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

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVII, Issue 73
Dec.04,2020

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Table of Contents

1. The LWS Town Hall Meeting (Living With a Star Annual Briefing)

2. Article Collection in Frontiers on Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere

3. NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP – APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2021

4. JOB OPENING: Researcher 5 Position at University of Minnesota

5. JOB OPENING: Two Postdoctoral Fellow Positions in Space Physics Group at the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland (Remote Work Possible)

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


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The LWS Town Hall Meeting (Living With a Star Annual Briefing)

From: Jeff Morrill, Simon Plunkett, Anthea Coster, Sabrina Savage (jeff.s.morrill at nasa.gov)

The LWS Town Hall Meeting (Living With a Star Annual Briefing) will be held Thursday, December 10, from 4 pm to 5 pm PST (7 pm to 8 pm EST).

From:
Jeff Morrill, Simon Plunkett (Heliophysics/LWS), 
Anthea Coster and Sabrina Savage, LPAG Co-Chairs

We will hold the Town Hall meeting for the Heliophysics Living With a Star (LWS) program at the Fall AGU meeting. You are invited to attend and hear brief summaries on the program status and to participate in an open discussion of the LWS program. The Town Hall will be held Thursday, December 10, from 4 pm to 5 pm PST (7 pm to 8 pm EST).   The details about this meeting are:

Town Hall Title: NASA Living With a Star Town Hall
Final Session Number: TH067
Date and Time: Thursday, 10 December 2020: 16:00 - 17:00 PST

The draft agenda for the LWS town hall appears below.
1. LWS Program Overview (J. Morrill, 10 minutes)
2. LWS Science – Update and FSTs for ROSES-2021 (S. Plunkett, 10 minutes)
3. LPAG Report on 2020 Activities (A. Coster / S. Savage, 10 minutes)
4. LWS Architecture Study (S. Plunkett, 5 minutes)
5. Mission Updates (Various, 20 minutes)
6. Wrapup/Questions (5 minutes)


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Article Collection in Frontiers on Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere

From: Hermann Lühr  (hluehr at gfz-potsdam.de)

Title: “Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere Connections”

This Research Topic in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Science is now open to accept papers. The manuscript deadline is 31 August 2021.

Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/15818/thermosphere---ionosphere---plasmasphere-connections

This Research Topic aims to collect research that is focused on investigations of electrodynamics and neutral processes in the upper atmosphere. Due to the interaction between the neutral and ionized particles, affected by the geomagnetic field, several complex and unique phenomena are generated in this height region. Dominant physical processes are not only strongly dependent on the different latitude sectors (i.e. auroral region, midlatitudes, and equatorial region) but also on longitude, local time and season. The main drivers of the dynamics are field-aligned currents at auroral regions and winds at middle and low latitudes. Direct responses of the system are ionospheric electric currents, plasma redistribution, atmospheric heating and expansion, and enhanced winds.

A study of these phenomena provides a fundamental understanding of space physics and is also crucial for specifying consequences to modern technology. For example, changes in thermospheric density have a direct impact on satellite orbit evolution. Steep plasma density gradients can cause radio wave scintillations, which in turn affect all trans-ionospheric wave propagation from radar to navigational signals (e.g., GPS, Galileo, etc.).

This Research Topic invites both Original Research and Review papers with particular focus on the dependence of coupling processes between the various atmospheric layers. Upward propagating atmospheric tides and gravity waves can significantly modulate thermosphere-ionosphere coupling. Their influence on density structures, composition, and initiation of plasma instabilities has only recently been realized. Influences from above, e.g. magnetospheric electric fields, extreme ultraviolet radiation, or energetic particle precipitation, are also interesting. Other space weather effects, such as geomagnetic storms are important to study in order to better under the variability of the thermosphere-ionosphere. Results obtained from data analysis, theoretical considerations, or numerical modeling, which concern coupling mechanisms between upper atmospheric layers under quiet and disturbed geophysical conditions are encouraged to be submitted.

All papers are open access.

Guest Editors: 
Erdal Yiit (George Mason Uni.),
Ana Elias (Universidad Nacional de Tucumán), 
Jorge (Koki) Chau (Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics),
Libo Liu (Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS) 
Yoshizumi Miyoshi (Nagoya University)


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NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP – APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2021

From: Taifa Simpson (tsimpson at usra.edu)

The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA's scientific goals.  The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered; promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections.

Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply.

Stipends start at $60,000 per year, with supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $10,000 per year is provided for professional travel.

Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1

For further information and to apply, visit:  

https://npp.usra.edu/

Questions: npphelp at usra.edu


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JOB OPENING: Researcher 5 Position at University of Minnesota

From: Cynthia Cattell (cattell at umn.edu)

Researcher 5 position in space physics
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN

The School of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Minnesota has an opening for a Researcher 5 position in space plasma physics. The position is to perform research on problems including the energization and loss of relativistic particles in the radiation belts, reconnection in the Earth’s magnetosphere, and wave-particle interactions in the solar wind.  Applicants must have a Ph.D. in physics or a related field, and experience in analysis of data from heliophysics spacecraft. 

To apply please follow these directions:

1. Select the below link to access our careers site. 
2. Sign in to access your account or if you are not an existing user select the New User link to create one. 
3. Review the job description and select the Apply button to begin your application.

https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/338394

For additional information, please contact Prof. Cynthia Cattell at cattell at umn.edu


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JOB OPENING: Two Postdoctoral Fellow Positions in Space Physics Group at the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland (Remote Work Possible)

From: Minna Palmroth, Adnane Osmane (minna.palmroth at helsinki.fi)

The Space Physics Group of the University of Helsinki is a leading European space physics group specialised both in observations and theoretical/computational modelling of space plasmas. We develop in particular the global magnetospheric hybrid-Vlasov simulation Vlasiator and have a strong focus on solar eruptions and planetary radiation belts.

We are now opening two postdoctoral fellow positions for a 2-year project with possible extension, funded by the Academy of Finland. The postdoctoral fellows will focus on:
Postdoc 1: Using, developing and running Vlasiator to model space plasmas in extreme conditions
Postdoc 2: Applying Extreme Value Theory to  in situ measurements of electron fluxes in the Earth’s radiation belts.

Prior knowledge and useful skills:
Postdoc 1: Supercomputing environments and/or model development and/or data analysis
Postdoc 2: Statistical methods and/or machine learning and/or deep learning

We offer a position in a dynamic and international research group, with a possibility to network and to develop as a researcher. We are innovative, high-spirited and a close community, and Finland is the happiest country in the world offering a great environment fostering equality, equality of opportunities, the best schooling system, vacations, and possibilities for work-family balance.

The positions are available immediately. Remote working will be possible for part of the project. We start reviewing the applications on 17 December 2020, but the positions will remain open until filled.

For more information, please visit:
http://helsinki.fi/vlasiator
http://blogs.helsinki.fi/spacephysics/
https://www.helsinki.fi/sustainable-space

For specifics about the position, contact Minna Palmroth (minna.palmroth(at)helsinki.fi), position 1; Adnane Osmane (adnane.osmane(at)helsinki.fi), position 2. Interested candidates should send their informal application, CV, list of publications, and a maximum of three names to act as references to the position’s responsible person above and cc the other.


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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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