-line registration deadline: April 30, 2013

http://icw.space.swri.edu

E) THE PLUTO SYSTEM ON THE EVE OF EXPLORATION BY NEW HORIZONS:
PERSPECTIVES AND PREDICTIONS
Meeting Dates: July 22-26
Abstract Deadline: April 15
Early Bird Registration Deadline: May 31

The meeting is being held at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, USA.

Both registration and abstract submission are now open for the Pluto-2013 conference at: http://plutoscience.jhuapl.edu

Alan Stern (Program Committee Chair)
Hal Weaver (Local Organizing Committee Chair)

F) THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM: EXOPLANETS, BIOSIGNATURES & INSTRUMENTS
Tucson, Arizona,
March 17-21, 2014

Motivated by the rapidly increasing number of known earth-sized planets, the increasing range of extreme conditions in which life on Earth can persist, and the progress toward a technology that will ultimate enable the search for life on exoplanets, the Vatican Observatory and the Steward Observatory announce a major conference entitled Exoplanets, Observations & Biosignatures: The Search for Life Beyond the Solar System.

The goal of the meeting is to help the international astronomical community toward the long-term goal of finding life beyond the solar system by bringing together the communities working on the observations and modeling of extrasolar planets, the development of exoplanet-focused instrumentation, biosignatures suitable for remote sensing, and the extreme life on Earth.

Venue
The event will be in the new El Conquistador Hilton Resort close to Tucson, next to the scenic Catalina Mountains.

Astrobiology School
The conference will be preceded by an independently-organized three-day school hosted at the University of Arizona’s Biosphere. The school will allow graduate students and junior postdocs to learn from the invited/keynote speakers and additional lecturers about the key topics of the conference. This will help them to benefit fully from the multi-disciplinary program and to connect with their peers from other disciplines.

Website: http://www.ebi2014.org

Contact: [email protected]

———————————+
Send submissions to:
Athena Coustenis, DPS Secretary ([email protected])

To unsubscribe visit http://aas.org/unsubscribe or email [email protected].
To change your address email [email protected].