PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 4, Number 6 (February 7, 2010) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Melissa Lane Co-Editors: Nic Richmond, Mark V. Sykes Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. URGENT! Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) Meeting DELAYED Due to Snow 2. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month 3. Planetary Radio Announcement 4. Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group - Newsletter Available 5. Mars Express Ionospheric Data Are Available 6. NSLI Director's Seminar Series 7. Tenure-Track Research Position - Lowell Observatory 8. Commissioning Scientist for the Discovery Channel Telescope - Lowell Observatory 9. [NASA] Planetary Science Subcommittee Telecon PowerPoint Slides Available (From Feb. 3 Meeting) 10. Venus Lunch-Time Town-Hall Meeting at LPSC, Monday, March 1st 11. Cassini Scientists Pick the Top Highlights of 2009 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 URGENT! OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG) MEETING DELAYED DUE TO SNOW The OPAG meeting will be delayed to a 1 pm eastern start time on Monday, February 8, at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, DC, due to the snow storm that blanketed the area Friday and Saturday. An updated "Snow Agenda" is currently being worked with the speakers and this revised agenda will be available Monday morning prior to the afternoon start of the meeting. This agenda will move the EJSM science breakout sessions to Tuesday, with Monday's agenda covering a variety of informational presentations. It is hoped that this arrangement will allow those affected by the blizzard to participate remotely via Webex on Monday afternoon with the expectation that traffic disruptions (automobile, metro trains, and air) will be resolved to allow face-to-face interaction for the EJSM breakouts on Tuesday. To participate via Webex you must first register at https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?ED=123724607&RG=1&UID=0&RT= MiMxMQ%3D%3D You will subsequently receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting. 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 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH The February 'Image of the month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/feb10image.html This month's topic is on "Wind abraded ventifacts on Mars and Earth" Contributed by Julie Laity Past images and captions are available at http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/ images/index.html Mary Bourke Coordinator of the IAG Working Group on Planetary Geomorphology 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 RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT Planetary Radio, a production of the non-profit Planetary Society is available at http://planetary.org/radio It is available via podcast, direct download, 150 local stations, and Sirius XM. 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 MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM ANALYSIS GROUP - NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE On behalf of Jack Mustard, the MEPAG Chair, Dave Beaty, Rich Zurek, and Charles Budney of the Mars Program Science Office, the February 2010 edition of the Mars Exploration Science Monthly Newsletter can be found on the web at http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov Joyce N. Pulliam Mars Exploration Directorate Jet Propulsion Laboratory M/S: 301-340 (818) 393-0444 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 MARS EXPRESS IONOSPHERIC DATA ARE AVAILABLE The Mars Express project has recently made some new data products publicly available. Ionospheric total electron content data from the subsurface mode of the MARSIS instrument. ftp://psa.esac.esa.int/pub/mirror/MARS-EXPRESS/MARSIS/ Folders MEX-M-MARSIS-5-DDR-SS-TEC-EXT1-V1.0 and MEX-M-MARSIS-5-DDR-SS-TEC-V1.0 A small selection of neutral temperature/pressure profiles and ionospheric electron density profiles from the MaRS radio occultation experiment. ftp://psa.esac.esa.int/pub/mirror/MARS-EXPRESS/MRS/MEX-M-MRS-5-OCC- 9101-V2.0/ Acknowledgement and data use guidelines are given at: http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=PSA&page=ftpAccess Best wishes, Paul Withers 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 NLSI DIRECTOR'S SEMINAR SERIES The NASA Lunar Science Institute's Director's Seminar Series is a virtual seminar held the third Tuesday of every month. Lead lunar scientists discuss the latest in lunar research. To learn more about the seminar series or to be added to the seminar list, contact: Delia.L.Santiago@nasa.gov To learn more about the NASA Lunar Science Institute, visit http://lunarscience.nasa.gov 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 TENURE-TRACK RESEARCH POSITION - LOWELL OBSERVATORY Lowell Observatory invites applications for one or more tenure-track research positions in astronomy, astrophysics, or planetary science. Over the next several years, Lowell expects to expand its scientific and engineering staff to maximize the scientific potential of the 4.2-meter Discovery Channel Telescope. We seek individuals with demonstrated records of research accomplishment and clear evidence or potential for obtaining independent grant support. A Ph.D. in astronomy, planetary science, or a closely related field is required. All areas of astronomical and planetary research will be considered. Individuals with background and interest in instrument development are encouraged to apply. Applications from candidates at all career levels will be considered. For more information about the DCT and Lowell facilities, see http://www.lowell.edu To apply, send a curriculum vitae with biography, letter of application outlining your research interests and plans, and the names and addresses of three individuals who have agreed to serve as professional references by email to: humanresources@lowell.edu or by direct mail to: Human Resources Lowell Observatory 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001-4499 Closing date for applications is 15 March 2010. 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 COMMISSIONING SCIENTIST FOR THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL TELESCOPE - LOWELL OBSERVATORY Lowell Observatory invites applications for a Commissioning Scientist for the 4.2-meter Discovery Channel Telescope. Candidates should be an active research astronomer with a PhD and a proven track record of obtaining external funding, and with broad experience in the operation of large telescopes and astronomical instrumentation. Working with Lowell engineering and instrument staff, the Commissioning Scientist will oversee the DCT commissioning process from first light to full science operations, including setting priorities for integration and commissioning of telescope pointing, open- and closed-loop performance of the active optics system, telescope subsystems, and first light instrumentation. For more information about the position and the DCT and Lowell facilities, see http://www.lowell.edu To apply, send a curriculum vitae with biography, letter of application outlining your research interests and plans, and the names and addresses of three individuals who have agreed to serve as professional references by email to: humanresources@lowell.edu or by direct mail to: Human Resources Lowell Observatory 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001-4499 Closing date for applications is 31 March 2010. 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 [NASA] PLANETARY SCIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE TELECON POWERPOINT SLIDES AVAILABLE (FROM FEB. 3 MEETING) The powerpoint presentations from the PSS telecon on February 3 are now available at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/ 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 VENUS LUNCH-TIME TOWN-HALL MEETING AT LPSC, MONDAY, MARCH 1ST You're invited to participate in a Venus Town-Hall Meeting at LPSC on Monday, March 1, 2010 between 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Montgomery Ballroom, Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Woodlands, Texas. This will provide for an update on Venus related inputs to the Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey, status of the current Venus missions and upcoming events. The next full-day VEXAG meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 2, 2010 at University of Wisconsin, Madison with an emphasis on technologies and instrumentation needed for Venus exploration. This VEXAG meeting will be held in conjunction with the VEXAG sponsored "International Conference on Venus Our Closest Earth-like Planet: From Surface to Thermosphere - How does it work?", at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin on Monday-Wednesday - August 30 to September 1, 2010. For further details and indicating an interest in attending please visit the VEXAG website at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag/ 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 CASSINI SCIENTISTS PICK THE TOP HIGHLIGHTS OF 2009 From the view of the rings at equinox, to the first visible-light images of the northern polar hexagon in almost thirty years, the scientific bounty from the Cassini mission continues to grow. 1. Saturn's Rings at Equinox 2. Sea Glint from Titan's Kraken Mare 3. Discovery of Sodium in Enceladus E Ring 4. Saturn Auroral Science 5. Discovery of Ammonia from Enceladus 6. Hydrocarbon Rains over the South Polar Region of Titan 7. Shrinkage of Ontario Lacus on Titan 8. Modulation Periods of Saturn's Kilometric Radiation in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of Saturn 9. Thunderstorms on Saturn and Carbon Soot 10. Saturn's Northern Polar Hexagon in the Visible See details at: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/cassinifeatures/feature20100203 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 June 28 - July 2, 2010 Electromagnetic and Light Scattering XII http://www.helsinki.fi/els Helsinki, Finland July 31 - August 4, 2010 122nd Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific http://www.astrosociety.org/events/meeting.html Boulder, CO October 25-29, 2010 7th International Conference on the Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena http://www.insapvii.org/ Bath, United Kingdom [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, 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 * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * 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. Go to the PEN website for submission directions. ************************************************************************