PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Number 37 (August 9, 2009) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editor: Nic Richmond Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Eugene Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award 2. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 3. GSA Special Session: Fault and Fracture Studies in the Solar System 4. Fall AGU Special Session: Return to the Moon - Latest Science Results 5. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions o---------------------------------------------------------------------o 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 EUGENE SHOEMAKER IMPACT CRATERING AWARD Applications are now being accepted for the Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award. The deadline for applications and supporting letters of reference is September 11, 2009. This award is for undergraduate or graduate students, of any nationality, working in any country, in the disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, or biology. The award, which will include $2500.00, is to be applied for the study of impact craters, either on Earth or on the other solid bodies in the solar system, which areas of study may include but shall not necessarily be limited to impact cratering processes, the bodies (asteroidal or cometary) that make the impacts, or the geological, chemical or biological results of impact cratering. Details about the award can be found at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Shoemaker_Award/index.html Interested faculty sponsors may also want to post a flyer in their institutions, so that students are aware of the opportunity. A flyer can be downloaded from http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/ Shoemaker_Award/Shoemakerflyer.pdf This award is sponsored by the GSA Planetary Geology Division and the student awardee will be announced at the division's October business meeting in Portland, Oregon. 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The August 'Image of the month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page, http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/aug09image.html This month's topic is "Slope Streaks on Mars" contributed by Frank Chuang Past images and captions are available at http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/index.html Mary Bourke Coordinator of the IAG Working Group on Planetary Geomorphology 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 GSA SPECIAL SESSION: FAULT AND FRACTURE STUDIES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM Please consider submitting an abstract to the following Tectonics/Planetary Geology session: T71. Fault and Fracture Studies in the Solar System Conveners: Simon Kattenhorn and Amanda Nahm Abstract deadline: Aug. 11th, midnight EST. This session involves studies of the evolution and mechanics of non-terrestrial fault and fracture systems through spacecraft image analysis, theoretical models, or geophysical techniques. Spacecraft missions have identified exquisite and often enigmatic fault and fracture patterns that tell of a long and complex tectonic history on many solar system bodies. These include terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars), icy moons (e.g. Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, Dione), and asteroids. Observations and theoretical considerations of terrestrial analogs aid in interpretations of tectonic deformation features in the solar system. We encourage submissions that illustrate how geometric, kinematic, and mechanical models of fault and fracture development, which have their basis in terrestrial studies, can be used to unravel the deformation histories of other solar system bodies. Terrestrial analog studies must show direct application to non-terrestrial examples. Appropriate topics include the evolution and mechanics of fault systems, global or regional fracture patterns on planets or moons, and magmatic fracturing. See: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2009AM/cfp.epl 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 FALL AGU SPECIAL SESSION: RETURN TO THE MOON - LATEST SCIENCE RESULTS Fall AGU Session: P08 Abstract deadline 3 Sep Conveners: Timothy Stubbs (Univ. Maryland, Timothy.J.Stubbs@nasa.gov) Dana Hurley, Bradley Thomson (JHU Applied Physics Lab) The dawning of a new era of lunar exploration has served as a reminder that there is still much to learn from our closest celestial neighbor. The recent international flotilla of lunar missions, including Kaguya (SELENE), Chandrayaan-1, Chang'e and SMART-1, have returned valuable new data that has provided fresh insights into the Moon. The discoveries will continue from these missions and upcoming NASA missions, LRO, LCROSS and LADEE. Together with these new observations, there has been significant progress with theoretical modeling of lunar processes, laboratory simulations and re-analyses of data from past missions (including many Apollo-era experiments). This session is open to the latest lunar science results from theoretical modeling, laboratory simulations, and the analysis of new and old datasets. Particularly encouraged are presentations that include observations from recent missions, activities associated with the newly-formed NASA Lunar Science Institute, or studies that demonstrate how the Moon can be used as a "Rosetta Stone" for helping understand processes occurring at other bodies in the solar system. 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html September 28-30, 2009 To the Edge of the Universe - 30 Years of IRAM http://iram-institute.org/EN/content-page.php?ContentID=131&rub =7&srub=67&ssrub=131&sssrub=0&ssssrub=0 Grenoble, France April 26-29, 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference 2010: Evolution and Life - Surviving Catastrophes and Extremes on Earth and Beyond http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/abscicon2010 League City, TX [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, please send the date, title, URL and location to pen_editor at psi.edu.] *********************************************************************** * * The Planetary Exploration Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. * Current and back issues are available at * * http://planetarynews.org * * To subscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_subscribe.html * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * Please send all replies and submissions to pen_editor at psi.edu. * Announcements and other messages should be brief with links to URLs * for extended information, including detailed descriptions for job * announcements. 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