[meteorite-list] Workshop on Cometary Dust in Astrophysics
From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:10:10 2004 Message-ID: <200304210235.TAA08594_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov> http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/stardust2003/ Workshop on Cometary Dust in Astrophysics Crystal Mountain, Washington August 10-15, 2003 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT April 2003 Hosted by University of Washington Sponsored by University of Washington Lunar and Planetary Institute NASA Johnson Space Center Meeting Organizers - Don E. Brownlee Lindsay P. Keller Scott R. Messenger Scientific Organizing Committee - Don E. Brownlee, University of Washington John P. Bradley, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Lindsay P. Keller, NASA Johnson Space Center Martha S. Hanner, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Scott R. Messenger, NASA Johnson Space Center Scott Sandford, NASA Ames Research Center Rens Waters, University of Amsterdam WHEN AND WHERE Cosmic Dust in Astrophysics I will be held August 10-15, 2003, at the Crystal Mountain Lodge near Mount Rainier in Washington State. Attendance will be limited to 80-100 participants and limited funds are available to support graduate student travel to the workshop. Crystal Mountain Lodge is located approximately two hours southeast of Seattle. The locality is a ski resort on the slope of Mount Rainier and its isolation and facilities provide an excellent Gordon Conference-like environment where attendees have maximum opportunities for interactions at meals, breaks, hikes, etc. SCOPE AND PURPOSE The collection and return of dust from Comet Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft promises to connect a range of scientific disciplines related to the origin and evolution of stars, the solar system, and interstellar matter. The comet studies also have strong ties with astrobiology because of the roles that comets, asteroids, and dust might play in transporting "biogenic elements" and compounds to Earth-like planets residing in stellar habitable zones. Cometary Dust in Astrophysics I will bring together researchers from the fields of observational astronomy, sample science, and laboratory astrophysics in an informal workshop approximately four months prior to the Wild 2 flyby by Stardust. The purpose of the meeting will be the integration of astrophysical observations of comets and interstellar/circumstellar dust with laboratory analyses of interplanetary dust particles, stardust, and meteorites, and to discuss what we hope to learn from comet samples to be returned by Stardust in 2006. This is a timely meeting, following the recent rendezvous with Comet Borrelly by Deep Space 1 and preceding the imminent arrival of Stardust at Comet Wild 2 and return of Genesis samples. Several new missions will launch in the next few years (e.g., Rosetta, MUSES-C). In addition, significant new observational data is provided by the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), HST NICMOS, along with new data to be added with the SIRTF, SOFIA, ABE, and new groundbased IR capabilities. All these advances are occurring at a time when laboratory analyses of extraterrestrial materials have achieved an unprecedented level of sophistication such that the physical and chemical properties of materials can be determined at nearly the atomic scale. This is a remarkable time for synergy between the fields involved. MEETING FORMAT The format of this meeting will consist of scientific sessions leading with invited presentations followed by contributed talks over four-and-a-half days with no parallel sessions. In addition to the formal talks, there will be poster session activities and numerous opportunities for discussion during meals and breaks from the formal meeting. We are soliciting abstracts that encompass the following broad themes (in no particular order): Theme 1: Missions, Samples, and Mission Relevance - Now and the Future What kinds of measurements to be made by planned/proposed suite of missions (in situ and remote) will help to clarify the nature of the interstellar and cometary dust grains and their interrelationships (if any)? How can in situ measurements best be compared with laboratory data on returned samples? Are there other important measurements not included in the presently planned cometary missions that should be addressed by future missions? Are there laboratory techniques or facilities that need to be further developed or augmented to properly deal with current samples or samples expected in the future? Mission briefs and updates: Stardust, Genesis, MUSES-C, CONTOUR, Rosetta, SIRTF, and ABE. Theme 2: Nature of Amorphous and Crystalline Minerals in Comets, Around Stars, and the Interstellar Medium (ISM) What is the origin of the crystalline silicates in comets and disks? What is the "life cycle of dust," from stellar outflows, through the ISM, into clouds and YSOs, and into comets? What, if any, relationship exists between the crystalline silicates observed in primitive cometary IDPs and crystalline silicates seen in primitive meteorites? What are the key variables that establish grain lifetimes in the ISM and how well are they known? How have isotopic signatures been used to draw connections between solar system dust and stellar nucleosynthesis/circumstellar grain formation? How have isotopic signatures been used to draw connections between solar system dust and interstellar chemistry? How could these types of studies be expanded to (1) include other elements, (2) test connections between specific species or classes of species, and (3) constrain the physical and chemical processes involved in the creation and evolution of these materials? What are the possibilities for large-scale mixing in the solar system? Should comet and asteroid populations contain inclusions of each other? Theme 3: Nature of Organic Matter in Comets, Around Stars, and the Interstellar Medium (ISM) What are the most important reservoirs of carbon in the ISM? What evidence is there that any of these materials survive incorporation into comets and other solar system bodies? How are these materials modified in the protosolar nebula and within parent bodies? What is the significance, if any, of these materials in seeding planetary surfaces with molecular species of biological significance? What spectroscopic evidence exists for ISM processing of carbon-rich dust and the formation of new components (e.g., radiolysis of ices, cold cloud processes and isotopic evidence, PAHs, aliphatics, other complex organics - detection, relative abundances, formation mechanisms, relationships to 3.4-µm and 2175-Å features in astronomical spectra? How is carbon related to silicate and other materials in comets? What should interstellar organic matter from preserved interstellar material look like if it is directly incorporated into comets? Although the conference is open to all interested persons, the number of attendees will be limited to 100 in order to promote maximum interaction. In the event of an extraordinary response, priority will be given to those individuals whose interests most closely reflect the central themes of the workshop. CALL FOR ABSTRACTS Abstracts may be submitted for 15-minute oral presentation or poster presentation. Contingent upon their review by the scientific organizing committee, accepted abstracts will be published as part of an abstract volume that will be distributed to participants at the meeting. Abstracts should not exceed ONE page (including figures, tables, and references), and should be submitted using the electronic abstract submission form. The deadline for electronic submission of abstracts is June 2, 2003, 5:00 p.m. CDT (U.S. Central Daylight Time). Abstracts can be submitted in a variety of formats. Templates and detailed instructions for formatting and submitting your abstract are provided. Remember that electronic transmission of files is not always instantaneous. Because your abstract file must be RECEIVED at the LPI by 5:00 p.m., it is in your best interest to submit early to allow for possible delays in transmission. Please DO NOT wait until the last minute to access the system; access to the Web form will TERMINATE at 5:00 p.m. The abstracts and preliminary program will be available in electronic format on this Web site on or around June 30, 2003. These files will be in PDF format, viewable with version 4.0 (or higher) of Adobe's Acrobat Reader, available free of charge from the Adobe Web site. STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS Limited travel funds are available to partially cover travel costs for graduate students to attend. If anyone has questions regarding student travel grants, please contact Don Brownlee, University of Washington, at brownlee_at_bluemoon.astro.washington .edu or 206-543-8575. REGISTRATION A registration fee of $270.00 will be assessed to each participant ($130.00 for students) to cover various workshop services. You must preregister and prepay by July 18, 2003, to avoid the $20 late fee. The registration fee includes an arrival reception at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 10, and an informal farewell social on Thursday, August 14. Participants will be free on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 13, to enjoy short hikes along some of the wonderful hiking trails within Mount Rainier National Park. To preregister, please return the downloadable preregistration form with your payment before July 18, 2003, or you may use the electronic preregistration form if paying by credit card. Foreign participants who state on the registration form that they have a currency exchange problem may pay in cash at the meeting and avoid the $20 late fee if they return the downloadable form by July 18, 2003. Requests for cancellation with a fee refund (less a $10.00 processing fee) will only be accepted through July 18, 2003. Those who fail to attend and do not notify the LPI Publications and Program Services Department prior to the July 18 deadline will forfeit their full fee. LOGISTICS Air transportation: Participants arriving by air should plan to fly into Seattle's SeaTac Airport (airport code SEA). The airport is located 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of downtown Seattle. Domestic flights: All national carriers serve Seattle. There is nonstop service from most major U.S. cities on the East Coast. Lowest fares are from Baltimore, Providence, Buffalo, and other cities served by discount carriers. Alaska Air has nonstop service from Tucson, Phoenix, San Diego, LAX, and Burbank. International flights: There is daily nonstop service from Amsterdam on KLM/Northwest, from Kobnhavn on SAS, from London on British Air, and from all major Canadian and Asian hubs. Ground transportation: Plan to rent a car at (or near) the airport. Those rental companies with off-site counters are cheapest, and they will meet you at the airport. Plan about a 75- to 90-minute drive from SeaTac Airport to the meeting site except during heavy commute times. Bring a copy of the driving directions with you. Get a map at the airport. Find your way via I-5 and route 18 to Auburn, then follow route 164 to Enumclaw. From Enumclaw drive along route 410 east and south (direction Greenwater, Mount Rainier, Chinook Pass, and Yakima) 33.1 miles (53 kilometers) to the Crystal Mountain Lodge turnoff. Turn east (left) 6 miles (10 kilometers) to the lodge. The turnoff is immediately before the boundary of the National Park (the lodge has a small map available). Mount Rainier: Most people will want to extend their stays before or after the meeting and enjoy several days of hiking or climbing on Mount Rainier (highest elevation 14,410 feet or 4400 meters). Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most spectacular in the United States, particularly in July when the wildflowers begin to bloom in profusion. The east side of the mountain (the side facing the meeting venue) is the least used, which is surprising because the weather is far better there than elsewhere. Within Mount Rainier National Park there are some wonderful hiking trails to the tundra through the giant pine trees from the Fryingpan River Bridge along the "Summerland" trail. There are many more relatively easy hikes to the tree line at a higher altitude from the parking lot of the Sunrise Visitor Center (6000 feet, or 1800 meters). Be prepared for patches of soft, lingering spring snow en route. Mount Rainier National Park's hiking map is essential. Request a free paper copy of this hiking map as you enter the park. (Note the location of our meeting site in the upper right corner.) An easy, warm, and beautiful hike through "The Grove of the Patriarchs" (giant old-growth trees at the southeast edge of the park) is recommended for first-time hikers. Cars are needed to get to all trailheads inside the National Park, and entrance fees apply. There are also lovely hikes with spectacular vistas right from the lodge, from the top of the lift run by the lodge, or from Chinook Pass south of the lodge. Various glaciers descend from the peak of Rainier, and are climbable WITH PROPER GEAR until August when the danger of unsafe crevasses begins. Read this important information. Glacier/high-altitude climbers should contract with guides. Serious hikers can circumnavigate the mountain in 10 days along the "Wonderland Trail" (see the dashed purple trail that rings the peak on the trail map). If you plan to spend time hiking - and you should!! - then be sure to bring a backpack, extra water, some trail food/fruit, sunscreen (important!), and proper attire (including a windbreaker, sweater, etc.). The weather can change abruptly from sunny and warm to windy, cold, and foggy or snowy. You can buy many supplies in Enumclaw on your way to the lodge. (There's a shopping mall east of town.) Rent serious gear at Feathered Friends or REI in Seattle or Summit Haus in Ashford (on the west side of Mount Rainier National Park). If you wish to extend your stay at the Crystal Mountain Suites then contact the sales office and pay for the extra nights separately. You may wish to bring your own food for those days and prepare meals in the room's kitchen. The last town in which to obtain food is Enumclaw, about 45 minutes from Crystal Mountain. The nearest restaurant is in Greenwater, about 30 minutes by car. Additional information about the Mount Rainier area can be found at the following Web sites: www.nps.gov/mora/home.htm www.areaparks.com/mountrainier/ www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/US_National_Park/wa_mount.htm Crystal Mountain Weather: The east side of Mount Rainier is lovely from mid-July through mid-September. Daytime temperatures at the lodge are about 25°C (68°F), and 5°C (40°F) just before sunrise on a clear night. The sun is quite hot and the air is very dry, so hiking requires a supply of water plus light food. Light rain is possible. Note that the region on the east side of Mount Rainier is called the "cloud shadow" since winds are descending and heating. It's quite common to have sunshine on the east side of the mountain and drizzle on the west! Hotel Reservations: Crystal Mountain Lodging Suites is located next to a ski lodge just east of Mount Rainier (4400 meters), a dormant volcano in the Washington Cascades. Mount Rainier National Park is a short (20-kilometer) drive southwest of the lodge. Summer outdoor activities at the lodge include hiking, riding the chair lifts*, canoeing*, horseback riding*, mountain biking*, hiking, swimming at the pool, and enjoying the scenery (* = weekends only). Each suite is actually a privately owned furnished condominium used by winter skiers. These are rented to us by their owners through the lodge administration. Single-bedroom suites with living area and bathroom range from $90.00 to $100.00 per night. Two-bedroom suites range from $140.00 to $150.00 per night. Each condominium suite has a fully equipped kitchen and at least three beds. These condo suites are ideal for families with two children. Attendees without families are welcome to share a condo to reduce their expenses. Smoking and pets are not permitted inside the condos. For reservations and inquiries, please contact: Crystal Mountain Lodging Suites Phone: 360-663-2558 or 888-668-4368 Fax: 360-663-0145 http://www.crystalmtlodging-wa.com/suites.htm Meals: The lodge charges a flat rate of $295.00 per adult for a package of fifteen meals (starting with dinner on Sunday, August 10, and ending at lunch Friday, August 15). The charge applies to all adults whether or not they are attending the meeting. Meals are generally served cafeteria style with several choices of entrees, including vegetarian. The meals are provided by a different vendor from that of the rooms. The charges are separate. However, to make life easier, the lodge will accept reservations and payment for both room and meals at once (see "Hotel Reservations" above for contact information for rooms and meal service). If you want a room but no meals (or vice versa) be sure to say so. Attendees are encourage to request a meal package as part of their room reservation. The alternative to the meal package offered by the lodge is individual in-room meal preparation by attendees. You may bring your own alcoholic beverages for consumption in your suite. However, state law requires that alcoholic beverages in the public dining areas must be owned and served by the operators of the lodge. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For more information about the meeting format and scientific objectives, please contact one of the meeting organizers: Don E. Brownlee Phone: 206-543-8575 E-mail: brownlee_at_bluemoon.astro.washington.edu Lindsay P. Keller Phone: 281-483-6090 E-mail: lindsay.p.keller_at_jsc.nasa.gov Scott R. Messenger Phone: 281-483-XXXX E-mail: scott.r.messenger_at_jsc.nasa.gov Questions regarding information on the meeting Web site should be directed to the LPI meeting coordinator: Sue McCown Phone: 281-486-2144 E-mail: mccown_at_lpi.usra.edu Questions regarding abstract submission should be directed to the LPI abstract coordinator: Linda Tanner Phone: 281-486-2142 E-mail: tanner_at_lpi.usra.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE June 2, 2003, 5:00 p.m. CDT Deadline for electronic submission of abstracts June 30, 2003 Final announcement, preliminary program, and abstracts posted on Web site July 18, 2003 Deadline for preregistration August 10-15, 2003 Workshop held at Crystal Mountain ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Received on Sun 20 Apr 2003 10:35:51 PM PDT |
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