UK Solar Physics Newsletter Lyndsay Fletcher & Duncan Mackay, Editors August 15th 2009 o News, Views and Gossip o Congratulations to Philippa Browning on promotion to Professor o Consultation on the future of UK civil space activities. o European Commission 2010 FP7 Call for the Space Work Programme o Work life balance survey o CHIANTI V. 6 released o RHESSI Science Nugget o Solar News Items of Interest -http://solarnews.nso.edu/2009/20090801.txt o Acknowledgement of sponsors and data providers in publications o PROPOSED TARGET IDENTIFICATION CONVENTION FOR SOLAR OBSERVATIONS o Discontinuation of the Solar Geophysical Data (SGD) Reports o Termination of the Solar Geophysical Data (SGD) Reports o Meetings, Conferences and Workshops o Autumn MIST meeting, 27th November 2009 at Burlington House, Piccadilly o Solar News Items of Interest -http://solarnews.nso.edu/2009/20090801.txt o ILWS 2009 Brasil Workshop - 3rd Announcement o Update on Hinode-3: The Third Hinode Science Meeting o First announcement: CESRA Meeting 2010 o Second Announcement of 1st EAST - ATST Workshop o Solar News Items of Interest- ttp://solarnews.nso.edu/2009/20090810.txt o AGU SH03: Beyond Coronagraphs: Imaging of ICMEs Ushers A New Era in our Understanding of CME Heliospheric Properties o Women in Astronomy and Space Science 2009: Meeting the Challenges of an Increasingly Diverse Workforce Oct 21-23, 2009, College Park, MD o Employment Opportunities o Ph.D. studentships available at the University of Exeter o Two PDRA positions available at Lancaster University o Solar News Items of Interest -http://solarnews.nso.edu/2009/20090801.txt o Post-Doctoral Scientific Research Assistant in the field of Space Plasma Physics, Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria o Solar News Items of Interest- ttp://solarnews.nso.edu/2009/20090810.txt o Assistant Research Physicist o Associate Scientist I (Observer) o HELIOPHYSICS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Dear Colleague, Here are a few items which have come to our attention since the last Newsletter. You can find this newsletter also at the UKSP website: http://www.uksolphys.org Lyndsay (lyndsay@astro.gla.ac.uk) Duncan (duncan@mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk) ********************************************************************* * * * News, Views and Gossip * * * ********************************************************************* From: Editors Congratulations to Philippa Browning of Manchester University on promotion to Professor. Well done Philippa! ********************************* From: Ronald Wiltshire Dear Fellow of the RAS The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the British National Space Centre (BNSC) have launched a consultation on the future of UK civil space activities. The consultation seeks views on whether BNSC is the right organisation to continue to oversee UK space activity and critically, whether it should be replaced by a free standing space agency. The consultation closes in October, but to prepare a submission from the RAS, it would be helpful for us to hear from Fellows over the next few weeks. In particular, there are questions about the nature of the new body, how it is funded and how it fits in with activity by the Research Councils and other bodies. Any change could have a significant impact on the future of space and astronomy research in the UK and how we work with our international partners. You can see the press release and consultation document at http://www.bis.gov.uk/bis-launches-space-consultation [www.bis.gov.uk] Please let me have your thoughts by the end of August ? the most straightforward way to get in touch is to e-mail me at rm@ras.org.uk Best wishes Robert Dr Robert Massey rm@ras.org.uk Press and Policy Officer Royal Astronomical Society ************************************ From: "Pritchard, S (Sarah-Jane)" The European Commission has just published the 2010 call of the Space work programme. The call has a deadline of 8 December. Please click on the following link for details http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=3429 ************************************* From: Lyndsay Fletcher Dear colleague, We would like to hear your thoughts on managing work-life balance in astronomy http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=F8xZq6iLCd1gjJEJs0PY3g_3d_3d This would take you 5 to 30 minutes to complete and you can enter the prize draw to win a 200 pound Amazon voucher. You are also invited to attend our face-to-face meeting on Work-Life Balance in Astronomy in London on 18th September (2009). Please find more information here http://sites.google.com/site/worklifebalanceinastronomy2009/ We would be grateful if you would forward this information to your colleagues. Apologies in advance for cross-posting. Best wishes, Sarah Bridle, Kathy Romer, Anais Rassat, Katarina Markovic and Carolin Crawford ************************************* From: Enrico Landi Dear Colleague, We would like to announce the release of version 6.0 of the CHIANTI database for astrophysical spectroscopy. With Version 6, CHIANTI includes ionization and recombination coefficients for the calculation of ion fractions, as well as software to read and handle them. CHIANTI 6.0 also improves the calculation of He-like line intensities. The data for the Be-like and F-like sequences, including the key ions Fe XVIII and Fe XX, have been updated. Data for many other ions have been updated and new ions have been added to the database. Ion fraction datasets from recent calculations are also included. If you use CHIANTI through SolarSoft, the update will occur automatically within a day or two, if you have the SolarSoft mirror set up. If you use CHIANTI through the stand-alone tar file, we recommend that you download and install the new tar file in your CHIANTI directories. The new tar file can be found at our web sites: http://chianti.nrl.navy.mil/chianti.html - note the new url! http://www.chianti.rl.ac.uk/ http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/astro/chianti/ http://www.scs.gmu.edu/~kdere/chianti.html If you have any questions, problems, suggestions regarding CHIANTI, we are always glad to hear from you by sending email to chianti_help@halcyon.nrl.navy.mil Best regards, The CHIANTI Team ********************************************* From: Steven Christe Announcing a new RHESSI Science Nugget "Where are the Flares?" by Hugh Hudson and Leif Svalgaard The rise to maximum of Cycle 24 is much weaker, in terms of flare occurrence, than Cycle 23 and this cycle is the longest in more than a century, and by far the longest in the modern record. It can be found here http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/wiki/index.php/RHESSI_Science_Nuggets We publish these at roughly two week intervals. S. Christe H. Hudson ********************************************************************* * * * Conferences, Workshops, Meetings * * * ********************************************************************* From: Colin Forsyth Autumn MIST meeting, 27th November 2009 at Burlington House, Piccadilly Dear all, This years Autumn MIST meeting will be held on 27th November in the lecture theatre at the Royal Astronomical Society at Burlington House, Piccadilly. The meeting will begin at 10 am with talks from 10.30 am. There will be two sessions; one themed session entitled ?Ionospheric Science: present and future? and one general session (details given below). We plan to continue with the format of the previous two years with talks of twenty minutes, including 5 minutes for questions. A poster session will also be available. Abstract submission is not yet open and will be announced shortly We strongly encourage members of the community to submit abstracts and attend this community meeting. We look forward to seeing you there. Best regards, MIST Committee Mike Hapgood [M.A.Hapgood@rl.ac.uk] Colin Forsyth [cfo@mssl.ucl.ac.uk] Andrew Kavanagh [a.j.kavanagh@lancaster.ac.uk] Betty Lanchester [bsl@phys.soton.ac.uk] Gabby Provan [gp3@ion.le.ac.uk] SESSIONS: Ionospheric Science: Present and Future Convenor: MIST Committee The ionosphere is the interface between the neutral atmosphere and the surrounding plasma environment. It is key to providing global communications, connections with orbiting spacecraft and is strongly affected by space weather. Through observations with ground-based instrumentation and spacecraft, we have probed both the ionosphere at Earth and other planets and moons in the solar system. For many years the UK has been at the forefront of ionospheric research. In this session we review present work in ionospheric science and consider new ways the UK can continue to study the ionosphere in the future through projects such as EISCAT 3D, SWARM and LOFAR. We invite submissions from all areas of ionospheric research (ground-based, space-based, M-I coupling, planetary ionospheres) to be presented during the morning session of the Autumn MIST meeting. MIST General Session Convenor: Chris Owen The UK MIST community continues to investigate a wide range of physical processes within our solar system. We invite contributions on any area of MIST science to be presented during the afternoon session of the Autumn MIST meeting. To send a message to the list, email mist@jiscmail.ac.uk or visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?P1&L=mist MIST Web page is http://www.mist.ac.uk/ *********************************************************************** * * * Positions Vacant * * * *********************************************************************** From: "Berger, Mitchell" Ph.D. studentships available at the University of Exeter We have funding for 2 PhD studentships to investigate symmetry and topological properties of magnetic fields generated in idealised electrically conducting fluid flows. The students will work with Profs. Andrew Gilbert and MitchellBerger in the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics of the University of Exeter, and join the internationally leading Centre for Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics. Funding: The studentship is 3-year and fully funded (with a tax-free stipend of ?13,290 British pounds for the first year). It is available starting on 1st October 2009 or as soon as possible thereafter, and is open to UK and EU citizens. Entry Requirements: A first class or good 2-1 honours degree in Mathematics, Physics, or a degree with a high mathematical content. The project is in the area of mathematics, no previous knowledge of magnetic fields or astrophysical applications is needed. Some background in fluid dynamics would be beneficial. To Apply: Formal applications will be made through the University PG Admissions System However it is strongly recommended that you contact Professor Andrew Gilbert (A.D.Gilbert@ex.ac.uk) or Professor Mitchell Berger (M.Berger@ex.ac.uk) for informal discussions as soon as possible, in view of the proximity of the start date. End date for applications is 30th Sept 2009 Prof. Mitchell Berger m.berger@exeter.ac.uk Mathematics, SECAM University of Exeter North Park Road Exeter EX4 4QF United Kingdom ******************************************** From: Dr Jim Wild JOB OPENING: Senior Research Associates (2 posts), Lancaster University, UK -------------Closing date for applications: 31 August 2009----------------- Applications are invited for two positions which have arisen in the Space Plasma Environment and Radio Science (SPEARS) group at Lancaster University. The posts are funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council for three years with salary in the range ?30,594 - ?35,469 per annum. Position 1: Investigating the influence of open crustal magnetic field regions on the martian ionosphere This project will investigate the interaction between regions of strong crustal magnetic field near the surface of Mars (remnants of Mars' original magnetic field) and the solar wind. In regions where the crustal field is oriented roughly vertically, the solar wind can gain access to the atmosphere and ionosphere, where it is thought to cause heating. This heating is likely to be responsible for bulges observed in the Martian ionosphere over regions of strong near-vertical crustal field by the Mars Express spacecraft and may result in upwelling 'fountains' of atmospheric material. This material can then interact with the solar wind and be removed from the Martian atmosphere, c ontributing to the continuing erosion of Mars' atmosphere. The successful candidate will exploit numerical modelling techniques previously used to study the near-Earth space environment by applying them to the very different atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetic field of Mars. A computer model will be developed to solve time-dependent equations of continuity, momentum and energy balance along cusp-like magnetic field lines for the densities, field-aligned fluxes and temperatures of a number of ion species and electrons common in the Martian ionosphere. Applicants should hold (or shortly expect to be awarded) a Ph.D. in a relevant field. Previous experience in the above area will be an advantage. Interviews are planned for September 2009, and it is intended the successful candidates will be in-post by 1st October 2009 or shortly afterwards. For more details including job description, person specification and details of the application process, please visit http://www.personnel.lancs.ac.uk/vacancydets.aspx?jobid=AA44 Informal enquiries should be directed Dr. Jim Wild (j.wild@lancaster.ac.uk) +44 (0)1524 510545. Position 2 : Acceleration and loss processes at relativistic energies Measured fluxes in the Earth's radiation belts flucuate rapidly over many orders of magnitude. Although the radiation belt response is known to be correlated with solar wind parameters, the complex interplay between the various source and loss processes within the belts is not understood in detail. To resolve many of the outstanding questions regarding radiation-belt physics, the NASA-funded Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission will begin in 2012. In order to support the objectives of this mission the successful candidate will work on study of the Earth's radiation belts, source and loss processes within the belts, and the underlying physical mechanisms responsible. In particular, it is envisaged that the project will address how and why relativistic radiation belt particles are precipitated into the upper atmosphere, and the resultant effects. Applicants should hold (or shortly expect to be awarded) a Ph.D. in a relevant field. Previous experience in the above area will be an advantage. Interviews are planned for September 2009, and it is intended the successful candidates will be in-post by 1st October 2009 or shortly afterwards. For more details including job description, person specification and details of the application process, please visit http://www.personnel.lancs.ac.uk/vacancydets.aspx?jobid=AA45 Informal enquiries should be directed Dr. Mick Denton (m.denton@lancaster.ac.uk) +44 (0)1524 510544. To send a message to the list, email mist@jiscmail.ac.uk or visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?P1&L=mist MIST Web page is http://www.mist.ac.uk/ -- Dr Duncan H Mackay Mathematical Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, Scotland. Tel 01334 463760 Fax 01334 463748 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No SC013532 _______________________________________________ uksp mailing list uksp@physics.gla.ac.uk http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/uksp