[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXV, Issue 16

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXV, Issue 16
Mar.10,2018

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

Table of Contents

1. Section Secretaries and President

2. NASA Frontier Development Lab 2018: Call for Applicants

3. ALMA Cycle 6 Call for Proposals

4. MEETING: Magnetospheres of the Outer Planets 2018

5. MEETING: System-Scale Data Analysis to Resolve Thermospheric Joule Heating: Announcement of Keynote Speaker and Reminder of Key Deadlines

6. PhD Position at LPC2E Related to Parker Solar Probe and HELIOS Missions 

7. PhD Student in “Effects of Energetic Particle Precipitation on the Middle Atmosphere” at Sodankyla Geophysical Observatory, Finland

8. NEW BOOK: 'Solar Particle Radiation Storms Forecasting and Analysis, The HESPERIA HORIZON 2020 Project and Beyond', Springer, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, 2018

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

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


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

Section Secretaries and President

From: David Sibeck (david.g.sibeck at nasa.gov)

The Space Physics and Aeronomy Section of the AGU seeks candidates for the following positions:  Section President-Elect, Section Secretary for Aeronomy, Section Secretary for Magnetospheric Physics, Section Secretary for Solar- Heliospheric Physics.

If you would like to be considered for candidacy, or to nominate someone else, please send the candidate's name and a paragraph explaining the candidate's interests to Section President Larry Paxton, Section President-Elect Christina Cohen, and Section Past-President David Sibeck by March 23.

Please note that candidates who agree to run will be required to reveal any conflicts of interest and sign an ethics statement.

Thank your for considering service to YOUR professional organization.

larry.paxton at jhuapl.edu
cohen at srl.caltech.edu
David.g.sibeck at nasa.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

NASA Frontier Development Lab 2018: Call for Applicants

From: Lika Guhathakurta (madhulika.guhathakurta at nasa.gov)

NASA Frontier Development Lab (FDL) is looking for doctorate or post-doc researchers with an understanding or interest in one of this year’s problem areas. These include a variety of topics under Space Weather, Orbital Debris, Space Resources, NEOs, Exoplanets and Astrobiology. For details, please visit the website listed below.

Hosted by the SETI Institute and NASA Ames in Mountain View, FDL brings together teams of experts in the physical sciences and specialists in data science and machine learning for an intense 8-week concentrated study on topics important to NASA – and to humanity’s future.

The format encourages rapid iteration and prototyping to create outputs with meaningful application, papers and conference posters. All participants are paid and provided accommodation and transport in Silicon Valley.

The 2018 8-week program is still accepting qualified participants and will run June 25 – August 17, 2018.

Applications will be accepted until the closing date of the 3rd of April, although we encourage you to apply sooner to ensure a place.

To learn more about FDL and submit your application, please visit the FDL website at http://www.frontierdevelopmentlab.org/#!/


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

ALMA Cycle 6 Call for Proposals

From: Tim Bastian (tbastian at nrao.edu)

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a powerful, general purpose telescope designed to address a broad program of forefront astrophysics at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. Radiation at these wavelengths offers a unique, high resolution probe of the solar chromosphere and chromospheric phenomena. ALMA currently supports solar observations at 3 mm (band 3) and at 1.25 mm (band 6). 

The Joint ALMA Observatory will release its Call for Proposals for Cycle 6 on 2018 March 20. Proposals will be due on 2018 April 19. Successful proposals will be announced at the end of 2018 July and Cycle 6 observations will begin in 2018 October. 

Additional information and important links will be provided to the community with the release of the Call. We encourage members of the solar community to consider submitting an ALMA proposal. 


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

MEETING: Magnetospheres of the Outer Planets 2018

From: Fran Bagenal (bagenal at colorado.edu)

Magnetospheres of the Outer Planets 2018 July 9-13 at LASP in Boulder Colorado will focus on Cassini proximal orbits at Saturn and Juno at Jupiter. Abstracts due 1st April. Registration due 25th June.


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

MEETING: System-Scale Data Analysis to Resolve Thermospheric Joule Heating: Announcement of Keynote Speaker and Reminder of Key Deadlines

From: Robert Shore (robore at bas.ac.uk)

We are happy to announce that Brian Anderson will be the keynote presenter at the 1-day workshop “System-Scale Data Analysis to Resolve Thermospheric Joule Heating”, which will be held at the British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge, UK) on Friday 27th April 2018.

Key deadlines: 
Abstract submission closes on 19th March
Registration closes on 23rd April

Practical details: 
Abstract submission is here: https://goo.gl/forms/HWxTUEmG6XNge0LV2.
Registration and full event details are here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/system-scale-data-analysis-to-resolve-thermospheric-joule-heating-tickets-42453674082.  Note that financial support is available for attending postgraduate students.

Event summary: 
The aim of this workshop is to give a forum for discussing of the interdisciplinary utility of data-driven analytical techniques, and the best ways to harness the potential of the available large datasets which are driving advances in near-Earth space research.  The specific focus of the workshop is on the intrinsically interdisciplinary problem of resolving Joule heating – the transfer of energy from electrical currents in the ionosphere to the neutral particles of the upper atmosphere.
Conveners: Robert Shore, Anasuya Aruliah, John Coxon, Elizabeth Tindale.  For more information please contact Rob Shore at robore at bas.ac.uk.


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

PhD Position at LPC2E Related to Parker Solar Probe and HELIOS Missions 

From: Vladimir Krasnoselskikh/Thierry Dudok de Wit (vkrasnos at gmail.com)

PhD Thesis at Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of the Environment and Space (Orleans, France): Sources of turbulence in the solar wind based on observations of Parker Solar Probe and Helios

This PhD thesis comes in preparation and data analysis of the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions (first to be launched in July-August 2018, the second is supposed in February 2020), in which our team is deeply involved. LPC2E is the only European Laboratory involved in both missions providing search coil magnetometers. The objectives of this thesis are:
Analysis of magnetic field data aiming identification of different wave modes and their evolution with the distance from the Sun from the twin HELIOS satellites (1974-1985). HELIOS is the only mission that has explored in detail the solar wind in the inner Heliosphere. These magnetic field data are still largely unexploited. One of our objectives is to analyze these data in order to anticipate what Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus will observe. This should help refine observation strategies.

Analyze the evolution of different wave modes and their properties in the solar wind, and their evolution and role for the evolution of particle distribution versus radial distance from the Sun. HELIOS is the only mission that offers a complete radial profile from 0.29 AU to 1 AU. There are still several unexplored issues, and we shall focus on two of them: a) measure the compressibility and its evolution, to discriminate different models; b) use the 3D structure of the magnetic field (i.e. the rotation of the magnetic field vector, not just its amplitude) to detect and separate different wave modes and solar wind structures. 

To carry out very similar study with the data of Parker Solar Probe and to apply the data analysis methods and tools developed in LPC2E for the wave properties analysis onboard this mission when the data become available.  

We look for an excellent student who has successfully obtained his/her master degree in space sciences or in astrophysics, and who is eager to work in a team. Experience with space plasma physics, and from working with spacecraft data analysis are assets, as are good skills in written and spoken English. There is no requirement to speak French at the time of your application; however, at least part of the thesis will need to be written in French.

The successful candidate will be supervised by
Vladimir Krasnoselskikh (LPC2E), Co-I of the FIELDS experiment onboard Parker Solar Probe mission; and, 
- Thierry Dudok de Wit (LPC2E), lead Co-I responsible for the search-coil instrument onboard Solar Probe Plus.

You will be hosted by the Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E, Orléans)  
Contact both Vladimir Krasnoselskikh and Thierry Dudok de Wit by email before March 15: send us your CV and tell us why you would like to apply for this position. We shall interview all preselected candidates either by Skype or in person.

If you are preselected, then we’ll ask you to register before  March 15th at the French Space Agency (CNES), who partly funds this position, at 
https://cnes.fr/en/web/CNES-en/10685-st-doctoral-grants.php

The position will start on October 1st 2018, and will last for 3 years
Contact
Vladimir Krasnoselskikh (LPC2E)  vkrasnos at gmail.com 
Thierry Dudok de Wit (LPC2E)      ddwit at cnrs-orleans.fr 


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

PhD Student in “Effects of Energetic Particle Precipitation on the Middle Atmosphere” at Sodankyla Geophysical Observatory, Finland

From: Thomas Ulich (thomas.ulich at sgo.fi)

The University of Oulu in Northern Finland, with approximately 16,000 students and 3,000 employees, is an international, multidisciplinary research university with a rich pool of creative and intellectual talent.

Sodankyla Geophysical Observatory (www.sgo.fi) is a separate institute of the University of Oulu. Established in 1914, SGO carries out continuous, long-term geophysical measurements of Earth’s high-latitude environment.

The PhD position is part of the project "Mesospheric Monitoring of Ozone above the Polar Vortex (MeMO)”. There is growing evidence that the energetic particle precipitation (EPP) originating from the Sun can significantly modulate the middle-atmospheric dynamics, and possibly alter the global atmospheric circulation via ionic production of minor species (such as odd hydrogen and odd nitrogen), thus causing subsequent ozone loss in the stratosphere. 

The PhD project investigates both the EPP and the photoionisation taking place in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) altitudes (mainly 60-100 km). For the EPP, the altitude of the maximum ionisation is a direct measure of precipitation energy. This energy-height dependence makes it possible to invert the EPP flux density spectrum from any height-dependent electron density measurement.

The successful candidate will have a M.Sc. degree in physics, space physics, atmospheric physics or geophysics. Experience in data analysis using a high-level programming language (e.g. Python, Matlab) is highly beneficial. Excellent command of both spoken and written English is essential.

The PhD position is for 4 years from 1st May 2018 (unless agreed otherwise).

Apply online latest on Friday, 16th March 2018.

Full application text and link to application form: https://rekry.saima.fi/certiahome/open_job_view.html?did=5600&jc=1&id=00005148&lang=en


8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

NEW BOOK: 'Solar Particle Radiation Storms Forecasting and Analysis, The HESPERIA HORIZON 2020 Project and Beyond', Springer, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, 2018

From: Olga E. Malandraki  (omaland at noa.gr)

We are glad to announce the publication in the Springer, ASSL series, of the New Book entitled: ‘Solar Particle Radiation Storms Forecasting and Analysis, The HESPERIA HORIZON 2020 Project and Beyond’

Editors: Olga E. Malandraki (National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece) and Norma B. Crosby (Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium)

OPEN ACCESS of the e-Book is provided here: http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319600505. This book:
- Explains why it is important to understand the effects of solar energetic particles (SEPs) and be able to predict them from a modern society perspective

- Presents most recent state-of-the-art scientific results on SEPs

- Provides the reader with basic textbook type chapters on SEP origin, SEP acceleration and propagation, SEP interpretation, and SEP forecasting

- Can be used both as background course material to complement other textbook material, as well as a reference book for more senior scientists

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) emitted from the Sun are a major space weather hazard motivating the development of predictive capabilities. This book presents the results and findings of the HESPERIA (High Energy Solar Particle Events forecasting and Analysis) project of the EU HORIZON 2020 programme. It discusses the forecasting operational tools developed within the project, and presents progress to SEP research contributed by HESPERIA both from the observational as well as the SEP modelling perspective. Using multi-frequency observational data and simulations HESPERIA investigated the chain of processes from particle acceleration in the corona, particle transport in the magnetically complex corona and interplanetary space, to the detection near 1 AU. The book also elaborates on the unique software that has been constructed for inverting observations of relativistic SEPs to physical parameters that can be compared with space-borne measurements at lower energies.

Introductory and pedagogical material included in the book make it accessible to students at graduate level and will be useful as background material for Space Physics and Space Weather courses with emphasis on Solar Energetic Particle Event Forecasting and Analysis. This book is published with open access under a CC BY license.


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

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

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

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

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

NOTE: Due to the large number of SPA-related sessions at major conferences, the SPA Newsletter can no longer accept announcement requests for individual sessions at AGU, AOGS, COSPAR, EGU, or IAGA Meetings. Titles and web links (if available) of these sessions will be distributed in a special issue of the Newsletter before the abstract deadline.

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

SPA Newsletter Editorial Team: Peter Chi (Editor), Guan Le (Co-Editor), Sharon Uy, Marjorie Sowmendran, Todd King, and Kevin Addison

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