Table of Contents ====================================================================== 1. 2014 Workshop Report: Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling Focus Group 2. Abstract Submission Open – IUGG General Assembly, Prague, Czech Republic June 22 - July 2, 2015 3. JOB OPENING: Faculty Position in Space Plasma Physics University of Minnesota ====================================================================== *************************** ** THE GEM MESSENGER ** *************************** Volume 24, Number 27 September 22, 2014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. 2014 Workshop Report: Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling Focus Group ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Weichao Tu, Jay Albert, Wen Li, and Steve Morley The 2014 GEM Summer Workshop marked the start of a new Focus Group on “Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling”. The overarching goals of this FG are to bring together the current state-of-art models for the acceleration, transport, and loss processes in radiation belts, develop event-specific and global wave, plasma, and magnetic field models to drive these radiation belt (RB) models, and combine all these components to achieve a quantitative assessment of radiation belt modeling by validating against contemporary radiation belt measurements. Five breakout sessions were held on Tuesday June 17th and Wednesday June 18th and all of the sessions were well-attended. There were a total of 35 scheduled talks and a few walk-in talks over the 5 sessions, covering a wide range of topics which are listed below: Session 1 - “Joint Session with Radiation Belts & Wave Modeling focus group” The new FG started with a joint session with the outgoing Radiation Belts and Wave Modeling (RBWM) FG (finishing in 2014). In this session, the RBWM FG wrapped up their activities and accomplishments in the past 5 years. Then the four co-conveners of the new FG Quantitative Assessment of Radiation Belt Modeling gave a tag-team presentation to introduce the new FG to the GEM community, lead discussions on the remaining open questions in radiation belt modeling, and connect them to the goals and challenges of the new FG. A lot of interesting discussions took place in this session and valuable experiences and lessons were learned from the outgoing FG. Session 2 - “Review existing RB models and discuss where we are and what is needed” In this session eight talks were presented to review and discuss the existing models for the acceleration, transport, and loss of radiation belt particles. They include the convection-diffusion type RAM and RBE models, the diffusion-type VERB, DREAM3D, and UCLA 2D codes, the Rice SDE and LASP K2 codes, and the UCLA reanalysis model. Questions were discussed such as “what are ‘standard’ RB codes not doing well enough?” and “What are we not doing at all but probably should be?”. Session 3 - “Various magnetospheric wave characteristics and their global distribution required in RB modeling” This session focused on characterizing various wave properties that are required as inputs to RB models. Ten short talks were presented, with the topics covering ULF waves, chorus and hiss, EMIC waves, magnetosonic waves, etc., and their effects on RB particles. We reviewed the available wave models and discussed what are still missing for RB modeling. Session 4 - “Seed populations, plasma density, and magnetic field configuration required in RB modeling” Nine talks were presented in this session focusing on specifying other required inputs for driving RB simulations. The covered topics include seed populations for radiation belt electrons, source population for plasma waves, magnetic field models, last closed drift shell, etc. In the discussions we also reviewed what are currently available and discussed what are still missing. Session 5 - “Wrap-up discussion and plan for future FG activities” This final session was a planning session. Due to the large number of presentation requests, a few short talks on empirical radiation belt studies were scheduled at the beginning of this session. These empirical RB models are useful for specifying the initial/boundary conditions for RB modeling. Then we wrapped up this year’s FG with more big-picture discussions, and planned for future FG activities for the upcoming mini-GEM and next year’s GEM workshop. Important future activities include the ‘RB dropout’ and ‘RB buildup’ Challenges. Short talks were presented in this session to propose interesting dropout/buildup events for our future challenges. A preliminary event list was developed but detailed planning for the challenges will be discussed in the upcoming mini-GEM in December 2014. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Abstract Submission Open – IUGG General Assembly, Prague, Czech Republic June 22 - July 2, 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Larry Kepko The 26th IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) general assembly will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, from June 22-July 5, 2015. For those unfamiliar with IUGG, the organization consists of 8 associations, of which IAGA (International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy) division III is most relevant to GEM. IAGA is subdivided into 5 divisions, covering internal magnetic fields (Div. I), Aeronomic Phenomena (Div. II), magnetospheric phenomena (Div. III), solar wind and interplanetary field (Div IV), and geomagnetic observatories, surveys and analyses (Div V). The list of all IAGA sessions scheduled for the 2015 meeting can be found at the following link http://www.iugg2015prague.com/iaga-symposia.htm while GEM-related sessions are listed below. Important dates: January 31, 2015 - Abstract submission deadline Link: http://www.iugg2015prague.com/abstracts.htm April 10, 2015 - Early registration deadline Link: https://www.czech-in.org/cmGateway/IUGG2015/registration.html IUGG in Prague promises to be an exciting meeting, and I hope to see you there! Larry Kepko IAGA Division III lead List of GEM-related sessions: A17 The Earth’s Plasmasphere: Remote Sensing and Modelling (Div. II- VERSIM) Convener: Janos Lichtenberger (Budapest, Hungary) Co-conveners: Anders Jorgensen (Socorro, USA), Fred Menk (Callaghan, Australia) A18 Sun-Earth System Response to Extreme Solar Events and Space Weather (Div. II/Div. III) Convener: Nanan Balan (Sheffield, U.K.) Co-conveners: Andrew Yau (Calgary, Canada), J. Y. Liu (Jhongli, Taiwan) A19 ULF Waves: Space-Ground Coordination (Div. III) Convener: Colin Waters (Callaghan, Australia) Co-convener: Mark Engebretson (Minneapolis, USA) A20 ULF waves in the inner magnetosphere (Div. III) Convener: Kazue Takahashi (Laurel, USA) Co-convener: Peter Chi (Los Angeles, USA) A21 Wave and Particle Dynamics in the Radiation Belts and Ring Current (Div. III) Convener: Jacob Bortnik (Los Angeles, USA) Co-convener: Scot R. Elkington (Boulder, USA) A22 Magnetospheric Boundary Layers (Div. III) Convener: Katariina Nykyri (Daytona Beach, USA) A23 Different Response Modes of the Magnetosphere to Solar Wind Driving (Div. III) Convener: Larry Kepko (Greenbelt, USA) A24 The Plasmasheet - Ionosphere, a Coupled System: Sinks, Sources, Transport and the Roles of Field-Aligned Currents and Ion Outflow (Div. III/Div. II) Convener: Simon Wing (Laurel, USA) Co-conveners: Jay Johnson (Princeton, USA), Larry Lyons (Los Angeles, USA), Göran Marklund (Stockholm, Sweden), Kanako Seki (Nagoya, Japan) A25 Auroral Processes (Div. III) Convener: David Knudsen (Calgary, Canada) Co-convener: Göran Marklund (KTH, Sweden) A26 High-Latitude Electrodynamics and the Polar Cap (Div. III) Convener: Steve Milan (Leicester, U.K.) Co-convener: Lasse Clausen (Oslo, Norway) A27 Reporter Review for Div III Convener: Clare Watt (Reading, U.K.) A43 Characterization of Ionospheric and Magnetospheric Processes from Ground and Satellite Observations and Their Connection to Space Weather (ICDC/Div. II/Div. III/Div. V) Convener: Inez S. Batista (Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brasil) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. JOB OPENING: Faculty Position in Space Plasma Physics University of Minnesota ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cindy Cattell The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities invites applications for a tenure track position in the area of Experimental Space Plasma Physics. The appointment is expected to be at the Assistant Professor level. This position is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation for Faculty Development in the Space Sciences. Candidates are expected to hold a Ph.D. in physics, astrophysics or a related discipline and should have demonstrated the potential to conduct a vigorous and significant experimental research program as evidenced by their publication record and supporting letters from recognized leaders in the field. The ability to teach physics effectively at both the graduate and undergraduate levels is required. The successful applicant will be joining a department with active programs in both experimental and theoretical space plasma physics. The experimental space physics group has played important roles in instrument development and/or scientific analysis of data from NASA and ESA funded projects including Ulysses, Polar, FAST, Wind, Cluster, and rocket flights. The group is currently involved in the Van Allen Probes Mission, STEREO, and Solar Probe Plus. Experimentalists in any field in space plasma physics are encouraged to apply. Applicants in Solar Physics, Heliospheric Physics, Planetary and Terrestrial Magnetospheric Physics, and Ionospheric Physics are of special interest. The successful applicant will be expected to play a leadership role in new programs involving spacecraft, Cube-Sats, sub- orbital rockets, or balloons. The starting date for the position is negotiable and could be as early as July 1, 2015. Candidates for this position (Requisition # 193936) must go to https://employment.umn.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=123909 and submit an application online. Application materials must include a cover letter, a current C.V. including a list of publications, a statement of research interests, a statement of teaching interests, and a list of at least three references including complete addresses and contact information. Candidates must arrange to have letters of reference (signed and on official letterhead) sent directly to spacephys14@physics.umn.edu as PDF files. Alternatively, letters of reference may be sent to Professor Ronald Poling School of Physics and Astronomy University of Minnesota 116 Church St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 To ensure full consideration, applications should be received before December 22, 2014. The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | To broadcast announcements to the GEM community, please contact | | Peter Chi, GEM Communications Coordinator, at: | | | | | | Please submit your announcements in plain text or Word document. | | | | To subscribe the GEM Messenger, send an e-mail to | | | | with the following command in the body of your e-mail message: | | subscribe gem | | To remove yourself from the mailing list, the command is: | | unsubscribe gem | | | | GEM Messenger is also posted online via newsfeed at | | http://heliophysics.blogspot.com and | | http://www.facebook.com/heliophysics | | | | Back issues are available at: | | http://www-ssc.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki/messenger/ | | | | URL of GEM Home Page: http://aten.igpp.ucla.edu/gemwiki | | Workshop Information: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gem/index.html | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+