[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXV, Issue 7

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXV, Issue 7
Feb.02,2018

REMINDER: Abstracts for COSPAR 2018 are due 9 February, 23:59 CET. See details at http://www.cospar-assembly.org/.

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Table of Contents

1. Two Editor Positions for JGR-Space Physics

2. Topical Issue "System Science: Application to Space Weather Analysis, Modelling, and Forecasting" - SWSC

3. TESS Session: Vertical Coupling in I-T System

4. TESS Session: Heliophysics and the Deep Space Gateway

5. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral and Faculty Positions in space physics at Tongji University, Shanghai, China 

6. JOB OPENING: Assistant Research Physicist - Space Science Laboratory, UC Berkeley

7. JOB OPENING: Research Associate at LASP working with the Langmuir Probe and Waves instrument on MAVEN mission

8. JOB OPENING: PhD Plasma Astrophysics

9. CESRA Highlights in January

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Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g


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Two Editor Positions for JGR-Space Physics

From: Mike Liemohn (liemohnjgrspace at gmail.com)

We seek two new Editors to join the board of the Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics. These are additional positions that will expand the editorial board from five to seven. The deadline for applications is 23 February 2018.

Applicants should be dynamic, well-organized, independent-minded, and even-handed scientists with robust knowledge of space physics. As editor you should be committed to further strengthening JGR-Space Physics as a leading journal in this field and be proactive in attracting innovative contributions in traditional disciplines and in emerging areas. Applicants from all fields of space physics are welcome. The journal's full aims and scope are given here: https://goo.gl/U57nMZ 

Editors have several job duties. First and foremost is handling the reviewer assignments and decisions for manuscripts submitted to the journal. You could also be called upon for consultation about manuscripts assigned to other editors. There is an expectation of promoting the journal, especially at conferences you attend, and helping to write highlights of selected papers published in the journal.  We hold regular teleconferences throughout the year, as well as a full editorial board meeting at the Fall AGU Meeting, to discuss management and strategic goals of the journal. The expected time commitment of a JGR Space Physics editor is ~5 hours per week.

The term for these new editors would be 4 years with a flexible start date soon after selection. This term extends past the end date of the other editors, creating a bridge to the next Editor in Chief and board. Questions regarding the scope of work and editorial philosophy should contact the EiC, Mike Liemohn, email above. AGU's guidelines to editors is found here: https://goo.gl/E4yWpS.   The search committee is committed to diversity and highly encourages women and minorities to apply. The journal serves a world-wide community of space physics researchers and international applicants are welcome. 

If you would like to be considered for one of these Editor positions with JGR-Space Physics, please send your curriculum vitae with a letter of interest via email to pubmatters at agu.org. If you would like to nominate a highly qualified colleague, then please send a letter of recommendation to the same email address. Please make sure that you specify "JGR Space Physics Editor Search" in the subject line of the email. 

Review of applications will begin immediately after the submission deadline.


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Topical Issue "System Science: Application to Space Weather Analysis, Modelling, and Forecasting" - SWSC

From: Enrico Camporeale (e.camporeale at cwi.nl)

The Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate (SWSC) plans a Topical Issue on "System Science: Application to Space Weather Analysis, Modelling, and Forecasting" to appear in 2018.
Deadline for manuscript submission: 15 May 2018

The construction of accurate dynamical models is fundamental to forecasting the many aspects of space weather. The process of deducing models for forecasting traditionally involved breaking the system into component parts and applying the laws of physics to each part to build up a description of that system. However, for complex space weather systems we do not have enough knowledge about some of the processes involved to build an accurate model solely from first principles. Alternatively, complex systems science based methods have been developed to deduce dynamical models from input-output data. The techniques developed in system science, such as system identification, machine learning, data assimilation, information theory, signal processing, among others, are applicable to any system that has large amounts of data available. With the increasing amount of space weather data we are able to make use of these tools and techniques to analyse, model and forecast the complex systems of space weather.

This Topical Issue is dedicated to contributions that make use of these state of the art tools developed in system science. It is based on the outputs of the sessions devoted to this topics at the European Space Weather Week 14. However, it is open to all contributors and not limited to the ESWW14 participants.

Topical Editor-in-Chief (T-EiC): Richard Boynton, University of Sheffield 
Topical Editors:
Enrico Camporeale, Center for Mathematics and Computer Science, Amsterdam 
George Balasis, National Observatory of Athens 
Homayon Aryan, NASA/GSFC

For more information please visit
https://www.swsc-journal.org/news


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TESS Session: Vertical Coupling in I-T System

From: Rod Heelis, Doug Rowland, Larry Paxton (heelis at utdallas.edu)

In the Triennial Earth-Sun Summit (TESS) meeting (20-24 May 2018, Leesburg, Virginia), we will hold a session entitled “Vertical Coupling in the Ionosphere Thermosphere System". This session covers a broad range of topics addressing the impacts of ion-neutral coupling and future observational challenges. The session goals are described below.
Please consider a contribution to this session.

The abstract submission deadline is 20 February 2018.
https://connect.agu.org/tess2018/home

Vertical Coupling in the Ionosphere Thermosphere System
The altitude range over which substantial energy and momentum are exchanged between the charged and neutral particles and where currents dissipate heat is generally lower than is easily accessible by ground of space-based diagnostics. Rocket measurements of the neutral winds and models of the neutrals winds in the so-called space transition region show large variability caused by tides and waves and their interactions. Likewise the current systems that are generated by such winds must be similarly structured with field-line integrated effects that influence the entire charged particle populations above the region.  Since the region itself is so hard to describe observationally a natural question arises concerning our ability to describe its behavior based on remote measurements made above and/or below the region. This session will discuss the strengths and weaknesses associated with attempts to describe the behavior of the space transition region based on remotely located measurements. Papers addressing these topics and/or specific research questions or mission concepts are solicited. 


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TESS Session: Heliophysics and the Deep Space Gateway

From: James Spann, Barbara Giles, Elsayed Talaat (jim.spann at nasa.gov)

We invite your contribution to the session “Heliophysics and the Deep Space Gateway” (https://agu.confex.com/agu/2018tess/preliminaryview.cgi/Session40552)
at The Triennial Earth–Sun Summit that will be held on May 20-24, 2018 at the Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg, VA (https://connect.agu.org/tess2018/home).

Session Description:
This session provides a forum to articulate the heliophysics science that is enabled by the near-lunar NASA Deep Space Gateway (DSG) platform. Contributions are encouraged that describe investigations on, deployed from, and operated from the DSG. Investigations that include remote sensing, that include in situ observations, that require crew attention, and that are conducted on the lunar surface are appropriate for this session. Inputs from this session will serve to better inform NASA as it develops the DSG platform for science and space exploration.

Session conveners: Barbara Giles (barbara.giles at nasa.gov), James Spann (jim.spann at nasa.gov), and Elsayed Talaat (elsayed.r.talaat at nasa.gov)

Abstract submission deadline: February 20, 2018

The Triennial Earth-Sun Summit (TESS) is a joint meeting of the Space Physics and Aeronomy Section of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Solar Physics Division (SPD) of the American Astronomical Society.


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral and Faculty Positions in space physics at Tongji University, Shanghai, China 

From: Desheng Han (handesheng at tongji.edu.cn)

A Postdoctoral position in Space Physics is available at the School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. The position is available immediately with a negotiable start date. The duration is two years with the potential for renewal. Salary will be no less than 250,000RMB/year. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in space physics, plasma physics, or related field. Experience is required in one or more of the following: solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, auroral physics, planetary magnetospheres, kinetic theory, MHD, computer simulations. A tenure-track faculty position of Associate Professor is also available within the same group. Applicants should have the following basic qualifications: 1) Ph.D. in space physics, or closely related field, 2) postdoctoral research experience, 3) evidence of the ability to establish and maintain a successful research program, and 4) evidence of the ability to teach in Chinese language.  Applications for the two positions with statement of research interests, a full CV, and two letters of professional references are expecting to Professor Desheng Han ( handesheng at tongji.edu.cn ).  


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JOB OPENING: Assistant Research Physicist - Space Science Laboratory, UC Berkeley

From: Davin Larson (davin at ssl.berkeley.edu)

The Department of Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for an Assistant Research Physicist, Step I-VI, in the area of space plasma physics and instrumentation, to participate in our ongoing research initiatives in the SWEAP investigation on the Solar Probe Plus mission.

General responsibilities may include:
•Electrostatic analyzer design & development.
•Familiarity with Microchannel plates and associated electronics.
•Instrument testing & calibration.
•Working with vacuum chambers, high voltage power supplies and ion accelerators, and cleanroom and ESD training.
•Operation of ion guns and in-house plasma accelerators.
•Programming in Python and IDL
•Analysis of space plasma data products from either the solar wind or planetary environments.
•Science operation planning including defining and implementing instrument science modes.
•Testing of electronics such as constant fraction discriminators, application specific integrated circuits, and field programmable gate arrays.
•Simulations, modeling, and verification of instrument characteristics.

Basic Qualifications (required at the time of application): Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent degree in physics, astronomy, or a closely related field.

Additional Required Qualifications (required by start date): At least two years of postdoctoral experience in the general area of space plasma instrumentation and/or data analysis including experience in the development and testing of electrostatic analyzers.

For more details of the job description and to apply, please go to the following link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF01455


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JOB OPENING: Research Associate at LASP working with the Langmuir Probe and Waves instrument on MAVEN mission

From: Laila Andersson (laila.andersson at lasp.colorado.edu)

The space physics and planetary group at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado (CU) are involved in several current and near-term space flight missions. We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position to work with data from the Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW) instrument on the MAVEN mission.
The LPW instrument main observation regime is in the ionosphere, hence candidates with experience of data analysis of ionospheres are encouraged to apply.  Also candidates experience with electric field measurement, Langmuir probes, and spacecraft charging is also encouraged to apply. The candidate will be working closely together with Dr. Andersson. The work will include improve existing software routines for data production, process the instrument data, and operate the instrument. The position will initially be a one-year contract with possible extension. Salary will be commensurate with hiring level, experience and qualifications.
Evaluations will begin immediately and we will continue to accept applications. More information can be found at: https://www.cu.edu/cu-careers enter job #12448
Please contact Laila Andersson (laila.andersson at lasp.colorado.edu) or Molly Hand (molly.hand at lasp.colorado.edu) with any inquiries.


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JOB OPENING: PhD Plasma Astrophysics

From: Jörg Büchner (buechner at mps.mpg.de)

Probing electron acceleration by fast magnetic reconnection using coherent stellar radio emissions 

A PhD position funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), hosted by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Goettingen and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA) of the Technical University (TU) Berlin.

The successful applicant will work with Prof. Dr. Jörg Büchner and Dr. Patricio Muñoz on kinetic simulations of electron acceleration by magnetic reconnection in stellar atmospheres to be verified by observed solar type-III radio bursts. The selected doctoral candidate will use a state-of-the-art fully-kinetic and massively parallel particle-in-cell code, running on European network High-Performance Supercomputers, to simulate the electromagnetic radiation caused by magnetic reconnection. In particular the influence of the electron cyclotron maser instability will be investigated. At the TU Berlin the PHD thesis will additionally be supervised by Prof. Dr. Dieter Breitschwerdt. 

The desired start date is March 1st, 2018, but applications will be considered until a suitable candidate is selected.

Full project advertisement: 
http://www.mps.mpg.de/phd/probing-electron-acceleration-by-fast-magnetic-reconnection-using-coherent-stellar-radio-emissions

Online application portal: 
https://www.application.mps.mpg.de



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CESRA Highlights in January

From: Eduard Kontar (eduard at astro.gla.ac.uk)

The statistical relationship between global EUV waves and other solar phenomena by D. Long et al.
http://cesra.net/?p=1763

Estimation of a CME magnetic field strength using observations of gyrosynchrotron radiation by E. P. Carley et al.
http://cesra.net/?p=1701

CESRA publishes Highlights of Solar Radio Physics aka CESRA Nuggets approximately every two weeks. These short communications are written in the language accessible to a non-expert in the specific area and designed to keep solar and heliophysics communities informed and up-to-date about current research. The highlights can be followed, discussed, commented and shared via www.facebook.com/solarcesra/ and www.twitter.com/CESRA_community


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