PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 2 (January 8, 2012) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editors: Melissa Lane, Susan Benecchi Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [NASA] Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting #6 2. Tenure-track Position in Planetary Physics 3. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 4. Call for Abstracts, EGU Session: Aurora and Airglow in Planetary Atmospheres 5. Call for Abstracts, EGU Session: Polarimetry as an Invaluable Tool to Study the Solar System and Beyond 6. GSA 2012 Annual Meeting Session Proposals Due January 10 7. January MEPAG Newsletter Available 8. [NASA] Postdoctoral Fellowships 9. Last Call for Abstracts: Planetary Geomorphology at EGU 2012, Vienna 10. [NASA] PDS Cassini Data Release 28 11. [NASA] PDS Odyssey Data Release 38 12. Undergraduate, Graduate, and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Exploration 13. Postdoctoral Position Available - Washington University 14. 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 [NASA] SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP MEETING #6 SBAG 6 will be held in Washington DC, January 17-18, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Go to: http://www.cvent.com/events/6th-meeting-of-the-nasa-small-bodies -assessment-group/event-summary-a1d124ba1df848b2b529793fbd60798b.aspx for directions, reservations, and registration (upper right of page). Agenda items include: The latest from the Dawn mission OSIRIX-Rex Finding small bodies data in the PDS Prioritizing funding for technology development Driving requirements for balloon-based facilities Identifying strategic knowledge gaps for human exploration Recent and ongoing human asteroid mission simulations For more information about SBAG, go to: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/ 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 TENURE-TRACK POSITION IN PLANETARY PHYSICS The Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences (DPES) at the University of Toronto Scarborough invites applications for a full-time, tenure-stream Assistant Professor position in Theoretical and Computational Planetary Physics. Applications will be accepted until February 15, 2012. For more details on the position, please go to: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~physsci/docs/planetarysearch.pdf Applications can be submitted online at the following site with Requisition ID 1101091 at: https://utoronto.taleo.net/careersection/10050/moresearch.ftl?lang=en or all documents can be emailed to: dyer@astro.utoronto.ca. 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 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The January 'Image of the Month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page: http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/Jan12Image.html This month's topic is on "Weathering Profiles on Earth and Mars". Images and caption contributed by Anne Gaudin, University Nantes, CNRS, Laboratoire LPGN, France. 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 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 CALL FOR ABSTRACTS, EGU SESSION: AURORA AND AIRGLOW IN PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES Dear Colleagues, We kindly invite you to the EGU session PS5.2/AS4.19/ST6.3 "Aurora and Airglow in Planetary Atmospheres", which will be held in Vienna, Austria, 22-27 April 2012. Emission processes are phenomena of critical importance for the understanding of the physico-chemistry, the dynamics, the evolution, and the thermal equilibrium of planetary upper atmospheres and mesospheres. Depending on the nature of the emissions several mechanisms may be invoked, including particle precipitation (electrons, protons, cosmic rays, etc.), photoexcitation, chemical processes and transport of atoms. This session focuses on the comparison between numerical models, theory and observations of various types of airglow and aurorae. We invite presentations on the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, Titan, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, comets and Earth. Recent results from planetary missions such as Mars Express, Venus Express and Cassini (not an exhaustive list) are welcome. Laboratory and joint developments between theoreticians and experimentalists will also be addressed, as a critical step towards a better understanding of airglow/aurorae phenomena at Earth and the other planets. Abstract submission deadline: 17 January 2012 http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/9344 The Conveners, C.L. Simon Wedlund G. Gronoff T. Slanger Y. Yair M. Barthelemy 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 CALL FOR ABSTRACTS, EGU SESSION: POLARIMETRY AS AN INVALUABLE TOOL TO STUDY THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND Dear colleagues, We invite you to submit an abstract to the EGU 2012 session "PS1.2/AS4.21/ST6.1 Polarimetry as an Invaluable Tool to Study the Solar System and Beyond", to be held in Vienna, Austria, 17-22 April 2012. Deadline for abstract submission is January, 17th. Polarimetry is a powerful tool providing a wealth of information about objects from the Earth atmosphere to the far universe that cannot be obtained by traditional photometric/spectroscopic observations. In the solar system polarimetry has been widely used, e.g., to characterize the surface of atmosphereless bodies, dust and aerosols in planetary atmospheres, or to explore the magnetism of the solar atmosphere. This session is open to papers about recent polarimetric observations of solar system bodies including the Earth and the Sun, theoretical or experimental investigations and instrumental developments for polarimeters to be included in ground-based facilities or onboard future space missions. Contributions about detection and/or characterization of exoplanets with polarimetry are also welcome. http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/10059 The Conveners, M. Barthelemy H. Lamy C.L. Simon Wedlund F. Snik S. Bagnulo 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 GSA 2012 ANNUAL MEETING SESSION PROPOSALS DUE JANUARY 10 The next Geological Society of America Annual Meeting will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina 4-7 November 2012. In order to make this another great gathering for planetary scientists, we encourage you to consider submitting a technical session proposal for the meeting. If there is a particular topic that you would like to see included in the annual meeting program, and that you think would appeal to your colleagues, please propose a session! Here is the website: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2012AM/TopicalRequirements.epl The deadline for proposing a technical session is next Tuesday, January 10 (same day as LPSC abstracts). To ensure that session proposals for PGD don't get overlooked in the rush to get those abstracts submitted, please consider submitting a session proposal sooner rather than later! Thank you. We look forward to receiving your session proposals and seeing you in Charlotte next November! Sincerely, Simon Kattenhorn University of Idaho 2011-2012 Chair, GSA-PGD 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 JANUARY MEPAG NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE Dear Members of the Mars Community, On behalf of Dave Des Marais, the MEPAG Chair, Dave Beaty, Rich Zurek, and Charles Budney of the Mars Program Science Office, the January 2012 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found on the web at: http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov Regards, Joyce Pulliam P.S. Please note the announcements for the upcoming MEPAG meeting and the Future Landing Site Workshop that are being held in February in the Washington, DC, area. [Edited for content.] 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 [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, space operations, exploration systems, lunar science, or astrobiology. 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. An H-1B Visa status is not acceptable because the NPP is not an employment program. Stipends for Postdoctoral Fellows start at $50,000 per year, with moderate supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Funds are available for relocation expenses, up to a specified limit, and health insurance is available through the program. Fellows also receive $8,000 per appointment year to support travel to conferences, meetings, and other activities that directly support their research. 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 nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 LAST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY AT EGU 2012, VIENNA Firstly, Happy New Year! Secondly, the deadline is approaching to submit your abstracts for the Planetary Geomorphology session of the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2012 (GM10.1) in Vienna, Austria on the 22-27th April. The abstract deadline is the 17th January. Abstracts are welcomed that describe new advances in the study of planetary landscapes and processes, including all solid-surface planetary bodies. Terrestrial studies (either in the field or laboratory) aimed at understanding other planetary bodies are also encouraged. Our invited speakers include Dr. Ernst Hauber (DLR) and Prof. James Head (Brown University), who will be presenting their Earth analogue work. Please note there is an Abstract Processing Charge of 40 Euros per abstract. For more details on the session: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/9758 Abstract submission: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2012/abstract_management /how_to_submit_an_abstract.html Best wishes, Susan Conway, Matt Balme and Colman Gallagher (Conveners) 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 [NASA] PDS CASSINI DATA RELEASE 28 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce a new delivery of Cassini data, Release 28, January to March 2011, for instruments: ISS RADAR RPWS RSS SPICE UVIS VIMS Data for the instruments CAPS, CDA, CIRS, HRD, INMS, MAG, and MIMI will be available soon. To access the above data, please visit: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20120103.html To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-Release.html All available PDS data may be found at: http://pds.nasa.gov/tools/data-search/ For further information, see the PDS Home Page: http://pds.nasa.gov/ The PDS Team pds_operator@jpl.nasa.gov (818) 393-7165 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 [NASA] PDS ODYSSEY DATA RELEASE 38 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce a new delivery of Odyssey Data, Release 38, for the following instruments: GRS THEMIS RADIO SCIENCE (Releases 112-114) SPICE The gamma sensor component of the GRS instrument suite will no longer return data. The HEND and neutron spectrometer components continue to operate. To access the above data, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20120105.html To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-Release.html 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12 UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN EXPLORATION Invitations are now being accepted for Undergraduate Student, Graduate Student (MSc and PhD) and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Exploration. These positions are funded through a 6-year NSERC CREATE (Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program) project entitled "Technologies and Techniques for Earth and Space Exploration", led by the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX) at The University of Western Ontario, Canada. Collaborating institutions are the University of British Columbia, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Queen's University, University of Toronto, and York University. Positions may be tenable at any of these 6 universities. Major partners include the Canadian Space Agency, the NASA Lunar Science Institute, and several Canadian space and terrestrial exploration companies. A full description of the application process is found at: http://create.uwo.ca Applications are due by January 20, 2012 via email to cpsx@uwo.ca. We expect to award at least four Postdoctoral Fellowships and 12 Graduate Fellowships in the first year. Decisions will be announced in February 2012. 13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13 POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AVAILABLE - WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in Saint Louis invites applications for their new Steve Fossett Postdoctoral Fellowship. The Department seeks outstanding candidates who will strengthen and complement existing areas of study, including both terrestrial and planetary geology, geochemistry, and geophysics. Candidates will be encouraged to collaborate directly with faculty and students within the Department, and will be invited to lead a seminar in their area of expertise. Ideal candidates will have trans-disciplinary interests, and will interact scientifically with a broad spectrum of the Department's members. This competitive postdoc is awarded for a one-year period, which may be extended to a second year. Applicants should contact a potential Faculty sponsor to discuss additional arrangements. Applications will be considered until the position is filled, but priority will be given to those received before January 15, 2012. For further information, go to: http://eps.wustl.edu/Fossett_Fellowship 14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html June 24-29, 2012 Earth in Evolution http://www.vmgoldschmidt.org/2012/index.htm Montreal, Canada [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop of which your colleagues should be aware, 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, or * send a request to pen_editor at psi.edu * * To unsubscribe, send an email to pen_editor at psi.edu * * 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. Title plus text is limited to 200 words. Go to * http://planetarynews.org/submission.html for complete submission * directions. * * PEN is a service provided by the Planetary Science Institute * (http://www.psi.edu). **********************************************************************