[GEM] THE GEM MESSENGER, Volume 27, Number 31

Thu Jul 13 17:13:30 PDT 2017

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     THE GEM MESSENGER
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Volume 27, Number 31
Jul.13,2017

Announcement submission website: http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/gem/messenger_form/

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Table of Contents

1. Call for Letters of Application for Membership on NASA’s Science and Technology Definition Team for the Geospace Dynamics Constellation mission

2. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Small Satellite Constellations for Future Heliophysics Science Missions (SM004)

3. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Past, Present and Future of Active Experiments in Space (SM005)

4. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Plasma Energization during Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection (SM012)

5. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Generation and Effects of Suprathermal Particles in Auroral and Subauroral Geospace (SA009)

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1. Call for Letters of Application for Membership on NASA’s Science and Technology Definition Team for the Geospace Dynamics Constellation mission
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From: Jared Leisner (jared.s.leisner at nasa.gov)

The Heliophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate intends to conduct a study of mission options, including science and technology options, for its next major Living With a Star mission, Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC). This study will build on, but not be limited to, the National Research Council’s 2013 Heliophysics Decadal Survey “Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society” (available at https://www.nap.edu/catalog/13060/solar-and-space-physics-a-science-for-a-technological-society). NASA invites applications from scientists and other qualified and interested individuals at U.S institutions to participate in this Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT).

The STDT will be charged with conducting a mission concept study (or studies) and defining a design reference mission(s) for GDC. This charge will include an assessment and update of the science rationale for the mission and the provision of science parameters, investigation approaches, key mission parameters, and any other needed scientific studies.

NASA will select STDT members based upon demonstrated expertise in areas relevant to GDC goals, potential instrumentation, and related science and technologies. NASA anticipates the selection of approximately ten to twenty-five STDT members. Representatives from the NASA Heliophysics Division, and possibly other Agency representatives, may serve as ex officio members of the STDT.

The STDT will be formed in October 2017 and will be disbanded after the Heliophysics Advisory Committee accepts the STDT’s final report (expected July 2018). During this anticipated nine-month period of time, STDT members will participate in the following activities:
  1.  Weekly to biweekly teleconferences, as determined by the STDT
  2.  Several face-to-face meetings in the DC area, for which travel support will be provided by NASA
  3.  The preparation and review of materials for and the production of the STDT reports
  4.  Additional virtual and face-to-face meetings, as the STDT deems appropriate

Applications for membership on the GDC STDT are due no later than August 1, 2017 (11:59 EDT) and must be submitted by e-mail to Dr. Jared Leisner (address below). The subject line of the e-mail should be “GDC STDT Application”.

The application must consist of a single PDF that includes:
  1.  A cover letter that explains the reasons for the submitter’s interest in the STDT and the specific contribution, capabilities, and experience that they would bring to the STDT. This letter may be up to two pages in length.
  2.  A short statement confirming the submitter’s availability during the nine-month period that the STDT will be active and committing to perform the tasks assigned to the STDT. In cases where a submitter anticipates select, significant schedule constraints that could restrict engagement at critical times, this statement must state and discuss them. This statement may be up to one-half of a page in length.
  3.  A resume or CV that includes any relevant spacecraft mission involvement and publications. This document may be up to two pages in length.

Letters of Application are invited only from individuals; group applications, collaborations, and teams will not be considered.

This STDT is being chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Members of the STDT who are not Regular Government Employees (RGE) will be designated Special Government Employees (SGE). As an SGE, each STDT member will be required to submit an OGE 450 (Confidential Financial Disclosure Form).

NASA reserves the right to cancel this Call for Letters of Application at any time should programmatic and/or other reasons warrant it. The issuance of this Call for Letters of Application does not obligate NASA to accept any of the applications. Any costs incurred by prospective submitters in preparing responses to this Call are incurred completely at their own risk.

Dr. Jared Leisner
Heliophysics Division
Science Mission Directorate
jared.s.leisner at nasa.gov
202-358-2016

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2. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Small Satellite Constellations for Future Heliophysics Science Missions (SM004)
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From: Larry Kepko (larry.kepko at nasa.gov)

We would like to draw your attention to a unique session at the 2017 Fall AGU meeting entitled, "Small Satellite Constellations for Future Heliophysics Science Missions”. The session seeks to hear constellation concepts addressing heliophysics science objectives, with a particular emphasis on forward leaning concepts and identification of instrument or technology gaps. For questions or guidance, please contact one of the conveners (Larry Kepko, Jim Spann, Mike Seablom, or Dan Moses). 

The submission deadline is August 2, and abstracts may be submitted at http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2017/abstract-submissions/

Invited Speakers: Vassilis Angelopoulos and Charles Swenson

Session Description:
Multipoint, distributed observations have long been desired by the Heliophysics community in order to better understand the dynamics of the Sun-Earth system. Recent leaps in the capabilities of small satellites, from cubesats to ESPA, now enable missions consisting of a large number of spacecraft. Heliophysics is well positioned to take advantage of the SmallSat revolution since much of the field’s in situ and remote sensing instrumentation have achieved levels of miniaturization and performance that now enables their accommodation on such platforms. Papers are sought that discuss new mission concepts in which new science is enabled by large numbers of individual measurements (both homogeneous and heterogenous). Authors are encouraged to present concepts that that may require new technologies in areas such as science instrumentation, autonomy, propulsion, and advanced communications, and to specifically call out where new investments could be applied to enable science return. Student papers and multidisciplinary work are welcome.

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3. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Past, Present and Future of Active Experiments in Space (SM005)

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From: Gian Luca Delzanno, Anatoly Streltsov (delzanno at lanl.gov)

Dear Colleagues,
We invite you to submit contributions to our session on active experiments in space. 

Session ID: 23989 
Session Title: SM005. Past, Present and Future of Active Experiments in Space 
Section/Focus Group: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics 
Link:  https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm17/preliminaryview.cgi/Session23989

Session Description:
Since the 1960s space active experiments have been performed to (1) probe basic plasma physics phenomena, (2) elucidate aspects of magnetospheric and ionospheric physics, and (3) understand how to control the effects of the environment on space assets. Recently, a renewed interest on active experiments has arisen, as called for in the 2012 Decadal Survey of the National Research Council, driven by important scientific and national security applications such as magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and radiation belt remediation.
This session aims at bringing together researchers interested in a broad area of active experiments in space, including relevant basic plasma physics, wave-particle and wave-wave interaction interactions, non-linear phenomena, generation of density irregularities and triggering large-amplitude responses in the strongly coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere system. Contributions ranging from historical perspectives on past active experiments to what fundamental scientific questions and applications could be tackled by new active experiments are welcome.

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4. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Plasma Energization during Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection (SM012)
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From: Li-Jen Chen, Katy Goodrich, Lorenzo Sironi, Jim Drake (katherine.goodrich at lasp.colorado.edu)

Dear Colleagues,

We encourage you to submit an abstract to the SPA-Magnetospheric Physics session "SM012: Plasma Energization during Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection". This session seeks studies of plasma energization via or related to magnetic reconnection in a variety of space plasma environments.

Session Title: SM012: Plasma Energization during Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection
Session ID#: 25997
Session Description:
Jet formation, plasma heating, and particle acceleration are important and common processes during magnetic reconnection in collisionless systems, which can range from Earth's magnetosphere to possibly the black-hole accretion disk at the center of the Milky Way. Recent instrumental and computational advances have enabled new frontiers of research regarding these energization processes. The session invites contributions that will expand our understanding of how and where electrons and ions are energized, and how dissipated magnetic energy is partitioned among various plasma species/components. Of immediate interest are the effects on energization due to the reconnection and in-plane electric fields, parallel electric field, wave fluctuations, etc., and how the guide field and upstream conditions influence the energization and energy partition. Studies integrating new results from magnetospheric/heliospheric missions and kinetic simulations/theories are particularly encouraged.

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5. AGU Fall 2017 Session: Generation and Effects of Suprathermal Particles in Auroral and Subauroral Geospace (SA009)
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From: Evgeny Mishin (evgeny.mishin at us.af.mil)

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to submit abstracts to our session titled "Generation and Effects of Suprathermal Particles in Auroral and Subauroral Geospace" . 

Session ID: 24029
Session Viewer  link: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm17/preliminaryview.cgi/Session24029.html

Session Description:
Suprathermal particles, ~tens of eV and greater, are ubiquitous in the auroral and subauroral geospace particularly during active periods. The objective of this workshop is to make an assessment of a wide range of nonlinear plasma processes that create suprathermal electrons and ions at subauroral and auroral latitudes and their effects in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Possible topics of discussion will include (but are not limited to): What is the role of suprathermal electrons in the energy/momentum transfer between the hemispheres in the quiet time and magnetosphere-ionosphere in the disturbed time? How significant are suprathermal electrons in ion outflow events and heating of ionospheric plasma? What are key generation mechanisms of suprathermal particles in the magnetosphere and ionosphere? Invited/solicited speakers will summarize recent progress in satellite and radar observations and theory/modeling and discuss future directions of research to advance understanding of the role of suprathermal particles in the MI system.

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