[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVI, Issue 65

Mon Nov 25 16:57:35 PST 2019

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVI, Issue 65
Nov.25,2019

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Table of Contents

1. JGR-Space Physics Editor Blog Monthly Highlights

2. Joint NSF-NASA Solicitation on NextGen Space Weather Model Development

3. MEETING: 2019 Mini-GEM Workshop, December 8

4. MEETING: Parker One – First Annual Parker Solar Probe Conference, 23-27 March 2020, JHU/APL, Laurel, Maryland USA -- Second Announcement

5. Webinar: MMS Data in Python with pySPEDAS, December 4

6. SESSION: 2019 Mini-GEM Workshop Focus Group - Interhemispheric M-I Coupling

7. TOWN HALL: Join the Movement to Bring Data Science and Antidisciplinarity to the Earth and Space Sciences at Fall AGU

8. Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School (June 1 - July 31 2020)

9. Congratulations -- Mustafa Prize Award to Umran Inan

10. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Position at the University of Michigan

11. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Theoretical/Computational Space Plasma Physics

12. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Position in Space Physics at Princeton University

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

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JGR-Space Physics Editor Blog Monthly Highlights

From: Mike Liemohn (liemohn at umich.edu)

The big news is that my replacement has been named: Dr. Michael Balikhin from the University of Sheffield, UK, will be the next Editor in Chief of JGR Space Physics. As one of the current Editors of the journal, I expect the transition to go very smoothly. Here are some blog highlights from the past month.

October 15: thoughts on an old Editorial about the number of papers published
     https://liemohnjgrspace.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/too-many-papers/

November 5: announcing Dr. Balikhin as the next EiC
     https://liemohnjgrspace.wordpress.com/2019/11/05/and-the-winner-is/

November 14: a recap of the editorials that I have written as EiC
     https://liemohnjgrspace.wordpress.com/2019/11/14/recapping-my-editorials/

Main Website:   http://liemohnjgrspace.wordpress.com/

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Joint NSF-NASA Solicitation on NextGen Space Weather Model Development

From: Vyacheslav (Slava) Lukin (vlukin at nsf.gov)

NSF and NASA jointly announce a new pilot program for Next Generation Software for Data-driven Models of Space Weather with Quantified Uncertainties (SWQU): https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20519/nsf20519.htm

This pilot program addresses the overlapping objectives of the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan [https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/National-Space-Weather-Strategy-and-Action-Plan-2019.pdf] and the National Strategic Computing Initiative Update [https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/National-Strategic-Computing-Initiative-Update-2019.pdf]. The goal of this program is to transform development of predictive modeling of the coupled evolution of the magnetized solar atmosphere and the solar wind, and their interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. This requires advancing our understanding of the necessary and sufficient requirements of model complexity, computational performance, and observational inputs. The pilot program is also expected to directly contribute to the long-term goal of creating space weather models with quantifiable predictive capability.

NSF and NASA expect to make a small number of awards for developing such next generation software while recognizing that there are research needs that can only be met appropriately by teams of researchers. The advantages of pooled insights, complementary expertise, diverse points of view, and shared tasks make a successful research team more than the sum of its parts. A dedicated mode of support for such scientifically-focused multi-investigator projects with an emphasis on early career research support is provided by this activity.

Further questions about this solicitations can be addressed to 

Dr. Vyacheslav (Slava) Lukin, NSF Div. of Physics Program Director, mailto:vlukin at nsf.gov

and/or

Dr. James Spann, NASA HQ Space Weather Lead, mailto: jim.spann at nasa.gov

and/or

Any of the other Program Officers listed on the solicitation.

Prospective PIs are encouraged to read the full text of the solicitation prior to contacting NSF and/or NASA Program Officers with additional questions.

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MEETING: 2019 Mini-GEM Workshop, December 8

From: Paul Cassak (Paul.Cassak at mail.wvu.edu)

On behalf of the GEM Meeting Organizers, the schedule for the Mini-GEM workshop is now available online.  The link is at https://gemworkshop.org/; it runs from 12-5pm on Sunday, December 8 at the Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway.  There is a pre-meeting ground-based magnetometer forum at 8am and a student town hall at 10am. New focus group proposals will be presented starting at 5pm.  If you plan to attend the workshop, please register at the above website (no fee) so we can better prepare for refreshments. All community members are welcome; those interested in participating in a session should contact focus group leaders directly.  To receive GEM Announcements, go to http://lists.igpp.ucla.edu/mailman/listinfo/gem.

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MEETING: Parker One – First Annual Parker Solar Probe Conference, 23-27 March 2020, JHU/APL, Laurel, Maryland USA -- Second Announcement

From: Nour E. Raouafi, Aleida Higginson, Rob Decker (rob.decker at jhuapl.edu)

NASA Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission, which launched on August 12, 2018, has completed the first three of its 24 scheduled orbits about the Sun (perihelia on November 5, 2018, April 4, 2019, and September 1, 2019). All three orbits had roughly the same perihelion distance of 35.7 Rsun from the Sun center. In December, 2019, the spacecraft will fly by Venus for the second time since launch. This maneuver will reduce perihelion to 27.8 Rsun. The main science objectives of the PSP mission are to: (1) Trace the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind; (2) Determine the structure and dynamics of the plasma and magnetic fields at the sources of the solar wind; and (3) Explore mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles.

Data from the first two orbits were released to the public on November 12, 2019. Data from the third orbit will be released in January 2020. The data returned so far is a treasure trove that holds potential for breakthrough discoveries. PSP is crossing new boundaries of space exploration.

The first annual Parker Solar Probe conference will be held from March 23 to 27, 2020 in Laurel, Maryland at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. The meeting will highlight the first results from the first four Parker Solar Probe solar encounters. The conference will be open to the entire heliophysics community. Abstracts involving relevant theory, simulations, data analysis, and coordinated observations are encouraged. There will be space for both oral and poster presentations, as well as splinter sessions. Early registration opened on November 12, 2019. Abstracts will be due January 15, 2020. 

Registration Costs
$375 early, $425 after January 31, 2020.

For further information, visit http://parkerseries.jhuapl.edu

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Webinar: MMS Data in Python with pySPEDAS, December 4

From: Eric Grimes, Jim Lewis, Vassilis Angelopoulos and the SPEDAS team (egrimes at igpp.ucla.edu)

The SPEDAS development team invites you to a webinar we'll be holding on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern. The focus of this webinar will be on loading and plotting MMS data in Python with pySPEDAS and pyTplot.

Tentative agenda:
1) Introduction to the load routines and configuration options
2) Ephemeris/Coordinates data
3) FIELDS data, including curlometer calculations
4) EPD (FEEPS/EIS) data, including pitch angle distributions
5) Plasma (FPI/HPCA) data

Time: Dec 4, 2019 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://ucla.zoom.us/j/207969864

Meeting ID: 207 969 864

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SESSION: 2019 Mini-GEM Workshop Focus Group - Interhemispheric M-I Coupling

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

Dear GEM IHMIC FG,

There will be an IHMIC (Interhemispheric Approach to understand M-I Coupling) session at the 2019 mini-GEM workshop on Sunday, December 8 at Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway (1500 Van Ness Avenue, Tel. 415-441-4000). We will hold one session at 12:00-1:30pm in Room 5 (Washington). 

Please email your presentation title to the session leader, Hyomin Kim (hmkim at njit.edu) as soon as possible. 

Also please note that interhemispheric asymmetries are now receiving more attention: one example is that one of the focused science topics in the current NASA LWS proposal solicitation specifically addresses interhemispheric asymmetries in the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system.  We'd like to encourage your participation in our FG activities to promote our science topics. 

For the miniGEM workshop details, visit https://gemworkshop.org/

For the IHMIC FG details, visit https://gem.epss.ucla.edu/mediawiki/index.php/FG:_Interhemispheric_Approaches_to_Understand_M-I_Coupling_(IHMIC)

Looking forward to seeing you at mini GEM. 

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TOWN HALL: Join the Movement to Bring Data Science and Antidisciplinarity to the Earth and Space Sciences at Fall AGU

From: Ryan McGranaghan (ryan.mcgranaghan at gmail.com)

Antidisciplinary is about working in spaces that do not fit into any existing academic discipline, and it indicates profound new opportunities to transform research across all fields of science and engineering. Despite the potential there has not been a focused discussion about what it means for the Earth and Space Sciences. 

We will bring this discussion to the 2019 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting through the Town Hall:  "Antidisciplinary: Science and Engineering in the Digital Age" (https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm19/meetingapp.cgi/Session/76838). This exciting event is open to all and its success, like all antidisciplinary efforts, requires broad participation and plurality of thought. 

Please join us on **Thursday December 12 from 18:15-19:15** to help shape the discussion and create a vision for a flourishing Earth and Space Science community. 

We have an exciting program with thought-leaders across academia, industry, and the public sector. 

Full details, including speakers and agenda, can be found here (https://tinyurl.com/McGranaghan-AGU-TH-Github). 

Please get in touch with your thoughts and questions and to join the community. 

Looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco!

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Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School (June 1 - July 31 2020)

From: Mike Henderson (mghenderson at lanl.gov)

The Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School is accepting applications for its 2020 session to be held (June 1 - July 31, 2020). Sponsored by the Center for Space and Earth Sciences at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), this summer school brings together top space science graduate students and LANL space scientists to work on challenging space weather research. Students receive a prestigious Vela Fellowship (worth $10,000 to cover travel and living expenses), technical training, and opportunities for professional development.

Lectures:
The lectures will be composed of three main themes.  The first part will be an overview of basic space physics concepts geared towards understanding how the magnetosphere works and how it is driven. The second part will use modeling tools to explore the same concepts in a more quantitative way, exposing the strengths and weaknesses of available models. The final part of the lectures will bring these concepts together to explore how new space missions could be devised to help resolve longstanding scientific questions. Lectures will be coordinated with "labs" to get more hands-on experience. Space data analysis and modeling will be the main themes of the labs.

Research projects:
The unique aspect of the Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School is its emphasis on scientific research projects. Students team up with LANL mentors to work on unresolved scientific problems in space physics. LANL is engaged in a wide variety of space-physics activities and offers a host of exciting research projects (see webpage for a list of current and past projects.) Students are also encouraged to propose their own ideas, which might include topics from their PhD thesis. In the past, many of the Summer School projects have led to presentations at major international conferences and, in some cases, to publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Students:
Open to U.S. and foreign graduate students currently enrolled in PhD programs in space physics, planetary science, aerospace engineering, or related fields.

See website at http://swx-school.lanl.gov for more details.

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Congratulations -- Mustafa Prize Award to Umran Inan

From: Mustafa Prize Committee (media at mustafaprize.org)

Please join in congratulating Umran Inan, AGU Fellow, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and President of Koc University, on winning the 2019 Mustafa Prize.

The prize, which covers all scientific disciplines, is given every two years; previous recipients from outside of Iran included Professors Omar Yaghi of UC Berkeley, Erol Gelenbe of Imperial College and Amin Shokrollahi of EPFL.

Prof Inan was cited for ‘contributions to the understanding of whistler-mode wave-particle interactions in near-Earth space and the electrodynamic coupling between lightning discharges and the upper atmosphere’.  

You can read more at these links:

https://apnews.com/19e94c449959472ca0efea385c8b2fbc
http://mustafaprize.org/laureates2019

Congratulations, Prof Inan!

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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Position at the University of Michigan

From: Mark Moldwin (mmoldwin at umich.edu)

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research position at the University of Michigan to begin in 2020. The primary research involves the development of ground and space-based magnetometers for the study of the Earth, the Moon and Europa’s space environments and analysis of data for understanding geomagnetic field-aligned-currents, ULF waves, and geophysical remote sensing of Europa’s near and sub-surface environments. The University of Michigan, the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering and the Magnetometer Laboratory offer extensive professional development and networking opportunities for academic, professional and personal growth.

To apply visit https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/181079/research_fellow

Complete applications ask for a cover letter stating research interests and experience, a CV, and the names and addresses of two references.  For additional information contact Mark Moldwin (mmoldwin at umich.edu). Review of materials begins January 6, 2020 and continues until the position is filled. If you will be at AGU feel free to contact me.

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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Theoretical/Computational Space Plasma Physics

From: Seth Dorfman (sethd at SpaceScience.org)

The Space Science Institute (SSI) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to be based in Los Angeles, CA. The selected candidate will take a leading role in research on ultra low frequency (ULF) waves and associated ion distributions in the Earth's ion foreshock.

The goal of the project is to elucidate the physical processes responsible for the properties and dynamics of ULF waves in the Earth's ion foreshock.  The postdoctoral scientist will focus on analysis of existing runs from the Vlasiator global-hybrid simulation code and computation of the ULF wave growth rates using LEOPARD, a new arbitrary distribution function solver.  The selected candidate will work with SSI Research Scientist Dr. Seth Dorfman, who will be responsible for the observational aspects of the project.  Results will aid our broader understanding of waves generated by energetic particles in ways applicable to present and future space missions.

For more information on the physics, see our paper related to the proposed work: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2017GL072692

Knowledge/Education: A Ph.D. in space plasma physics or related fields is required prior to the start date of the position.  Applicants should demonstrate the potential to publish research results in peer-reviewed high-quality journals, good communication skills, and the ability to work independently.  No prior experience with Vlasiator or LEOPARD is expected, but applicants should demonstrate computer skills that show they will be able to learn these tools quickly.  Experience with computational data analysis and plasma physics theory is considered an advantage.

This is a full-time position with benefits.  In addition to competitive salary and benefits, there will be a budget for to the candidate to visit Finland and interact with Prof. Minna Palmroth and the Vlasiator team (essential for learning Vlasiator data analysis).

The appointment is expected to start in April 2020, although exact start date is flexible.  Interviews will be conducted at the 2019 AGU meeting or via Zoom; therefore please submit your CV to begin the application process by November 30, 2019 to ensure full consideration.

Contact Dr. Seth Dorfman (https://www.spacescience.org/bio.php?emp=SDORFMAN) with questions.

For more information and details on how to apply, visit the full posting:
http://spacescience.org/opportunities.php

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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Position in Space Physics at Princeton University

From: Daniel White (danieljw at princeton.edu)

The Space Physics Group in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, is expanding and anticipates offering one or more postdoctoral or more senior research positions in experimental/observational space physics.
Space Physics Group website:  https://spacephysics.princeton.edu/

The Space Physics Group carries out research in many aspects of space physics (aka heliophysics), and currently leads NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISOIS) instrument suite, and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission. The successful candidate(s) can play a major role in 1) the development of the experimental capability of the group and development of space flight instrumentation for IMAP, 2) the analysis and publication of SEP observations from ISOIS, and 3) the analysis and publication of ENA observations from IBEX, and/or other funded space physics research. Preferred qualifications include having prior experience in the development of space flight instrumentation, analyzing these type(s) of particle data, the proven ability to lead/participate in the rapid development and publication of numerous excellent research articles.

For more information about this position, please visit 
https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/14383

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

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