[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXXI, Issue 5
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AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXXI, Issue 5
Jan.21,2024
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Table of Contents
1. New Due Date for LWS Program Analysis Group Membership Application
2. Call for Nominations to the Executive Committee of the Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG)
3. ISSI Call for International Team Proposals
4. MEETING: PUNCH 5 Science Meeting, June 20-21, 2024
5. POSTPONED: GIC Workshop in College Park, MD
6. Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at New Jersey Institute of Technology
7. Course on "Operational Space Weather Fundamentals"
8. JOB OPENING: Assistant Professor of Physics/Space Physics (2 Openings)
9. JOB OPENING: Data Curation Scientist at NASA SPDF
10. JOB OPENING: Research Geophysicist with USGS Geomagnetism Program
11. JOB OPENING: Senior Research Associate in Ionospheric Ouflow at Lancaster University - Space and Planetary Physics Group
12. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in the Space Physics Group at the University of Helsinki, Finland
13. JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Position at LESIA/Paris Observatory
14. RHESSI Nuggets in December 2023
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Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g
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New Due Date for LWS Program Analysis Group Membership Application
From: John McCormack (john.p.mccormack at nasa.gov)
Dear Colleague,
We are seeking well qualified candidates for the Executive Committee (EC) of the Living with a Star Program Analysis Group (LPAG). The LPAG EC is an interdisciplinary forum for gathering community input in support of LWS program objectives that provides information and analyses directly to Heliophysics Division leadership. As described below, candidate submissions are now accepted until midnight Eastern Time on February 16, 2024.
Examples of the activities that the LPAG is asked to address include:
Articulation of the key scientific drivers for LWS scientific research including potential focused science topics (FSTs), strategic capabilities, cross-cutting research, and others;
- Evaluation of the expected capabilities of potential LWS missions for achieving the science goals of the program;
- Evaluation of LWS goals, objectives, investigations, and required measurements;
- Articulation of focus areas for targeted research and technology development; and
- Analysis of related activities such as ground-based observing, theory and modeling programs, laboratory Heliophysics, suborbital investigations, data archiving, and community engagement.
The terms of reference (ToR) for the LPAG are located on the LWS web site:
(https://lwstrt.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/pdf/LPAG_TOR_2017_Final_Signed.pdf).
As part of the LPAG process, four of the current EC members are stepping down to allow for new membership. We are currently seeking four members from the Heliophysics community with a solid understanding of the scientific basis of Heliophysics system science. Highly qualified candidates from all career stages, including early career, will be considered. Membership in the LPAG EC is nominally three years. The LPAG EC typically meets in person for three days twice a year. Participation in these meetings and during occasional telecons is expected for continued membership on the EC. In addition, members may participate in community engagement at various scientific meetings during the year either through soliciting input from the wider community or presenting status of LPAG activities. Additional information can be found on the LWS website at https://lwstrt.gsfc.nasa.gov/lpag.
To be a candidate for the LPAG EC, send your submission to the LWS program staff at the email addresses below. Please include in your submission a brief (1 page or less) summary of the contributions you would make to the committee and your qualifications for doing so, as well as a single-page CV. This submission must be limited to a two-page PDF file. Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who reside at a U.S. institution for the period of service. We will accept submissions until midnight Eastern Time on February 16, 2024. The new members will be announced approximately four weeks after this date. The details of the selection process are discussed in the LPAG ToR. Please feel free to share this letter with anyone you think would be interested.
Simon Plunkett (simon.p.plunkett at nasa.gov), LWS program scientist
John McCormack (john.p.mccormack at nasa.gov), LWS deputy program scientist
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Call for Nominations to the Executive Committee of the Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG)
From: Ofer Cohen (ofer_cohen at uml.edu)
Members of the Heliophysics community are encouraged to apply.
In the coming months, NASA anticipates making several new appointments to the ExoPAG EC, replacing three current members of the committee who have reached the end of their appointments. New appointments will start in the Spring of 2024 and will be for a period of three years. NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP, https://exoplanets.nasa.gov) is the NASA program office that serves as the focal point for exoplanet science and technology, and devises strategies to help NASA achieve its goals in the area of exoplanet science. The ExoPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a way for the scientific community to give input to ExEP, and for conducting analyses in support of ExEP science objectives and their implications for planning and prioritization of Program activities, including providing community input to the Great Observatory Mission and Technology Maturation Program (GOMAP) for the future Habitable Worlds Observatory. The ExoPAG is led by a Chair who also serves on NASA’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC). The Chair works with a volunteer Executive Committee, whose membership is chosen to reflect the broad range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in the exoplanet field. Together, the ExoPAG Chair and Executive Committee are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing ExoPAG analyses, reporting ExoPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Division Director, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within ExEP. Detailed information about the structure and function of the ExoPAG, including the current and past membership of the EC, can be found at https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exopag.
Nominations for the ExoPAG EC should be submitted via email to: hannah.jang-condell at nasa.gov. Nominations must include both a cover letter and a one-page CV summarizing the nominee’s relevant background. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee’s area of expertise, qualifications for service, commitment to NASA’s core value of inclusion, and anticipated contributions to the ExoPAG Executive Committee. Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who reside at a U.S. institution for the period of the service. There are no citizenship restrictions. Nominations from individuals at academic institutions—university, college, or non-NASA research laboratory—are strongly encouraged. Self-nominations are welcome. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2024, with announcement of selections anticipated in Spring of 2024. Selections will be announced by the ExoPAG mailing list (https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/announcementList). We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to develop a robust and compelling Exoplanet Exploration Program.
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ISSI Call for International Team Proposals
From: Thierry Dudok de Wit (ddwit at cnrs-orleans.fr)
The International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern (Switzerland) and ISSI-BJ in Beijing (China) invite proposals for establishing International Teams to conduct, at their respective meeting facilities, research in the Space and Earth Sciences.
To be eligible, research projects must involve the interdisciplinary analysis and evaluation of space mission data. They may also draw on complementary ground-based data and/or theoretical modelling where this adds scientific value.
This call is open to all scientists, regardless of nationality or institutional affiliation, who are actively involved in any of the following research fields:
1) Space Sciences: Astrobiology, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Fundamental Physics in Space, Magnetospheric and Space Plasma Physics, Planetary Sciences, Solar and Heliospheric Physics, and Solar-Terrestrial Sciences.
2) Earth Sciences using space data. This includes understanding and modelling Earth system processes, as well as climate change projections.
The deadline for proposals is March 14, 2024
To download the complete Call for Proposals: http://www.issibern.ch/docs/ISSI_ISSI-BJ_annual_call2024.pdf
For further information and questions please contact: Mark Sargent (mark.sargent at issibern.ch), ISSI Science Program Manager.
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MEETING: PUNCH 5 Science Meeting, June 20-21, 2024
From: Sarah Gibson (sgibson at ucar.edu)
We invite the community to the fifth PUNCH (Polarimeter to UNify the Corona and Heliosphere) Science Meeting (June 20-21, 2024) in Boulder, Colorado. Major science topics include the origin and evolution of the ambient solar wind and turbulence within it and the physics, tracking, and predictability of transient events including CMEs, CIRs, and shocks. Further details including abstract/registration deadlines will be announced soon on the PUNCH 5 web page (https://punch.space.swri.edu/punch5meeting.php), and in a second announcement in solar/heliospheric newsletters.
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POSTPONED: GIC Workshop in College Park, MD
From: Daniel Welling, Liying Qian, Bang Nguyen, Hannah Parry (dwelling at umich.edu)
Due to unforeseen and most unfortunate circumstances, the GIC Workshop, previously scheduled for February 27th through March 1st, must be postponed. The organizing committee is actively working to reschedule this event; details will be announced as soon as they are decided.
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Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at New Jersey Institute of Technology
From: Hyomin Kim, Bin Chen, Lindsay Goodwin, Elena Moise (hmkim at njit.edu)
The Institute of Space Weather Sciences (ISWS) at the New Jersey Institute of Technology will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in the summer of 2024 (May 20 to July 26, 2024), funded by the National Science Foundation. The application deadline is February 15, 2024.
Undergraduate students in STEM fields will be invited to Newark, New Jersey for 10 weeks to engage in cutting-edge solar physics, terrestrial physics, space weather, and big data research with space physicists, astronomers, and computer scientists. A list of research projects offered can be viewed at https://spaceweather.njit.edu/reu-research-projects.
Students will be provided a stipend of $6,000 for the 10-week program. Additionally, travel, meal allowance, and accommodation are provided to each student. Students may have an opportunity to visit the world-class solar observatories in CA. Applications by members of under-represented groups are encouraged. For more information about the program and online application, please visit the ISWS REU website (https://spaceweather.njit.edu/reu).
We kindly ask our colleagues to spread the word to any prospective undergraduate students who may be interested in this opportunity. A flyer can be downloaded at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ysgqJQ1K7pnDOc3A0nt-_TW_QkA8qzSx/view?usp=sharing.
This REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation under grant AGS-2050792: "REU Site: Solar, Terrestrial, and Space Weather Sciences at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of us.
Kind regards,
Hyomin Kim, Assistant Professor, hyomin.kim at njit.edu
Bin Chen, Associate Professor, bin.chen at njit.edu
Lindsay Goodwin, Assistant Professor, lindsay.v.goodwin at njit.edu
Elena Moise, Program Coordinator, elena.moise at njit.edu
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Course on "Operational Space Weather Fundamentals"
From: School Secretariat (info at astrogeofisica.it)
A Course on “Operational Space Weather Fundamentals”, directed by proff. Domenico Di Mauro (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Italy), Stefania Lepidi (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Italy), Mauro Messerotti (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Italy), Tamitha Skov (Millersville University, USA) will be held in L’Aquila, Italy, 13-17 May, 2024. The course is organized in cooperation with the Consorzio “Area di Ricerca in Astrogeofisica”.
The school will serve as a comprehensive introduction to the multi-faceted field of Space Weather, covering solar-heliospheric, magnetospheric, and ionospheric weather, with a specialized focus on operations and forecasting. By establishing the links from research to operations (R2O) and from operations to research (O2R) and by highlighting the effects of space weather on technological systems and society, this curriculum aims at stimulating the involvement of the next-generation researchers in this rapidly growing discipline.
Lectures on phenomenology will be complemented by laboratory activities and applications with the direct and active involvement of the attendees. Another practical aspect will be covered by the "career section" aimed at illustrating which skills are desirable for a job in the frame of space weather research and surveillance centres, and how good strategies should be used for educational and communication purposes.
This school is addressed to PhD students and young scientists in space physics, planetary sciences, aerospace engineering, or related fields. Early-career stage professionals from monitoring agencies and industries related to space weather are invited to apply as well.
Applications are due before March 23, 2024.
For more information visit https://www.astrogeofisica.it/oswf/ or send an e-mail to info at astrogeofisica.it
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JOB OPENING: Assistant Professor of Physics/Space Physics (2 Openings)
From: Peter Delamere (padelamere at alaska.edu)
The Physics Department and the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks invite applications to fill 2 open joint tenure-track position in physics and space physics. The successful applicants will become faculty members in the Physics Department of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics and will join the Geophysical Institute as part of the Space Physics and Aeronomy Group.
As a tenure-track faculty member, you will teach both undergraduate and graduate physics courses to a diverse group of students; conduct research in space physics and/or aeronomy; participate in curriculum development; mentor undergraduate and graduate students; and perform service and outreach roles within the department and the university, supporting the University's wider mission. Service duties may include committee work, participation in curriculum review and development, service to the profession and appropriate service to the public.
For more information, please visit UAF jobs:
https://careers.alaska.edu/en-us/job/527381/assistant-professor-of-physicsspace-physics-2-openings
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JOB OPENING: Data Curation Scientist at NASA SPDF
From: Lan Jian (lan.jian at nasa.gov)
NASA's Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF) is looking for a data curation scientist in the Ionosphere-Thermosphere-Mesosphere (ITM) field, to meet the increased demands for upcoming new missions and research-generated data. If you are interested in the job, please see the details and apply at https://sesda.com/careers/hp083-curation-scientist/. The applications will be reviewed once they are received, and the job opening will be closed when the position is fulfilled. For further questions, please contact Robert Candey (robert.m.candey at nasa.gov) and Lan Jian (lan.jian at nasa.gov).
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JOB OPENING: Research Geophysicist with USGS Geomagnetism Program
From: Josh Rigler (erigler at usgs.go)
[UPDATED DEADLINE] The USGS Geomagnetism Program seeks to hire a full-time Research Geophysicist to improve monitoring, assessment, and mitigation capabilities related to ground-level space weather hazards. There is an emphasis on strong geomagnetic disturbances (GMD), magnetotellurically (MT) derived ground electrical conductivity structure, and/or resultant geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) in technological infrastructure. The successful candidate will:
Perform quantitative analysis of geophysical data, specifically time-series analysis, geospatial analysis, statistical analysis, and modern numerical methods.
Manage mutlipronged targeted research projects, including planning, defining scope, conducting and documenting the research, and timely completion.
Communicate research results and interpretation to colleagues, non-scientists, and the general public.
Applications are through USAJobs, and vacancy announcement(s) open from December 18th, 2023, through February 2nd, 2024 (previously January 19). Please choose the most appropriate vacancy below, and be sure to include all transcripts with your application.
USGS-DEN-24-12100047-DE-SAS
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/765075300
USGS-DEN-24-12233157-ST-SAS
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/765092500
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JOB OPENING: Senior Research Associate in Ionospheric Ouflow at Lancaster University - Space and Planetary Physics Group
From: Licia Ray (licia.ray at lancaster.ac.uk)
A new opportunity exists to work on an STFC-funded project investigating ionospheric outflow at Jupiter. The three-year post is based in the Space and Planetary Physics (SPP) group within the Physics Department at Lancaster University with project partners at UCL. The position comes with funding for travel, computing, and opportunities exist for professional development.
You will work to globally characterise Jupiter’s ionospheric outflow though development of a 1-D numerical model in conjunction with 3D General Circulation Models of the thermosphere and the latest descriptions of the planet’s intrinsic magnetic field structure. The research is exciting and topical in light of the Juno mission and recent advances in our understanding of Jupiter’s atmosphere and high-latitude magnetosphere. People with skills in numerical modelling and a background in planetary physics, including magnetospheric and/or atmospheric expertise are encouraged to apply. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact project PI Dr Licia Ray (licia.ray at lancaster.ac.uk) or visit https://hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/1603-23 for further information.
The application deadline is 16 February 2024.
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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in the Space Physics Group at the University of Helsinki, Finland
From: Lucile Turc (lucile.turc at helsinki.fi)
The Space Physics group at the University of Helsinki is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position, to work in the framework of an ERC-funded project titled "WAVESTORMS - Impact of foreshock transients on near-Earth space" led by Lucile Turc. The main tasks of the successful candidate will be to analyse numerical simulations performed with the Vlasiator model as well as spacecraft measurements to understand the impact of foreshock transients on Earth's bow shock, magnetosheath and magnetopause. They will also be responsible for running new Vlasiator simulations and developing visualisation tools for their analysis.
The applicant should hold a PhD in space plasma physics or a related field by the time they join the team, and have some experience with numerical simulations and/or spacecraft data analysis. Other useful skills include knowledge of shock physics, particle acceleration, and coding in Python.
The initial appointment will be for two years, with an option for an extension up to the entire duration of the ERC project. Funding is available for travel to conferences and research visits, as well as for relocation at the start of the project.
The starting salary is about 3700€/month. The work contract at the University of Helsinki provides access to the Finnish social security, which includes benefits such as healthcare, sick leave and parental leave. The University of Helsinki also provides support for international staff arriving in Finland.
The expected starting date for the position is September 1st, 2024. Applications are open until February 15th, 2024.
Interested candidates should send their informal application (including a short statement about their past research and their research interests), a CV, a list of publications and a maximum of three names to act as references by email to the following address: lucile.turc ‘at’ helsinki.fi
For enquiries about the position, contact Lucile Turc (lucile.turc ‘at’ helsinki.fi).
For more information about the Space Physics group at the University of Helsinki, please visit: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/spacephysics/
Our university campus has adopted the following Code of Conduct: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-science/faculty/kumpula-campus-code-conduct
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JOB OPENING: Post-doctoral Position at LESIA/Paris Observatory
From: Carine BRIAND (carine.briand at obspm.fr)
A two-year post-doctoral fellowship is opened at LESIA/Paris Observatory. The fellow is part of a European project “The Energetic Solar Eruptions: Data and Analysis Tools (SOLER)”, bringing together five laboratories, from Finland, Austria and Germany. The objective of the project is to clarify the mechanisms leading to particle acceleration during solar eruptive events. The whole electromagnetic spectrum from radio wavelengths to gamma rays will be utilized and imaging data as well as spectral observations will be analyzed. The state of the coronal plasma will be assessed utilizing MHD simulations that take input from magnetograms of the solar surface. The scientific focus is on coronal wave propagation and particle acceleration processes, with the aim at understanding the morphological and physical properties of coronal waves launched in solar eruptions and their role in accelerating electrons and ions to high energies.
Paris Observatory team leads the WP2, which aims to provide the radio observations and the expertise to analyze them in coordination with the other WP. The fellowship can start by June 2024. Interested person must contact Carine BRIAND (carine.briand at obspm.fr). The position is opened until it is filled.
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RHESSI Nuggets in December 2023
From: Hugh Hudson (hugh.hudson at glasgow.ac.uk)
No. 463, "Pre-impulsive and Impulsive Phases of the March 28, 2022 Sub-Terahertz Flare,” by Galina MOTORINA. A flare with an increasing sub-THz spectrum and sub-THZ precursor information.
No. 464, "Solar flares: evaporation and simulation,” by Malcolm DRUETT. Fitting beam electrons into multi-dimensional models.
No. 465, "When it rippled in one place and exploded in another,” by Ivan ZIMOVETS. Pulsations precede a flare, but seem unrelated.
We welcome almost any contribution to the RHESSI Nuggets. The topic may wander some distance away from specifically RHESSI results if it is generally interesting. See https://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/wiki/index.php/RHESSI_Science_Nuggets for these and others. Comments about specific flares can often be found by searching for their SOLyyyy-mm-dd identifier from this home page.
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