[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8

Newsletter Editor editor at igpp.ucla.edu
Thu Feb 11 13:27:06 PST 2021


AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVIII, Issue 8
Feb.11,2021

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Table of Contents

1. NASA Heliophysics Division Budget for Fiscal Year 2021: Updates & More

2. Call for Volunteers for Upcoming NASA Heliophysics Peer Review Panels

3. Dear Colleague Letter: Pilot Projects to Integrate Existing Data and Data-Focused Cyberinfrastructure to Enable Community-level Discovery Pathways

4. MEETING: Space Weather Workshop 2021

5. MEETING: A workshop on the magnetic field switchbacks observed by Parker Solar Probe– March 5, 2021

6. Parker Solar Probe Scholars – A meeting series to promote early-career scientists’ research in heliophysics – First meeting April 27, 2021

7. Magnetosphere Online Seminar Series

8. SESSION: JpGU [P-EM11] Coupling Processes in the Atmosphere-Ionosphere System

9. CALL FOR PAPERS: New Research-topic Collection, ‘Micro- to macro-scale dynamics of Earth’s flank magnetopause’ in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences

10. CALL FOR PAPERS: AGU Special Issue on "Space Weather Impacts on Electrically Grounded Systems at Earth’s Surface"

11. JOB OPENING: Open Position for NSF Geospace Section Head

12. JOB OPENING: Senior Scientist, Solar and Space Plasma Physics (JHU/APL)

13. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in space physics

14. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellow Position at Boston University

15. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Space and Plasma Physics at the University of Oslo

16. JOB OPENING: Lecturer in Space Plasma Physics

17. Phd Position in Space Physics, at KTH Stockholm (Sweden)

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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

NASA Heliophysics Division Budget for Fiscal Year 2021: Updates & More

From: Ian Cohen (Ian.Cohen at jhuapl.edu)

On December 21, 2020, Congress passed a massive full-government funding and COVID relief package that was subsequently signed into law by the President on December 27. This budget included $751M for NASA’s Heliophysics Division.  Although this represents a relatively modest 3.6% increase from the FY 2020 funding level of $725M, it is a very significant improvement over the $633M budget proposed by the President in February 2020 and passed by the House on July 31, 2020. (The final enacted amount represents a compromise between the House $633M number and a Senate mark of $776M.)  The increase for Heliophysics is part of an overall increase for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate – see https://www.planetary.org/space-policy/nasas-fy-2021-budget for details. The final budget also provides $127M for the Office of STEM Engagement, a line that had been zeroed out in the President’s Budget Request and that supports activities like Space Grant, EPSCoR, and the NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program.

Throughout the long process from the issuance of the PBR in February until the enactment of the final budget three months into the current fiscal year, members of the SPA Advocacy Committee (along with our counterparts from the AAS/SPD Public Policy Committee) continued to monitor the situation and to advocate as necessary. The bottom line is that, together with the October 2020 passage of the PROSWIFT Act promoting Space Weather Research (https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/881), we move into 2021 with a much healthier outlook for NASA Heliophysics than appeared plausible earlier in the year. In fact, the leadership of the two committees just published a recent op-ed on this topic in Space News that we encourage you all to read and share: https://spacenews.com/op-ed-space-weather-bill-will-fizzle-without-funding/.

The process for FY 2022 will start shortly with a new President’s Budget Request. The SPA Advocacy Committee will continue to advocate for budgets for NASA Heliophysics, and for agencies such as NSF and NOAA, that will sustain and enhance the important research carried out by the SPA membership. As the authorization, budgeting, and appropriations processes move forward, and especially with new leadership on the various congressional committees involved, we may call on members of the community to assist as appropriate.

Ian Cohen, SPA Advocacy Committee Chair


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

Call for Volunteers for Upcoming NASA Heliophysics Peer Review Panels

From: Mona Kessel (mona.kessel at nasa.gov)

We are looking for volunteers to serve as reviewers for several upcoming competitions. If you are not planning to propose, then please consider being part of the review team. NASA Heliophysics uses peer reviews for all of our competitions. In order to make them of the highest quality we rely on expertise provided by community scientists.

Heliophysics has increased the number of competitions recently, so you can propose to one, and provide reviews for another. For the time being, all reviews will be virtual, and we accommodate reviewer schedules as much as possible.

For your convenience, we list several upcoming reviews. Others will be listed in the future at  https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/volunteer-review-panels.

·  Heliophysics Supporting Research (ROSES B.2)
·  Heliophysics Guest investigators (ROSES B.4)
·  Parker Solar Probe Guest Investigators (ROSES B.16)
·  GOLD-ICON Guest Investigators


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

Dear Colleague Letter: Pilot Projects to Integrate Existing Data and Data-Focused Cyberinfrastructure to Enable Community-level Discovery Pathways

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

NSF has released a new Dear Colleague Letter related to Pilot Projects related to CyberInfrastructure.  The GEO specific portion of the DCL is below

Directorate for Geosciences (GEO): Proposals in the geosciences are encouraged to improve the accessibility of existing data in order to mitigate novel coronavirus 2019- (COVID-19-) related impacts on research. GEO recognizes that field and laboratory research has been delayed, modified and/or cancelled because of the pandemic creating significant challenges for the geosciences and the need to pursue other avenues for continuing research in these impacted areas. Projects will make data reuse possible and facile through the development and improvement of data infrastructure and workflows, including simpler formats, adoption of open source software and common standards. This is intended to maximize usage in the general scientific community for data that already exist but are not easy to access or integrate. Investigators will need to provide compelling scientific cases for any targeted data. Investigators will need to identify how students and early-career scientists will be involved in the work, what skills they will develop, and/or what community training will be available. Investigators supporting research in the areas covered by the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, Office of Polar Programs, Division of Earth Sciences and Division of Ocean Sciences are welcome to submit.

Full text of DCL is at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf21045


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: Space Weather Workshop 2021

From: Tammy Kepple (tkepple at ucar.edu)

2021 Space Weather Workshop [Boulder, CO; 20-22 April 2021]

The 2021 Space Weather Workshop will be held virtually April 20-22, 2021. This meeting will bring together Federal agencies, the academic community, the private sector, and international partners to focus on the diverse impacts of space weather, on forecasting techniques, and on recent scientific advances in understanding and predicting conditions in the space environment. 

The program will highlight impacts in several areas, including: aviation, human spaceflight and exploration, satellites, power grids, and other industries affected by space weather.  The conference will also include an update on the national and international space weather programs to mitigate and respond to space weather impacts on society. We welcome a broad range of participation, including representatives from research and development, space weather service
providers, policy development, and industries impacted by space weather.

The Space Weather Workshop is coordinated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and co-sponsored by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the NSF Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, and the NASA Heliophysics Division.

For workshop information and to register (no registration fee this year), please
visit https://cpaess.ucar.edu/space-weather-workshop-2021. The program, speakers, poster presentations, information for a student program on the evening of April 19, and other relevant information will be provided at the meeting registration site and in future announcements.


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MEETING: A workshop on the magnetic field switchbacks observed by Parker Solar Probe– March 5, 2021

From: Nour E. Raouafi (Nour.Raouafi at jhuapl.edu)

The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) team organizes a workshop to discuss observations and models of the magnetic field switchbacks observed in the solar wind. This phenomenon is a major science topic that is debated widely in the Solar and heliospheric community. We now have an extensive data set of the switchbacks from different PSP orbits. Five different models addressing key open questions, namely the switchbacks' formation and sources, were published in 2020, four of which were published in the last four months. The models have similarities but also differences. Having an open discussion of the data and the models is timely.

The workshop will be on March 5, 2021, and will be open to all the community. Overviews of the observations and five models will be presented and followed by an open discussion. The workshop will start at 1:00 p.m. EST. The meeting schedule is as follow:

1. Observations Overview by Stuart Bale & Tim Horbury 
2. Overview of the Switchback Models by Marco Velli
3. “In-situ Switchback Formation in the Expanding Solar Wind” by Jonathan Squire – DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab74e1
4. “Shear-driven Transition to Isotropically Turbulent Solar Wind Outside the Alfvén Critical Zone” by Bill Matthaeus – DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/abb594
5. “The Origin of Switchbacks in the Solar Corona: Linear Theory” by Gary Zank – DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/abb828
6. “Switchbacks as signatures of magnetic flux ropes generated by interchange reconnection in the corona” by Jim Drake – DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202039432
7. “Switchbacks Explained: Super-Parker Fields - the Other Side of the Sub-Parker Spiral” by Nathan Schwadron – https://arxiv.org/abs/2102.03696
8. Open discussion

To participate in the workshop, contact Nour E. Raouafi (PSP Project Scientist, Nour.Raouafi at jhuapl.edu).


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

Parker Solar Probe Scholars – A meeting series to promote early-career scientists’ research in heliophysics – First meeting April 27, 2021

From: Nour E. Raouafi (Nour.Raouafi at jhuapl.edu)

The Parker Solar Probe team is launching a new meeting series, i.e., the Parker Solar Probe Scholars, to promote heliophysics research by early-career scientists. The current situation (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic) has affected all scientists, and particularly our early-career colleagues. The new platform will provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, etc., to showcase their research, advance their careers, foster collaborations, and seek help when needed. It is also meant to promote diversity and interest in recent space missions (e.g., Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter) and heliophysics in general, and do so in a friendly and collegial environment. 

Parker Solar Probe Scholars will be a regular virtual meeting series – a half to a full day meeting every three months. Although the forum is open to all scientists interested in Parker Solar Probe science, the priority will be given to early-career scientists. Senior scientists are also invited to attend and participate in the discussions, mentor, and advise.

The first installment of this series will be on April 27, 2021. All information about the meeting series (e.g., how to join the mailing list, present your work, and attend the meetings) is available at the Parker Solar Probe Scholars website: https://sppgway.jhuapl.edu/psp_scholars.

The organizing committee of the Parker Solar Probe Scholars series is composed of
Nour E. Raouafi (host)		Nour.Raouafi at jhuapl.edu
Robert C. Allen			Robert.Allen at jhuapl.edu
R. Tatiana Niembro Hernández	tniembro at cfa.harvard.edu
Clara Froment			clara.froment at cnrs-orleans.fr
Claire Gasque			lcgasque at berkeley.edu
Jamie S. Rankin			jsrankin at princeton.edu
Vamsee Krishna Jagarlamudi	jvkrishna911 at gmail.com
Kristoff W. Paulson			kristoff.paulson at cfa.harvard.edu

NASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission launched on August 12, 2018, and has completed seven of its 24 scheduled orbits around the Sun. On February 20, 2021, the spacecraft will fly by Venus for the fourth time since launch, reducing its perihelion to 15.97 Rsun. The primary science objectives of the PSP mission are: (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.

Parker Solar Probe observations – a scientific treasure trove that holds the potential for breakthrough discoveries – are regularly being released to the public on schedule. Data from the first five orbits are already available through NASA’s Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF) and Solar Data Analysis Center (SDAC), the APL Parker Solar Probe Gateway, and the Science Operation Centers of the four science investigation teams (University of California, Berkeley; Princeton University; Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; and Naval Research Laboratory).

For further information, questions, and suggestions, contact Nour E. Raouafi (PSP Project Scientist, Nour.Raouafi at jhuapl.edu).


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

Magnetosphere Online Seminar Series

From: Jason Shuster (magnetosphere.seminars at gmail.com)

We invite you to join us every Monday at 12pm EST (1700 UTC) for the weekly Magnetosphere Online Seminar Series.

A link to join the seminar via Zoom or YouTube can be found on our home page:
https://msolss.github.io/MagSeminars/
The password to join the Zoom seminar is Mag at 1.

There will be no seminar on February 15 due to the holiday. We will resume on February 22 with Fran Bagenal who will present on Planetary Magnetospheres.

You can view the current 2021 schedule here:
https://msolss.github.io/MagSeminars/schedule.html

Add your name to our mailing list here:
https://msolss.github.io/MagSeminars/mail-list.html

Read about previous talks here:
https://msolss.github.io/MagSeminars/blog.html


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

SESSION: JpGU [P-EM11] Coupling Processes in the Atmosphere-Ionosphere System

From: Yue Deng (yuedeng at uta.edu)

We would like to invite your contribution to our session on  
”Coupling processes in the atmosphere-ionosphere system"
in JpGU Meeting 2021
http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2021/
May 30-June 1, On-site at Yokohama
June 3- June 6, Online all over the world

<Abstract submission>
http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2021/presentation.php
- Early submission deadline: 4 Feb (Tue), 23:59 JST
- Final submission deadline: 18 Feb (Tue), 17:00 JST

<Session Description>
[P-EM11] coupling processes in the atmosphere-ionosphere system
http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2021/sessionlist_en/detail/P-EM11.html
The Atmosphere-Ionosphere (A-I) system forms the so-called near-Earth space. Recent rapidly expanding use of satellite constellations in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) drives a high demand for better understanding and accurate forecast of the global A-I system for scientific and operational purposes. This session aims to provide a forum for research advances and frontiers related to these aspects, and we invite presentations on global A-I coupling at all temporal and spatial scales. This includes but is not limited to: A-I coupling via atmospheric waves (tides, gravity waves, planetary waves) and trace gases (CO2, O3, H2O), A-I response to Space Weather events (solar flares, CMEs, CIRs), polar-equatorial or inter-hemispheric coupling via TADs/TIDs/disturbance dynamo/penetration electric field, ionospheric plasma irregularities, ionospheric currents, etc. Observations, theoretical studies, model simulations, data assimilation, instruments development are all highly welcome.

Conveners:
 - Huixin Liu, Kyushu University, Japan
 - Loren Chang, National Central University, Taiwan
 - Yuichi Otsuka, Nagoya University, Japan
 - Yue Deng, University of Texas at Arlington, US


9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9

CALL FOR PAPERS: New Research-topic Collection, ‘Micro- to macro-scale dynamics of Earth’s flank magnetopause’ in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences

From: Joo Hwang, Katariina Nykyri, Takuma Nakamura, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Simon Wing (jhwang at swri.edu)

The Earth’s flank-side magnetopause is host to diverse physical processes driven as a consequence of the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling. The main processes are the velocity shear driven Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and the magnetic shear driven magnetic reconnection, leading to formation of flux transfer events, as well as excitation of various plasma wave modes and turbulence. These processes can result in acceleration, trapping and release of energetic particles. The disturbances in the flank magnetopause or boundary layer couples to the high-latitude ionosphere through plasma waves and field-aligned currents. Investigation of the flank-side dynamics is, therefore, essential to understanding and predicting the global response of the Earth’s magnetosphere to a variety of external solar wind drivers.

This collection will serve as a reference for the field. We invite both review papers and original research papers using theory/modeling, in-situ, remote-sensing, or ground-based observations that contribute to completing a full picture from the micro-, meso-, to macro-scopic contexts of the Earth’s flank magnetopause. Papers targeting the following topics are welcome:

1. Kelvin-Helmholtz waves and nonlinearly-developed vortices, their coalescence, localized reconnection and turbulence

2. The effect of the flank-side velocity shear and Kelvin-Helmholtz waves on the plasma sheet or the ionosphere including plasma transport, and wave propagation

3. The coupling of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves to the ionosphere via field-aligned currents

4. The formation or evolution of flux transfer event during the drift from the dayside magnetopause down to the distant-tail magnetopause

5. Interaction of magnetosheath transients and waves, including mirror-mode structures, jets, and low-frequency waves, with the flank magnetopause and its effects

6. Waves and turbulence including particle acceleration and heating, plasma transport and mixing

7. Dawn-dusk asymmetry of the flank-side processes and dynamics

8. Dependence of the flank-side processes/dynamics on the solar wind properties

Further details are found at: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/18518/micro--to-macro-scale-dynamics-of-earths-flank-magnetopause?utm_source=F-RTM&utm_medium=CFP_E1&utm_campaign=PRD_CFP_T1_RT-TITLE.


10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10

CALL FOR PAPERS: AGU Special Issue on "Space Weather Impacts on Electrically Grounded Systems at Earth’s Surface"

From: Alan Thomson (awpt at bgs.ac.uk)

Dear Colleagues,

The AGU Space Weather journal special collection: “Space Weather Impacts on Electrically Grounded Systems at Earth’s Surface" is now open for submissions, closing on September 15, 2021. See the Call for Papers at the AGU Space Weather site: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/15427390/features/call-for-papers. 

The scope of the collection is as follows, and we welcome submission of manuscripts on the following themes.

• What makes for intense, local rapid magnetic field variations? 
• What makes for intense geoelectric fields on the Earth’s surface? 
• What is the GIC impact of specific events on engineered systems at ground level?
• How will the GIC risks evolve with secular change of the geomagnetic core field?
• What are the everyday technological effects and engineering solutions?
• What have we learned in recent years regarding extreme events and their likely impacts on ground-based electrically earthed technologies?
• What are the economic and social implications of space weather impacts on conducting networks on the ground?
• How has space weather resilience policy evolved and in what direction is it headed?” 

We therefore solicit papers to address these questions, which may include results from some of the following:
• Measured, modelled and statistical data from recent, historical and/or synthetic events
• Models of the response of the solid Earth, including from core field evolution and from geological, magnetotelluric and/or coastal responses to space weather
• Models of heliospheric, magnetospheric and/or ionospheric processes, in relation to ground impacts on conducting networks
• Evaluation of impacts on any ground-based conducting system, such as power, pipeline and/or rail networks
• Examination of network fault occurrence, system operation, and/or resilience measures
• Formulation of policies and regulation of ground based infrastructure affected by space weather

Authors should submit through the regular submission portal for Space Weather (https://spaceweather-submit.agu.org/cgi-bin/main.plex) and select the collection’s title from the drop down menu in the Special Section field of the submission form.

Regards,
Alan

(on behalf of the organisers: Lisa Rosenqvist, Swedish Defence Research Agency; Anna Kelbert, US Geological Survey; Trevor Gaunt, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Craig Rodger, University of Otago, New Zealand; Alan Thomson, British Geological Survey)


11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11

JOB OPENING: Open Position for NSF Geospace Section Head

From: Lisa Winter (lwinter at nsf.gov)

The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) announces a nationwide search to fill the position of Section Head, Geospace Section in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) through an assignment under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA). The deadline for the submission of applications is February 15, 2021.

The Section Head serves as a member of the Division leadership team and as the Directorate's principal spokesperson in the area of geospace science research. The incumbent is responsible to the AGS Division Director for the overall planning, management and commitment of budgeted funds for the Section, which includes programs in Aeronomy, Magnetospheric Physics, Space Weather, Solar Terrestrial, and Geospace Facilities. The incumbent also serves as the Division's primary source of guidance concerning research priorities and program development in geospace sciences.

Please see more details including instructions on how to apply at https://beta.nsf.gov/careers/openings/geo/ags/ags-2021-2006. Also feel free to contact any of the NSF Geospace program staff for more information.


12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12

JOB OPENING: Senior Scientist, Solar and Space Plasma Physics (JHU/APL)

From: Sasha Ukhorskiy (ukhorskiy at jhuapl.edu)

The Space Plasma Physics Group of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is seeking a Senior Scientist to conduct basic scientific research in solar and space physics and develop new instrumentation for heliophysics and planetary missions.

The APL Space Physics Group has a broad and active basic research program that includes data analysis, theory and modeling studies of the Earth's magnetosphere and Sun-Earth connections, of other planetary magnetospheres, and of Heliospheric and Solar Physics. It has significant development programs in space instrumentation and mission design. Currently, participation in active missions includes, among others, New Horizons, Geotail, ACE, Voyager 1 and 2, Van Allen Probes, Juno, MMS, and Solar Probe Plus. Approved future missions include the JUICE, Europa Clipper and Solar Orbiter. In addition, the group fosters high-end numerical modeling and theory efforts to advance physical understanding and maximize the science return from new and existing space physics data sets.

As a Senior Scientist, you will:
1. Focus on advancing our understanding of fundamental space plasma processes that extend from the Sun through our solar system into the interstellar medium.
2. Participate and lead new space instrument development programs, as well as team with SES staff to develop novel concepts for future heliophysics and planetary mission opportunities.

Minimum qualifications include:  
1. A PhD in physics or a related field.
2. In-depth knowledge of space plasma physics. 
3. Expertise in data analysis, and scientific interpretation space plasma physics data.
4. Expertise in the development and writing of proposals for spaceflight instruments and missions.
5. Demonstrated ability to obtain external funding for space-based instrumentation and data analysis projects.
6. Demonstrated and effective communication skills.

For more information and to apply for the position please follow: 
https://prdtss.jhuapl.edu/jobs/senior-scientist-solar-and-space-plasma-physics-890

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Sasha Ukhorskiy (ukhorskiy at jhuapl.edu).


13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in space physics

From: Assoc. Prof. Yuri Khotyaintsev , Dr. Andrew P. Dimmock (yuri at irfu.se)

Applications are invited for investigations of electromagnetic structures and associated particle dynamics at the Earth’s bow shock. The work involves the analysis of magnetic, electric, and plasma measurements from the multi-spacecraft Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission.

Our team performs observations, data analysis, and modeling of space plasma processes (www.space.irfu.se). The team has decades of experience in developing and operating instruments to measure electric fields, plasma temperature, density and density fluctuations for spacecraft missions (e.g. Cluster, MMS, Swarm, Cassini, Rosetta, Solar Orbiter). 

The successful candidate will be involved in national and international collaborations and will also be expected to present their results at national and international conferences as well as publish their results in leading journals. Expertise in the analysis of multi-point space plasma measurements and collisionless shocks will be highly beneficial. In addition, experience in relevant theoretical modelling will be an advantage.

The position is available at the Uppsala office of IRF, located at the Ångström Laboratory in Uppsala, Sweden, for 2 years. The position is funded by an EU Horizon 2020 project SHARP – SHocks: structure, AcceleRation, dissiPation.

Candidates should be able to start the work before July 2021.

Closing date for applications: 22 February 2021.

For further information contact:
Assoc. Prof. Yuri Khotyaintsev, yuri at irfu.se
Dr. Andrew P. Dimmock, andrew.dimmock at irfu.se

Applications should be sent, preferably by email, to: registrator at irf.se
Or by post to:
Swedish Institute of Space Physics,
Registrar,
Box 812,
SE-981 28 Kiruna, Sweden

Please quote reference number: 2.2.1-27/21

https://www.irf.se/en/news/2021/02/03/postdoctoral-position-in-space-physics-dnr-2-2-1-27-21/

Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) is a governmental research institute that conducts postgraduate education and research in space physics, atmospheric physics and space technology. Many of IRF's projects are run as large international projects in collaboration with other research institutes and space agencies. IRF has about one hundred employees and offices in Kiruna (headquarters), Umeå, Uppsala and Lund. www.irf.se


14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellow Position at Boston University

From: Brian Walsh and Jef Broll (bwalsh at bu.edu)

The Center for Space Physics (CSP) of Boston University (BU) invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position in the area of magnetic reconnection and solar wind-magnetosphere coupling.  The position supports work using observational tools such as MMS, THEMIS, and SuperDARN as well as upcoming imaging missions such as LEXI (http://sites.bu.edu/lexi/). The work involves collaboration between researchers at BU and Los Alamos National Lab on the location and control of magnetopause reconnection.

Conditions: 
The duration is two years with the potential for renewal. Salary will follow the Boston University standard for post-doctoral scholars and will scale with the applicant’s experience. A PhD in physics, space physics, plasma physics, or related discipline is required.

How to Apply: 
Applicants must submit the following materials by email to Professor Brian Walsh bwalsh at bu.edu:
1. A cover letter describing background, qualifications, and experience relevant to the position
2. A full curriculum vitae (CV) - detailing education, awards, publications, research experience, etc.
3. Contact information for three professional references

Please refer to http://sites.bu.edu/bwalsh/ and https://www.bu.edu/csp/ for additional information about the research in our group and other research in the Center for Space Physics. Review of applications will begin March 15, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Start date in Summer 2021 is desirable.

For questions please contact Brian Walsh (bwalsh at bu.edu) and Jef Broll (broll at lanl.gov)

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer. 


15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Space and Plasma Physics at the University of Oslo

From: Lasse Clausen (lasse.clausen at fys.uio.no)

The section for Plasma and Space Physics at the University of Oslo is inviting applications for a four-year position as Postdoctoral Research fellow.

The successful candidate will be a part of the Section for Plasma and Space Physics at the Department of Physics as well as the 4DSpace Strategic Research Initiative. The main focus of these groups is to advance our understanding of processes in the high-latitude ionosphere, including plasma irregularities, turbulence, and space weather effects in the polar regions. The main tools used for this research are ground-based instruments, including radar and optical systems (EISCAT, SuperDARN, all-sky imagers), advanced numerical models, laboratory plasma experiments, and instruments on board satellites and sounding rockets.

The successful candidate is expected to take an active role in teaching at the Department, with an average teaching load of 25% over the four years.

Starting date is no later than October 1st 2021. 

For more information about the position and the application process, visit: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/200002/postdoctoral-research-fellow-in-space-and-plasma-physics.

For informal enquiries, please contact Lasse Clausen (lasse.clausen at fys.uio.no).


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JOB OPENING: Lecturer in Space Plasma Physics

From: Suzanne Winter (s.winter at ucl.ac.uk)

Lectureship in Space Plasma Physics
Department of Space and Climate Physics
Mullard Space Science Laboratory
University College London

A new lectureship position has been opened within the Space Plasmas Group at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, the home of UCL’s Department of Space and Climate Physics, located in Holmbury St Mary, near Dorking in Surrey, United Kingdom. The position will entail undertaking internationally competitive research, teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including PhD supervision, and assuming an active involvement in the current and future work of the laboratory on international space missions. In collaboration with other group members, the appointee will, in time, be expected to define, lead and execute their own internationally-competitive research program, secure funding to support that program and also to fully contribute to the wider space science program of the department by participating in the identification, definition and leading of international space hardware projects in the future. The group is currently active in the scientific exploitation of data from the UCL-led instruments on ESA’s Cluster and Solar Orbiter mission as well as a number of other international space missions currently in operation.  The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record in Space Plasma Physics research, an active interest in instrumentation and its development, and be able to work effectively with and lead engineering teams both within MSSL and in external collaborations. 

The post is graded as Grade 8 (Lecturer), the salary for which ranges from £41,526 to £49,533. The appointment point within the grade will be commensurate with accomplishment and experience.  Further particulars and how to apply can be obtained from: [https://atsv7.wcn.co.uk/search_engine/jobs.cgi?SID=amNvZGU9MTg3NDU3NSZ2dF90ZW1wbGF0ZT05NjUmb3duZXI9NTA0MTE3OCZvd25lcnR5cGU9ZmFpciZicmFuZF9pZD0wJmpvYl9yZWZfY29kZT0xODc0NTc1JnBvc3RpbmdfY29kZT0yMjQ=

Applications should be completed on line.  However, if you are having difficulty accessing the on-line recruitment system please contact Suzanne Winter (s.winter at ucl.ac.uk) for advice.  

The closing date for applications is 15 March 2021.


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Phd Position in Space Physics, at KTH Stockholm (Sweden)

From: Lorenz Roth (lorenzr at kth.se)

PhD Position in Space Physics  

To study the upper atmosphere of Uranus

Applications are invited for a PhD position in a project related to experimental and modelling studies of the upper atmosphere of Uranus. Uranus' upper atmosphere consists mostly of molecular and atomic hydrogen (H2 and H). Observations of Uranus’ bright hydrogen Lyman-α emissions by the Voyager spacecraft in 1986 enabled various interesting findings. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observed Uranus between 1998 and 2017 at very different seasons than Voyager.

In this project, the student analyzes a large set of spectra and images by the Hubble Space Telescope containing the prominent Lyman-α emission. The project addresses several key questions on Uranus’ upper atmosphere and aurora, and their short-term and long-term variability. Original raw data from HST are processed and analyzed. In addition, numerical simulations of radiative transfer in the upper atmosphere are used to interpret the HST images and spectra.

For further information: Lorenz Roth - lorenzr at kth.se

Closing date for applications: 15 March 2021.

All information: https://www.kth.se/en/om/work-at-kth/lediga-jobb/what:job/jobID:378811/


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