[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXII, Issue 53

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXII, Issue 53
September 13, 2015

Editor: Peter Chi
Co-Editor: Guan Le
Distribution Support: Sharon Uy, Todd King, Kevin Addison
Email: editor at igpp.ucla.edu       

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Table of Contents

1. Community Announcement on Heliophysics Explorer AO
2. Announcement of Joint Special Issue: JGR-Space and JGR-Atmospheres
3. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate Position at University of New Hampshire
4. JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Research Associate at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with the New Mexico Consortium
5. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position at LPC2E, CNRS, Orléans, France

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Community Announcement on Heliophysics Explorer AO

From: Elsayed Talaat (elsayed.r.talaat at nasa.gov)

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing this Community Announcement concerning its intention to solicit investigations for the Heliophysics Explorer Program. The Heliophysics Explorer Program conducts Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations to advance NASA’s strategic objective in heliophysics, which is to "Understand the Sun and its interactions with the Earth and the solar system, including space weather." Additional information concerning these areas of investigation is provided through appropriate links found on the SMD homepage at http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/.
 
The current state of planning calls for NASA SMD to release an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) in the Spring/early Summer of 2016 that will solicit proposals for Small Explorer (SMEX) missions to accomplish Heliophysics Explorer Program science objectives. NASA also plans to simultaneously release a solicitation for Heliophysics Explorer Missions of Opportunity (MO) through a NASA Announcement of Opportunity, Second Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-2). A draft SMEX AO and draft SALMON-2 Program Element Appendix (PEA) are expected to be ready for release for comment in Winter 2015.
 
The PI-managed mission cost cap for a Heliophysics SMEX mission is expected to be no greater than $115M in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 dollars, not including the cost of any contributions of the NASA provided launch services, either an Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) or transportation to the International Space Station (ISS). Standard launch services to the ISS or on an ELV will be provided for SMEX missions at no charge against the mission cost cap. The standard ELV launch services offered will be similar to the "ELV Launch Service Class Option B," described in the Explorer Program Library’s launch services document (e.g., http://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/APSMEX/SMEX). The Explorer Program Library’s launch services document will be updated for the 2016 Heliophysics SMEX AO.
 
The PI-managed mission cost cap for a Heliophysics Explorer MO is expected to be no greater than $55M in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 dollars. NASA expects to solicit MO science investigations that are defined in the SALMON-2 AO as Partner MOs or Small Complete Mission (SCM) MOs, including investigations requiring flight on the International Space Station. SCMs that are suborbital-class have a $35M PI-managed mission cost cap; this includes missions on ultra-long duration balloons or suborbital reusable launch vehicles (sRLVs). Other (not suborbital-class) MOs will have a $55M PI-managed mission cost cap, including SCMs that use Cubesats.
 
The currently approved Heliophysics Explorer Program planning budget is sufficient to select and execute one SMEX mission and one MO.
 
The current planning is for the selection process to be done in two stages. In Step 1, it is anticipated that two or three SMEX missions and one to three MO missions may be selected for one-year Phase A concept studies. Each SMEX concept study would be funded up to $1M in real year dollars, and each MO concept study would be funded up to $250K in real year dollars. For Step 2, NASA will conduct a detailed review of the Phase A concept study reports. As a result of this second evaluation, NASA expects to select one SMEX mission and one MO mission to proceed into Phase B and subsequent mission phases. NASA desires to launch the SMEX mission by summer of 2022.
 
Proposals in response to this AO will be due 90 days after its formal release. Participation will be open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, NASA Centers, and other Government agencies.
 
The schedule for the solicitation is intended to be:

Release of draft AO (target):  Winter 2015
Explorer workshop: ~1 month after draft AO release;
Release of final AO (target): Spring/early Summer 2016
Preproposal conference: ~3 weeks after final AO release;
Proposals due: 90 days after AO release;
Selection of Phase A studies (target): early Spring 2017
Concept study reports due (target): early Spring 2018
Down-selection (target): late Summer/Fall 2018
 
The Heliophysics Explorer Program SMEX AO and SALMON-2 amendment may contain provisions that differ substantially from this preliminary notice, in which case the provisions in the AO and SALMON-2 amendment will take precedence. The Heliophysics Explorer AO will be based on the Standard PI-led Mission AO Template available at http://soma.larc.nasa.gov/standardao/sao_templates.html. Proposers should read the Draft Heliophysics SMEX AO and SALMON-2 amendment carefully when they are released.
 
NASA has not approved the issuance of the Heliophysics SMEX AO or SALMON-2 amendment and this notification does not obligate NASA to issue the announcements and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this announcement are incurred completely at the submitter's own risk.
 
Further information will be posted on the Explorer Program Acquisition website at http://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/ as that information becomes available. Questions or comments about this intention to release a Heliophysics SMEX AO may be addressed in writing or by E-mail to the Heliophysics Explorer Program Scientist:
 
Dr. Elsayed R. Talaat
Ref.: Heliophysics SMEX AO
Heliophysics Division
Mail Suite 3K85
Science Mission Directorate
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, DC 20546-0001
 
E-mail: hq-explorers at nasa.gov (subject line to read "Heliophysics SMEX AO").
 
Responses to all inquiries will be answered by E-mail and also posted weekly at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) location of the Explorer Program Acquisition website; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.


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Announcement of Joint Special Issue: JGR-Space and JGR-Atmospheres

From: Robyn Millan (Robyn.Millan at dartmouth.edu)

Title: Energetic Electron Loss and its Impacts on the Atmosphere
Open for submissions: Sept. 1, 2015 - January 29, 2016
Organizers: Robyn Millan, Pekka Verronen and Alexa Halford

Manuscripts are invited for a joint special issue between JGR-Space Physics and JGR-Atmospheres on recent advances in energetic (~120 keV - 10 MeV) electron loss in the magnetosphere and the impacts of energetic precipitation on the atmosphere.

We welcome submissions on the study of processes that cause energetic precipitation and quantify the relative importance of precipitation versus magnetopause loss for the radiation belts and ring current. There is evidence that energetic precipitation may have significant impacts on the atmosphere through the production of odd hydrogen (HOx) and odd nitrogen (NOx), which can affect ozone chemistry, and lead to modification of atmospheric dynamics in the polar regions.

This special issue welcomes observational studies that use historical or recent data sets as well as theoretical studies of electron loss and its impacts. Manuscripts should be submitted through the JGR-Space Physics or JGR-Atmospheres web sites. 

For additional information please contactRobyn.Millan at dartmouth.edu or contact the journal directly: jgr-spacephysics at agu.org or jgr-atmospheres at agu.org


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate Position in the Space Science Center, the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), University of New Hampshire

From: Jichun Zhang (jichun.zhang at unh.edu)

The Space Science Center, the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), University of New Hampshire has an immediate opening for a postdoctoral research associate position. The successful candidate will be responsible for pursuing research in magnetospheric physics, particularly related to electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves or particle injections in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere. Primary investigation methods include the analysis of field and plasma measurements from current space missions and numerical simulations for the explanation of observed features.

Applicants are required to have a Ph.D. degree in space physics or similar scientific discipline. The position is for one year, with possibility of one-year renewal depending on work performance and funding availability. The successful applicant has demonstrated necessary technical, verbal, and writing skills to: a) work on research projects resulting in first-authored publications in top, peer-reviewed journals; b) have significant computer programming skills; c) distribute scientific results to peers at meetings and workshops; and d) interact with students and team members affiliated with our research group.

To receive full consideration for this position, please provide CV, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please email application or inquiries to Prof. Jichun Zhang at jichun.zhang at unh.edu.

The University of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action institution. The university seeks excellence through diversity among its administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The university prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or marital status. Application by members of all underrepresented groups is encouraged. 


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JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Research Associate at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with the New Mexico Consortium

From: Liz MacDonald (eliz.macdonald at gmail.com)

The New Mexico Consortium (www.newmexicoconsortium.org) has an immediate opening for a space weather post-doctoral research associate for the new Aurorasaurus citizen science project (www.aurorasaurus.org). Duties will include analysis of space weather data (specifically related to the prediction of aurora during storm and substorm times), and associated crowdsourced observations of aurora. The post-doc's primary objective will be to develop a nowcast model of the aurora that incorporates human observations. Robust programming experience, initiative, and a strong history of publications are required. Experience and enthusiasm with mobile technologies, social media and web design are appreciated. A Ph.D. is preferred but exceptional candidates at other levels will be considered.
 
This is a one year full-time project with an option for extension contingent on performance. Applications will be reviewed as soon as received and the position will be open until filled. The position is located at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, beginning around Nov 1. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Liz MacDonald (eliz.macdonald at gmail.com) with any questions. New Mexico Consortium is an independent nonprofit EOE employer. Please apply online at www.newmexicoconsortium.org/about/application and include a resume, cover letter, code sample, and 3 recommendation letters. Aurorasaurus is an interdisciplinary innovative project funded by NSF and collaborates with educators and social scientists to improve public nowcasting of aurora in this, the first solar maximum with social media.


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Space Plasma at LPC2E, CNRS, Orléans, France

From: Pierre Henri (pierre.henri at cnrs-orleans.fr)

A postdoctoral position in space plasma has become available at Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E, http://lpce.cnrs-orleans.fr), CNRS, Orléans, France, at the frontier between plasma physics and planetology, in the context of the ESA Rosetta mission.

Rosetta is an exploratory space mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) that arrived in the vicinity of its target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in summer 2014. It is the first mission designed to orbit and escort a comet, until autumn 2016. On board the Rosetta orbiter, the Rosetta Plasma Consortium is a suit of plasma sensors designed to monitor in situ the ionised environment of the comet. Among them, the Mutual Impedance Probe (RPC-MIP), under the technical and scientific responsibility of LPC2E, is designed to measure the electron density, as well as the electric activity in the cometary environment. 

The research activity will focus on space plasma data analysis in the context of the ROSETTA mission, using among others the data provided by the RPC-MIP experiment. The postdoctoral researcher will work on the structure, dynamics and the evolution of the ionised environment of a comet, as well as its interaction with the Sun, in close collaboration with scientists involved in the other plasma experiments of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium. 

Depending on the experience the gross salary varies between 2880 and 3160€/month. The position is provided for three years.

Interested applicants must send a CV together with a detailed description of the research achievements and a list of publications to Pierre Henri (pierre.henri at cnrs-orleans.fr).

The position is opened until filled. For more information, please contact Pierre Henri (pierre.henri at cnrs-orleans.fr).


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