PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Number 18 (May 6, 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. EPSC Session: The Gaia Mission - First Data Exploitation for Asteroid Science 2. EPSC Session: Atmospheres of Terrestrial Planets 3. EPSC Session: Mars Interior and Surface 4. EPSC Session: Observations and Modelling of Exoplanet Atmospheres, Interiors and Orbits 5. NASA-ESA Statement of Intent for Mars Sample Return 6. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 7. Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Early Mars Research 8. Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Experimental Planetary Science 9. Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter for May 2018 10. Planetary Simulant Database 11. The Humans to Mars Summit is This Week - Register Today! 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 EPSC SESSION: THE GAIA MISSION - FIRST DATA EXPLOITATION FOR ASTEROID SCIENCE European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 Berlin, Germany 16-21 September 2018 Deadline: 16 May 2018, 13:00 CEST https://www.epsc2018.eu/home.html In April 2018, the first astrometric and photometric data of Gaia for asteroids have been published in the second Data Release (DR2), and the exploitation by the community has started. A few months later, we have the opportunity to review the scientific impact of the impressive performance reaching sub-mas accuracy on single epoch positions. We can also evaluate the changes induced on the software tools and on specific science issues. For instance, coupling Gaia to ground-based data, due to a different bias and properties, is a problem in itself. Some ground-based activities such as the observations of stellar occultations, local astrometry by imaging (on new and ancient data), also take a large profit from the dramatic increase of star and asteroid positions. In this respect, the astrometry of stars published earlier in DR1 has already produced different applications to Solar System observations, that are now improved or surpassed by DR2 with 1.3 billion parallaxes and proper motions. Contributions on the use of Gaia data (directly on asteroids or as stellar catalogue) for the science of Solar System objects are welcome. Looking forward to meet you in Berlin! Convener: Paolo Tanga Co-convener: Daniel Hestroffer 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 EPSC SESSION: ATMOSPHERES OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 Berlin, Germany 16-21 September 2018 Deadline: 16 May 2018, 13:00 CEST https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2018/session/29454 Dear Colleagues, We invite you to submit abstracts to our session TP5: "Atmospheres of terrestrial planets". See you in Berlin! TP5: Atmospheres of terrestrial planets Convener: Anni Maattanen Co-conveners: Olivier Witasse, Francisco Gonzalez-Galindo, Dmitrij Titov Space missions have provided a wealth of data on the atmospheres and aeronomy of terrestrial planets, from the lower layers up to the external envelopes in direct contact with the solar wind. An emerging finding stemming from the last few years' of work by the scientific community is the evidence that the atmospheres behaves as a single coherent system with complex couplings between layers. This session solicits contributions that provide insight into the processes at work (chemistry, energetics, dynamics, electricity, escape etc.) on terrestrial planets Venus, Mars, Titan and into the coupling between the lower/middle and upper atmospheres. Contributions based on analysis of recent spacecraft and ground-based observations, comparative planetology studies, numerical modelling and relevant laboratory investigations are particularly welcome. The session will consist of oral talks, both invited and contributed, and posters. 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 EPSC SESSION: MARS INTERIOR AND SURFACE European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 Berlin, Germany 16-21 September 2018 Deadline: 16 May 2018, 13:00 CEST https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2018/session/29451 This session welcomes all presentations on Mars' interior and surface processes. The aim of this session is to bring together disciplines as various as geology, geomorphology, geophysics, mineralogy, glaciology, and chemistry. We welcome presentations on either present or past Mars processes, either pure Mars science or comparative planetology with the Earth, either observations or modeling or laboratory experiments (or any combination of those). New results on Mars science obtained from recent in situ and orbital measurements are particularly encouraged, as well as prospective science for the preparation of future missions to be exploring Mars (InSight, ExoMars, Rover 2020). Ernst Hauber, Gino Erkeling, Solmaz Adeli, Ana-Catalina Plesa 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 EPSC SESSION: OBSERVATIONS AND MODELLING OF EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES, INTERIORS AND ORBITS European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 Berlin, Germany 16-21 September 2018 Deadline: 16 May 2018, 13:00 CEST https://www.epsc2018.eu/home.html What are the extrasolar planets actually like and why are they as they are? To answer these questions, a broad range of skills and expertise is required, ranging in topics from Solar System science to statistical astrophysics, from ground-based observations to spacecraft measurements, and atmospheric/interior/orbital modelling. Abstracts are encouraged in all these areas of exoplanet science. Looking forward to meet you in Berlin! Co-conveners: Giovanna Tinetti, Olivia Venot, Ravit Helled 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-ESA STATEMENT OF INTENT FOR MARS SAMPLE RETURN This has been an exciting and productive week for the Mars Exploration Program. On Thursday, April 26th, NASA and ESA signed a Statement of Intent to jointly develop a Mars Sample Return plan to be submitted to their respective authorities by the end of 2019. Those authorities, the United States Congress via President's Budget Request and the ESA Ministerial Council via their December 2019 meeting, would be expected to act upon this request in 18 months. https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/announcements.cfm?expand=hq This signing is historic, as it signals the desire, readiness, and willingness to work together to execute this inspiring mission, one that many of you have worked towards for many decades. It is the product of more than a year of hard work between the partners. I firmly believe that we are ready to tackle this grand challenge. We have the scientific and operational maturity to identify the right samples, the critical technologies are ready to be applied, and with discipline this campaign can be executed affordably. I am excited about this opportunity and ask everyone to join me in making the effort successful. Jim Watzin, NASA Mars Exploration Program Director [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 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The May image of the month is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page: http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com This month's topic is "Morphological Evidence that Titan's Southern Hemisphere Basins are Paleoseas". Contributed by Samuel Birch, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. 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) 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 POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN EARLY MARS RESEARCH Applications are invited to undertake a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship in early Mars studies with the Department of Planetology & Habitability at the Centro de Astrobiologia, Madrid. Details available at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/ https://eshorizonte2020.es/expressions-of-interests/alberto-g.-fairen Alberto G. Fairen Centro de Astrobiologia http://www.cab.inta-csic.es/en/investigadores/558 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 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN EXPERIMENTAL PLANETARY SCIENCE Columbia University's Astrophysics Laboratory invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to perform laboratory simulations of solar wind ion irradiation of Mercury's regolith surface. More information available at: https://jobregister.aas.org/ad/35f5a951 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 MARS EXPLORATION SCIENCE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR MAY 2018 To the Mars Community, On behalf of Jeff Johnson (MEPAG Chair), Dave Beaty, Rich Zurek, and Serina Diniega of the Mars Program Science Office, the May 2018 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found on the web at: http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov Please send your Mars community announcements and calendar items for inclusion in the newsletter to Barbara at: Barbara.A.Saltzberg@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 PLANETARY SIMULANT DATABASE The University of Central Florida and the Center for Lunar & Asteroid Surface Science SSERVI node have developed an online listing to track the growing number of regolith simulants created in the past and currently being developed. The listing is maintained at: http://sciences.ucf.edu/class/planetary-simulant-database/ Simulants are organized by planetary body and by category (e.g., general purpose, geotechnical). We also highlight those that are commercially available, or may be available in small batches from the developers, with contact information where available. Each simulant page contains literature references, the basic history of the simulant, and any data available on mineralogy, bulk chemistry, and physical properties. Some data may be missing or inaccurate, and we welcome community input to help make the listing as complete as possible, and to alert us to new simulants that have been designed. In the future we plan to add more datasets (spectra, particle size distributions), and create a JSON backend to organize the simulant information. Kevin Cannon, cannon@ucf.edu Dan Britt, dbritt@ucf.edu 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 THE HUMANS TO MARS SUMMIT IS THIS WEEK - REGISTER TODAY! Join us at the Humans to Mars Summit (H2M) that will be held from May 8-10, 2018 at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Register at: https://h2m.exploremars.org Confirmed and tentative speakers already include Jim Bridenstine (NASA Administrator) Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA AA SMD), Senator Ted Cruz, Ed Perlmutter (US House of Representatives), Vint Cerf (Google), Pascale Ehrenfreund (DLR). Ellen Stofan (former NASA Chief Scientist), Jim Green (NASA), Janet Ivey (Janet's Planet), Ian Steff (U.S. Dept of Commerce), Kathleen Boggs (NASA), Mat Kaplan (Planetary Radio), Sam Scimemi (NASA), John Connolly (NASA), and many others. Register today or view the webcast at: https://livestream.com/viewnow/humanstomars2018 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 July 29, 2018 Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group Meeting https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/events/205/exopag-18/ Cambridge, MA [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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