PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 19, Number 7 (February 16, 2024) PEN Website: https://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editors: Matthew R Perry, Alex Morgan Email: pen_editor@psi.edu Twitter: @pen2tweets o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Editorial: Statement by PSI CEO Mark Sykes in Support of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility 2. Tenure-Track Faculty Position at University of Alberta 3. [NASA] Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference RFI Updates 4. The 2025 PI Launchpad: From Science Idea to NASA Mission In Person Workshop 5. Save the Date: JUICE School at Les Houches, France 6. Call for Manuscripts: Research Topic "Machine Learning Applications in the Search for Life Beyond Earth" 7. SETI Institute's 2025 Davie Postdoctoral Fellowship 8. Planetary Rings Workshop Series Kickoff February 28 9. Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor Assistant Survey Scientist 10. Supervisors Sought: Astrobiology Section and Asteroids and Rocky Small Bodies Section, JHUAPL Small Bodies and Oceans Worlds Group 11. Second Circular Announcement: The 7th Beijing Earth and Planetary Interior Symposium 12. Job Opening: 3-year Postdoctoral Position in Mercury's Space Plasma Physics, BepiColombo and Simulations at FMI 13. Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Data Release 40 14. Student Travel Grant for 8th International Planetary Dunes Workshop 15. Discussion at LPSC about Establishing a New Professional Planetary Science Society 16. [AOGS] Session PS-24: Surface Science and Exploration of the Moon and Airless Planetary Bodies with an Impetus to Recent Missions 17. Upcoming Deadline for Planetary Geomorphology at Regional Conference on Geomorphology in Romania 18. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions 19. Planetary Science Journal - New Papers 20. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets - New Papers Commercial/Fundraising Announcements: C1. Planetary Analog Geology & Suborbital Spaceflight 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 EDITORIAL: STATEMENT BY PSI CEO MARK SYKES IN SUPPORT OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY Always striving to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility enhances our ability to advance our mission objectives and promotes the betterment of our science. For the full text and video, please go to: https://www.psi.edu/?p=31715 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 TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION AT UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA The Department of Physics at the University of Alberta, Canada, invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in space plasma physics. We are seeking an emerging scholar to hire at the Assistant Professor level who is committed to excellence in teaching and research, but highly qualified candidates at a more senior level may be considered. The successful applicant will join one of the largest and most active space physics research groups in Canada, with expertise in experimental, theoretical, and computational space plasma physics, solar-terrestrial physics, planetary magnetospheres, space weather, and heliophysics. Applications focusing on research in geospace, or in planetary magnetospheres, are especially welcome. Applications that include a component of research incorporating student-integrated space instrument development are especially encouraged. The University of Alberta is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women; First Nations, Metis and Inuit persons; members of visible minority groups; persons with disabilities; persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression; and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University to apply. Application details and more information can be found at: https://apps.ualberta.ca/careers/posting/1976 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 [NASA] LUNAR, PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCES CONFERENCE RFI UPDATES SMD has posted a questions and answers (Q&A) document that provides several updates, clarifications, and progress toward a future release of an Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) to compete for a no-exchange-of-funds Space Act Agreement that was the subject of a November 2024 Request for Information. The AFPP is expected to follow established models, where NASA partners on a collaborative basis with a host that holds its own conference. In this arrangement, NASA pays for its own contributions to the partnership, while the partner covers the other conference costs, including providing the venue. To review the Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference Request for Information Q&A document, go to: https://go.nasa.gov/LPSS24RFI For additional questions contact: Dr. Aaron Burton, hq-planetscicon@mail.nasa.gov [Edited for length] 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 THE 2025 PI LAUNCHPAD: FROM SCIENCE IDEA TO NASA MISSION IN PERSON WORKSHOP Workshop Dates: August 11-14, 2025 Workshop Location: Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA Applications due: April 7, 2025 11:59 PM Eastern Time There is a Pre-application Virtual Information Session on February 20, 2025, 2 PM Eastern Time Are you thinking about developing your first flight mission proposal in the next few years but have no idea where to start? Are you working or studying in any NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) discipline? If you are a scientist who would like to submit a NASA space mission proposal in the next few years but don't know where to start, this August workshop is for you! We are interested in expanding the pool of potential NASA space mission Principal Investigators (PIs). There is no fee to attend the in-person workshop. We are interested in expanding the pool of potential NASA space mission PIs. We will select between 35-40 participants from eligible applicants depending on funding availability and on the merit of the applications. Go to: https://go.nasa.gov/ApplyPILP25 For questions, send to hq-smd-piworkshop@mail.nasa.gov [Edited for length] 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 SAVE THE DATE: JUICE SCHOOL AT LES HOUCHES, FRANCE 25-30 January 2026 This school is targeted (but not limited) to early career scientists. It will cover the main science topics of the JUICE mission with the goal to best prepare the future exploitation and interpretation of its data. Key topics include Jupiter, its atmosphere and magnetosphere, the icy Galilean moons (with an emphasis on Ganymede), minor moons and the dust and ring system. Ground- and space- based observations recently obtained on the Jupiter system, as well as links with exoplanet science, will also be presented. The format of the school includes tutorials, seminar-like presentations, inspirational evening talks, a poster session, a workshop on science planning and archive, and a roundtable on future missions to outer planets. Deadline for registration and request for grants: 15 August 2025. Contact: Olivier.Witasse@esa.int https://www.houches-school-physics.com/the-school/ https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Juice 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 CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS: RESEARCH TOPIC "MACHINE LEARNING APPLICATIONS IN THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH" We are pleased to announce that a new Research Topic on the applications of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in astrobiology and planetary science has been approved for publication in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. We invite researchers to submit manuscripts that align with these themes. Authors interested in contributing should take note of the following deadlines: Manuscript Summary Submission Deadline: 30 June 2025 Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 September 2025 For more details, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/2s4m9x6h Sincerely, Hermine Landt-Wilman, Miriam Rengel, Bethany Theiling, Kai Hou Yip & Caleb Scharf 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 SETI INSTITUTE'S 2025 DAVIE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP The SETI Institute is pleased to announce the call for applications to the Davie Postdoctoral Fellowship focusing on Artificial Intelligence for Astronomy. For more information, go to: https://www.seti.org/davie-fellowship 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 PLANETARY RINGS WORKSHOP SERIES KICKOFF FEBRUARY 28 Join us for an open Planetary Rings Workshop series, which will kickoff with a virtual meeting on February 28 at 1:30 pm ET, 12:30 pm CT, 11:30 am MT, and 10:30 am PT. The goals of the workshops series include: (1) Identifying, defining, and capturing in documents the key science questions about planetary ring-moon systems; (2) defining the types of observations that would be most beneficial to address key ring-moon science questions in missions, including Uranus Orbiter Probe; and (3) discussions on current and future research/opportunities to study planetary rings. For questions, email Matt Hedman (mhedman@uidaho.edu) and Tracy Becker (tracy.becker@swri.org). Connection Information Topic: Rings/Moons Kickoff tag-up Time: February 28, 2025, 10:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://uidaho.zoom.us/j/81378014546 Meeting ID: 813 7801 4546 Passcode: 154383 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 NEAR-EARTH OBJECT (NEO) SURVEYOR ASSISTANT SURVEY SCIENTIST NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor is a planned mission (launch: September 2027) with a goal of finding, identifying, and characterizing potentially hazardous asteroids in our Solar System. The Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences is an academic unit within the UCLA Division of Physical Sciences. The NEO Surveyor Assistant Survey Scientist will be supported under UCLA's contract with NASA. The NEO Surveyor Assistant Survey Scientist will assist the Principal Investigator and Science Team in developing the NEO Surveyor survey plan, which determines where the Observatory points as a function of time. The assistant survey scientist will participate in testing and verifying that the survey plan obeys survey rules defined by the Science Team. The assistant survey scientist will also participate actively in studying the ability to link detections of small body candidates observed by NEO Surveyor to ensure that they result in the determination of high-quality orbits. More information on the position, including qualifications, compensation range, benefits and how to apply are provided in the full position description: https://jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/6735 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 SUPERVISORS SOUGHT: ASTROBIOLOGY SECTION AND ASTEROIDS AND ROCKY SMALL BODIES SECTION, JHUAPL SMALL BODIES AND OCEANS WORLDS GROUP The Small Bodies and Ocean Worlds group in the Space Exploration Sector of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) seeks supervisors for its Astrobiology Section and its Asteroids and Rocky Small Bodies Section. The Astrobiology Section focuses on potentially habitable environments beyond Earth, laboratory studies of Earth analogs, development of instrumentation for detection of extraterrestrial biosignatures, and missions including Europa Clipper and Dragonfly that investigate environments of astrobiological interest. The Asteroids and Rocky Small Bodies Section focuses on the chemistry, physics, and geology of rocky small bodies, physical processes that affect their surfaces, development of spaceflight instrumentation to study them, and the study of meteorites that sample them. Application information for the Astrobiology Section may be found at: https://careers.jhuapl.edu/jobs/56619?lang=en-us Application information for the Asteroids and Rocky Small Bodies Section may be found at: https://careers.jhuapl.edu/jobs/56655?lang=en-us [Edited for length] 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 SECOND CIRCULAR ANNOUNCEMENT: THE 7TH BEIJING EARTH AND PLANETARY INTERIOR SYMPOSIUM The 7th Beijing Earth and Planetary Interior Symposium (BEPIS) will be held on August 17-20, 2025 at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China. The 7th BEPIS will focus on new advances, including observation, data analysis, numerical simulation, and instrument development in paleomagnetism, rock magnetism, environmental magnetism, biogeomagnetism, planetary magnetism, geomagnetic modeling, and dynamo theories. Remaining true to original aspiration, the BEPIS is aiming to promote understanding of the origin, structure, and variation of magnetic field of the Earth as well as extraterrestrial bodies. Abstract submission and registration will be open from April 15 to June 30, 2025. The registration fee will be RMB 1,800 (USD 250) for regular attendees and RMB 800 (USD 100) for students. Information about the meeting could be found at: https://bepis2025.casconf.cn If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us (cldeng@mail.iggcas.ac.cn, caishuhui@mail.iggcas.ac.cn, panzhao@mail.iggcas.ac.cn). We cordially invite friends old and new to participate in the 7th BEPIS. 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12 JOB OPENING: 3-YEAR POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN MERCURY'S SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS, BEPICOLOMBO AND SIMULATIONS AT FMI We have opened a recruitment for a 3-year postdoctoral researcher position in the "Mercury in the solar wind" ERC project at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The postdoc will apply our global particle-based models to study the solar wind influence on Mercury and its environment and interpret observations from the BepiColombo mission. More information and apply here: https://tinyurl.com/3vsskvd4 Project team website: https://planets.fmi.fi 13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13 [NASA] PDS: MARS ATMOSPHERE AND VOLATILE EVOLUTION DATA RELEASE 40 The Planetary Data System (PDS) is pleased to announce the release of the following data from MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) Release 40, nominally with data to November 2024: - ANC (ancillary) - EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet Monitor) - IUVS (Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph) - KP (Insitu Key Parameters) - LPW (Langmuir Probe and Waves) - MAG (Magnetometer) - NGIMS (Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer) - ROSE (Radio Occultation Science Experiment) - SEP (Solar Energetic Particle) - SPICE - STATIC (Supra-Thermal and Thermal Ion Composition) - SWEA (Solar Wind Electron Analyzer) - SWIA (Solar Wind Ion Analyzer) No more data is expected from ACCEL (Accelerometer). To access the above data, please visit the following link: https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-20250214.shtml To access the latest PDS Data Releases, please visit the following link: https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/subscription-service/SS-Release.shtml All available PDS data may be found at: https://pds.nasa.gov/datasearch/data-search/ 14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14 STUDENT TRAVEL GRANT FOR 8TH INTERNATIONAL PLANETARY DUNES WORKSHOP The Mars Exploration Program Office is offering funds for student travel grants for the 8th International Planetary Dunes Workshop, which will be held May 19-22, 2025 in Alghero, Sardinia, Italy: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/dunes2025 Eligible candidates must be a student and U.S. citizen or legal resident (e.g. attending a US institution on valid visa). They also must submit a first-author abstract for presentation at the conference. Abstracts are due March 5, and the deadline for the travel grant application is March 7, 2025: https://forms.gle/Bv8dL3Jxm95xc2rKA Interested students with questions are encouraged to contact Dr. Serina Diniega (Mars Exploration Program Office) at serina.diniega@jpl.nasa.gov. 15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15 DISCUSSION AT LPSC ABOUT ESTABLISHING A NEW PROFESSIONAL PLANETARY SCIENCE SOCIETY In light of recent events regarding community-led organizations being negatively impacted by federal instructions and mandates, and more broadly the prevailing budgetary environment for science at NASA, now is an appropriate time to discuss how to more effectively advocate for our planetary science priorities. On the Wednesday of LPSC (March 12), from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm in the Grogan's Mill room, we will hold an open forum to discuss the establishment of a new professional planetary science society in the United States (and possibly beyond). Please join us for this discussion and share your views on the need for a new professional society. Acting in our personal capacities only, Paul Byrne Vicky Hamilton 16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16 [AOGS] SESSION PS-24: SURFACE SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND AIRLESS PLANETARY BODIES WITH AN IMPETUS TO RECENT MISSIONS Inviting abstracts covering: - Geology, Geophysics, Impacts, Space-weathering, Irradiation, Solar wind interaction, Exospheres, Surface properties and other processes - Mission concepts, Development and characterization of payloads/instruments for current and future missions - Sample return and in-situ resource utilisation - Laboratory studies on meteorites and terrestrial analogues Go to: https://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2025/public.asp?page=home.asp Durga Prasad K. (durgaprasad@prl.res.in), Steve Vance (Steven.D.Vance@jpl.nasa.gov), Makiko Ohtake (makiko-o@u-aizu.ac.jp), Ceri Nunn (ceri.nunn@jpl.nasa.gov), Rachel Klima (rachel.klima@jhuapl.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 UPCOMING DEADLINE FOR PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY AT REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON GEOMORPHOLOGY IN ROMANIA The extended abstract deadline is Sunday 23 February. There will be a planetary geomorphology session at the Regional Conference on Geomorphology on 16-18 September 2025 in Timisoara, Romania. Abstracts are welcome from any planetary science discipline with a link to landscapes and the processes that form them. There will be field trips before, during and after the conference that may be interesting for those of you seeking new Earth analogue sites. Please register and submit your abstract here: https://rcg2025.geomorphology.ro/registration/ 18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Note: Many face-to-face meetings going forward will have online components. Check their websites for details. Posted at https://planetarynews.org/meetings.html November 12-14, 2025 Lunar Polar Volatiles Conference https://www.higp.hawaii.edu/lpv2025/ Honolulu, HI 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 SCIENCE JOURNAL - NEW PAPERS Direct Links to Open Access Papers Editor, Faith Vilas https://psj.aas.org Informed Design of a Gravity Science Experiment for the Future Geophysical Investigation of the Uranian Moons Valerio Filice et al. 2025 PSJ 6:41 https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ada7ef Ground-based Characterization of (98943) Torifune 2001 CC21, the Target of the Hayabusa2 Space Mission Marcel M. Popescu et al. 2025 PSJ 6:42 https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ada560 Observations of Loki Patera by Juno during Close Flybys Alessandro Mura et al. 2025 PSJ 6:43 https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ada27c Viability of the Early JUICE Flyby Trajectories to Confirm Ocean Existence at Ganymede Shivangi Sharan et al. 2025 PSJ 6:44 https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adadeb 20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20-20 JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH: PLANETS - NEW PAPERS Direct Links to Open Access (OA) Papers Editor-in-Chief, Amanda Hendrix https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21699100 Apollo Impact Melts Record a Rapidly Declining Impact Rate in the Late Imbrian A. M. Blevins et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JE008722 Shallow Subsurface Water at the Base of Europa's Double Ridges G. Steinbrugge & G. Patterson https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JE008673 *********************************************************************** COMMERCIAL/FUNDRAISING 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 PLANETARY ANALOG GEOLOGY & SUBORBITAL SPACEFLIGHT Last Call! February 27-March 3, we are hosting the twice-annual Earth and Space Experience. Brush up on your planetary field geology skills and become more familiar with the frontier of private commercial spaceflight at Spaceport America. 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