Heliosphere News - July 20, 2020

 

http://heliospherenews.unh.edu/

 

A newsletter devoted to Heliospheric Science.

 

Editor: Nathan Schwadron (nschwadron at unh.edu) Co-Editor: Mihir Desai (mdesai at swri.edu)

Co-Editor: Eric Zirnstein (ejz at princeton.edu) Co-Editor: Matina Gkioulidou (matina.gkioulidou at jhuapl.edu)

 

Coordinator: Liz Wilber (Elizabeth.Wilber at unh.edu)

 

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, or Matina. Posts are limited to ascii text. Newsletters are

archived on the following website:

 

http://heliospherenews.unh.edu/.

 

******************* Announcements *******************

 

1. MEETING: Call for Science Organizing Committee, Heliophysics 2050 Workshop

 

2. MEETING: 3rd Annual Interstellar Probe Exploration Workshop, November

17-19, 2020, Silver Spring, Maryland

 

3. MEETING: COSPAR Scientific Assembly, NEW DATES: 28 January - 4 February, 2021

 

4. MEETING: MUAN 2020: Upper Atmospheres and Ionospheres in the Inner Solar

System, September 9-11, 2020, New York, New York

 

5. MEETING: 4th Interstellar Probe Session at Fall AGU (Abstract Deadline29 July 23:59 EDT)

6. MEETING: Session on Over a Full Solar Cycle of Outer Heliosphere Observations at 2020 Fall AGU Meeting (Abstract Deadline29 July 23:59 EDT)

7. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Civil Servant Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Space

Flight Center

 

8. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Research Associate position in the Cooperative Institute

for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at CU Boulder supporting

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

 

9. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Postdoctoral Research Position in Space Physics at

Princeton University

 

10. ANNOUNCEMENT: Special Issue on Dynamical Processes in Space Plasmas in

Applied Sciences Journal

 

*******************

 

1. MEETING: Call for Science Organizing Committee, Heliophysics 2050 Workshop

 

Earlier this year, NASA, NSF, and NOAA announced the Heliophysics 2050

Workshop. This workshop will be an agency-enabled, community-driven event to

help the community prepare for the next Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey.

 

This workshop will focus on a strategic, multi-decadal science framework for

solar and space physics. We anticipate that community members will leverage

workshop results to provide context for their individual white papers to the

Decadal Survey process. In preparation for and as input to the Workshop,

NASA will support community members in forming a Science Organizing

Committee (SOC) to:

 

1. Organize community white papers into a strategic science web that

identifies science dependencies and flow of science investigations.

2. Organize Workshop sessions.

3. Serve as editors for the workshop’s proceedings document.

Workshop Philosophy: The workshop will examine current scientific

understanding and what near-term investigations can enable and inform future

investigations. From this scientific progression, the Workshop will create a

‘Science Web’ that maps current understanding to the next set of compelling

science investigations which, in turn, lead to still later studies. These

investigations will cover the range of work from basic research to

operational efforts and would be agnostic to their mode of execution (e.g.

theory, observations, spaceflight missions). This will enable the next

Decadal Survey to lay out a long-term science strategy: What does

Heliophysics look like in 2050, and what do we do in the next decade to help

us get there?

Applications are welcome from any heliophysics community member. Applicants

should be aware that a reasonable time commitment will be needed from summer

2020 through spring 2021. Ideally, the SOC will be a diverse group of

researchers able to identify the intra- and inter-discipline connections of

investigations that advance and expand the field of heliophysics.

Submission Instructions:

Email Jared Leisner (jared.s.leisner at nasa.gov) with the subject line

‘Heliophysics 2050 SOC’ and include:

1. A statement of interest, including any vision for the Workshop and

Decadal Survey preparation, and summarizing relevant expertise. Limit of two (2) pages.

2. A CV documenting 1) the breadth and depth of scientific and/or technical

expertise, 2) any relevant organizing experience, and 3) any experience with

multi-/interdisciplinary scientific endeavors.

 

*******************

 

2. MEETING: 3rd Annual Interstellar Probe Exploration Workshop November

17-19, 2020 Silver Spring, Maryland

 

The 3rd Annual Interstellar Probe Exploration Workshop is scheduled for

November 17-19, 2020 at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver

Spring, Maryland.

 

The workshop is being organized for heliophysicists, planetary scientists,

astrophysicists, and engineers from all over the world.

The purpose of the workshop is to gather together and discuss the

objectives, design, and operations for a near-term, pragmatic interstellar

probe mission.

The workshop is organized by a team at the Johns Hopkins University Applied

Physics Laboratory studying such a mission for the Heliophysics Division in

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

 

Visit the JHU APL Interstellar Probe website for detailed information about

the ongoing study.

 

IMPORTANT: To be added to the mailing list to receive pertinent information

about this workshop and to indicate your interest in participating, please

submit an Indication of Interest.

https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/interstellarprobe2020/

#interstellarprobe2020

 

For more information, contact:

Meeting and Publication Services

USRA/Lunar and Planetary Institute

meetinginfo at hou.usra.edu

 

*******************

 

3. MEETING: COSPAR Scientific Assembly, NEW DATES: 28 January - 4 February, 2021.

 

43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly will take place on 28 January - 4 February

at the International Convention Center in Sydney, Australia.

 

The 2021 Assembly will combine the latest in space research findings with

activities designed to enrich the global space research community -

including helping equip our future leaders, and workshopping with space

industry - and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. You

will have the opportunity of a lifetime to interact directly with everything

that Australia has to offer - our science and innovation, our people, our

heritage, and our beautiful environment. The Assembly website is

https://www.cospar2020.org/.

 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

 

Early Bird Registration Deadline 31 October 2020

Speaker Registration Deadline 31 October 2020

Accommodation Booking Deadline 15 December 2020

 

*******************

 

4. MEETING: MUAN 2020: Upper Atmospheres and Ionospheres in the Inner Solar

System, September 9-11, 2020, New York, New York

 

This three-day workshop will bring together scientists interested in the

general dynamics of, and coupling between, ionized and neutral atmospheric

constituents of three key inner Solar System planets: Mars, Earth, and

Venus. Other bodies, such as comets and moons are also welcome. The

objective is to embrace comparative studies between different planetary

bodies in addition to the usual Mars aeronomy and plasma physics

discussions, as this will lead to a better understanding of the role of

upper atmospheres on planetary evolution and habitability at Mars and in the

Solar System.

 

The main topics for discussion are:

- Planetary aeronomy - past, present and future.

- Thermosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere-exosphere (TIME) coupling.

- Lower-upper atmosphere connections.

 

A significant part of the workshop will be devoted to brainstorming and

opportunities to discuss different science aspects, and to help establish

fruitful collaborations.

 

Our workshop will be hosted by Columbia University in New York City, with

opportunities to present posters or talks. The workshop will be limited to

100 attendees, so to aid us in planning, we encourage all those interested

to please indicate your interest here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVgrQ8cIQx8mOgF5rVV76Re6hh6u1_xwtK4XXhKSpVSOU2_A/viewform

 

SOC:

Beatriz Sanchez-Cano (University of Leicester) David Andrews (Swedish

Institute of Space Physics) Mark Lester (University of Leicester) Robert

Lillis (UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory) Hermann Opgenoorth (Umea

University) Dmitri Titov (ESA) Michael J. Way (NASA Goddard Institute for

Space Studies) Olivier Witasse (ESA) Email inquiries about this meeting can

be directed to Linda Sohl (LOC) at linda.sohl at columbia.edu.

 

*******************

 

5. MEETING: 4th Interstellar Probe Session at 2020 Fall AGU Meeting

 

For the fourth consecutive year the American Geophysical Union is hosting a

session on an Interstellar Probe to the Local Interstellar Medium. Please

consider submitting your work on the groundbreaking science enabled by an

Interstellar Probe; current state of understanding of the outer heliosphere;

solar system and beyond; design concepts; enabling technologies;

programmatic challenges; and more.

 

Abstract Submission:

https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/prelim.cgi/Session/103634

Abstract Deadline: 23:59 EDT 29 July 2020

 

Session Title: SH011 - Interstellar Probe: Pushing the Boundaries of Space

Exploration

 

Session Description:  An Interstellar Probe through the heliospheric

boundary, into the Interstellar Medium, opens a new regime of space physics

to understand the global nature of our habitable astrosphere and to explore

the Interstellar Cloud. Kuiper Belt and dust disk observations provide

unique insights into the evolution of our solar system. Outside the zodiacal

cloud, the unobscured infrared sky reveals new information on early galaxy

formation. The recent interest in an Interstellar Probe launching in the

2030's is fueled by the mysteries uncovered by the aging Voyager mission,

the unexpected IBEX and Cassini discoveries, and conventional propulsion

improvements that enable delivering a probe to the heliospheric boundary in

~10 years. This session seeks presentations on the unique science

observations that an Interstellar Probe enables across the physics of the

heliosphere and beyond, and also planetary science, and astrophysics. Status

of enabling technologies in propulsion, communication, power,

instrumentation, and programmatic aspects are encouraged.

 

************************

 

6. MEETING: Session on Over a Full Solar Cycle of Outer Heliosphere Observations at 2020 Fall AGU Meeting

  

Please consider submitting a presentation concerning theory and observations of the structure and evolution of the outer heliosphere to the following session:

 

Session Title: SH014 - Over a Full Solar Cycle of Outer Heliosphere Observations

 

The recent completion of a full solar cycle of IBEX observations of ENAs from the outer heliosphere highlights the fact that we have had over 16 years of continuous observations from beyond the termination shock, starting with Voyager 1’s crossing in 2004. These observations, in conjunction with Cassini and New Horizons, have provided a remarkable opportunity to study the evolution of particle distributions and plasma through the heliosphere and beyond, leading to an unprecedented advancement in our knowledge of the outer heliosphere. With the expected launch of IMAP in 2024, we look forward to continuing observations of this region for years to come. We also anticipate new opportunities to link both in situ and remote observations throughout the heliosphere. This session will feature what we have learned, both observationally and theoretically, about the structure and evolution of the outer heliosphere, and its interaction with the interstellar medium.

 

Abstract Submission: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/prelim.cgi/Session/101098

Abstract Deadline: 23:59 EDT 29 July 2020

 

**********************

 

7. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Civil Servant Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Space

Flight Center

 

The Energetic Particle Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is

looking to hire a scientist with experience in designing, building and

analyzing data from instruments that measure ionized and neutral high-energy

particles in the heliosphere and magnetosphere. The laboratory currently has

instruments in development for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration

Probe (IMAP) mission (launch in 2024), several cubesats for Low-Earth Orbit

and interplanetary space, and the Lunar Gateway.

The Energetic Particle Laboratory is in the Heliospheric Science Laboratory

(Code 672) of Goddard's Heliophysics Science Division. This is a US

Government Civil Servant position, therefore applicants are required to be

either US citizens or currently holding a green card and are expected to

have a PhD in a related field and several years of experience beyond

completion of their PhD. Interested individuals should send a current CV to

Adam Szabo (adam.szabo at nasa.gov), Code 672 Lab Chief, and Eric Christian

(eric.r.christian at nasa.gov), Code 672 Associate Lab Chief and head of the

Energetic Particle Laboratory.

 

*******************

 

8. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Research Associate position in the Cooperative Institute

for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at CU Boulder supporting

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

 

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at

the University of Colorado at Boulder has an immediate opening for a

Research Associate supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental

Information (NCEI). This position is for an Energetic Particle Space

Scientist in NCEI’s Solar and Terrestrial Physics (STP) Group. A team of

dedicated scientists within STP works to ensure that current and future

space weather sensors on NOAA satellites provide effective operational

products for use by the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Space Weather

Prediction Center (SWPC). STP’s overall responsibilities also include

providing access to these environmental data by spacecraft engineers and the

scientific community. The Energetic Particle Space Scientist will be

primarily responsible for ensuring the quality and availability of data from

the Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS), operated on-board NOAA’s

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R series system.

SEISS measures the local charged particle environment across a broad energy

range at multiple pitch angles. The GOES-R series is NOAA?s newest

generation of GOES spacecraft. The first GOES-R satellite, GOES-16, was

launched in November 2016. The fourth and last GOES-R satellite is expected

to launch in 2024. SEISS calibration and validation activities are ongoing.

 

Required:

 

-This position involves handling export-controlled documents and data, thus

only applications from US citizens or permanent residents (green card

holders) can be considered.

-If hired, you will need to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries

(NACI, Federal background check).

-Ph.D. in Physical Science, Engineering or similar technical discipline.

-Four years of experience at the post-bachelor’s level in satellite sensor

design, algorithm development, and/or scientific research with space

environmental data.

 

What We Would Like You to Have:

 

-Ph.D. in Space Plasma Physics.

-1-2 years postdoctoral experience working with space plasma

instrumentation and instrument data.

-Familiarity with NOAA’s satellite programs, particularly GOES.

-Willingness to pursue independent funding for research.

 

For additional information and application instructions go to

https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail?jobId=23539

Please direct questions about this position to Brian Kress (brian.kress at

noaa.gov).

* Note, this position was originally posted on 09-Jan-2020, but the hiring

process has been on hold due to rapidly changing hiring policy at CU Boulder

during the coronavirus pandemic. We are restarting the search for this

position.

 

*******************

 

9. JOB OPPORTUNITY: Postdoctoral Research Position in Space Physics at

Princeton University

 

The Space Physics Group in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences,

Princeton University, anticipates offering one or more postdoctoral or more

senior research positions in experimental/observational space physics.

 

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 Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, the Parker Solar Probe

(PSP) Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISOIS) instrument suite,

and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission, in

development for launch in 2024 to explore the details of particle

acceleration and the Sun’s interaction with the local interstellar medium.

See https://spacephysics.princeton.edu/ for more information about the Space

Physics Group at Princeton University.

 

The successful candidate(s) can play a major role in 1) the analysis and

publication of ENA observations from IBEX, 2) the development of the

experimental capability of the Group and development of space flight

instrumentation for IMAP, 3) the analysis and publication of SEP

observations from ISOIS and particularly their relation to solar sources and

phenomena, and/or 4) other funded space physics research in the Group.

Preferred qualifications include having prior experience in the development

of space flight instrumentation, analyzing these type(s) of ENA, particle,

and/or solar data, and the proven ability to lead/participate in the rapid

development and publication of numerous excellent research articles. A Ph.D.

in Space Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field is required.

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 September 1, 2020, though other starting

dates may be negotiated.

 

For more information about this position, please visit

https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/apply/application.xhtml?listingId=16561

 

*******************

 

10. ANNOUNCEMENT: Special Issue on Dynamical Processes in Space Plasmas in

Applied Sciences Journal

 

From: Georgios Nicolaou

 

We are happy to announce our special Issue on Dynamical Processes in Space

Plasmas in Applied Sciences Journal by mdpi.

 

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Dynamical_Processes_Space_Plasmas

 

We welcome original papers with theoretical, modelling and/or data-analysis

research on dynamical mechanisms in collisionless space plasmas. We strongly

encourage papers demonstrating new methods, measurement and analysis

techniques to resolve physical processes in space plasmas.

 

*******************

 

Cheers,

Nathan