PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 4, Number 32 (August 1, 2010) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Susan Benecchi Co-Editors: Melissa Lane, Mark V. Sykes Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Brown University: Assistant Professor, Geological Sciences Planetary Geological Processes 2. ESA Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Science 3. [NASA] Due Date delayed for C.16 Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) Program 4. Editor Journal Geophysical Research - Planets 5. [NASA] NASA Opens Online Voting For Next Desert RATS Exploration Site 6. 42nd LPSC Updates 7. SOFIA workshop 8. SOFIA tour 9. [NASA PDS] LRO LOLA Interim Release Announcement 10. Soliciting Abstracts for Impact Cratering Session, GSA Annual Meeting 11. Fall AGU Session on Outer Satellite Topography 12. Planetary Geology Sessions at the 2010 GSA Annual Meeting 13. Exploration of Near Earth Objects (NEO) Objectives Workshop [Explore NOW] 14. Student Travel Grants for GSA Meeting 15. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 16. 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 BROWN UNIVERSITY: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES PLANETARY GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES The Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University: http://www.geo.brown.edu/ invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Crustal Processes in Early Planetary History. Candidates should complement our current planetary science strengths in crustal evolution, volcanism, impact cratering, and remote sensing and departmental focus areas of Earth system history, tectonophysics, and Earth materials and processes. Major emerging important areas of investigation center on one or more of the following areas: the chemistry and mineralogy of early planetary processes, weathering and alteration processes, processes associated with the interaction of water and planetary crustal materials, quantitative geomorphology of planetary processes, the geologic record of planetary climate change, early planetary history and chronology, the astrobiological implications of such processes, and interactions of planetary crustal materials with the planetary atmospheric and space environments. Appointment is anticipated at the Assistant Professor level, although exceptional circumstances would warrant appointment at a higher level. To apply, please email in PDF format a letter of interest (addressed to Jack Mustard, Chair of the Search Committee), a current CV, statements of research and teaching interests, and three references to Ruth_Crane@brown.edu. More details can be found at: http://brown.edu/Departments/Geology/BrownGeoJobs.html#faculty 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 ESA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN SPACE SCIENCE The European Space Agency awards several postdoctoral fellowships each year. The aim of these fellowships is to provide young scientists, holding a PhD or the equivalent degree, with the means of performing space science research in fields related to the ESA Science Programme. Areas of research include planetary science, astronomy and astrophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial science, plasma physics and fundamental physics. Fellowships have a duration of two years, tenable at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, Netherlands, or at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid, Spain. Applications are now solicited for fellowships to begin in the summer or fall of 2011. Preference will be given to applications submitted by candidates within five years of receiving their PhD. Candidates not holding a PhD yet are encouraged to apply, but must provide evidence of receiving their degree before starting the fellowship. Application deadline is 1 October 2010. More information on the ESA Research Fellowship programme in Space Science and the application form can be found online at: http://www.rssd.esa.int/fellowship Questions on the scientific aspects can be sent to Dr. Guido De Marchi at fellowship@rssd.esa.int (Editor Note: Edited for length.) 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 [NASA] DUE DATE DELAYED FOR C.16 PLANETARY INSTRUMENT DEFINITION AND DEVELOPMENT (PIDD) PROGRAM The Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) program solicits proposals to define and develop scientific instruments or components of such instruments to the point where the instruments may be proposed in response to future announcements of flight opportunity without additional extensive technology development. This amendment delays the proposal due date for C.16 Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) Program. Programmatic schedule conflicts at NASA Headquarters have postponed the PIDD peer review and hence the date when SMD must have proposals. A corresponding deferral of the PIDD due date will provide the community additional time to prepare proposals. The proposal due date for PIDD has been changed to Friday, September 17, 2010. This Amendment has been posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH10ZDA001N"). You can now track amendments, clarifications and corrections to ROSES and subscribe to an RSS feed at: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations/ roses-2010 Questions concerning PIDD may be addressed to: Janice Buckner Planetary Science Division, Science Mission Directorate NASA Headquarters Washington, DC 20546-0001 (202) 358-0183 janice.l.buckner@nasa.gov (Editor Note: Edited for length.) 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 EDITOR JOURNAL GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH - PLANETS AGU is looking for a dynamic, well-organized scientist with high editorial standards and strong leadership skills to serve as the Editor for the Planets section of JGR. The 4-year editorial term begins 1 January 2011 and is preceded by a transition period in Fall 2010. Applicants should be respected leaders in the community, independent-minded, and evenhanded. As Editor you should be committed to further strengthen JGR-Planets as the leading journal in planetary sciences and be proactive in attracting innovative contributions in traditional disciplines and in emerging areas. The Union is interested in attracting papers in developing areas and ensuring that readers of JGR-Planets receive the best and most timely information possible. As Editor you will * have full authority to accept or reject submitted papers * ensure fair and timely review * seek out stimulating papers for inclusion in the journal. If you would like to serve as Editor of JGR-Planets, send your CV with a letter of interest via email to pubmatters@agu.org. If you would like to nominate a highly qualified colleague, send a letter of recommendation to the same email address. Please specify "JGR-Planets" in the subject line of the email. (Editor Note: Edited for length.) 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 [NASA] NASA OPENS ONLINE VOTING FOR NEXT DESERT RATS EXPLORATION SITE NASA is inviting the public to choose an area in northern Arizona where explorers will conduct part of the annual Desert Research and Technology Studies, known as Desert RATS. From July 27 through Aug. 8, space enthusiasts can vote where to send the Desert RATS team, which includes engineers, scientists and astronauts. To cast your vote, visit: http://desertrats2010.arc.nasa.gov The website features interactive panoramic images of lava, rocks and desert for the public to choose as the most interesting destination to explore. The location that receives the most votes will be announced Aug. 16. Astronauts will visit that site to perform field geology and collect rock samples. The Desert Rats 2010 mission also involves field testing two space exploration vehicles, which could allow astronauts to spend two or more weeks living, working, and traveling across different planets. Astronauts will use two such vehicles to explore a lava flow and test data collection methods, communications protocols, mission operations, and advanced technology. Desert RATS is sponsored by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about Desert RATS, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/desertrats (Editor Note: Edited for length.) 6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6 42ND LPSC UPDATES The 42nd LPSC will be held March 7-11, 2011, in The Woodlands, Texas. SPECIAL SESSION suggestions must be submitted by August 19, 2010, to meetinginfo@hou.usra.edu. Suggestions should include a detailed description of the science that would be covered in the session, and whether it will consist of invited abstracts, contributed abstracts, or a combination of both. Organizers of these sessions should be prepared to serve on the Program Committee, or to have a fully empowered delegate serve on the Program Committee, if requested by the Conference Chairs. ABSTRACT DEADLINE is Tuesday, January 4, 2011. More information will be available in the second announcement, scheduled for release by the end of October. Meeting announcements and other information will be posted on the conference website: www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/ 7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7 SOFIA WORKSHOP SOFIA Workshop during the 2010 DPS meeting, Monday October 4, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Pasadena Convention Center, Room 208. A special workshop session, open to all DPS attendees, during which the status of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), including the aircraft, telescope, and science instruments, will be presented. Opportunities to observe with SOFIA will be explained in detail. Community input is solicited with an aim toward making SOFIA as useful as possible for planetary science. If you have any questions, please contact the workshop organizer Bill Reach, wreach@sofia.usra.edu http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/index.html 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8 SOFIA TOUR A guided tour of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft and the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility (DAOF) in Palmdale (1-1/4 hours by road from Pasadena) will be offered to DPS attendees in Pasadena on Sunday October 3, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. The tour bus will leave Pasadena at 12:30 pm and return at 5:30 pm. Location of the bus departure point will be posted later at the DPS web site's meeting registration / special events page. Security passes are required for entry into the DAOF. If you wish to go on the tour, you must reserve your seat by contacting Dr. Jeonghee Rho, jrho@sofia.usra.edu, no later than September 3, providing your personal data for the security pass. For more information regarding the tour and personal data required for the security pass, please go to this site: http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/index.html 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9 [NASA PDS] LRO LOLA INTERIM RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT To users of Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Mission: The LOLA Team discovered and corrected a processing error that affected time tags in RDR data products from day 2010-02-15 onwards. The Team also corrected minor errors in EDR and RDR data product labels. This interim release consists of revised versions of all previously released RDR products and their PDS labels, and revised EDR labels only (not data files). The revised data are available from the LOLA Data Node via the Lunar Orbital Data Explorer: http://ode.rsl.wustl.edu/moon/ and from the PDS Geosciences Node: http://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu A revised product can be identified by the keyword PRODUCT_VERSION_ID = "V1.03" in its label. 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 SOLICITING ABSTRACTS FOR IMPACT CRATERING SESSION, GSA ANNUAL MEETING Denver, Colorado,October 31 - November 3, 2010 (Abstracts Due: August 10, 2010) Session T105.Impact Cratering: From the Lab to the Field, from the Earth to the Planets sponsored by: GSA Planetary Geology Division; GSA Geophysics Division; GSA Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Petrology, and Volcanology Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division; GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP); Geological Society of America Bulletin Conveners: Christian Koeberl (Univ. Vienna, Austria), Jared Morrow (San Diego State Univ., CA, USA) This session welcomes contributions on any aspect of the study of terrestrial impact craters, from their formation to structure, from ejecta to shock deformation, from geological to biological effects, including comparative planetology, and recent controversies. Submit an abstract to this session: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2010AM/top/papers/index.cgi?sessionid=26355 General: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2010/sessions/topical.asp 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 FALL AGU SESSION ON OUTER SATELLITE TOPOGRAPHY The Shape of Things to Come: Using Topography to Investigate the Evolution of Outer Solar System Satellites Topographic data provide insight into recent and ancient subsurface and surface processes and properties, on global and local scales. Spacecraft data have enabled some surface topography of outer planet satellites to be determined. We invite abstracts on any topic in which topography plays a role. These may describe theoretical investigations, laboratory studies or data analysis and could include (but are not limited to): processes that create or erase surface topography at any scale, such as convection, contraction, or relaxation; digital terrain and shape models; surface processes such as landscape erosion; and predictions of surface or subsurface topography for future missions. For more information about the session, please contact Wes.Patterson@jhuapl.edu or Louise.Prockter@jhuapl.edu. For more information about the meeting or to submit an abstract, see: http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm10/ 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12 PLANETARY GEOLOGY SESSIONS AT THE 2010 GSA ANNUAL MEETING We encourage abstract submissions to the 2010 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, to be held October 31 - November 3, 2010 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Submit abstracts by the August 10 deadline at: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2010/techprog.htm The following technical sessions are sponsored or co-sponsored by the Planetary Geology Division: T92. Technology-Enabled Field Geologic Research: Challenges, Successes, and Requirements for Future Systems. T105. Impact Cratering: From the Lab to the Field; from the Earth to the Planets. T106. Explosive Volcanism across the Solar System: Insights From Qualitative, Quantitative, and Geochemical Approaches. T107. Field Geology on Other Planets: An Emerging Science. T108. Planetary Exploration through Remote Compositional Analysis - The G.K. Gilbert Award Session. T109. Online Citizen Science: Engaging the Public to Solve Real Science Challenges in Planetary Geology and Terrestrial Geoscience. T110. Mountain Formation and Landscape Evolution in the Solar System: Implications for the Origin of Life. P2. Evolving Moon: Recent Advances in Understanding our Planetary Neighbor from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Other Missions. P8. Exploring for Life in the Cosmos: Celebrating Five Decades of Astrobiology. For information about each session see: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2010/sessions/topical.asp 13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13 EXPLORATION OF NEAR EARTH OBJECTS (NEO) OBJECTIVES WORKSHOP [EXPLORE NOW] August 10-11, 2010 Washington, DC NASA is hosting an interactive, two-day workshop with the primary goals of increasing the collective understanding of NEOs, communicating NASA's plans for a human mission to a NEO, and capturing external input on proposed mission objectives. Explore NOW will bring together experts and leaders within NASA, industry, academia, other government agencies, and international communities. Although participation in the workshop is limited, NASA will offer a live webcast of the plenary sessions and panel sessions to provide maximum insight and public engagement. Watch Explore NOW online: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration Visit this page on the days of the workshop to access the webcast. Presentations will also be made available on this site for download before the start of the workshop. Best regards, Marguerite Broadwell Exploration Systems Mission Directorate 14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14 STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS FOR GSA MEETING The Planetary Geology Division (PGD) of the Geological Society of America is offering two travel grants of $500 each to help defray costs for PGD student members who are traveling to the 2010 GSA Annual Meeting in Denver to present first-authored papers. Applicants for student travel awards must: (1) Be first author and presenter of a paper (or poster). (2) Be a Student Member of both GSA and the Planetary Geology Division. To join or to renew your membership go to: http://www.geosociety.org/members/ (3) Be registered for the meeting before applying for a travel grant. To register go to: http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2010/reg.htm (4) Submit a completed Travel Grant Application, current CV, and a short justification (~300-500 words) for why travel funding is needed. If you are a co-convener of a session, also give that session's title. A student can only receive one GSA travel grant per meeting. You will be notified of your application status in September. Checks will be presented at the meeting, following your talk or poster. Application deadline is August 25th. The application can be requested from, and submitted to, the PGD 2nd Vice-Chair, Simon Kattenhorn, by emailing simkat@uidaho.edu. 15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15 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/aug10.html This month's topic is on "Hematite-rich regions on Mars" Images and caption contributed by Cathy Weitz and Melissa Lane Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Past images and captions are available at: http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/index.html 16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS March 1-3, 2011 Astronomy with Radioactivities VII http://cspa.monash.edu.au/awr7/ Phillip Island, Australia March 20-25, 2011 Twelfth International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry http://www.gns.cri.nz/ams12/index.html Wellington, New Zealand Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html [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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