PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 22 (May 20, 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. Postdoctoral Researcher: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) Microprobe Analysis 2. GSA Session on Gullies in the Landscape: Abstracts Invited 3. Nominate Your Colleagues for AGU Awards: July 15 4. 1st International Workshop on LunarCubes 5. ESA's ESLAB Symposium on "Formation and Evolution of Moons" - 3rd Announcement 6. MARS2013 Northern Sahara Mars Analog Field Simulation 7. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 8. Update: National Planetary Exploration Car Wash & Bake Sale 9. EPSC2012 Session on the 2011 Draconoids Meteor Shower 10. 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 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: http://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. 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 GSA SESSION ON GULLIES IN THE LANDSCAPE: ABSTRACTS INVITED Dear colleagues, Paul Bierman and I are convening a session (T23) at the GSA Annual Meeting in Charlotte in November on gully erosion. This session addresses all aspects of gullying (on Earth or elsewhere in the Solar System), including field and remote-sensing studies of gully occurrence, mechanics of gully formation, environmental and sedimentological consequences, engineering challenges, and the relative roles of humans and natural forcing factors. http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2012/sessions/topical.asp Abstracts on any aspect of gully formation are welcome. Due date: August 14, 2012 For further information, please contact me at: Ronadh.Cox@williams.edu 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 NOMINATE YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR AGU AWARDS: JULY 15 The Whipple Award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of planetary science. The award is named after Fred Whipple, a gifted astronomer most noted for his work on comets. Past awardees have spanned the breadth and depth of the planetary sciences section. The new Ronald Greeley Early Career Award in Planetary Science is being awarded in 2012 for the first time. Nominees must be a member or affiliate of the Planetary Sciences Section of AGU and must be within 6 years of receiving their Ph.D. on the first day of the year in which the award is to be made (e.g. on or after 1 January 2006 for the 2012 award.) Parental leave can extend the six-year period. Packages should include a current CV and publications list for the nominee, and a nomination letter outlining the candidate's significant contributions. The nomination should be accompanied by three to six supporting letters from members of the AGU section. Send nomination packages to: Phil Christensen Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration Campus Box 6305 Tempe, AZ 85287-6305 USA +1-480-865-7105 phil.christensen@asu.edu 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 1ST INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON LUNARCUBES Flexure Engineering is creating the LunarCubes Working Group and LunarCubes workshops to promote the creation of a standard to facilitate the development of low cost, rapid development payloads that easily could be added to the many Lunar opportunities that will arise in the coming decades. Workshop: LunarCubes - The Next Frontier October 4-6, 2012, Mountain View California Call for Papers : June 1, 2012 To learn more go to: http://lunar-cubes.com 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 ESA'S ESLAB SYMPOSIUM ON "FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF MOONS" - 3RD ANNOUNCEMENT The third announcement is available for the European Space Agency's ESLAB Symposium on "Formation and Evolution of Moons" that will be held at ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 25-29 June 2012. ESLAB is an annual meeting organized by the European Space Agency’s Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration Research and Scientific Support Department. The program, registration page, and information about accommodations are now available at: http://tiny.cc/eslab-moons Please register online if you plan to attend. We are looking forward to seeing you in Noordwijk! Olivier Witasse, on behalf of the organizing committee 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 MARS2013 NORTHERN SAHARA MARS ANALOG FIELD SIMULATION The Austrian Space Forum is preparing for a Mars Analog simulation in the Northern Sahara in Morocco in February 2013, in cooperation with the Ibn-Battuta Center at the University of Marrakesh. We already have a series of indications of interest ranging from NASA/JPL, several universities across the US and Europe, and Russian institutions. We welcome other interested organizations, as well. We also would like to point out the option of performing remote science experiments either through our Mission Support Center in Austria or via satellite link from your home institution during our simulation. The closing deadline for abstract submission is 15 June 2012. For details, please see: http://www.oewf.org/cms/mars2013.phtml Best regards Gernot Groemer, PolAres Programme Officer 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 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 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 UPDATE: NATIONAL PLANETARY EXPLORATION CAR WASH & BAKE SALE A National Planetary Exploration Car Wash and Bake Sale is being planned for June 9th to attract media and Congressional attention to the perilous NASA planetary exploration cuts likely to take place 1 October. This event's purpose is to raise awareness to this problem in the public and in local media markets across the country by creating an opportunity for local media to interview planetary scientists about why it has come to washing cars and baking cookies to try to stop the cuts to planetary science. This is a grass roots effort, with individual groups taking personal action in their local communities on a common date. This event is not designed to actually raise funds. Any monies collected are meant only cover events costs. Over twenty planetary groups are now involved, including those at: CalTech, LPL, LPI, Moon Express (Google Lunar X Prize), Notre Dame, PSI, SwRI, UCF, UCLA, and the University of Maryland. More about the National Planetary Exploration Car Wash and Bake Sale on June 9th can be found at: http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~con/June9/PlanetaryCarWash.html and at our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/NationalPlanetaryExplorationCarWashBakeSaleDay An example press article about the event is at: http://www.nextgov.com/technology-news/tech-insider/2012/04 /can-bake-sale-save-nasa/55456/ 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 EPSC2012 SESSION ON THE 2011 DRACONOIDS METEOR SHOWER There will be a session dedicated to the exceptional 2011 Draconids meteor shower at the EPSC2012 in Madrid in September 2012. On 8 October 2011 around 20 UT, the Draconids displayed an exceptional outburst, as predicted by several researcher teams. An international observation campaign was organized for the event. It involved two European research airplanes each carrying a dozen cameras, as well as hundreds of ground-based observation stations. This session will highlight the results of the campaign. Additional information and abstract submission: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2012/session/11490 Deadline for abstract submission: May 23rd 2012 Jeremie Vaubaillon and co-convenors 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html June 19-21, 2012 Gemini North Adaptive Optics Workshop https://www.astrosci.ca/gnao2012/Home.html Victoria, Canada July 8-13, 2012 15th Global Hands-On Universe Conference https://sites.google.com/site/ghou2012/ Ifrane, Morocco July 17-20, 2012 Gemini Science Meeting 2012 http://www.gemini.edu/gsm12 San Francisco, CA July 19-20, 2012 National Capital Area Disks Meeting 2012 (NCAD 2012) http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/667/conferences/ncad2012.html Greenbelt, MD August 6-9, 2012 Practical Imaging with Optical Interferometers http://www.umich.edu/~interf Ann Arbor, MI September 3-7, 2012 Astronomical Instruments for Robotic Telescopes http://ciaens.astrosen.unam.mx/ Ensenada, Mexico October 4-6, 2012 LunarCubes: The Next Frontier http://www.lunar-cubes.com/ Mountain View, CA April 15-18, 2013 Light Pollution : Theory, Modelling, and Measurements (LPTMM-2013) http://lptmm.org/ Smolenice, Slovak Republic [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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