PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER 
Volume 3, Number 52 (October 25, 2009)

PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org
Editor: Melissa Lane
Co-Editors: Nic Richmond, Mark V. Sykes
Email: pen_editor at psi.edu

o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o

1. [NASA] Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research (LASER) 
   Program - Proposal Due Date Change
2. SPICE Class Announcement
3. Postdoctoral Position at the University of Vienna
4. PhD Positions - NEO asteroids and Impact Crater Studies (Doctoral
   School at the University of Vienna, Austria)
5. LDAP	  Workshop Abstract Due Date Reminder
6. [NASA] Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting
7. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions 

o---------------------------------------------------------------------o

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[NASA] LUNAR ADVANCED SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION RESEARCH (LASER) 
PROGRAM - PROPOSAL DUE DATE CHANGE

The proposal due date for LASER has been changed to Friday, January 
22, 2010.  Table 2 and Table 3 of the Summary of Solicitation for this 
NRA have been updated to reflect this change. In addition, the text
has been clarified regarding requirements for the use of data that are 
in the public domain.

This Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement "Research 
Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2009' (NNH09ZDA001N) 
is posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at 

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ 

(select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH09ZDA001N"). 
You can now subscribe to an RSS feed for amendments, clarifications and 
corrections to ROSES at 

http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations
/roses-2009/RSS

Questions concerning LASER may be addressed to 
Robert Fogel
Planetary Science Division
Science Mission Directorate
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC 20546-0001
(202) 358-2289
Robert.A.Fogel@nasa.gov


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SPICE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT

Registration is now open for an introductory SPICE training class, to 
be held January 12-14, 2010, in Pasadena California. See the 
Announcements section of the NAIF Home Page for more information.

http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov

Registrations will be accepted in the order in which they are 
received. The class will be limited to 40 persons.


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POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Study of Drill Cores of the El'gygytgyn Meteorite Impact Crater 
(Mineralogy, Petrography, Geochemistry)
 
The El'gygytgyn crater in Arctic Russia / northeastern Siberia formed 
3.6 million years ago in acid volcanic rocks and thus it offers the 
unique possibility to study the impact and shock effects on such 
rocks. 

In 2009, an international and multidisciplinary drilling project 
(coordinated by the ICDP) led to the recovery of several hundred 
meters of drill cores, including about 200 m of impact breccias. See: 

http://lithosphere.univie.ac.at/impactresearch/elgygytgyn-crater/

A vacancy exists for a postdoctoral position that involves the thorough 
characterization and study of these drill cores, with comparisons to 
other impact craters. The work involves mineralogical, petrographic 
(including shock-petrography), and geochemical investigations using a 
variety of techniques including, e.g., optical and electron microscopic
mineralogy/petrography, Raman, CL, XRF, INAA, etc. Expertise in these 
techniques is necessary. 

Applications should be sent by e-mail as soon as possible to: 

Prof. Dr. Christian Koeberl (project leader)
christian.koeberl@univie.ac.at  

Deadline is the end of November 2009; send e-mail for details. 


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PHD POSITIONS - NEO ASTEROIDS AND IMPACT CRATER STUDIES (DOCTORAL
SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA)

Planetology:  From Asteroids to Impact Craters

From March 2010, a doctoral school in the planetary sciences will be 
established at the University of Vienna in Austria. The school, for 
students in the geosciences and planetary astronomy, deals with the 
danger and effects of impact events by studying the petrology, 
geochemistry, and mineralogy of impact craters and ejecta, and the 
orbits of Near Earth Objects (NEOs).  Within the doctoral school, 
seven (7) positions for PhD students are available. These positions are 
for 3 years (the duration of PhD studies at the University of Vienna) 
and include a monthly stipend to cover the time used for research, as 
well as a waiver of the study fees.  Of those 7 positions, 5 are in the 
earth sciences and 2 in astronomy. 
  
A Master's (or diploma) degree in a relevant field (e.g., geosciences, 
astronomy, chemistry...) is necessary. Support for attending meetings, 
field work, etc., is available. The language of the school will be 
English. For details see: 

http://lithosphere.univie.ac.at/
 
Contact and applications: 
Prof. Dr. Christian Koeberl (head of the doctoral school)
christian.koeberl@univie.ac.at

 
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LDAP WORKSHOP ABSTRACT DUE DATE REMINDER

This is a friendly reminder of the November 1, 2009 deadline for 
submitting abstracts and registering for the "Lunar Dust, Plasma and 
Atmosphere: The Next Steps" NLSI workshop. 

The meeting will take place at LASP in Boulder, Colorado, 
on January 27-29, 2010. 

To learn more and to submit your abstract, please visit: 

http://lpa2010.colorado.edu/ 


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[NASA] SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP MEETING

November 18-19, 2009
Boulder, CO

The second meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group will be 
held November 18-19, 2009, in Boulder, Colorado at the Millenium 
Harvest House.  See

http://www.millenniumhotels.com/millenniumboulder/index.html

but please wait until Tuesday to make reservations with the hotel, as 
SBAG arrangements are still being made. 

If you plan on attending, please RSVP via to the SBAG meeting website:

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

The program will be available at the URL above.

This meeting will focus on planning a Roadmap document for the future 
of small bodies exploration by NASA. It will be informed by the NRC 
planetary science decadal survey report and will evolve with new 
knowledge, ongoing community input and additional studies over time. 
We will be reviewing the status of missions to small bodies, the 
Augustine report's recommendation of the Flexible Path scenario 
(involving a human mission to an NEO), and other issues.

For any questions, contact:

Mark V. Sykes
SBAG Chair
sykes@psi.edu

Michael S. Kelley
NASA HQ
michael.s.kelley@nasa.gov


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PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS

November 18-19, 2009
NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/
Boulder, CO

December 8-9, 2009
12th MHD Days
http://www.aip.de/MHD12/
Potsdam, Germany

January 9-10, 2010
Origin of Life, Gordon Research Seminar
http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2010&program=grs_origin
Galveston, 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.]


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