PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 8, Number 50 (October 26, 2014) 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. Gerhard Neukum (1944-2014) 2. Gerry Neugebaur (1932-2014) 3. Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) 3rd International Symposium 4. Postdoc Position at Lowell Observatory 5. [NASA] PDS - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter SHARAD Radargram Release 3 6. 2nd Announcement: JWST Workshop at DPS Meeting 7. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 8. Proposal Writing Workshop at DPS 9. The HRSC Orbit Location Extractor (HOLE) 10. [NASA] SBAG 12 Meeting: Draft Agenda and Early Career Travel Support 11. Reminder of "Solar System Challenges: Citizen Science" Workshop at DPS 12. 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 GERHARD NEUKUM (1944-2014) Prof. Gerhard Neukum passed away on 21 September 2014. He was one of the most prominent planetary researchers in Germany and one of the world's recognized experts in the field, focusing on the chronology of Solar System bodies. He was born in 1944 in the Sudetenland, earned his Ph.D. in physics on lunar craters at the University of Heidelberg, and received his HDR in geophysics and planetary sciences at the University Louis and Maximilian in Munich in 1983, where he was appointed extraordinary professor in 1989. Since 1997, he occupied the position of professor of geosciences at the Free University of Berlin. He also headed the Institute of Planetology DLR between 1993 and 2002. He was instrumental in the birth of ESA's Mars Express Mission, instigating the development of the high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC) and leading the team of scientists that analyzes the results of this experiment. Neukum was also a member of the imaging team of the joint ESA-NASA Cassini-Huygens mission, was also involved in the ESA Rosetta mission which will land on the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November 2014 and in NASA's Dawn mission to study the asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. [Edited from a notice by the AAS/DPS.] 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 GERRY NEUGEBAUER (1932-2014) Gerry Neugebauer, an astrophysicist and pioneer of infrared astronomy, died on Sept. 26 in Arizona. He was a former chairman of the division of physics, mathematics and astronomy at the California Institute of Technology and director of the Palomar Observatory. Gerhart Otto Neugebauer was born in Gottingen, Germany, on Sept. 3, 1932. He later changed his first name to Gerry. He graduated from Cornell with a degree in physics and earned a Ph.D. in physics from Caltech. From 1960 to 1963, Dr. Neugebauer served in the Army, which assigned him to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he designed the infrared equipment for the Mariner 2 mission to Venus in 1962, and then joined Caltech's physics faculty. In 1983, he was the scientific director of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), finding more than a half-million infrared sources, many of them galaxies and rings of debris and dust around stars that were an early clue that planets exist beyond Earth's solar system. Neugebauer was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and received the Space Science Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in Britain. [Edited from a notice by the AAS/DPS.] 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 EARTH-LIFE SCIENCE INSTITUTE (ELSI) 3RD INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) will be holding its 3rd International Symposium on January 13-15, 2015, in Tokyo, Japan. The main theme of ELSI's 3rd International Symposium is the fundamental question: "Is there life in the Universe, outside Earth?" We still don't know the answer, but there is a good chance that the answer will be found within our lifetime. Robotic exploration within the solar system, as well as observations of planets circling other stars, may soon give us more tentative hints, and possibly even convincing evidence, of extraterrestrial forms of life. During the 3-day symposium, we will address three questions, respectively: 1) which planets seem fit as potential cradles of life; 2) what can we say about the likely properties of more universal forms of life, different from the one specific example we know on Earth; and 3) how can we best try to find signs of life elsewhere. For more information: http://www.elsi.jp/en/research/activities/symposium/2015/01 /sympo-03.html 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 POSTDOC POSITION AT LOWELL OBSERVATORY Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at Lowell Observatory to work on an investigation of solids and liquids in the outer solar system, in particular relating to the surfaces of Titan and Kuiper Belt Objects. The project links theory, laboratory experiments, and observations. This postdoc position will focus on laboratory experiments in the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Astrophysical Ice Lab, but will include opportunities to work on observations and theory as well. This position will be co-supervised by Drs. Henry Roe and Will Grundy. The initial appointment is for three years with an additional two year extension expected based on performance. The start date is negotiable, but preferably in early 2015. This position is funded by a 5-year grant from the John and Maureen Hendricks Charitable Foundation and comes with a competitive salary and full benefits, including relocation. Additional funding is available for research resources, such as lab and computer equipment, attending conferences, or other research-related travel. For more information see: http://www.lowell.edu/about_jobs.php http://www.lowell.edu/documents/jobs/Post%20Doctoral%20Research %20Associate%202014-22.pdf Applications received by 15-Dec-2014 will be given full consideration. Later applications will be considered until the position is filled. 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] PDS - MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER SHARAD RADARGRAM RELEASE 3 The Planetary Data System (PDS) announces the third release of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Shallow Radar (SHARAD) radargram data processed by the U.S. members of the SHARAD team. This release includes data acquired from September 9, 2010 through May 22, 2013 (orbits 19301 through 31965). Also included are some data from earlier orbits that were missing from previous releases (orbits 7899 through 10703). This data set differs from the original SHARAD reduced data set (MRO-M-SHARAD-4-RDR-V1.0) in that a different set of processing parameters was used, the details of which are described in the document RGRAM_PROCESSING.PDF, in the DOCUMENT directory of the archive. Future releases of this data set are planned to occur approximately monthly until the data coverage has caught up with the scheduled quarterly releases of MRO data. To access the above data, please visit: http://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/mro/sharad.htm For information about this release, please visit: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20141021.html 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 2ND ANNOUNCEMENT: JWST WORKSHOP AT DPS MEETING We invite you to participate in a workshop being held at the DPS meeting in Tucson, AZ next month to provide community input on potential solar system science with JWST. The workshop is being held on Sunday, 9 November from 1:00 pm- 4:00 pm (MST), prior to the opening reception. Remote participation is also available via WebEx. Details can be found at: http://www.stsci.edu/jwst/science/solar-system In order to fully realize the potential of JWST for Solar System observations, we have recently organized 10 focus groups including: Asteroids, Comets, Giant Planets, Mars, Near Earth Objects, Occultations, Rings, Satellites, Titan, and Trans-Neptunian Objects, to explore various science use cases in more detail. This workshop will consist of: 1) Presentations of findings from the focus groups, and 2) Discussion with the broader community to identify gaps in the focus-group science use cases and in envisioned observatory capabilities. These outputs from the workshop will be used to inform ongoing development and pre-launch operational studies. Unique science cases are also available as flyers for various Solar System targets found here: http://www.stsci.edu/jwst/doc-archive/flyers Your input is essential and we hope you will consider attending this workshop next month. 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) provides opportunities for scientists and engineers to conduct research largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research opportunities posted on the NPP Web site. Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology. An example of one of the research opportunities in planetary science is: https://www3.orau.gov/NPDoc/Catalog/17614 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 $53,500 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. The latest NPP Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1u0LcSj For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions: 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 PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP AT DPS Curious about how to improve the quality of the proposals you send to NASA? Ever wonder what the review panel is really looking for when it reviews that proposal? In conjunction with the DPS workshop on "How to be a PI," the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters is offering a shortened Proposal Writing Workshop at DPS that is based on the cumulative experience of current and former Discipline Scientists who have managed a variety of Research and Announcement (R&A) programs at NASA Headquarters. The specific focus of this intense, educational session is to provide a greater understanding of NASA's review process and offer constructive and practical insight into writing an effective research proposal. The event is open to all at no charge and will be held on Sunday, November 9, from 12-2 pm in Arizona Ballroom 11/12. All interested planetary scientists, from graduate students through emeritus professors, are encouraged to attend, and the workshop will end in time for participants to also attend the "How to be a PI" workshop. To register, send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, and current position to curt.niebur@nasa.gov. 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 THE HRSC ORBIT LOCATION EXTRACTOR (HOLE) http://maps.planet.fu-berlin.de The planetary sciences and remote sensing group at Freie Universitaet Berlin provides a dynamic map-server for easy and fast download of HRSC data products. The data can be downloaded in a fluent and intuitive zoom-, pan- and click- environment in GeoTiff and GeoJP2000 formats for direct integration into GIS projects without time-consuming processing work (and skills). Selectable query layers based on different processing levels of HRSC data (level 3 and level 4) are available. Queries are performed by selecting orbit outlines from the respective footprint layer. For level 4, high-resolution digital terrain models and pan-sharpened color composites can be downloaded in GIS-ready formats. For level 3 data with ortho-rectification being based on MOLA, panchromatic data is available. On selection a context window informs the user about basic image properties, metadata, previews and direct links to the product downloads. Hill-shaded MOLA datasets in grayscale or color are provided as base layers. The mineralogical context can be displayed as transparent overlays, based on OMEGA global maps. A three-fourth global HRSC panchromatic mosaic allows easier orientation. Further updates are planned in the future on a regular basis. For technical details, see the latest conference abstract: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2014/EPSC2014-567-4.pdf 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] SBAG 12 MEETING: DRAFT AGENDA AND EARLY CAREER TRAVEL SUPPORT The 12th SBAG meeting will be held January 6-7, 2015, in Phoenix, AZ. The final arrangements are being made with the hotel, and we anticipate having a website up shortly to enable you to register for the meeting and make hotel reservations. We have posted a draft agenda for the meeting to the main SBAG website: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/ We are also pleased to be able to offer limited travel support for a few early career scientists to participate in the SBAG 12 meeting. Interested graduate students, postdocs, and other early career scientists (within 3 years of PhD/MS/BS) should email a one page letter and a CV to SBAG chair Nancy Chabot (nancy.chabot@jhuapl.edu) by November 11, 2014. The SBAG 12 dates and location were selected in coordination with the Conference on Spacecraft Reconnaissance of Asteroid and Comet Interiors, AstroRecon, which will be held January 8-10, 2015, in Tempe, AZ: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/astrorecon2015/ 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 REMINDER OF "SOLAR SYSTEM CHALLENGES: CITIZEN SCIENCE" WORKSHOP AT DPS The Planetary Data System, NASA Tournament Lab and Appirio Top Coder invite you to register for the DPS workshop “Solar System Challenges: Citizen Science” that is scheduled on the Sunday before DPS. The workshop will be held at the Marriott Star Pass hotel, Arizona Ballroom #8, from 2-4:30 on November 9, 2014. Planned topics include the challenge process and its application to provide data access and educational opportunities, especially for Citizen Science. Representatives From PDS, NTL, and TC will be on hand to discuss past work with PDS data products - comets, lunar data, and Cassini images - as well as future ideas. Please contact Ed Grayzeck (edwin.j.grayzeck@nasa.gov) or Tom Morgan (thomas.h.morgan@nasa.gov) for details. 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 MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html November 4-6, 2014 PREDONx Workshop in Scientific Data Preservation https://indico.cern.ch/event/338461 Paris, France January 13-15, 2015 Earth-Life Science Institute 3rd International Symposium http://www.elsi.jp/en/research/activities/symposium/2015/01 /sympo-03.html Tokyo, Japan [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. 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