[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVIII, Issue 10

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVIII, Issue 10
Feb.22,2021

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Table of Contents

1. The 3rd ISEE Award to Prof. Ilya Usoskin and Dr. Stepan Poluianov

2. Welcome Roman Makarevich as Geospace Facilities Program Director

3. MEETING: Virtual Conference on "Applications of Statistical Methods and Machine Learning in the Space Sciences", 17-21 May 2021

4. Magnetosphere Online Seminar Series

5. UK Space Safety Engagement Meetings: A short series of UK Space weather and space safety engagement meetings – First Announcement

6. RAS G Meeting – 9 April 2021 – System-scale observations and modelling of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling

7. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate 

8. NSF/Air Force Research Lab INTERN Dear Colleague Letter

9. HAO: Newkirk Graduate Research Fellowship, application deadline March 1, 2021

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


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The 3rd ISEE Award to Prof. Ilya Usoskin and Dr. Stepan Poluianov

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

We are pleased to announce that the 3rd ISEE Award is awarded to Prof. Ilya Usoskin and Dr. Stepan Poluianov (University of Oulu, Finland) for their great contribution to the space-earth environmental research through international joint research on extreme solar particle events and their environmental and social impacts. The award ceremony and commemorative lecture by Prof. Usoskin will be held online via ZOOM as below. We welcome the participation of many people.

Date & Time: March 11, 2021, 16:00-17:15 JST
 16:00 - 16:15    ISEE Award Presentation
  　Award winners: Prof. Ilya Usoskin & Dr. Stepan Poluianov
 16:15 - 17:15    ISEE Award Commemorative Lecture
      Speaker: Prof. Ilya Usoskin (University of Oulu, Finland)
      Title: Extreme solar storms: what we know and what we guess
How to participate in the award ceremony and lecture:
      Please register at the following ISEE symposium registration site. 
      The access point will be sent to the person who registered.
      https://is.isee.nagoya-u.ac.jp/app-workshop/pwing-erg/


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Welcome Roman Makarevich as Geospace Facilities Program Director

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

The Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences is pleased to welcome Dr. Roman Makarevich as the new Program Director for Geospace Facilities.  He can be reached via email to rmakarev at nsf.gov or by phone at (703) 292-7207.

Dr. Makarevich earned his Ph.D in space physics from the University of Saskatchewan after obtaining a MSc and BSc from St Petersburg State University.  His research focuses on the theory and observations of small-scale plasma structures in the Earth’s ionosphere.   Dr. Makarevich comes to NSF from Atmospheric and Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA) where he served as a Senior Research Scientist.  He also brings prior NSF experience, having previously served as the Aeronomy program officer in 2019.

Please join me in welcoming Roman back to NSF as the Geospace Facilities Program Officer.


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MEETING: Virtual Conference on "Applications of Statistical Methods and Machine Learning in the Space Sciences", 17-21 May 2021

From: Bala Poduval (bpoduval at spacescience.org)

We would like to bring it to your attention that Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, is hosting a virtual conference on "Applications of Statistical Methods and Machine Learning in the Space Sciences" during 17-21 May 2021. The goal of this conference is to bring together academia and industry to leverage the advancements in statistics, data science, methods of artificial intelligence (AI) such as machine learning and deep learning, and information theory to improve the analytic models and their predictive capabilities making use of the enormous data in the field of space sciences.

Conceived as a multidisciplinary gathering, this conference welcomes researchers from all disciplines of space science: (solar physics, planetary sciences, geology, exoplanet and astrobiology, galaxies), from the fields of AI, statistics, data science and from industry who make use of statistical analysis and methods of AI. We encourage contributions from a wide range of topics including but not limited to: advanced statistical methods, deep learning and neural networks, times series analysis, Bayesian methods, feature  identification and feature extraction, physics-based models combined with machine learning techniques and surrogate models, model validation and uncertainty quantification, turbulence and non-linear dynamics in space plasma, physics informed neural networks, information theory and data reconstruction and data assimilation.

The conference will be fully virtual, given the pandemic, and will consist of invited and contributed talks, and designated discussion sessions. The conference will be an opportunity for students, young researchers and seniors to enhance their knowledge in the emerging techniques of AI and statistical studies and a platform for future collaborations.

There will be limited funds for waiving the registration fee for students and early careers. Please indicate if you are requesting registration fee waiver when you submit your abstracts.

Abstract submission opens: 15 February 2021

Abstract submission closes: 31 March 2021

Registration Opens: 15 February 2021

Registration closes: 30 April 2021

Further details of the conference can be found at: http://spacescience.org/workshops/mlconference2021.php.

For questions, please email: bpoduval at spacescience.org or reach out to any member on the SOC.

Look forward to seeing you there,

Bala Poduval
On Behalf of the Scientific Organizing Committee: M. Balikhin, J. Borovsky, R. D'Amicis, M. Dainotti, Dr. M. Georgoulis, J. Johnson, K. Pitman, B. Poduval, R. Shuping, O. Verkhoglyadova, S. Wing, P. Wintoft.


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Magnetosphere Online Seminar Series

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

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

This Monday, February 22, Fran Bagenal will be discussing Planetary Magnetospheres. 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.)

The following week on March 1, Roman Gomez will present on Top Hat Plasma Instruments.

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


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UK Space Safety Engagement Meetings: A short series of UK Space weather and space safety engagement meetings – First Announcement

From: Mario M. Bisi (Mario.Bisi at stfc.ac.uk)

Dear Colleagues.

We would like to draw your attention to the above mini-series of UK-focussed space-weather (and space safety) meetings that are of interest to the international space-weather and space-safety communities and are not restricted to UK-only participants.  The mini-series runs during the afternoons (UK time) 24-26 March 2021 (inclusive) thus making them as widely accessible as possible.  We are also looking at options of hosting at least some of the recordings online following the mini-series.

To find out further information and to register, please visit the website: http://uksem.iopconfs.org/ – registration is free (please see the registration page from the menu and select which of the days you would like to register for) and the meetings will take place over the Zoom platform – you must register in order to receive the Zoom link – and this link will be E-Mailed out to registrants on Monday 22nd March 2021.  The deadline for registration is: 19 March 2021 (12:00 UT) – this will not be extended.

This three-day mini-series starts on Wednesday 24 March 2021 with an overview of the UK’s Space Environment Impact Experts Group (SEIEG) work on a set of Reasonable Worst-Case Scenarios (RWCS) for space weather that produced both a technical document (Hapgood et al., 2020) and a full descriptive peer-reviewed article (Hapgood et al., 2021).  This is followed by an afternoon of the Space Weather Instrumentation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk (SWIMMR) ~£20M project including its progress to date and plans/opportunities for the future on Thursday 25 March 2021.  We conclude on Friday 26 March 2021 with a full day follow-on UK Space Safety Meeting picking up where we left off on 20 August 2020 and providing relevant updates, progress on “actions”, etc…  This last day holds the strongest UK focus and is more specific to the UK’s interest in UK and ESA Space Safety Programmes.

We look forward to seeing you virtually towards the end of March 2021!

Best wishes,
Mario M. Bisi (UKRI STFC RAL Space)

On behalf of the full Online Organising Committee:
Mario M. Bisi (UKRI STFC RAL Space)
Clare Garland (IOP)
Mike Hapgood (UKRI STFC RAL Space)
Ian McCrea (UKRI STFC RAL Space)
Mike Willis (UKSA)
Derek Smale (UKSA)
Marie Tilbee (UKSA)


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RAS G Meeting – 9 April 2021 – System-scale observations and modelling of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling

From: John Coxon, Rob Shore, Anasuya Aruliah and Sarah Bentley (J.Coxon at soton.ac.uk)

We are thrilled to announce that abstract submission is now open for the 9 April 2021 RAS G Meeting, on “System-scale observations and modelling of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling”. The convenors are John Coxon (Southampton), Rob Shore (BAS), Anasuya Aruliah (UCL) and Sarah Bentley (Northumbria). Abstracts can be submitted through the form at https://forms.gle/UfopRwQS7Pkbr5eZA and the deadline is 15 March 2021. Please contact J.Coxon at soton.ac.uk if you have any questions for the convenors.

The invited talk will be given by Prof. Colin Waters (University of Newcastle, Australia). Prof. Waters is an expert in the field of system-scale science and has made several huge contributions to the field, including work on the AMPERE and SuperMAG datasets. We are excited to hear him speak at the meeting!

The abstract is as follows:

The impact of external drivers on Earth’s magnetosphere is of increasing interest to the scientific community as policy-makers begin to recognise the hazard posed by space weather. A key part of this is understanding the magnetospheric response to these stimuli on the scale of the system by treating it holistically. We aim to reconcile our existing understanding of physics and coupling across all scales. Only by combining processes on different scales can we understand how they give rise to collective behaviour in the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system. This meeting will bring members of the community who are working on system-scale science together, with the aim of sharing the state-of-the-art in analysis techniques and physical results coming from system-scale datasets such as AMPERE, SuperDARN and SuperMAG and also system-scale models. A synthesis of data and techniques is necessary for fully developing both our scientific understanding of the Sun’s effects on Earth and also our operational capacity to forecast the hazards posed to us by space weather.


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate 

From: Federico Fraschetti (ffrasche at lpl.arizona.edu)

The Department of Planetary Sciences/Lunar & Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona expects to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of space physics. The successful applicant will work in collaboration with Dr. Federico Fraschetti. The department has an active research program in heliophysics and plasma astrophysics. The primary work is expected to be theoretical and computational. The study focuses on the pitch-angle anisotropy and momentum spectrum of supra-thermal particles at interplanetary shocks over a wide range of distances, leveraging on Parker Solar Probe and MAVEN measurements. Theoretical expertise in such a topic is thus highly desirable for this position.

To ensure full consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter (1 page), Curriculum Vitae with publication list, a statement of research interest highlighting past achievements and future plans (up to 3 pages) by March 31st 2021. Application has to be uploaded at https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/4280?c=arizona
They should also arrange for three letters of reference to be provided separately by the same date to the same link.

The successful applicant will be expected to conduct a highly competitive program of scientific research and write scientific articles for publication in peer reviewed journals. PhD in the field of space physics and a proven track record of independent research in the research theme is a minimum qualification; PhD must be received by the start date of the position. 


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NSF/Air Force Research Lab INTERN Dear Colleague Letter

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

Up to $55k/six-month NSF graduate student internships are available, now, to do exciting, cutting-edge, fundamental, space/geospace research with outstanding Air Force scientists and research infrastructure at Air Force Office of Scientific Research facilities. Open to graduate students of PIs with an active geospace NSF award or students participating in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The deadline for application and consideration is rapidly approaching. 

Topics in geospace science include, but are not limited to:
• Structure and dynamics of the solar interior and its role in driving solar eruptive activity.
• Mechanism(s)/heating the solar corona and accelerating it outward as the solar wind.
• Triggers of coronal mass ejections, solar energetic particles, and solar flares.
• Coupling between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere.
• Origin and energization of magnetospheric plasma.
• Triggering and temporal evolution of geomagnetic storms.
• Variations in solar radiation received at Earth and its effects on satellite drag.
• Impacts of geomagnetic disturbances on the thermosphere and ionosphere.
• Electron density structures and ionospheric scintillations.
• Ionospheric plasma turbulence and dynamics.
• Effects of neutral winds, atmospheric tides, and planetary and gravity waves on the neutral atmosphere densities and on the ionosphere.

Program goals are to improve knowledge of the physical processes in the geospace environment and improve forecasting and specification of solar activity in addition to thermospheric neutral densities and ionospheric irregularities and scintillations. Work may include validating, enhancing, or extending solar, ionospheric, or thermospheric models; investigating or applying data assimilation techniques; or developing/extending statistical or empirical models; and understanding the coupling between the solar corona and solar wind, the magnetosphere and ionosphere, the lower atmosphere and thermosphere/ionosphere, and the equatorial, middle latitude, and Polar Regions.

Want to know more, and how to apply? Immediately contact Barbara Ransom at NSF (bransom at nsf.gov). This opportunity falls under the recent NSF/Air Force Research Lab INTERN Dear Colleague Letter (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21029/nsf21029.jsp).


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HAO: Newkirk Graduate Research Fellowship, application deadline March 1, 2021

From: Matthias Rempel (rempel at ucar.edu)

The High Altitude Observatory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research announces the availability of Newkirk Fellowships. The Newkirk Fellowship provides financial support to graduate students for research visits to HAO, allowing for 3 to 6 months per year in a single visit. The total supported length is 9 months, which can be spread out over up to 3 years. Newkirk Fellows will work with guidance from HAO scientists and engineers on projects related to their thesis, qualifying exams, or other research projects within the scope of HAO research including study of the Earth's upper atmosphere, solar physics and solar-terrestrial physics through observation, theory and instrumentation.

To be eligible for the fellowship, the student must be enrolled full-time in a university graduate program having common interest with HAO research goals. HAO Newkirk Fellowships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, scientific potential, and compatibility of student interest in current HAO research pursuits.

The application deadline for fellowships starting in 2021 is March 1, 2021.

Please see https://www2.hao.ucar.edu/partnerships/visitor-program/newkirk-fellowship for details on eligibility, financial support, and the application process. Contact Caitlyn Quinn Erdesz (cquinn at ucar.edu) or Matthias Rempel (rempel at ucar.edu) for further information. 


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