UK Solar Physics Newsletter Lyndsay Fletcher & Duncan Mackay, Editors May 1st 2008 o News, Views and Gossip o Input to the Wakeham Review via the RAS o Reminder - vote for UKSP council. Deadline 7th May o Release of AstroGrid Desktop Suite o SEEDS CME catalogue o RHESSI Science Nugget o IUSS Select Committee Report into STFC/funding cuts o "One Hundred Years of Calcium K" o BBSO Resumes Full Disk Halpha Observation o Meetings, Conferences and Workshops o STFC Advanced Summer School in Solar Physics o First Announcement of the STFC Introductory Summer School in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial Physics. o Solar Activity During the Onset of Solar Cycle 24. o Employment Opportunities o Postdoctoral Research Appointments in SOLAR & ATOMIC Physics o Post-Doctoral Research Scientist to work in Sun-Earth connection science (deadline 9 May) o PDRA for Magnetospheric and Space Plasma Physics Research (deadline 9 May) o PhD position at UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory o Post-Doctoral Research Position in Solar-Heliospheric and Magnetospheric Science at Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley o Ph.D. Fellowship in Solar Physics o PhD Student Position in MHD Astrophysics, Potsdam, Germany o Postdoctoral Position, Big Bear Solar Observatory, New Jersey Institute of Technology 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: Lyndsay Fletcher Input to the Wakeham Review via the RAS Please act upon the following, which was sent in Michael Rowan-Robinson's Letter to Fellows of 28/04/08. I believe that input from non-fellows will also be welcome. You can give this also directly to me/Valery Nakariakov (who all currently sit on Council). Other comments regarding the position of Solar/STFC within UK physics you can also send to us. (quoting MRR) Wakeham Review On April 15th Andy Fabian, David Elliott and I met Prof Bill Wakeham and he outlined some of the information he wants from us. He seems to accept the case that astronomy should be supported, but he kept saying how difficult it is to decide what the level of that funding should be. This will be our hardest task, to convince him that the 2007 level was about right and that the 2010 level is too low. He may well query whether departments of physics which have almost all their research funding from PPARC/STFC are being wise and he may query whether some of the smaller departments are viable. There are some very specific questions Prof Wakeham has asked us for data on, for which we need input from you: (1) A list of spinoff companies generated from astronomy, space science or geophysics groups. (2) Major resources acquired on non-STFC facilities. This could be NASA or other space missions like Spitzer in which ESA or the UK were not partners, or non-STFC telescopes like Keck. (3) Examples of astronomy groups having significant resources from research councils other than PPARC or STFC. (4) Examples of funding awarded to consortia which span Physics and non-Physics Departments. Please send this information very urgently to David Elliott (de@ras.org.uk ). We are asked to supply as much information as possible by May 7th. ************************************ From: The Editors Dear all, please remember to cast your vote for the new UKSP council. You can find all necessary information and instructions at http://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/users/lyndsay/MISC/solar/election/council_08.html Thanks Lyndsay and Duncan ************************************* From: Lyndsay Fletcher From http://www.astrogrid.org you'll find the software and plenty of help and examples too. The press release giving some back ground can be found at http://nam2008.qub.ac.uk/press/2008-24-release/ If any of you have been using the beta (http://beta.astrogrid.org) now would be a good time to move to this full release, which is more reliable and much faster than the earlier 'beta'. We hope you enjoy using this new software! Yours, on behalf of the AstroGrid Project, Andy Lawrence, Nic Walton, Keith Noddle (AstroGrid: Principal Investigator, Project Scientist, Project Manager) (al@roe.ac.uk, naw@ast.cam.ac.uk, ktn@star.le.ac.uk) ************************************* >From Jie Zhang Dear CME enthusiasts, This is the pre-announcement of the SEEDS CME catalog, which automatically detect, track and catalog CMEs for both LASCO and SECCHI A/B observations. It is available at "http://spaceweather.gmu.edu/seeds/index.php" SEEDS stands for Solar Eruptive Event Detection System, a project developed by members of Space Weather Lab of George Mason University. The development is supported by NASA LWS program. At current stage, it has three modules: (1) LASCO C2 CME catalog from 1996 to today-minus-14 days (2) Near-Real-Time module for LASCO C2 CME, only limited by data transmission latency (several hours to 1 day) (3) SECCHI A/B COR2 CME catalog. The whole catalog will be up soon, but now it has 5-month test data. We welcome your inputs and comments in order to make the catalog better serving the community. A useful, convenient and timely CME catalog is our goal. We plan to formally announce the catalog to the public through SPD and SPA newsletter, after this round of consultation. Thanks for your help. I also apologize if you feel that this e-mail is unwanted. Regards, For comments, send e-mail to Jie Zhang at jzhang7@gmu.edu and Oscar Olmedo at oolmedo@gmu.edu. Jie Zhang Oscar Olmedo Harry Wechsler Art Poland Kirk Borne ********************************************** From: Steven Christe Dear all the Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee that met earlier this year is out. You can find it at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmdius.htm HC 215-I and II enjoy.... Lyndsay >From : Philippa Browning In addition to the full report there is an article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7373940.stm which is much shorter. ********************************************** From: Peter Foukal "One Hundred Years of Calcium K" Daily Ca K spectroheliograms taken since 1907 at Kodaikanal, Mt Wilson, NSO, Meudon and Arcetri Observatories provide us with a unique record of solar activity through the past century. A session describing the digitization, reduction and analysis of these archival images by several groups over the past decade, will be held on May 30th at the SPD/AGU Joint Assembly in Ft Lauderdale. Papers will cover interesting new insights into the kinematics of the photospheric field, and into the time behaviors of total solar irradiance and solar UV flux. An informal 1/2 day workshop on the reduction procedures is planned for earlier in the week. Anyone interested please contact me for details. ********************************************** From: Haimin Wang BBSO Resumes Full Disk Halpha Observation We are pleased to announce that Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) has resumed its operation of the full disk Halpha telescope. Due to the installation of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope, the Halpha full disk telescope can no longer be accommodated in the main dome. A separate dome was built to host Halpha and earthshine observations. The optical and imaging systems have been upgraded, resulting in improved capability such as image selection and higher cadence. The BBSO system is an important node on our 7-station Global Halpha Network. The information of this network can be found in: http://bbso.njit.edu/Research/Halpha/. As it always has been, the data from BBSO and the network is freely available to the community. Please send data requests to Vasyl Yurchyshyn . Please notify us any publication that uses our data. We would also very much appreciate your suggestion on additional Halpha data products (movies,event catalogs, etc.) that the users may desire. Vasyl Yurchyshyn and Haimin Wang ********************************************************************* * * * Conferences, Workshops, Meetings * * * ********************************************************************* From: Mihalis Mathioudakis STFC Advanced Summer School in Solar Physics The next STFC Advanced Summer School in Solar Physics will take place at Queens University Belfast from Sunday 31st August to Friday 5th September 2008. The aim of the School is to provide PhD students and PDRAs with a firm grounding in various aspects of solar physics, with talks from subject experts in the UK solar physics community. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to make short presentations on their own work. Lecture topics include: * From the Sun to Earth and beyond * Solar structure and evolution * Particle acceleration in the corona * Waves and instabilities * The physics of solar flares * Advanced dynamo theory * Helio and asteroseismology * Magnetic coupling in the solar atmosphere * Solar and stellar surface magnetic fields * Coronal seismology * Magnetic reconnection * Ground and space instrumentation and techniques * Interpretation of solar spectra * Advanced analysis techniques for solar physics * Heating considerations: from the photosphere to the solar wind There is a limited amount of funding available to support the attendance of STFC and self-funded students. Early registration is strongly advised. For more information please visit http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/asssp/ or email Mihalis Mathioudakis - M.Mathioudakis@qub.ac.uk ******************************************** From: Robert von Fay-Siebenburgen First Announcement of the STFC Introductory Summer School in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial Physics "Theory and Observations of the Solar-Terrestrial System" organised by the Solar and Space Physics Research Center (SP2RC) Dept of Applied Mathematics, University of Sheffield 15 -19 September 2008 The course is intended to provide an introductory training in the field of solar and solar-terrestrial physics to 1st year postgraduates who are about to start their PhD programme. However, 2nd and 3rd year postgrads or PDRAs are also welcome. The course covers an introduction to the Sun and Sun-Earth system, the solar interior and atmosphere structures (including the corona and solar wind), basic plasma physics, MHD, waves and instabilities, magnetic reconnection, coronal heating, solar flares, CMEs and the interactions of solar particles, magnetic fields and radiation with the magnetic field of the Sun, Space Weather, structure of magnetosphere (observations and theory), physics of the aurora, low and high-latitude ionosphere, neutral atmosphere, climate change, solar variability and global warming. Ground and space based observational techniques and atomic processes will also be becovered. The intention is to provide students with an overview of the whole coupled solar interior, atmosphere and Sun-Earth system. Limited funding is available for STFC supported students and PDRAs on a first come basis (i.e. the School is entirely free for a limited number of STFC students and PDRAs, where priority is given to 1st year students!). Non-PPARC participants have to cover their expenses from their own resources. The Registration Fee is 350 UKP per person for the entire Summer School or day package at 50 UKP per day. The full package includes registration, excursion, half-board meals (including the Icebreaker and the Conference Dinner) and accommodation. The day rate is for registration and lunch only. How to register and further details can be found at: http://www.robertus.staff.shef.ac.uk/stfc_iss08 Please note that the Deadline for Registration is 5pm GTM, 11 July 2008. Please bring this information to the attention of any new and already existing postgrad students, PDRAs or other interested parties. On behalf of the Organisers Rekha & Robertus (rekha; robertus@sheffield.ac.uk) School Directors ********************************************* From: Hugh Hudson Solar Activity During the Onset of Solar Cycle 24 This is the first announcement of an international conference entitled "Solar Activity During the Onset of Solar Cycle 24," a workshop-style meeting in Napa Valley, California, the week of December 7-12, 2008. The main goals are to assess our current knowledge of solar activity and to prepare for observations during the onset of Carrington Cycle 24. There will be special emphasis on coordinating Hinode, RHESSI, SDO, SOHO, STEREO and TRACE observations, among others. The conference will have a mixture of invited and contributed talks in plenary sessions, plus significant time devoted to focused working groups. Please mark your calendars now and see the conference Web pages at http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu:80/RHESSI/napa2008. *********************************************************************** * * * Positions Vacant * * * *********************************************************************** From: Gerry Doyle Postdoctoral Research Appointments in SOLAR & ATOMIC Physics Armagh Observatory College Hill Armagh, BT61 9DG N. Ireland Tel: (44) (0)28 37522928 URL1: http://star.arm.ac.uk/ URL2: http://star.arm.ac.uk/jobs/ Email Submission Address: lfy(at)arm.ac.uk Email Inquiries: jgd(at)arm.ac.uk The closing date for receipt of applications: 31/05/2008 Applications are invited for two 3-year postdoctoral research positions to be held at Armagh Observatory beginning October 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter. The first position will be directed towards the calculation of various atomic processes, such as density dependent ionisation, non-Maxwellian velocity distributions, etc. Such data are relevant to the interpretation and modelling of various solar transient features. The candidate will have full access to the Atomic Data and Analysis Structure (ADAS) routines. The second position will be directed towards the reduction/interpretation and modelling of various solar transient features using results calculated as part of the first project. Further information about Armagh Observatory and the current Solar Physics research programme may be obtained by consulting the Observatory's web-site or via email to Gerry Doyle (jgd@arm.ac.uk). Both posts are funded by a grant from the UK STFC. The closing date for applications is 31 May 2008. Late applications will be considered until the position is filled. Armagh Observatory has an excellent in-house computing facility plus access to supercomputing facilities via the Irish Grid. Prospective applicants should obtain an application pack from the Administrator or it may be downloaded from http://star.arm.ac.uk/jobs/. The completed application form, together with a full curriculum vitae and bibliography should be sent to: The Administrator, Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG, N. Ireland (Tel: +44-(0)28-3752-2928; FAX: +44-(0)28-3752-7174; e-mail: lfy@arm.ac.uk). References from at least two referees should be sent to the Administrator to arrive by the initial closing date or as soon as possible thereafter. The Armagh Observatory is an equal opportunities employer. ********************************************** From: Libby Daghorn Post-Doctoral Research Scientist to work in Sun-Earth connection science UCL Department of Space & Climate Physics Mullard Space Science Laboratory Salary will be in the range 23,692 - 28,290, dependent on experience. Start date: As soon as possible Location: Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, UK. UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory is seeking a postdoctoral scientist to undertake research in the area of the Sun-Earth connection, and in particular the study of the origins, propagation of solar ejecta and their interaction with the near Earth environment. The postholder will be expected to fuse observations from missions such as Hinode, STEREO, ACE, Cluster and DoubleStar, and to work effectively as a member of both the Solar & Stellar and Space Plasma Physics groups at MSSL. Future missions such as Solar Orbiter and KuaFu are also explicitly targeted at connecting solar and space plasma physics. In preparation for these, the successful applicant will also have the opportunity to be involved in scientific studies defining prospective MSSL involvement in these future missions. The post is supported by an STFC rolling grant and is available for a period of two years in the first instance. To apply, prospective candidates should send their CV, publication list, a 1-page summary of both their research experience and future research aspirations and the contact details of three referees to Mrs. E. Daghorn ( ead@mssl.ucl.ac.uk ). More details of the post can be found on http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/pages/jobs/jobs.html. For further information, contact Dr Chris Owen (cjo@mssl.ucl.ac.uk) or Dr. Sarah Matthews (sam@mssl.ucl.ac.uk ). The closing date for applications is 09 May 2008. UCL Taking Action For Equality ******************************************** From: Libby Daghorn Post-Doctoral Research Associate for Magnetospheric and Space Plasma Physics Research UCL Department of Space & Climate Physics Mullard Space Science Laboratory Salary will be in the range 23,692 - 28,290, dependent on experience. Start date: As soon as possible Location: Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, UK. UCL^Ys Mullard Space Science Laboratory is seeking a postdoctoral scientist to undertake research in the areas of space plasma physics and the dynamics of the terrestrial magnetosphere, principally through analysis of the Cluster and Double Star datasets. The postholder will be expected to work with the Cluster, Double Star and Themis datasets, as well as other space and ground-based datasets for context, and to work effectively as a member of the Space Plasma Physics group. In addition, potential future missions such as Cross-Scale, which is explicitly targeted at multi-scale space plasma physics currently being pioneered by Cluster, and KuaFu, which will bring new opportunities to explore large scale magnetospheric dynamics, will build on present work with the multi-spacecraft Cluster-Double Star-Themis constellations. In preparation for these, the successful applicant will also have the opportunity to be involved in scientific studies defining prospective MSSL involvement in these future missions. The post is supported by an STFC rolling grant and is available for a period of two years in the first instance. To apply, prospective candidates should send their CV, publication list, a 1-page summary of both their research experience and future research aspirations and the contact details of three referees to Mrs. E. Daghorn (ead@mssl.ucl.ac.uk ). More details of the post can be found on: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/pages/jobs/jobs.html. For further information, contact Dr. Chris Owen (cjo@mssl.ucl.ac.uk) or Dr. Andrew Fazakerley (anf@mssl.ucl.ac.uk ). The closing date for applications is 09 May 2008 UCL Taking Action For Equality ******************************************** From: Sarah Matthews PhD position at UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory A fully funded STFC PhD studentship is available from October 2008 in UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory. Applications are invited from graduates holding, or expecting to receive, a first or upper second class honours degree in physics, astronomy/astrophysics, mathematics or a similar numerate discipline. MSSL is the UK's largest university space research group. UCL was one of the first universities in the world to become involved in making scientific observations in space. Since MSSL was established in 1966, we have participated in over 35 satellite missions with the European Space Agency, NASA (USA), Japan, Russia, China and India, and flown over 200 rocket experiments. With expert staff covering all the required disciplines we have the unique capability of designing, building and testing instruments and other spacecraft systems on site. Our research scientists and development engineers work together to ensure that the instruments we produce are as relevant as possible and that the subsequent data analysis benefits from a fundamental understanding of the instruments' individual responses. MSSL has more than a dozen instruments operating in orbit, addressing science in astronomy/astrophysics, Solar, space plasma and planetary physics. There are a number of potential projects available, details of which can be found at: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/www_solar/phd/apply.html For details on how to apply please contact Dr. Sarah Matthews (sam@mssl.ucl.ac.uk) or Mrs. Jane Salton (phd@mssl.ucl.ac.uk) ******************************************** From: Dietmar Krauss-Varban --------------------------------------------------------------------------- JOB OPENING: Post-Doctoral Research Position in Solar-Heliospheric and Magnetospheric Science at Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A postdoctoral position is available to contribute to cutting-edge solar- heliospheric and magnetospheric research at the Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley. The ideal candidate is experienced in computational plasma physics, with a desired background or high interest in kinetic theory and particle simulations of space plasmas. Experience in Fortran or C programming, IDL/OpenDX, as well as Unix/Linux computing is required. The successful candidate will perform and evaluate simulations of high-impact magnetospheric, solar wind, and solar processes such as reconnection events, particle acceleration, and self-consistent wave generation at shocks and other discontinuities. An opportunity exists to also learn about and contribute to solar MHD simulations, and to work on novel techniques to broaden our understanding of and to devise practical implementations of kinetic effects in fluid approaches. Our work makes daily use of, among others, RHESSI, STEREO, Wind, ACE, and THEMIS data, and our unique group environment encourages learning from and collaborating with a large number of active scientists in experimental, theoretical, and education/public outreach areas. Applicants should have a Ph.D. degree in Physics, Space Science, Astrophysics, or a related field by the start of appointment. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year, with subsequent renewal opportunity. Interested and qualified applicants should send, preferably by e-mail, a resume, brief statement of research interests, list of publications, and the names and contact information of at least three references to: Dr. Dietmar Krauss- Varban, Senior Fellow, Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley, varban at ssl.berkeley.edu. UC Berkeley is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. ********************************************* >From : Boris Gudiksen Ph.D. Fellowship in Solar Physics A Ph.D. fellowship in Solar Physics is available at the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics of the University of Oslo. The fellowship is available for four years from 1 Sept 2008 (earlier start may be possible). The deadline for application is June 15, 2008. The successful applicant is expected to carry out theoretical and possibly observational research on problems related to Solar and Stellar Coronae. Therefore programming experience and possible experience with MHD codes will be given weight. The main topic of the project is research into the influence of the magnetic field on the structures in the solar and/or stellar atmospheres. It involves numerical simulations with a newly developed massively parallel computer code and the comparison of results gained from the code with observations from the world leading Swedish 1m Solar Telescope and data from satellites. For further information, see : http://www.admin.uio.no/opa/ledige-stillinger /2008/vit/PhDfellowshipAstrophysics-2008-4439.html ************************************************** >From : Rainer Arlt PhD Student Position in MHD Astrophysics, Potsdam, Germany The Astrophysical Institute Potsdam (AIP) invites applications for a PhD student position in cosmical magnetohydrodynamics. The successful candidate will work in the MHD group on projects related to magnetic instabilities in rotating compact stars. Applicants should have a university degree in astrophysics or physics. The position is for three years. Enhanced interests in the numerical solution of partial differential equations and high performance computing are necessary for a successful application. The AIP is located in the beautiful Potsdam/Babelsberg area, at the southwestern border to Berlin. About 80 scientists work on a variety of astrophysical topics. The AIP coordinates the German AstroGrid and features excellent computer facilities. Potsdam further hosts the Albert-Einstein Institut for Gravitational Physics, the Astronomy department of Potsdam University, part of the Alfred-Wegener Institute, the Potsdam Institut fuer Klimafolgenforschung and the GeoForschungsZentrum. The AIP has convenient public transport connections to both central Potsdam and Berlin. Both cities offer a rich cultural environment. Applications are invited to arrive before 10 May 2008, although later applications may be considered if no suitable candidates have been found. The preferred starting date is 1 June, 2008. Please send your application with a CV and relevant certificates, preferably by email, to Prof. Guenther Ruediger Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam An der Sternwarte 16 14482 Potsdam, Germany gruediger@aip.de ******************************************** >From : Haimin Wang Postdoctoral Position, Big Bear Solar Observatory, New Jersey Institute of Technology A postdoctoral position in solar physics is available in the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). A recent PhD with demonstrated skills in data analysis and/or physical modeling of flares/CMEs is preferred. The successful applicant will analyze archived and future data from Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) i ncluding data from upcoming 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope, and data from various NASA missions, in particular, STEREO, Hinode and SDO. He/she may also carry out modeling to explain the observations. Interested applicants should submit an electronic CV with names of three informed potential referees, a cover letter including research statement to Professor Haimin Wang (haimin@flare.njit.edu, 973-596-5781). The physical location of employment will be either at BBSO in California, or on NJIT campus in New Jersey, depending on mutually agreed research direction. The appointment is for one year, renewable contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of funding. Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. NJIT is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. _______________________________________________ uksp mailing list uksp@physics.gla.ac.uk http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/uksp