PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 11, Number 20 (May 14, 2017) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Karen R. Stockstill-Cahill Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Elisabeth Adams Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. In Memoriam: Planetary Scientist Nathan Bridges 2. JWST Exposure Time Calculator (ETC) Webinar for Solar System Science 3. Shock Metamorphism Workshop Deadline Extended 4. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 5. Call for External Reviewers NASA Postdoctoral Program 6. Software Systems for Astronomy Meeting 7. MESSENGER Data Release 16 8. 7th Paolo Farinella Prize Deadline Extended 9. Planetary Meetings Calendar Additions Commercial Announcements: C1. New Book: "Worlds Fantastic Worlds Familiar: A Guided Tour of the Solar System" C2. New Book: "The Pristine Beauty of the Red Planet" 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 IN MEMORIAM: PLANETARY SCIENTIST NATHAN BRIDGES Nathan Bridges, a planetary research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), died on April 26. He was 50 years old. Bridges was a senior expert on the geology of Mars, remote sensing techniques, and the role of wind-driven processes in planetary erosion and sedimentation on Earth, Mars, and Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Among his many important findings, Bridges discovered that wind is as important a geologic process on Mars as it is on Earth, despite the much lower density of the Martian atmosphere. He was an integral part of multiple Mars missions and instrument teams: he served as a Co-Investigator on the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a Co-Investigator on the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) ChemCam instrument, and a science team member on two Mars-2020 rover instruments, SuperCam and the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer. Bridges is survived by his wife Karen, daughter Sarah, and son Matthew. The complete obituary can be read here: http://civspace.jhuapl.edu/News-and-Events/article.php?num=20170512 A tribute to Bridges from the Planetary Society can be found here: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2017/0503-a-tribute-to- nathan-bridges.html 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 JWST EXPOSURE TIME CALCULATOR (ETC) WEBINAR FOR SOLAR SYSTEM SCIENCE ETC Webinar: Thursday, June 15, 12-1 PM EDT (US) Webex info: Link: https://tinyurl.com/n662ezq Meeting number: 640 002 474 Password: JWST2018 The General Observer (GO) Call for Proposals will be released on November 30, 2017, with a submission due date of March 2, 2018. Get ahead of the game by joining STScI's John Stansberry and Bryan Holler for a hands-on demonstration of the ETC in the context of Solar System observations. This webinar will also feature an overview of Pandeia, the downloadable ETC engine written in Python, and a request for community input on Pandeia tools and capabilities that would be useful for planning observations. Attendance information and a recording of the webinar will also be available on the JWST events page at: https://jwst.stsci.edu/news-events/events Other useful links: JWST ETC web-interface: https://jwst.etc.stsci.edu (Note that you must create a MyST log-in to save your workbooks in the ETC.) Pandeia download page: https://ssb.stsci.edu/pandeia/engine/1.0/ JWST Documentation (JDOX) for Solar System targets will begin to be published on May 19 at: https://jwst-docs.stsci.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 SHOCK METAMORPHISM WORKSHOP DEADLINE EXTENDED Shock Metamorphism in Terrestrial and Extra-terrestrial Rocks June 26-29, 2017 Perth, Western Australia Abstract Deadline (extended): 14 May 2017 For more information, see workshop website at: http://www.sserviaustralia.org/event/shock-metamorphism-in-terrestrial- and-extra-terrestrial-rocks/ 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA's scientific goals. The NPP supports fundamental science, explores the undiscovered, promotes intellectual growth, and encourages scientific connections. 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. Current research opportunities in planetary science can be viewed here: https://npp.usra.edu/opportunities/?filter_keywords=&filter_fields=145 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. For further information and to apply, visit: https://npp.usra.edu/ Questions: npphelp@usra.edu 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 EXTERNAL REVIEWERS NASA POSTDOCTORAL PROGRAM The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), managed by USRA, provides young and more senior scientists the opportunity to work on 1 to 3 year assignments with NASA scientists and engineers at NASA centers and institutes to advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics, engineering, human exploration and space operations, astrobiology, and science management. USRA is recruiting well-qualified reviewers for upcoming applications. Reviewers may be asked to review up to 5 applications (each application is 15 pages, including figures and citations; double-spaced). Proposals deadlines are March 1, July 1, and November 1. The reviewer evaluations are submitted online and those who are eligible will receive an honorarium of $50 for each review submitted. Reviewers should have the following minimum qualifications: three (3) years past PhD; 10 or more peer-reviewed publications; at least five (5) peer-reviewed publications as first author; work in a field relevant to NASA; and show national and international prominence through awards and invitations to speak at major scientific meetings. If you are interested in being a reviewer, create an account at: https://npp.usra.edu/reviewer_connect/ For additional questions email nppreviews@usra.edu. 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 SOFTWARE SYSTEMS FOR ASTRONOMY MEETING Summer School in Software Systems for Astronomy - Registration is now open for the 4th offering of Software Systems for Astronomy. The course covers software design and implementation of telescope and instrument control systems, observation planning tools, and software for analyzing and archiving astronomical data. SSfA-4 will be offered as a two week intensive course this summer, 24 July to 04 August, 2017, on the Big Island of Hawaii. To register, visit the following web page and follow the instructions (UHH students skip steps 1-4): http://astro.uhh.hawaii.edu/Summer/Summer-2017/summer2017.php# Special_Summer_Note The course number is ASTR394. For more information visit: http://astro.uhh.hawaii.edu/Summer/Summer-2017/summer2017.php or send email to aconrad@hawaii.edu 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 MESSENGER DATA RELEASE 16 The Planetary Data System is pleased to announce Release 16 of products created from data collected by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission. This is the final release for the MESSENGER project. New products: Regional three-color mosaics of Caloris and B30 (MDIS) High-resolution regional DEMs (MDIS) Map browse (MDIS extras) UVVS far-ultraviolet surface reflectance (MASCS) Combined UVVS+VIRS spectra for the southern hemisphere (MASCS) UVVS orbit-by-orbit summaries of exosphere observations (MASCS) Animated visualizations of VIRS reflectance (MASCS extras) Documentation for the VIRS flat-field correction investigation (MASCS) Pitch-angle values for EPS pitch-angle summary plots (EPPS) Footprint products for calibrated data records (CDRs) (XRS) Spacecraft ephemeris kernel (SPK) based on low-altitude MLA data (SPICE) Documentation of low-altitude orbit analysis (MLA) Some MDIS, MLA, and MASCS products have updated calibration or photometric correction and/or other improvements. GRNS, MASCS, and EPPS have new or updated user documentation in the document directories of the archive PDS3 volumes. All data sets in this MESSENGER release: https://pds.nasa.gov/tools/subscription_service/SS-20170512.shtml The ACT-REACT QuickMap interactive Web interface to MESSENGER data: http://messenger.jhuapl.edu Updated MDIS global mosaics: http://messenger.jhuapl.edu 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 7TH PAOLO FARINELLA PRIZE DEADLINE EXTENDED To honor the memory and the outstanding figure of Paolo Farinella (1953-2000), an extraordinary scientist and person, a prize has been established in recognition of significant contributions given in the fields of interest of Paolo, which span from planetary sciences to space geodesy, fundamental physics, science popularization, security in space, weapons control and disarmament. The prize has been proposed during the "International Workshop on Paolo Farinella, the scientist and the man", held in Pisa in 2010, and is supported by the following Italian Institutions: University of Pisa, ASI, INAF, IFAC-CNR. The seventh Paolo Farinella Prize is devoted to planetary sciences and specifically to studies on the "Physics and dynamics of the inner planets of the solar system and their satellites". The award ceremony will be hosted by the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) meeting in Riga, Latvia (17-22 September 2017). The rules, call and the nomination forms can be found at: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/nominations-for-the-7th-paolo-farinella- prize-now-open/ Nominations must be sent by email not later than May 25th, 2017, to dimartino@oato.inaf.it and david.lucchesi@iaps.inaf.it 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 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html October 9-13, 2017 Eighth Moscow Solar System Symposium (8M-S3) http://ms2017.cosmos.ru/ Moscow, Russia February 25-March 2, 2018 The 2nd Rencontres du Vietnam on Exoplanetary Science http://rencontresduvietnam.org/conferences/2018/exoplanetary_science/ Quy Nhon, Vietnam October 2-6, 2017 Fourth International Conference on Early Mars https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/earlymars2017/ Flagstaff, AZ November 4-7, 2018 2018 GSA Annual Meeting https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/Events/Annual_Meeting/GSA/Events/gsa2018.aspx Indianapolis, Indiana *********************************************************************** COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS *********************************************************************** C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1-C1 NEW BOOK: "WORLDS FANTASTIC WORLDS FAMILIAR: A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM" Bonnie J. Buratti just published her popular book, "Worlds Fantastic Worlds Familiar: A guided tour of the Solar System" (Cambridge). Part science and part memoir, the book gives the reader a personal tour of NASA's latest Solar System discoveries. This account of modern space exploration is written for non-specialist readers of high-school age and beyond. https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Fantastic-Familiar-Guided-System/dp/ 1107152747 C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-C2 NEW BOOK: "THE PRISTINE BEAUTY OF THE RED PLANET" HiRISE is the most powerful camera ever sent to another planet, showing us Mars in astonishing detail. Featuring an outstanding and never-before-published collection of HiRISE high-resolution color images with explanatory captions in twenty-four languages, this book offers a unique volume produced from an active NASA mission. http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/Books/bid2683.htm [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.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. 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) using no NASA funds. All editorial work is * volunteer. ***********************************************************************