PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 15 (April 8, 2012) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Melissa Lane Co-Editors: Susan Benecchi, Mark V. Sykes Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [NASA] Planetary Science Subcommittee Vacancy 2. Second Announcement and Call for Papers: "1970 - 2010: The Golden Age of Solar System Exploration" 3. Postdoctoral Position with MRO's HiRISE 4. Postdoctoral Position in Planetary Science 5. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 6. GSA Annual Meeting Topical Session - The Heart of an Explorer: A Tribute to Ronald Greeley 7. Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop 8. [NASA] PDS Odyssey Data Release 39 9. [NASA] PDS Cassini Data Release 29 10. April MEPAG Newsletter Available 11. MAVEN Science Community Workshop, 2 December 2012, San Francisco 12. [NASA] March 2012 Discovery and New Frontiers Newsletter Released 13. Release of Four Stardust Interstellar Foil Crater Samples for General Allocation 14. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 15. Postdoctoral Researcher: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) Microprobe Analysis 16. Galileo Goes to Mars Workshop 17. Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund 2012 Travel Grant Opportunities 18. 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] PLANETARY SCIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE VACANCY The Planetary Science Division will consider nominations and self- nominations to serve on the Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS) for a term of approximately three years. The PSS generally meets three times a year prior to the NASA Advisory Council, Science Committee meetings. The Planetary Science Division is committed to selecting members to serve on the PSS advisory committee based on their expertise, knowledge, and contribution to the broad field of planetary science. As such established researchers are encouraged to apply. Please send nominations by April 30, 2012 to: Sarah.K.Noble@nasa.gov 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 SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PAPERS: "1970 - 2010: THE GOLDEN AGE OF SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION" This conference will be held at Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Palazzo Corsini, Via della Lungara 10, Rome, Italy, from September 10-12, 2012. The deadline for advanced registration and abstract submission is May 15, 2012. The Second Announcement can be found at: http://goldenage2012.ifac.cnr.it/index.php/goldenage2012/goldenage2012 The email for information is goldenage2012@ifac.cnr.it Thank you, best regards, Alessandro Rossi (SOC Co-Chair) [Edited for content.] 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 POSTDOCTORAL POSITION WITH MRO'S HIRISE Applicants are invited for a postdoctoral position associated with MRO’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), located at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. The research emphasis will be on Mars geology and surface processes that are relevant to HiRISE. Work on terrestrial or other planetary analogs and quantitative studies using digital topography, spectral imaging, and other data are encouraged. Experience in analysis of data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is highly desirable. Other useful skills and experience include remote sensing, image processing, and lab-based measurements and experiments. Researchers with primary experience and training in terrestrial geology are welcome. Scientific collaboration within LPL and beyond is encouraged. Although the primary duty is research, work could include involvement in HiRISE science operations (observation planning, data tracking, processing, and analysis) and in educational and public outreach. Travel is expected to relevant scientific conferences and workshops and HiRISE team meetings. Funding is available for at least 2 years; Research Associates will be encouraged to propose for additional research funding as PI. https://www.uacareertrack.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/ Frameset.jsp?time=1326501924136 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 POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN PLANETARY SCIENCE The Department of Geology and Planetary Science at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.geology.pitt.edu/) invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the field of planetary science. The postdoc will be supervised by Professor Michael Ramsey and focus on the analysis of Mars surface data primarily from the THEMIS instrument, but including CRISM as well. The research may involve field-based analog studies depending on the candidate's experience and interests. Applicants with a strong background in planetary science, Mars surface processes, volcanology, computer programming, remote sensing, and Unix are encouraged to apply. The appointment could begin as soon as possible and will be funded full-time for 1-year. Continuation beyond the first year is possible depending on progress and availability of funding. Applicants should send their CV, brief summary of research, list of publications, and the contact information of at least 3 references to: Michael Ramsey (mramsey@pitt.edu). The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Applications from women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged. 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 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 $50,000 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 nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 ANNUAL MEETING TOPICAL SESSION - THE HEART OF AN EXPLORER: A TRIBUTE TO RONALD GREELEY Ronald Greeley, who helped found the GSA Planetary Geology Division 30 years ago, passed away unexpectedly in late October 2011. Ron was a leader and helped build the field of planetary geology, with work that spanned the breadth of planetary research. From volcanic to aeolian studies, from laboratory experiments to study of terrestrial field analogs, and from mathematical modeling to geologic mapping to NASA planetary mission data analysis, there is virtually no area or technique in planetary geology in which Ron did not participate. In tribute to Ron's memory, and all he did on behalf of our field, we invite oral and/or poster presentations from Ron's colleagues and former students for this wide-ranging planetary geology session to discuss recent results from your work in the studies, or techniques, or on missions, that Ron Greeley participated. The GSA Abstract deadline is Tuesday, August 14, 2012. The 2012 GSA Annual Meeting is 4-7 November in Charlotte, North Carolina. To submit abstracts, go to this website: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2012AM/cfp.epl 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 THIRD INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY DUNES WORKSHOP The Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop - "Remote Sensing and Data Analysis of Planetary Dunes" will be held June 12–15, 2012, at the Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff AZ 86001. Included in the second announcement is the call for abstracts, registration form, and detailed information about the Wednesday field trip to aeolian sandstones near Page, Arizona. To view the announcement, visit the conference website: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/dunes2012/ Abstract deadline is 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 10, 2012. [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] PDS: ODYSSEY DATA RELEASE 39 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce a new delivery of Odyssey Data, Release 39, for the following instruments: GRS, THEMIS, RADIO SCIENCE (Releases 115-117), and 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-20120402.html To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit the following link: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-Release.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: CASSINI DATA RELEASE 29 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce a new delivery of Cassini data, Release 29, April to June 2011, for instruments: CAPS, HRD, INMS, ISS, MAG, MIMI, RADAR, SPICE, UVIS, and VIMS. Data for the instruments CDA and CIRS will be available soon. RPWS: the previous delivery covered this time period. RSS: Cassini had no Radio Science activities this period. Please note that while the data products from this release are available online, they may not be immediately accessible through PDS web services such as the Planetary Image Data Atlas. Large data sets may take as long as a few days beyond the formal release date to be incorporated into these services. Check each service's web site to see the status of the latest release. To access the above data, please visit: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20120403.html To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-Release.html 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 APRIL 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 April 2012 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found on the web at: http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov Regards, Joyce Pulliam [Edited for content.] 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 MAVEN SCIENCE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, 2 DECEMBER 2012, SAN FRANCISCO The MAVEN science team is planning a one-day workshop for the Mars science community to discuss the MAVEN mission. We will provide details on the mission plan, spacecraft, instruments, observations and sequencing, and anticipated data products and science return. We want to make detailed information available so that those scientists with an interest in using the data or applying it to models can begin preparing for data return and release, and so that those with an interest in proposing for the planned Participating Scientist program can learn details of what we are planning. The workshop will be held on the Sunday immediately before the Fall AGU meeting (note that the dates for the AGU meeting have been changed to December 3-7, 2012). It will be held in downtown San Francisco, at a venue to be announced. For details, go to the MAVEN web site: http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven Email Kathleen Cirbo (kathleen.cirbo@lasp.colorado.edu) if you would like to be on the mailing list for receiving further information. Contact Bruce Jakosky (bruce.jakosky@lasp.colorado.edu) or Joe Grebowsky (joseph.m.grebowsky@nasa.gov) if you have any questions. 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12 [NASA] MARCH 2012 DISCOVERY AND NEW FRONTIERS NEWSLETTER RELEASED - GRAIL's Ebb and Flow Hard at Work - Dawn Reveals Vesta's Impressive Features - NASA Extends MESSENGER Mission - New Horizons Sets its Sights on Pluto - Juno on Track for Jupiter - OSIRIS-REx Efforts Underway - Strofio Assembly and Test Continues - "A Vision of Discovery" Delivers Mission Science Artfully - NASA Brings Space to San Diego View and subscribe at: http://discovery.nasa.gov/newsletter/newsletter.cfml 13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13 RELEASE OF FOUR STARDUST INTERSTELLAR FOIL CRATER SAMPLES FOR GENERAL ALLOCATION The Stardust Interstellar Sample Preliminary Examination (ISPE) Group has released one FIBed section from each of four craters from the Stardust Interstellar tray's aluminum foils. The samples are being released before the end of the ISPE because of the potential that the samples could be scientifically critical to the successful conclusion of the group's efforts. We do not know what made these craters, and we stress that we are not definitely sure they are interstellar in origin. They could be interplanetary dust particles, or even secondaries from impacts onto other spacecraft hardware. We are releasing these samples now so that we can learn about their origin. If you would like to request one of more of these samples for analysis please prepare a Stardust sample request and send it to the Stardust Curator. The deadline for these requests is May 1, 2012. Please go to the Curator's website for more complete details: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/stardust/BreakingNews.cfm 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 GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The April 'Image of the Month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page: http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/April12Image.html This Month's topic is on "The effect of gravity on granular flows". Image and caption contributed by Dr. Maarten G. Kleinhans, River and Delta Morphodynamics Research Group, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. 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 15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER: SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY (SIMS) MICROPROBE ANALYSIS The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), part of the Universities Space Research Association, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the area of SIMS isotopic and elemental analysis of Martian meteorites. The successful candidate will work with an international team at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. Candidate should be self-motivated, and must have a Ph.D. in geochemistry, cosmochemistry, or related. Strong background in ion microprobe analysis essential. Experience in analysis/interpretation of Pb isotopes is advantageous. Experience with a Cameca 1270/80 is also advantageous. Knowledge of Martian geochemistry and petrology is beneficial, but not essential. Travel is required. Candidates should also present an independent research plan that complements the Martian meteorite study. Position is for one year, with possible extension to a second year. Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and three references to resume@lpi.usra.edu. Further details; contact Justin Simon (justin.i.simon@nasa.gov) or John Jones (john.h.jones@nasa.gov). Information on research and facilities at the LPI can be found at www.lpi.usra.edu. Information on JSC facilities can be found at: http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/index.cfm The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16 GALILEO GOES TO MARS WORKSHOP A national hands-on workshop on astronomy for teachers in grades 3 – 12 (and those who work with them) will be part of the 124th Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 4 - 5, 2012, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, at the DoubleTree Hotel Reid Park, Tucson, AZ. The workshop will have a focus celebrating the Year of the Solar System and the landing of the Curiosity Rover on Mars. If you know teachers who need or want an astronomy workshop this summer, perhaps you can pass on this information to them. We welcome both novice and veteran science teachers, and will have a track especially for teachers who may be just a bit nervous about having to include astronomical ideas in their curriculum. For more information and registration instructions, please see: http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2012mtg/gttp.html Some scholarship/travel assistance is available for teachers whose classrooms include significant numbers of under-served minority students. 17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17 GERALD A. SOFFEN MEMORIAL FUND 2012 TRAVEL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2012 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering. The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2012 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2012. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry's dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website: http://SoffenFund.org Questions regarding the application or application process may be sent to: info@SoffenFund.org 18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html December 3-7, 2012 (**note date change) AGU Fall Meeting http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2012/ San Fransisco, CA [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop of which you think 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.php, 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. 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