[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXIII, Issue 52

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXIII, Issue 52
Sep.27,2016

Editor: Peter Chi
Co-Editor: Guan Le
Distribution Support: Sharon Uy, Marjorie Sowmendran, Todd King, Kevin Addison
E-mail: editor at igpp.ucla.edu
Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

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

Table of Contents

1. Correction: Posting of DCL NSF 16-127 Announcing Recompetition of the AMISR Award to SRI, International

2. MEETING: International Conference on Substorms (ICS13), First Circular

3. SPEDAS/MMS Plug-ins webinar: September 28

4. JOB OPENING: Research Scientist Position at Section 'Earth's Magnetic Field' at GFZ (Germany)

5. JOB OPENING: Research Position at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics

6. JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Position in Space Physics at UCLA

7. JOB OPENING: PDRA Position in Solar-Terrestrial Physics at Lancaster University

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


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

Correction: Posting of DCL NSF 16-127 Announcing Recompetition of the AMISR Award to SRI, International

From: John Meriwether (john.meriwether at ces.clemson.edu)

NSF has posted a Dear Colleague Letter NSF 16-127 announcing a recompetition of the NSF AMISR radar award to SRI, International for the operations and maintenance of the two AMISR radar systems located at Poker Flat, AK, and at Resolute, CA (PFISR and RISR-N). A recompetition is required in accord with NSF policy after ten years of AMISR funding. It is intended that two separate awards would be made, one for each observatory. Also open is the possible relocation of the PFISR observatory to Gakona, AK, or to some other location of strong geophysical interest. A link to the DCL letter is given here:

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16127/nsf16127.jsp

Comments in response to this DCL are to be submitted to John Meriwether at NSF before 1 October, 2016.

John Meriwether, Program Director
Geospace Facilities
jmeriwet at nsf.gov


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

MEETING: International Conference on Substorms (ICS13), First Circular

From: Jimmy Raeder (J.Raeder at unh.edu)

The 13th International Conference on Substorms (ICS13) will be held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, September 25-29, 2017.  Concurrent THEMIS and MMS Science Working Group meetings are tentatively planned.

The meeting venue will be the Portsmouth Sheraton hotel.  Portsmouth is located on the New Hampshire seacost about one hour north of Boston.

The meeting web site (http://ics13.unh.edu/) provides further information.  Instructions for registration, abstract submission, and travel support applications will be published in the second circular in January 2017.

The Science Organizing Committee is as follows:

Jimmy Raeder, University of New Hampshire, USA
Elizaveta Antonova, Moscow State University, Russia
Jim Burch, SWRI, USA
Lasse Clausen, Univ. of Oslo, Norway
Eric Donovan, University of Calgary, Canada
Stefan Eriksson, Univ of Colorado, USA
Yasong Ge, Chines Academy of Sciences, China
Mike Henderson, Los Alamos National Lab, USA
Larry Kepko, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA
Jim LaBelle, Dartmouth College, USA
Marc Lessard, University of New Hampshire, USA
Dag Lorentzen, UNIS, Norway
Steve Milan, University of Leicester, UK
Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Japan
Kyle Murphy, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA
Rumi Nakamura, University of Graz, Austria
David Sibeck, GSFC, USA
Yasunobu Ogawa, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan
Laurianne Palin, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Sweden
Minna Palmroth, Finland
Evgeny Panov, University of Graz, Austria
Andrei Runov, Univ of California Los Angeles, USA

and the Local Organizing Committee is:

Jimmy Raeder, UNH, EOS/Space Science Center
Doug Cramer, UNH, EOS/Space Science Center
James W. LaBelle, Dartmouth College, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
Marc R. Lessard, UNH, EOS/Space Science Center

We are looking forward to welcome the substorm community in New Hampshire next year!


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

SPEDAS/MMS Plug-ins Webinar: September 28

From: Eric Grimes (egimes at igpp.ucla.edu)

Dear Space Physics community,

The Space Physics Environment Data Analysis Software (SPEDAS) development team would like to invite you to participate in a Webex presentation we'll be holding later this month.

On Wednesday September 28 at 10am Pacific, we'll be hosting a session focusing on using SPEDAS to analyze MMS data, with an emphasis on MMS particle tools. For more information on the MMS plug-in in SPEDAS, please see: http://spedas.org/wiki/index.php?title=MMS

If there are any particular questions or topics of general interest that you'd like to see covered, please send your suggestions to Eric Grimes, egrimes at igpp.ucla.edu, and we'll try to work them in.

See below for the agenda and Webex connection info.

Eric Grimes, Jim Lewis, Vassilis Angelopoulos and the SPEDAS team

MMS Plug-ins Session:  Analyzing MMS data with SPEDAS

Time: September 28, 10am-12pm Pacific Daylight Time
URL: https://uclaigpp.webex.com/uclaigpp
Meeting name = MMS Plug-ins webinar
Password = R3c0nnect!
Phone to use: 1-888-921-8686
Conference ID/pass = 3107947090 and press # International callers dial: 001-678-259-1049

Tentative agenda:
1) Introduction to FPI, HPCA load routines, standard keywords
2) Loading and Plotting the Particle Data
3) Spectra from the Particle Distributions
4) Particle Slices (2D/3D slices)
5) Questions 


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

JOB OPENING: Research Scientist Position at Section 'Earth's Magnetic Field' at GFZ (Germany)

From: Claudia Stolle (cstolle at gfz-potsdam.de)

GFZ invites applications for an attractive position as research scientist with strong interest in geomagnetism http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/career/job-offers/job/582316-g-research-scientist-in-geomagnetism-mf/

GFZ seeks a research scientist with strong interests in geomagnetism to establish a high quality research group within Section 2.3 'Earth's Magnetic Field'. Applying ground and satellite-based geomagnetic observations and supporting data sets, analyzing and modeling variations of the Earth’s magnetic field, and understanding their sources and associated processes in Earth and/or near-Earth's space are main aims of the Section. The successful candidate is expected to conduct independent research and be ready to lead a research group including students and post docs. She/he will be encouraged to teach.


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

JOB OPENING: Research Position at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics

From: Rick McGregor (rick at irf.se)

Research Position in Space Physics to work with data from the Rosetta Ion Composition Analyzer

The Solar System Physics and Space Technology research programme at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) invites applications for a temporary research position in Space Physics, related to the ESA Rosetta mission to comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Applications are invited both for a 2-year post-doc position and for shorter periods for senior guest scientists.

The advertised position is a research position for studies of the cometary plasma environment and its interaction with the solar wind primarily using ion data from the Ion Composition Analyzer on board Rosetta but also using data from the other instruments that form the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC).

Previous experience of working with plasma and/or particle data from space missions is required. The position, placed in Kiruna, is funded by the Swedish Research Council. Post-doc candidates should have completed a PhD during 2013 or later. Candidates planning to obtain their PhD degree no later than January 2017 can also apply. A post-doc candidate should not currently be an active researcher at IRF.

Closing date is 7 October 2016.
Ref: 2.2.1-235/16

More information: http://www.irf.se/Topical/Vacancies/?group=P3&vacid=22


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

JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Position in Space Physics at UCLA

From: Larry Lyons, Toshi Nishimura (larry at atmos.ucla.edu)

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral position in Space Physics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences beginning as early as Nov. 1, 2016.   The research project involves system-wide evaluation and description of plasma flow and energetic particle inputs to the ionosphere and thermosphere at meso-scale (~50 km and 500 km) using multiple data sources, such as radar arrays, high-resolution all-sky auroral imager arrays, ground magnetometers, and low-altitude spacecraft. A major goal of the project is to understand and specify roles of meso-scale convection and precipitation to the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling system. The successful applicant will create a quantitative description of meso-scale structures that can be used in coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere modeling that the team will develop. The successful applicant should collaborate with other team members of this project on evaluation of the effects of the meso-scale structures in the full system, and should present and publish outcomes in relevant meetings and journals. 

Ph.D. in a field associated with Space Physics by the start date of appointment is required.  The candidate should have a strong background in data analyses and software development in Space Physics, as well as good presentation and publication skills. Prior experience in the physics of the Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere is preferred, but applications are solicited from the entire Space Physics community, given strong interests in this project.

Applications are due by November 1, 2016, but the position will remain open until filled. The appointment start can be negotiated to a later date. The appointment will be made on a yearly basis and can be renewed up to 5 years, subject to annual performance reviews and continued funding of the current grant. The initial appointment will be made through UCLA, but the work location may change to one of the key collaborators’ institutes. Salary will be commensurate with experience according to the university salary scaling. Benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage are included in the compensation package. Questions on the position and application can be made by email to Prof. Larry Lyons (larry at atmos.ucla.edu) cc’d to Dr. Toshi Nishimura (toshi at atmos.ucla.edu). 

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy please follow this link: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.


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

JOB OPENING: PDRA Position in Solar-Terrestrial Physics at Lancaster University

From: Adrian Grocott (a.grocott at lancaster.ac.uk)

A 3-year postdoc position is available in the Space and Planetary Physics (SPP) group at Lancaster University, from 1 December 2016. This is a new opportunity to work on a NERC-funded project in the area of solar-terrestrial physics and ionospheric electrodynamics.  You will conduct independent and collaborative research to elucidate the ionospheric electric fields that result from time-variable solar wind driving and atmospheric feedback.  You will work with ionospheric radar data from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), ground magnetometer data from SuperMAG, and neutral atmospheric wind data from the Scanning Doppler Imager (SCANDI), to produce new empirical models of ionospheric electrodynamics during different space weather conditions.  You will also work with the UK Met Office to investigate the integration of your results into their unified model of weather and climate prediction (MetUM).

The SPP group is a diverse and dynamic research group exploiting ground-based and space missions to study the ionospheres and magnetospheres of Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. The Physics Department is holder of Athena SWAN Silver award and JUNO Championship status and is strongly committed to fostering diversity within its community as a source of excellence, cultural enrichment, and social strength. We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our department.

Informal enquiries should be directed in the first instance to Dr. Adrian Grocott (a.grocott at lancaster.ac.uk). Please feel free to contact me with any questions, and to forward this message to any other groups or individuals that might be interested.

Full details and an online application form can be found at the following link:  https://hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=A1655

Please note that the post is advertised as a “Senior" Research Associate, which is indicative of the salary band (grade 7:  £32,958 to £38,183); it should be considered suitable for anyone with appropriate research experience (as detailed in the person specification) and is not indicative of a requirement on the number of years of experience.


***** SUBSCRIPTION AND ANNOUNCEMENT REQUESTS *****

The AGU Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) Section Newsletter is issued approximately twice weekly. Back issues are available at:

http://spa.agu.org/category/newsletters/

NEW: To request announcements for distribution by the newsletter, please use the online submission form at:
http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

NEW: To subscribe to the newsletter, please go to the web page at:
http://lists.igpp.ucla.edu/mailman/listinfo/spa
(IMPORTANT: Do not use this web page to post announcements.)

Note: Announcements for SPA-related sessions at major conferences, such as AGU, AOGS, COSPAR, EGU, and IAGA Meetings, are distributed in special issues of the Newsletter.

SPA Web Site: http://spa.agu.org/

*************** END OF NEWSLETTER ****************