[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXV, Issue 73

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXV, Issue 73
Nov.29,2018

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Table of Contents

1. Mid-scale Research Infrastructure 1 (Mid-scale RI-1)

2. Airborne Research Instrumentation Testing Opportunity (ARISTO)

3. NASA LWS TR&T Town Hall Meeting, December 13, 2018

4. MEETING: 4th MMS Community Science Workshop, February 19-21, 2019, Yosemite National Park 

5. MEETING: AGS 2019 Space Weather Conference, March 25-28, 2019, Cairo, EGYPT

6. MEETING: 2019 IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference, July 8-12, 2019, San Antonio, Texas, USA

7. MEETING: ISEE Joint Research Program and ISEE/CICR International Workshop (FY 2019)

8. Ultra-Large Terrestrial International Magnetometer Array (ULTIMA) Consortium:  General Meeting, Updates, and New Scientific Results

9. SESSION: Mini GEM FG Session Announcement: “Interhemispheric Approaches to Understand M-I Coupling (IHMIC)” -- Reminder

10. 2019 SCOSTEP Visiting Scholar Program – Call for Applications

11. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position at UCLA and Boston University

12. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Space Physics Data Analysis and Instrumentation at Los Alamos National Laboratory

13. RHESSI Nuggets in November

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


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Mid-scale Research Infrastructure 1 (Mid-scale RI-1)

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

The Mid-scale RI program provides a flexible, yet robust, competitive opportunity to support research infrastructure of intermediate scales above the MRI and below the MREFC thresholds, respectively. This solicitation calls for mid-scale projects in the lower portion of that range, from $6 million to below $20 million in total project costs. This funding range will support a wide variety of research infrastructure design and implementation activities for any combination of equipment, infrastructure, upgrades to major research facilities, computational hardware and software, and the necessary commissioning, all leading to the direct advancement of fundamental science, engineering and STEM education research. With the exception of design awards, infrastructure acquired or developed with support from the Mid-scale RI-1 Program is expected to be operational by the end of the award period to enable the research for which the infrastructure was proposed. Examples of projects that may be supported by Mid-scale RI-1 include, but are not limited to, upgrades and major new infrastructure for existing major facilities, infrastructure that supports high-priority research experiments/campaigns, major cyberinfrastructure that addresses community and national-scale computational- and data-intensive science and engineering research, and major shared community infrastructure and resources as may be required to enable community-scale research.

Full program description available at 
HTML: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2019/nsf19537/nsf19537.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
PDF: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2019/nsf19537/nsf19537.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click


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Airborne Research Instrumentation Testing Opportunity (ARISTO)

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

NSF geophysics programs often support field campaigns that use airborne instrumentation.  The future success of these programs requires a healthy community of scientists offering new measurement techniques, many of which are often developed by NSF grants in areas such as atmospheric chemistry, physical and dynamic meteorology, polar programs, MRI grants, etc.   Integrating these new instruments on aircraft is a major step before field campaigns are possible and airborne testing opportunities are necessary to accomplish this step.  The NSF Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) program is providing NSF research aircraft and NCAR support services (installation and certification) to scientists with NSF-related instrument testing needs.  This is a service that current and future grantees from a variety of NSF programs may wish to use.   It is also an ideal opportunity for instrument developers unfamiliar with airborne installations to learn about this aspect of field measurements. 

This program is called the Airborne Research Instrumentation Testing Opportunity (ARISTO). This program generally funds up to 20 flight hours per year on one of the two NSF/NCAR research aircraft, the HIAPER GV or the C-130, and enables the instrument developers to interact with the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) aircraft engineering and operating staff to interface, integrate, ground test and flight test the newly-designed or upgraded instruments.

Participation in ARISTO is open to all U.S. airborne instrument developers who meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Priority 1: Instrumentation that is essential to a NSF field campaign that is already approved or has had its Scientific Program Overview (SPO) approved.
• Priority 2: Instrumentation that has recently been developed or is being modified as part of a funded NSF grant or cooperative agreement.
• Priority 3: Instrumentation that has a high likelihood of being routinely used by the NSF community in future field campaigns.
• Priority 4: Instrumentation that is of high relevance to unmet needs in the LAOF and/or in the U.S. airborne research fleet.
• Priority 5: Instrumentation that has a high likelihood of being ready for flight-testing and complies with all EOL/Research Aviation Facility certification guidelines (as determined by NCAR/EOL).

Commercial instrument developments are generally not eligible, unless they are funded by the U.S. Government and serve the needs of U.S. Government agencies.

The application for ARISTO is open year-round, and the applicants indicate in which year they anticipate being ready to flight test their instruments. Advance applications allow the EOL to plan out future ARISTO campaigns to better align the testing needs with the GV or C-130 availability.

All submitted proposals are evaluated for installation and operations feasibility by the EOL and for the eligibility, priority and relevance by an independent peer review panel of experts. The results of these reviews are evaluated by the NSF LAOF Program Officer and a decision is made on the approval of each annual campaign.

The next planned campaign is ARISTO-2019, tentatively scheduled for April-May 2019 on the NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft. The program application web site is open, and all interested developers are invited to apply.

For more information
LAOF Program Officer: Linnea Avallone, NSF, 703-292-8521
ARISTO Project Manager: Pavel Romashkin, NCAR (EOL), 303-497-1027
ARISTO web site: https://www.eol.ucar.edu/aristo-program


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NASA LWS TR&T Town Hall Meeting, December 13, 2018

From: Jeff Morrill, Janet Kozyra, Simon Plunkett (NASA Heliophysics/LWS), Mark Linton & Anthea Coster (LPAG Co-Chairs) (simon.p.plunkett at nasa.gov)

NASA LWS TR&T Town Hall Meeting 
Date: Thursday, 13 December 2018, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel, 999 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Room: TBD

We will hold the Town Hall meeting for the NASA Heliophysics Living With a Star (LWS) program at the Fall AGU meeting in Washington, DC. You are invited to attend and hear brief summaries on the program status and to participate in an open discussion of the LWS program. Please check the LWS TR&T website at http://lwstrt.gsfc.nasa.gov for updates to the room location prior to the meeting.


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MEETING: 4th MMS Community Science Workshop, February 19-21, 2019, Yosemite National Park 

From: Jim Burch (jburch at swri.edu)

The 4th MMS Community Science Workshop will be held at Yosemite Lodge in Yosemite National Park on February 19-21, 2019. The workshop web page is at http://swri-eos.sr.unh.edu/mmscw/

Attendance will be limited to the first 85 registrants. Important dates include:

Early Bird Registration - 12/21/18
Hotel Group Block - 1/5/19
Late Registration - 1/8/19
Abstract Deadline - 1/18/19


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MEETING: AGS 2019 Space Weather Conference, March 25-28, 2019, Cairo, EGYPT

From: Ayman mahrous (director at spaceweather.edu.eg)

We are pleased to invite you to the conference 'African Geophysical Society (AGS) Conference on Space Weather 2019', to be held in Cairo, EGYPT, from 25-28 March 2019. 

Description:
Space weather is a global challenge that requires improved and sustained international coordination to respond to severe space weather events.There is a need for advanced space weather models, forecast tools and data-sharing, which is the main concern of AGS2019 sessions. AGS2019 sessions will discuss the global forecast, nowcast and space weather warning capabilities needed to improve predictions and preparedness for space weather events.  In the context of that topic, AGS2019 will height the need of more international cooperation and effort toward establishing a global space weather warning network. In addition to the enrichment of scientific knowledge and research capability committed to the young African researchers , ASG2019 would be an effective tool to raise the awareness on impacts of space weather phenomenon among African policymakers, designers and engineers.

Topics:
• Solar active phenomena
• Space Weather prediction and forecasting
• Ionospheric Irregularities and Geomagnetic Disturbances
• GNSS and Communication systems
• Space Environment effects on Satellite Systems
• Space Weather and Climate Change
• Space Weather Hazards

Venue:
The excellent Conference Venue is located in Cataract Pyramids Resort;5 star international standard hotel; which has unique location with beautiful panorama of the great Pyramids.

Registration/Abstract 
https://www.spaceweather.edu.eg/AGS2019.html

See you soon in Egypt.

Science Organizing Committee:
Y. Endawoke (Boston College-USA), M. Kosch (SANSA-South Africa), C. Mazaudier(GIRGEA-France), O. Obrou(AGS-Côte d’Ivoire) and A. Mahrous(AGS-Egypt) and others


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MEETING: 2019 IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference, July 8-12, 2019, San Antonio, Texas, USA

From: Giovanni Santin, Paul O'Brien (giovanni.santin at esa.int)

The final call for papers is out for the NSREC meeting in San Antonio next year. The meeting will take place in the week of 8th-12th July 2019: 

http://www.nsrec.com/ 

The environments session will be an opportunity to hear or present papers on space and atmospheric radiation and plasma models, especially those nearing or ready for applications. 

Abstracts are due 1st February 2019. NSREC abstracts should be 2-4 pages and undergo a rigorous review process. 
The NSREC conference begins with a day of short courses with a separate registration. This is a great opportunity for attendees to develop deeper knowledge and understanding of radiation effects. This year’s topic is single event effects: http://www.nsrec.com/short-course.html


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MEETING: ISEE Joint Research Program and ISEE/CICR International Workshop (FY 2019)

From: Kanya Kusano (kusano at nagoya-u.jp)

The Institute for Space–Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Japan, has announced an opportunity of

(1) International Joint Research Program
(2) ISEE/CICR International Workshop

for the fiscal year 2019.  

For (1), the ISEE supports foreign researchers to visit ISEE to make joint researches with ISEE researchers.  For (2), ISEE supports organizing small international workshops on focused topics related to Space–Earth environmental research.  The deadline for application is January 15, 2019.  For details, please visit the following website http://www.isee.nagoya-u.ac.jp/en/co-re-application.html


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Ultra-Large Terrestrial International Magnetometer Array (ULTIMA) Consortium:  General Meeting, Updates, and New Scientific Results

From: Ian Mann and Peter Chi (pchi at igpp.ucla.edu)

We invite participation in the annual ULTIMA meeting during mini-GEM. 

The ULTIMA meeting will take place during mini-GEM from 10 am to 12 noon (note the later start time) on Sunday 9th December 2018 during the Mini GEM workshop at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia (King Street, Alexandria, Metro Station; the Hilton is across the street from the metro station).

See Mini-GEM web page at: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem-mini/

Note that due to engineering works, there are no Yellow Line trains on 9th December; and the first blue line train from downtown DC to Virginia leaves around 8:30 am (e.g. from Farragut West at 08:22 AM arriving at 9:27 AM). This presents a challenge to easily get to the mini-GEM meeting by metro, and for that reason we will start the ULTIMA meeting at 10 am. If you are staying in Alexandria then of course you will not have this problem.

ULTIMA will therefore meet from 10 am - 12 noon.

Since it is 4 years since the last election of ULTIMA Officers, this meeting will also serve as a General Meeting where the Chair and Secretary of ULTIMA for the next 4 years will be elected. 

In the second part of the meeting, from around 10:30 to 12 noon, we will have the usual array updates and science presentations. 

Short science talk contributions are welcome and solicited on the science and space weather topics relating to ground-based magnetometers.

Please contact the Chair and Secretary of ULTIMA Ian Mann (imann at ualberta.ca) and Peter Chi (pchi at igpp.ucla.edu) if you wish to give a talk.

Note that the mini-GEM meeting will continue with a ground-mag. workshop from 12 noon to 13:30 pm, immediately after the end of the ULTIMA Meeting.

Mini-GEM Schedule is here: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem-mini/gem-mini-schedule2018.pdf

The GEM mini-workshop are asking people to register online at the web site (no cost) before 30th November 2018 in order to track numbers (on a voluntary basis).


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SESSION: Mini GEM FG Session Announcement: “Interhemispheric Approaches to Understand M-I Coupling (IHMIC)” -- Reminder

From: Hyomin Kim, Robert Lysak, Tomoko Matsuo (hmkim at njit.edu)

We invite you to participate in our mini GEM focus group session, “Interhemispheric Approaches to Understand M-I Coupling (IHMIC)”. The main goal of this focus group proposal is to understand the interhemispheric symmetry/asymmetry in geomagnetic fields and its effects on M-I coupling. Observational and modeling studies have shown the interhemispheric differences which are manifested in various signatures, e.g., large-scale current systems, auroral forms, waves, ion upflow, outflow, particle precipitation, high-latitude convection and thermospheric winds. The focus group addresses questions as to how to incorporate interhemispheric differences and their effects on M-I coupling in observations and modeling/simulations. 

More detailed information can be found on the GEM Wiki page at http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki/index.php/FG:_Interhemispheric_Approaches_to_Understand_M-I_Coupling_%28IHMIC%29

Please send your presentation title if you wish to present your research related to the IHMIC FG topics. 

The session will take place in Room 5 (Potomac) from 13:50-15:20, on Sunday December 9th at the Hilton Old Town Alexandria in Alexandria, Virginia (1767 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314). 

More information about the mini GEM Workshop can be found at http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem-mini/


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2019 SCOSTEP Visiting Scholar Program – Call for Applications

From: Marianna Shepherd (mshepher at yorku.ca)

The submission of applications for the 2019 SCOSTEP Visiting Scholarship is now open. 

The SCOSTEP Visiting Scholar (SVS) program is a capacity building activity of SCOSTEP (Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics), which complements SCOSTEP’s scientific programs (currently VarSITI, Variability of the Sun and its Terrestrial Impact, http://www.varsiti.org/) and SCOSTEP’s public outreach activities.

The objective of the SVS program is to provide training to young scientists and graduate students from developing countries in well-established solar terrestrial physics institutes, for one to three months. The training will help the young scientists to advance their career in solar-terrestrial physics using the technique/skill they learned during the training. SCOSTEP will provide the airfare, while the host institute will provide the living expenses (accommodation, sustenance, ground transportation, visa fees and other incidentals). Trainees should have their own health insurance or arrange a provision with the host institution.

Applications will be accepted in two categories, Category 1 – graduate students (MSc, PhD), and Category 2 – Postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) with experience up to 5 years from date of graduation at the time of application.

Interested candidates should contact one of the SVS program hosts listed at http://www.yorku.ca/scostep/?page_id=2103, develop a project and work out the details of the visit. Once the applicant and the host agree on a visit, the applicant needs to prepare an application package including the following details of the visit: (i) work to be performed described in the form of a 2-page proposal; (ii) applicant’s curriculum vitae, (iii) dates of the visit and an estimate of the airfare in economy class; (iv) letter from the applicant’s supervisor, and (v) a recommendation letter from the host scientist/institution indicating that the proposed work will be mutually beneficial.

A single pdf file of the above materials and indicating the category (1 or 2) should be sent to SCOSTEP’s Scientific Secretary, Dr. Marianna G. Shepherd (mshepher[at]yorku.ca). Deadline for applications: February 20, 2019. 


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position at UCLA and Boston University

From: Toshi Nishimura, Larry Lyons (toshi16 at bu.edu)

Applications are invited for a full-time post-doctoral or assistant researcher position in Space Physics at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The successful applicant will work on magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, particularly on multi-scale interaction processes in the high-latitude ionosphere and thermosphere using multiple data sources, such as auroral imagers, radars, magnetometers, and low-altitude spacecraft. Work will be in direct collaboration with both UCLA and Boston University, beginning as early as January 2019, and will also include collaboration with team members outside those universities and travel for team meetings. The appointment will be made through UCLA, but the work location may be at UCLA or Boston University. The candidate should have a strong background in data analysis in the magnetosphere, ionosphere or thermosphere, as well as good presentation and publication records. Ph.D. in a field associated with Space Physics by the start date of appointment is required.  

The review will start upon a receipt of an application. The position will remain open until filled. The appointment start date can be negotiated. The initial appointment will be one full year and renewal will be subject to annual performance reviews and continued funding. A second year of funding is anticipated. 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.

To apply, please submit your CV, a research statement including your interest in the research topic above and potential contribution to research in our groups, and a list of at least three names of references, by email to Prof. Larry Lyons (larry at atmos.ucla.edu) and Dr. Toshi Nishimura (toshi16 at bu.edu). Questions can also be sent by email. We will also be available to meet at the AGU Fall Meeting.

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.


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Space Physics Data Analysis and Instrumentation at Los Alamos National Laboratory

From: Dan Reisenfeld (dreisenfeld at umontana.edu)

Los Alamos National Laboratory seeks candidates for a postdoctoral position in heliospheric physics and instrumentation with the Space Science and Applications Group (ISR-1). ISR Division currently leads instruments or instrument subsystems on NASA’s IMAP, IBEX, SWIFT, TWINS, ACE, Mars Odyssey, and Van Allen Probes missions, as well as NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020 rovers. The candidate chosen for this position will be expected to carry out original research addressing the structure and evolution of the outer heliosphere through analysis of data from the ongoing IBEX mission.  The candidate is also expected to support the development and calibration of energetic neutral atom instrumentation to be used in the upcoming IMAP mission.  Additional opportunities in the development of space plasma instrumentation may also be available. Applicants should have laboratory experience applicable to developing hardware for the detection of space plasmas. Additional desirable skills include familiarity with heliospheric science (solar wind, outer heliosphere, magnetospheres, etc.), or a strong interest in learning about such environments. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to interact with Laboratory staff engaged in a broad range of observational, computational, and theoretical research in heliophysics.

This is a two-year position with the possibility of an extension to a third year. Applicants should have a doctoral degree in Space Physics, Physics, Astronomy, or appropriate similar fields obtained within the last five years, or soon to be completed. They should have demonstrated ability to pursue independent research and work as a member of a team, as well as a strong record of publication and presentation.

Interested candidates should send their CV, publications list, and statement of research interests to Dan Reisenfeld (dreisenfeld at lanl.gov), and apply online at jobs.lanl.gov and search for IRC69562.


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RHESSI Nuggets in November

From: Hugh Hudson (hhudson at ssl.berkeley.edu)

No. 336, “Remembering Marcos Machado via his research”, by Hugh Hudson: Recalling a friend and colleague, and admiring his final paper,

No. 337 “Cycle 25 Strikes Again”, by Kamil Bicz: A second, larger, Cycle 25 sunspot.

No. 338 “Neutron Production in Solar Flares”, by Ron Murphy and Gerry Share: Neutron astronomy helps us understand solar flares.

See 
http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/wiki/index.php/RHESSI_Science_Nuggets

listing the current series, 2008-present, and

http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/nuggets/ 

for the original series, 2005-2008.

We publish these at roughly two-week intervals and welcome contributions,
which should be related, at least loosely, to RHESSI science.


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