PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 05 (February 4, 2018) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Karen R. Stockstill-Cahill Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Elisabeth Adams Email: pen_editor@psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Job Opening: Planetary Scientist with Expertise in Exospheres at Goddard Space Flight Center 2. Job Opening: Planetary Scientist with Expertise in Magnetometry at Goddard Space Flight Center 3. Planetary Data System Project Office Support 4. Tenure-Track Planetary Sciences Faculty Position at Caltech 5. Curtin University Postdoctoral Researcher 6. COSPAR 2018: Near-Term Exploration of the Interstellar Medium 7. Job Announcement: Research Associate at LASP Working with the Langmuir Probe and Waves Instrument on MAVEN mission 8. Mercury 2018 Meeting: Abstract Deadline - Feb 15 9. 2018 NASA Planetary Science Summer Seminar Applications Open 10. [NASA] Draft SIMPLEx Released for Community Comment 11. Deadline for Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society Prizes: April 1, 2018 12. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 13. Pellas-Ryder Student Paper Award Nomination Deadline Extended to 9 Feb 2018 14. Third Pre-Proposal Teleconference - NASA Fellowship Activity 2018 15. LPI Celebration Clarification 16. First Announcement of Didymos Observer Workshop 2018 17. Differentiation: Building the Internal Architecture of Planets 18. Seeking NESSF reviewers 19. 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 JOB OPENING: PLANETARY SCIENTIST WITH EXPERTISE IN EXOSPHERES AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER The Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory of the Solar System Exploration Division (SSED) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) located in Greenbelt, Maryland has a U.S. civil service position open for a Planetary Scientist, with expertise in exospheres, at the GS-13 (Junior) level. The Solar System Exploration Division conducts theoretical and experimental research to explore the solar system and understand the formation and evolution of planetary systems. For more information about the duties of this position and requirements or to apply please see: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/489402400 More Information about the SSED can be found at: https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/ The job opening closes on 9 February. Specific questions about the SSED and this position can be directed to Michael.e.purucker@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 JOB OPENING: PLANETARY SCIENTIST WITH EXPERTISE IN MAGNETOMETRY AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER The Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory of the Solar System Exploration Division (SSED) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) located in Greenbelt, Maryland has a civil service position open for a Magnetometry Scientist, at either the Junior or mid-career levels. The Solar System Exploration Division conducts theoretical and experimental research to explore the solar system and understand the formation and evolution of planetary systems. For more information about the duties of this position and requirements or to apply please see: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487865100 (GS-13 position) and https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487885200 (GS-15 position) We will be hiring a single individual, at either a junior or mid-career level, to fill this position. More Information about the SSED can be found at: https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/ These job openings close on 5 February. Specific questions about the SSED and this position can be directed to Michael.e.purucker@nasa.gov 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 DATA SYSTEM PROJECT OFFICE SUPPORT The Science & Exploration Directorate, Solar System Exploration Division, Solar System Exploration Data Services Office (Code 690.1) is seeking a scientist to support the Planetary Data System Project Office located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. This individual will be a key member of a small management team providing oversight and leadership of the Planetary Data System that provides a distributed archive of data products from planetary missions. NASA's Planetary Data System consists of multiple science and engineering nodes that enable data archiving from planetary missions to ensure the long-term usability of NASA data and to stimulate advanced research. Additional details will be posted soon on the USAJobs site and information regarding the PDS GSFC office can be found at: https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/ and https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/dataarchives/ 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 TENURE-TRACK PLANETARY SCIENCES FACULTY POSITION AT CALTECH The Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology is seeking outstanding applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in planetary science at the assistant professor level. We are especially interested in individuals whose research complements that in the Division, which covers the full spectrum of the earth and planetary sciences. We are particularly interested in applicants with solar system-focused research programs in planetary geophysics/geology, planetary atmospheric sciences, or small bodies research; but those in other sub-disciplines will be considered. Review will begin March 16, 2018. For more details and to apply for the position: https://applications.caltech.edu/job/ps 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 CURTIN UNIVERSITY POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER A 3-year post-doctoral research position to study the chronology of Mars using automated crater counting methods working with Assoc. Prof. Gretchen Benedix is available in the Planetary Science Group at Curtin University (Perth, Australia). Integrating image processing, high performance computing, geochemical and geochronological studies, this project aims to determine a detailed and accurate geologic timescale for Mars. The project aims to apply novel automated feature recognition techniques to high resolution space-craft derived images of the surface of Mars. Combining this with formation ages of Martian meteorites, the anticipated goal of the project is to define an absolute chronology for Mars. A more complete timescale will provide context for the geologic processes that affected Mars and may help to better understand the past habitability of the planet. The aim of this research is to combine two geochronology datasets - crater counting and new radiometric ages - in an innovative, multi-disciplinary way. Applicant must have a PhD in planetary geology, geophysics, or related field. Experience studying and interpreting Mars surface geology via image processing or machine learning highly desired. Experience with mineralogy/petrology of Martian rocks is also a plus. Apply by February 16th at: https://webkiosk.curtin.edu.au/recruit/WK8127$.startup?Z_VACANCY_CAT= ACAD (#5235) Questions: g.benedix@curtin.edu.au [Edited for length.] 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 COSPAR 2018: NEAR-TERM EXPLORATION OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM 14-22 July 2018 Pasadena, California Exploration of the heliosphere and the far-reaches of our solar system by the Voyagers and New Horizons, and near-Earth observations of the Kuiper Belt and exoplanetary systems have all profoundly changed how we view our own home in space. An Interstellar Probe escaping beyond the solar-system boundaries with new observational techniques would be a bold move in space exploration enabling detailed, new understanding of the global heliosphere in the context other astrospheres, further discoveries of unexplored KBOs, and the first observations of our circumsolar dust, disk offering insight into the evolution of the solar system and understanding circumstellar disks of exoplanetary systems. This event welcomes papers on (1) science of the nearby interstellar medium and outer solar system, (2) instrumentation for relevant in-situ and remote measurements, and (3) mission and spacecraft concepts for reaching observation points far past the capability of the Voyagers and New Horizons. Abstract Deadline: 9 February 2018. Abstracts to be submitted on: https://www.cospar-assembly.org Session: Panel Session PIR.1 https://www.cospar-assembly.org/admin/sessioninfo.php?session=783 Session organizers: Ralph McNutt (JHU/APL, USA) and Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber (University of Kiel, Germany) 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 JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT LASP WORKING WITH THE LANGMUIR PROBE AND WAVES INSTRUMENT ON MAVEN MISSION The space physics and planetary group at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado (CU) are involved in several current and near-term space flight missions. We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position to work with data from the Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW) instrument on the MAVEN mission. The LPW instrument main observation regime is in the ionosphere, hence candidates with experience of data analysis of ionospheres are encouraged to apply. Also candidates experience with electric field measurement, Langmuir probes, and spacecraft charging is also encouraged to apply. The candidate will be working closely together with Dr. Andersson. The work will include improve existing software routines for data production, process the instrument data, and operate the instrument. The position will initially be a one-year contract with possible extension. Salary will be commensurate with hiring level, experience and qualifications. Evaluations will begin immediately and we will continue to accept applications. More information can be found at: https://www.cu.edu/cu-careers Enter job #12448 Please contact Laila Andersson (laila.andersson@lasp.colorado.edu) or Molly Hand (molly.hand@lasp.colorado.edu) with any inquiries. 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 MERCURY 2018 MEETING: ABSTRACT DEADLINE - FEB 15 The abstract deadline for the Mercury 2018 Meeting: Current and Future Science of the Innermost Planet is a few weeks away, on February 15, 2018. This meeting will focus on all scientific aspects of the planet Mercury, including both the current state of knowledge and the prospects for future endeavors. All scientific topics related to the planet Mercury are welcome at this meeting. In particular, we wanted to specifically note that contributions related to the future exploration of Mercury beyond BepiColombo are also sought. This meeting seeks to enable the Mercury science community to have productive discussions, building on MESSENGER's results and preparing for BepiColombo's new discoveries, while also considering what are the top priorities for the next steps in the scientific exploration of Mercury. Thus, abstracts on the speculative future scientific exploration of Mercury are encouraged, and authors are allowed more than one first-authored abstract to encourage such submissions. For more information and to submit an abstract, visit the meeting website: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/mercury2018/ For additional questions, please feel welcome to contact the lead scientific organizer Nancy Chabot (Nancy.Chabot@jhuapl.edu) 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 2018 NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SEMINAR APPLICATIONS OPEN NASA is accepting applications - from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, doctoral students, engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their master's degree but not planning to pursue a PhD degree, and junior faculty - for its 30th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar, which will be held August 6-10, 2018 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 2, 2018. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at: http://psss.jpl.nasa.gov 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] DRAFT SIMPLEX RELEASED FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT The planetary science division has released a draft SALMON-3 PEA for Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) for community comment. The draft text may be found on NSPIRES by searching open solicitations for "SIMPLEX" or by following this link: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary%21init.do? solId=%7B0A4F21F7-08E3-B2B3-7DE3-0BF5FEE76B8E%7D&path=open The comments are due by March 14, 2018. Comments on the draft may be addressed to Doris.Daou@nasa.gov. Responses to all inquiries will be answered by email and also posted at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) location of the SIMPLEx Program Acquisition website (https://soma.larc.nasa.gov/SIMPLEx/); anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved. 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 DEADLINE FOR DIVISION FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES OF THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY PRIZES: APRIL 1, 2018 The DPS sponsors five prizes: The Gerard P. Kuiper Prize honors outstanding contributions to the field of planetary science. The Harold C. Urey Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in planetary research by a young scientist. The Harold Masursky Award acknowledges outstanding service to planetary science and exploration. The Carl Sagan Medal recognizes and honors outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public. The Jonathan Eberhart Planetary Sciences Journalism Award recognizes and stimulates distinguished popular writing on planetary sciences. DPS members and the planetary science community-at-large are encouraged to submit nominations for DPS prizes. A complete nomination submitted by the deadline will be considered by the Prize subcommittee for 3 years (i.e. for this year's award, next year's award, and the year after that), or for the duration of a candidate's eligibility, whichever is less. Please fill out the nomination form, and it will be submitted to the prize committee. The Eberhart Award has different rules and procedures than the other DPS Prizes, please see its page for more information. For rules and procedures, scroll to the bottom of: https://dps.aas.org/prizes Questions: dpsprize@aas.org or lucy.mcfadden@verizon.net 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 GEOMORPHOLOGY 'IMAGE OF THE MONTH' The February image of the month is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page: http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com This month's topic is "Enigmatic Clastic Polygons on Mars". Contributed by Laura Brooker, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK. You can follow IAG Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PlanetaryGeomorphology or Twitter: @PlanetGeomorpho Tjalling de Haas (Chair, IAG Planetary Geomorphology working group) 13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13 PELLAS-RYDER STUDENT PAPER AWARD NOMINATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 9 FEB 2018 The 2018 Pellas-Ryder award, which is sponsored jointly by the Meteoritical Society and the Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of America, will be awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who is first author of the best planetary science paper published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in 2017. The award has been given since 2001, and honors the memories of meteoriticist Paul Pellas and lunar scientist Graham Ryder. To nominate a student-led publication that was published in 2017, two letters of certification are required: (1) From the student's department head attesting that the individual was a student at the time of paper submission to the publishing journal; (2) From the student's advisor detailing the portion of the work done by the student and contributed by others including the advisor. Additional details are provided here: http://rock.geosociety.org/pgd/pellas-ryder.html. Please email completed nomination packages (as PDF documents) to: Prof. Brad Thomson, 2017-2018 PGD Chair, bthom@utk.edu by Fri, Feb 9, 2018. 14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14 THIRD PRE-PROPOSAL TELECONFERENCE - NASA FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY 2018 NASA Office of Education opened a call for graduate research proposals on January 17, 2018. The NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH18ZHA003N: NASA Fellowship Activity 2018 is seeking student authored and independently conceived graduate research proposals responding to a NASA Research Opportunity listed in the solicitation. Proposals are due March 20, 2018. For full program details, visit: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary!init.do? solId={1CA633C8-7767-8658-6260-F318694A347B}&path=open Third informational webinar about this fellowship will be presented on Monday, February 05, 2018 at 10:00 am EST (7:00 am PT). The telecom number is 1-844-467-6272, and the passcode is 993012. 2018 NASA Fellowship Pre-proposal Teleconf. Monday, February 05, 2018 10:00 am (Eastern Standard Time) Join WEBEX meeting at: https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?MTID= m7fa69012272ddb5c57eeb52a96e320a3 Meeting number: 991 498 453 Meeting password: @2018FELLOWS Please pre-read the solicitation document and submit possible questions to NASA.Fellowships@nasaprs.com. Responses to all inquiries will be answered by email and also posted at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) located in the solicitation page in NSPIRES; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved. 15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15 LPI CELEBRATION CLARIFICATION LPI 50th Anniversary Celebration - An announcement for an upcoming, invitation-only science symposium and reception was erroneously published last week. While we would like to open these events to everyone, we are unfortunately constrained by available space and must limit attendance with individual invitations. Soon, we will be announcing a special web page for LPI 50th anniversary events, and we will post to that page some of the presentations from the symposium. In addition, during the year-long celebration of the LPI's 50th anniversary, we have planned several opportunities for the entire planetary community to celebrate with us. Through these many paths, we look forward to connecting with everyone. Thank you, Julie Tygielski Communications USRA-Lunar and Planetary Institute 16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF DIDYMOS OBSERVER WORKSHOP 2018 2018 June 19-21 Prague, Czech Republic The binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos is the planned target for the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA, https://www-n.oca.eu/michel/AIDA/) mission. AIDA will be the first space experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation by using a kinetic impactor to deflect an asteroid. It is an international cooperation, consisting of two mission elements: the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART, http://dart.jhuapl.edu/) mission and the ESA Hera (previously known as AIM) rendezvous mission. Remote (mostly Earth-based) observations of Didymos are an important part of the mission. In this workshop, we will discuss observations for the 2019, 2020-2021, and 2022 apparitions of Didymos. We will discuss detailed plans and expected outcomes for 2019 observations and preliminary observing plans for the subsequent apparitions. Additional meeting information is available at: http://didymos2018-mtg.asu.cas.cz The full first announcement is available at: http://didymos2018-mtg.asu.cas.cz/didymosprague2018 _firstannouncement.txt Dr. Petr Pravec (LOC chair) petr.pravec@asu.cas.cz Dr. Cristina A. Thomas (SOC chair) cristina.thomas@nau.edu 17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17 TOPICAL CONFERENCE ON "DIFFERENTIATION: BUILDING THE INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE OF PLANETS" The Lunar and Planetary Institute is sponsoring a topical conference on "Differentiation: Building the Internal Architecture of Planets" in Pasadena CA, May 7-11, 2018. This meeting is the second in LPI's First Billion Years initiative. The focus of this conference is on understanding the physical and chemical conditions associated with the formation of crusts, cores, atmospheres, and oceans on both rocky and volatile-rich bodies. We seek input from many types of studies, including petrologic, isotopic, trace element, and paleo-magnetic analyses of samples, geophysical probes of planetary interiors, and experimental and numerical simulations. There will be an optional, pre-conference field trip to an anorthosite complex in the San Gabriel Mountains on May 7. The conference will consist of 3.5 days of presentations and discussion, May 8-11, ending by noon on May 11. One page abstracts are by March 1. Some travel support will be available for early career individuals (current students or less than three years since completion of the Ph.D.). Additional details are available at the conference website: www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/differentiation2018 18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18 SEEKING NESSF REVIEWERS We are looking for reviewers for Planetary NESSF (NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship) proposals. If you (or someone you know) would like to get review panel experience, or you want to try your hand at being a group chief, NESSF is a great place to start. Even if you are a more senior scientist and a panel pro but just want to help out of the kindness of your heart and a sense of duty to the community, we'd love to have you too! Help us show the newbies how it is done. NESSF covers nearly every topic in planetary science, so whatever your expertise is, we probably need it. These panels are done entirely virtually, no travel is required, and we pay you the usual honorarium. Volunteer form link here: https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/volunteer-review-panels/nasa-space -science-fellowship-proposals 19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19-19 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html February 20, 2018 Virtual MEPAG Meeting https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meetings.cfm Online May 16-18, 2018 Advances in Space Mass Spectrometry for the Search of Extraterrestrial Signs of Life http://www.lestudium-ias.com/event/advances-space-mass-spectrometry-search-extraterrestrial-signs-life-0 Orleans, France May 28-June 1, 2018 Rosetta Workshop on Comts and Their Role in Solar System Formation https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/rosetta-swt-49 Rhodes, Greece June 19-21, 2018 Didymos Observer Workshop http://didymos2018-mtg.asu.cas.cz Prague, Czech Republic October 1-5, 2018 High Resolution Spectroscopy for Exoplanet Atmospheres https://horse.sciencesconf.org Nice, France October 31-November 2, 2018 Cosmic Dust and Magnetism http://coma.kasi.re.kr/cosdm2018/home.html Daejeon, South Korea [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@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@psi.edu * * To unsubscribe, send an email to pen_editor@psi.edu * * Please send all replies and submissions to pen_editor@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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