Heliosphere News - Oct 18, 2018
A newsletter devoted to Heliospheric Science.
Editor: Nathan Schwadron (nschwadron at
unh.edu) Co-Editor: Mihir Desai
Co-Editor: Merav Opher (mopher at
bu.edu) Co-Editor: Nick Pogorelov
Web site editor: Ken Fairchild (Ken.Fairchild at
unh.edu)
If you are interested in being added to the list, being removed from the
list, or posting an announcement, please send information to Nathan,
Mihir, Eric, Merav, or Nick. Posts are limited to ascii text.
Newsletters are archived on the following website:
******************* Announcements *******************
1. MEETING: International Workshop on 'Particle Acceleration and
Transport: From the Sun to Extragalactic Sources', 12-16 November 2018,
Universita Della Calabria, Rende, Italy
2. MEETING: NESSC meeting 27 on the outer heliosphere and the
2018, 10 AM-5 PM, U Mass Lowell, UCC Building, Room UCC-158
3. MEETING: 18th Annual International Astrophysics Conference, February
18-22, 2019, Pasadena, California, USA, Second announcement
4. OPPORTUNITY: Job Openings at the Southwest Research Institute, San
Antonio, Texas, USA
5. OPPORTUNITY: Research Scientist I (Step 1) to work with Prof. Gary P
Zank: University of Alabama in Huntsville
6. OPPORTUNITY: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Space Physics at
Princeton University.
******************
1. MEETING: International Workshop on 'Particle Acceleration and
Transport: From the Sun to Extragalactic Sources', 12-16 November 2018,
Universita Della Calabria, Rende, Italy
The University of Calabria will host the international workshop on
'Particle acceleration and transport: from the Sun to extragalactic
sources' on 2018 November 12-16
Scientific rationale:
The workshop aims at presenting recent research on the longstanding
problems of particle acceleration and transport in different
astrophysical environments, such as the Sun, the heliosphere, galactic
sources, and extragalactic sources. The purpose is to bring together
experts in the fields of cosmic ray physics, plasma turbulence,
acceleration processes, and particle transport, in order to stimulate
cross-fertilization and to exchange scientific information among
different areas. Indeed, the basic theoretical framework adopted to
describe particle acceleration and transport is common to all those
fields but the properties of the environments change noticeably. In
addition, in-situ and remote observations often question the validity of
the standard theories and prompt for further investigations to be
interpreted. The availability of large datasets from new
instrumentations and recent theoretical and numerical studies give the
opportunity to advance the models and possibly to answer some of the
basic unresolved issues. Exchange of ideas among the various fields
would certainly speed up this process.
We strongly encourage to present to the different communities recent,
pioneering observations, theories, and models that try to explain and
describe processes of particle acceleration and transport. We try to
bring together scientists who would like to understand what is happening
beyond their field of specialty.
In order to promote an efficient exchange of ideas among different
fields, each research area (solar, heliospheric, galactic, and
extragalactic physics) will be introduced by a 40 minutes broad review
talk. The majority of the talks will be upon invitation (30 minutes
each), and at the end of each day a time slot of about 45 minutes will
be dedicated to open discussions on the daily sessions led by a couple
of scientists.
Contributed talks and poster presentations will be organized.
Main Topics:
-Observations of energetic particles in the solar, heliospheric,
galactic and extragalactic environments
-Properties of cosmic ray transport and acceleration from in-situ and
remote observations
-Solar flares, Crab flares, flaring phenomena in astrophysics
-Shock acceleration: problems and advances
-Particle acceleration in magnetic reconnection, including the
relativistic regimes
-Particle acceleration in accretion flows and relativistic jets
-Transport and acceleration in non-linear regimes
-Magnetic turbulence in astrophysical plasmas: properties from large to
small scales and effects on particle transport
-Theoretical models and numerical simulations of particle transport and
acceleration
SOC: Silvia Perri (Chair, Universita della Calabria, Rende, Italy),
Elena Amato (co-chair, INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri,
Italy), Gianfranco Brunetti (IRA-INAF, Bologna, Italy), Andrey Bikov
(Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia), Silvia Dalla (University of
Central Lancashire, Preston, UK), Horst Fichtner (Ruhr-Universitat
Bochum, Germany), Natasha Jeffrey (University of Glasgow, UK), William
H. Matthaeus (University of Delaware, USA), Reinout J. van Weeren
(Leiden University, The Netherlands), Gaetano Zimbardo (Universita della
Calabria, Rende, Italy)
*******************
2. MEETING: NESSC meeting 27 on the outer heliosphere and the
interstellar interaction
Lowell, UCC Building, Room UCC-158, Parking is across the street in the
Local Organizers: Ofer Cohen mad Paul Song
NESSC Organizers: Nathan Schwadron and Merav Opher
Over the last decade, observations from the Voyager Satellites, the
Interstellar Boundary Explorer, and Cassini/INCA have ushered in an era
of discovery concerning the previously unknown properties of the global
heliosphere and its interaction with the local interstellar medium. Wide
ranging observations including those of pickup ions, anomalous cosmic
rays and suprathermal particles have significant implications for our
understanding of global interstellar interactions.
This 27th meeting of the New England Space Science Consortium includes
topics concerning the global heliosphere, the local interstellar medium,
interstellar interactions, and related topics. As always, we invite all
members of the New England Space Science community to the meeting. And
as in all meetings, we will include contributions from participants on
wide-ranging topics.
*******************
3. MEETING: SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT: The 18th Annual International
Astrophysics Conference will be held in Pasadena, California at the
Sheraton Pasadena February 18 - 22, 2019.(Welcome Reception and Evening
Registration begins Sunday, February 17).
The theme of the meeting will be "The Physics of Energetic Particles:
Universal Processes from the Solar Corona to the Very Local Interstellar
Medium and the Physics they Enable" and will follow the same format as
before with 25-minute presentations punctuated by selected 40-minute
invited talks that will explore various themes in greater detail.
Energetic particles are ubiquitous throughout the solar wind, being
integral to the solar corona, accelerated by interplanetary shock waves,
present in the quiet solar wind, possibly accelerated by magnetic flux
ropes or magnetic islands in the vicinity of the heliospheric current
sheet, at planetary bow shocks, present in the distant heliosphere and
the heliospheric termination shock, in the inner heliosheath, and now
observed by Voyager 1 in the very local interstellar medium. Although
numerous mechanisms have been identified that accelerate particles, no
consensus exists as to which is primary, and indeed several acceleration
processes can operate simultaneously in close proximity. The
acceleration of particles to large energies represents a fundamental
dissipative process for the plasma and can therefore modify the
underlying plasma physical processes in important ways. The meeting will
explore observations, theories, and look forward to anticipated new
missions that will shine a light on this theme, the Parker Solar Probe
and IMAP.
Please visit the conference website for registration and abstract
submission:
E-mail inquiries about the meeting should be directed to Gary Zank at
*******************
4. OPPORTUNITY: Job Openings at the Southwest Research Institute, San
Antonio, Texas, USA
The Department of Space Research of the Southwest Research Institute in
San Antonio, Texas seeks candidates for positions at the postdoctoral
researcher, research scientist and senior or principal research
scientist levels in Heliospheric Physics. The selected candidate is
expected to carry out original research addressing the origin and
acceleration of energetic particles in the interplanetary medium.
Research will focus on the analysis of suprathermal and energetic
particle, as well as magnetic field and solar wind plasma data from the
Wind, ACE, and STEREO, and Parker Solar Probe missions and will involve
interactions with Institute Staff engaged in a broad range of
observational, computational, and theoretical research in the physics of
the solar wind and suprathermal and energetic particles. Propose and
lead relevant scientific investigations in data analysis and modeling
and publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals, present
results at scientific meetings, workshops, and conferences. Research
will involve interactions with Institute Staff engaged in a broad range
of observational, computational, and theoretical research in the physics
of the solar wind and suprathermal and energetic particles.
Click on the following links for more information about these positions.
15-01272 Postdoctoral Researcher
15-01309 Sr. Research/Principal Scientist
15-01308 Research/Sr. Research Scientist
**********************
5. OPPORTUNITY: Research Scientist I (Step 1) to work with Prof. Gary P
Zank: University of Alabama in Huntsville
The Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) and the
Department of Space Science (SPA) at The University of Alabama in
Huntsville (UAH) seeking a qualified candidate for the position Research
Scientist I (step 1), available beginning October 2018. The position
will support Prof. Gary Zank in a combination of research, teaching, and
administrative activities, examples of which include; 1) to assist in
developing models that describe magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence
throughout the heliosphere, including the solar corona, the supersonic
solar wind, and the outer heliosheath, relating turbulence models to
physical problems such as particle scattering and transport, shock
waves, etc., and in other research activities; 2) to assist in his
teaching activities, including the supervision of graduate students
(M.S. and Ph.D. level); 3) to present results at meetings and in papers;
4) to assist with proposals and; 5) to assist in the running of both a
4-week long Space Weather Summer Camp and similar Alabama Plasma Physics
Summer Camp. The position requires essential knowledge and skills of
advanced plasma physics, MHD, particularly in transport theory,
experience in theory and related computing, in the context of space and
solar physics. The Department of Space Science and CSPAR provides a
diverse and vibrant environment for academic excellence and professional
growth. SPA offers a unique academic program in space plasma physics,
covering research topics ranging from solar physics to physical
processes throughout the heliosphere and in 'the interstellar
medium. The appointee will also benefit from close interaction with the
solar physics group at the Marshall Space Flight Center, who shares the
same office space. The Research Scientist I is eligible to serve as a
Principal Investigator in competing for internal and external funding
opportunities. The City of Huntsville, also known as the Rocket City,
boasts a high quality of life and a low cost of living. The appointment
is initially for one year and is renewable for additional years.
Minimum qualifications include a Master's degree in Physics or a related
field, 6-9 months of experience working on MHD turbulence and Landau
fluids. Must possess significant expertise in the field of
magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and in turbulence simulations. Must have
expertise in both the theory and simulation of Landau fluids. Ph.D. in
Physics or a related field is desired. Skills in the numerical solution
of systems of ordinary and partial differential equations is preferred.
Ph.D. with 24-26 months of full-time postdoctoral experience working on
MHD turbulence and Landau fluids is desired. The approximate starting
salary is $62,591 - $68,030 with an excellent benefits package. To
ensure full consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter
describing professional experience as it relates to the requirements of
the position, a current resume, and names of three referees. Qualified
applicants should apply on-line for the Research Scientist I (step
3)/RV4230 position at
Further inquiries about the position can be directed to Prof. Gary P.
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER OF
MINORITIES/FEMALES/VETERANS/DISABLED
**********************
6. The Space Physics Group in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences,
Princeton University, anticipates offering one or more postdoctoral or
more senior research positions in the observational study of solar
energetic particles (SEPs) and/or Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs).
The Space Physics Group carries out research in many aspects of space
physics (aka heliophysics), with a strong emphasis on experimental and
observational space plasma physics. Among others, the Group currently
leads NASA?s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Integrated Science Investigation
of the Sun (IS?IS) instrument suite, Interstellar Boundary Explorer
(IBEX) mission, which launched in 2008, and the Interstellar Mapping and
Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission, which was just selected for
development and launch in 2024 to explore the details of particle
acceleration and the Sun?s interaction with the local interstellar
about the Space Physics Group and its work.
PSP was launched 8/12/2018 on a Delta-IV Heavy rocket and will
ultimately go into a solar orbit that passes repeatedly within 9 solar
radii from the Sun?s surface for the first time (prior measurements only
extend in to ~65 solar radii). IS?IS is poised to make revolutionary
measurements of SEPs down in the corona and throughout the inner
heliosphere. In parallel, IBEX made the first, and continues to make
periodic, all-sky maps of heliospheric ENAs; these observations are
enabling revolutionary new understanding of the outer heliosphere and
its interaction with the very local interstellar medium.
The successful candidate(s) will play a major role in the analysis and
publication of SEP observations from IS?IS and/or ENA observations from
IBEX and must have both significant prior experience analyzing these
type(s) of particle data and the proven ability to lead and participate
in the rapid development and publication of numerous excellent research
articles. A Ph.D. is required in physics, astrophysics, space science,
or a closely related field.
Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory
performance and continued funding, with the expectation of up to three
years. The expected start date is January 1, 2019, though other starting
dates may be negotiated.
Interested persons must apply online at
curriculum vitae, bibliography, a statement of research interests, and
provide contact information for three references. Letters of
recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications
received by November 1, 2018 will be fully considered, but applications
will continue to be accepted until all positions are filled. For further
These positions are subject to the University's background check policy.
Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any
other characteristic protected by law.
Nathan Schwadron
Presidential Chair
Norman S. and Anna Marie Waite Professor
University of New Hampshire
Morse Hall - Room 350
8 College Road
Durham NH 03824
USA
(603) 862-3451