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Upcoming Events
	Date/Time	Description
	May 1, 2008 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm	The Ralph B. Baldwin Professorship in Astronomy Inaugural Lecture "Extragalactic Superluminal Radio Jets" Given By Hugh Aller, Professor of Astronomy Will be held TOMORROW, Thursday, May 1, 2008 ~ 4:10 p.m. at the Alumni Center, Founders Room Professor Aller will discuss the emissions of extragalactic superluminal radio jets as observed through the eyes of the Peach Mountain Observatory telescope near Dexter. For more information please call 734-615-6653 Find the following related stories in the University Record, or printed for your convenience below: Featured event: Cosmic radio jets are the focus of inaugural lecture http://www.ur.umich.edu/0708/Apr28_08/23.php Michigan telescopes help give astronomers insights into blazars http://www.ur.umich.edu/0708/Apr28_08/24.php Featured event: Cosmic radio jets are the focus of inaugural lecture The emissions of extragalactic superluminal radio jets through the eyes of the telescope at the Peach Mountain Observatory near Dexter will be the topic of the Ralph Baldwin Professorship in Astronomy Inaugural Lecture. The talk will be given by Hugh Aller, professor of astronomy, at 4:10 p.m. May 1 in the Founders Room of the Alumni Center. Aller, who assumed leadership of the observatory in the Stinchfield Woods more than two decades ago, will discuss how the telescope has become a major player in the study of the radio jets and the cooperative work done on this phenomenon with other observatories around the world. Aller joined the faculty in 1968 and served as chair of the Department of Astronomy from 1990-2000. He is the first Ralph B. Baldwin Professor of Astronomy. The professorship was endowed by a $2 million gift from Baldwin and the Baldwin family. Baldwin received his bachelor's degree in astronomy from U-M in 1934 and his doctorate in 1937. He co-pioneered the theory that lunar craters were primarily the result of meteor impacts, instead of volcanic activity, a theory later confirmed by eyewitness accounts of the Apollo astronauts. In 1947 he returned to the family business, Oliver Machine Company in Grand Rapids, where he rose to chairman before retiring in 1987. Five generations of his family have attended U-M. "The University has been great to me," Baldwin says. "I wanted to give something back." The lecture and reception are open to the public. For information call 615-6653. Michigan telescopes help give astronomers insights into blazars By Nicole Casal Moore News Service For the first time astronomers have observed a blazar in action, substantiating a prevailing theory about how these luminous and energetic galactic cores work. In this illustration, a blazar emits a jet of high-energy plasma. A shock wave follows a spiral path as it moves away from the black hole and through a section of the jet where the magnetic field is wound in a coil. (Photo by Cosmovision For Boston University) A paper on the observations appears in the April 24 issue of Nature. Two U-M astronomers contributed to the research, which was led by Alan Marscher of the Institute for Astrophysical Research at Boston University. Blazars, among the most energetic objects in the universe, are fueled by supermassive black holes at the core of certain giant elliptical galaxies. Periodically, they emit jets of high-energy plasma at almost the speed of light. Competing theoretical models sought to explain how this phenomenon occurs. One model predicted that the jets were propelled by magnetic fields that were twisted by the gravity of the black hole and the materials falling into it. This is the behavior the astronomers detected. "What we've observed is the mechanism by which the acceleration of relativistic particles in the emanating jets occurs. Knowing that mechanism enhances our understanding of the physics that goes into the acceleration process," says Hugh Aller, a professor in the Department of Astronomy . Relativistic particles are particles traveling close to the speed of light. "Often, we'd observe blazars, but they didn't do anything. It's been difficult to catch these outbursts when they occur," he says. Scientists from across the globe aimed a variety of telescopes at the blazar BL Lacertae, about 950 million light-years away from Earth. Optical, X-ray and radio telescopes monitored the galaxy at different electromagnetic wavelengths periodically for several years. U-M recorded radio light curves at the Radio Astronomy Observatory at Peach Mountain in Dexter. "This is the first observational evidence that really fits with the picture that the theoreticians have had," says Margo Aller, a research scientist and lecturer in the Department of Astronomy. "The reason we have this evidence is a very fine sampling of a large number of instruments, including the Michigan radio telescopes." Scientists hope to get a closer look at blazar jets when NASA launches its Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) satellite observatory in May. The paper is called "The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio to gamma-ray outburst."
	July 1, 2008 12:00 pm - 11:59 pm	NASA Postdoctoral Program Application Deadline
	October 16, 2008 12:00 am - 11:00 pm	SPRL at 60: Universities and Space Exploration University of Michigan, North Campus An open discussion on the role of universities in space exploration and engineering. As interests, funding and project structures change, how should institutions of higher education that are based in hard science research react; how do these changes affect the education of future scientists and engineers — what does the future hold?
	November 1, 2008 12:00 pm - 11:59 pm	NASA Postdoctoral Program Application Deadline

Archived Events (Past events to 6 months)
	Date/Time	Description
	January 22, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Dr. Gregory Earle, professor of physics, William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas 2246 SRB Auditorium "Near Earth Space Plasma Science and Instrumentation" Abstract: The near-Earth space environment presents many challenges to experimenters who wish to measure geophysical parameters using in-situ instrumentation. To address these issues a wide range of instruments have been developed for use on both satellites and suborbital sounding rockets. These effectively complement ground-based radar and optical techniques, and in some cases provide data that cannot be obtained through any other technique. In this talk some methods for making in-situ neutral wind measurements in near-Earth space will be discussed, with a focus on laboratory and flight validation of two new instruments that are slated to fly on the C/NOFS satellite in 2008. Following this introduction to the engineering aspects of the wind instruments, measurements of coupled ion/neutral structuring at midlatitudes will be presented and interpreted in terms of the continuity equation. The results will illustrate the critical role that winds play in midatitude thermospheric physics.
	January 24, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Prof. Mark Moldwin, Earth & Space Sciences and Institute of Geophysics & Planetary Physics, UCLA 2246 SRB Auditorium "Everything but the kitchen sink: Physical models, ULF resonance, GPS TEC, multi-diagnostic, multi-satellite in situ, and EUV imaging data combined to create a 3D inner magnetospheric density model" Abstract: The low-energy inner magnetospheric mass and electron number density determines the wave environment and particle collision frequencies that modulate ring current and radiation belt particle populations. Several new measurement techniques allow for the first time global observations of the low-energy densities in the inner magnetosphere. The combination of the techniques and data sets allows the estimate of the mass composition as well. This talk will describe these techniques, progress to date, and a future mission concept that fully exploits these techniques.
	January 30, 2008 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm	NASA Press Conference: MESSENGER Data 2246 SRB Auditorium The NASA Press Conference on the latest data from Mercury will be carried LIVE. The conference date to be released includes that from the SPRL-build FIPS instrument — the first from Mercury in 30+ years.
	February 20, 2008 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm	WUN Videoconference: Prof. Jim Kasting, Penn State University 2422 SRB - Donahue Room "Atmospheric composition and climate on the early earth" Abstract: Earth's atmosphere and climate have both undergone marked changes during the course of Earth's history. Our climate has remained warm most of the time even though the Sun was considerably fainter in the distant past. This warmth was almost certainly caused by enhanced greenhouse gas concentrations. CO2 and H2O were probably the dominant greenhouse gases initially, but CH4 may have become an important contributor soon after life evolved, with atmospheric concentrations exceeding 1000 ppmv. Revised calculations show that the greenhouse effect of methane is smaller than previously estimated. However, C2H6 (ethane), formed photochemically from CH4, may also have been an important greenhouse gas. If the atmospheric CH4/CO2 was greater than a few tenths, organic haze should have formed, and this should have cooled the surface by creating an anti-greenhouse effect. Stability was achieved, in Daisyworld fashion, when an optically thin haze was present. Indirect evidence for the existence of such a haze comes from studies of mass independent fractionation (MIF) in S isotopes from ancient rocks. The rise in atmospheric O2 at ~2.4 Ga, marked by the disappearance of the MIF signal, caused a decrease in methane, probably triggering the Paleoproterozoic glaciations. An earlier, less well documented glaciation at 2.8-2.9 Ga corresponds to a second anomaly in the MIF record and may also have been triggered by biological innovations.
	February 21, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Thomas B. Jones, Professor, University of Rochester 2246 SRB Auditorium "Electromechanics of Particles" Abstract: Particles ranging in size from nanometers to millimeters experience electrical (or magnetic) forces and torques that result from their properties and shapes. The consequent phenomenology, often quite complex, is exploited beneficially in certain technologies (e.g., electrophotography) and struggled with in some other technologies (e.g., cleanroom contamination). Further, it is genuinely puzzled over in some exciting branches of the natural sciences. An hour’s presentation cannot even begin to catalogue the great diversity of field/particle interactions. Still, it seems worthwhile to attempt a start with a brief exploration of particle electromechanics, which concerns effects resulting from dielectric polarization (or magnetization). After covering some basics, I will review elements of the effective multipolar method of electric force and torque calculation, and reveal the breadth of problems where it may be usefully employed to create reduced-order models. These models lead to valuable physical insight that may be used to guide numerical simulations based on finite element simulation.
	February 21, 2008 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Tara Desai, Dipartimento di Fisica, G.Occhialini, Università degli studi Milano 2422 SRB - Donahue Room "Laboratory craters: modeling experiments for Meteorite impact craters?" Abstract: A vibrant and exciting laboratory astrophysical research is emerging with intense lasers. In this talk we discuss high power laser application to planetary events. We have experimentally studied the laser produced craters using the facilities at MIB, Milano, Italy and PALS, Prague, Cz. Republic to investigate the possibility of planetary events such as meteorite craters. We have measured the dimensions and contours of the laboratory craters by adopting different techniques. We have obtained two types of craters in the laboratory viz. simple which are circular and bowl shaped depressions, and intricate structures resembling complex craters produced by large meteorites impact on the planets. Further, we have corroborated our experimental results using 2-D Multi simulations which interestingly predict the possibility of generating complex craters due to laser ablation. Details of the experimental results will be discussed.
	March 1, 2008 12:00 pm - 11:59 pm	NASA Postdoctoral Program Application Deadline
	March 6, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Michael H. Hecht, Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2245 SRB Auditoriaum "The lowdown on icy soil on Mars: The Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) on Phoenix" Abstract: MECA's microscope station, wet chemistry laboratory, and physical properties probe will perform the first analysis of the icy soil of the northern Martian plains in the summer of 2007. Combining optical and atomic force microscopes, the microscopy station will span the size range of airborne dust grains. Four identical chemistry laboratories carry their own water and chemicals to analyze martian mud and determine the soluble ions in the soil. The Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) will measure permittivity, electrical conductivity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, temperature, and humidity, and will collectively characterize the state of water in all phases in the ground. TECP also doubles as an atmospheric probe, measuring wind, air temperature, and relative humidity.
	March 12, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Chris Ruf, AOSS 2355 GG Brown "Inversion of Satellite Remote Sensing Measurements by Bayesian Estimation" Abstract: Satellite remote sensing instruments for Earth science estimate geophysical properties of the atmosphere and surface indirectly from radiance and backscatter measurements. The estimation problem can often be expressed as an inversion of a forward model which, when given the exact geophysical state, can predict the measurements. In all practical situations, the inverse problem is severely underconstrained since the number of unknown geophysical parameters far exceeds the number of measurements. Various methods are commonly employed to constrain the inversion. One class of methods weighs the past statistical behavior of the geophysical parameters against the behavior implied by the present remote sensing measurements and makes a decision based on both characteristics. One means of implementing this decision algorithmically is Bayesian estimation. The idea of Bayesian estimation will be reviewed and then applied to the problem of estimating rainfall with a satellite microwave radiometer.
	March 13, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	John H. Hoffman, Professor, University of Texas 2246 SRB Auditorium "The Thermal Evolved Gas Analyzer -TEGA- on Phoenix" TEGA consists of two instruments, a set of 8 small ovens, the T of TEGA and an Evolved Gas Analyzer, the EGA of TEGA, a mass spectrometer. Soil and ice samples are dug from a trench in the surface of Mars by the lander's robotic arm and transferred to one of the ovens. Subsequent heating releases dissolved gases from icy samples and from minerals as they decomplse very high temperatures. Elemental abundances nd istopic rations of principal constituents will ve measured. Between oven runs, atmospheric abundances and isotopic ratios will be determined.
	March 14, 2008 10:00 am - 4:00 pm	Fifth Annual Michigan Geophysical Union Meeting Geological Sciences, C. C. Little, Central Campus The Michigan Geophysical Union is a friendly forum for graduate and undergraduate students to present their current research in various aspects of earth, oceanic, atmospheric, and space sciences. Posters will be judged and one winner will be selected from each of the sponsoring departments. Winners will be presented with a generous monetary award. Students: To present a poster at MGU, e-mail Dan Gershman (djgersh@umich.edu) with the title of your poster, a brief abstract summarizing your research, any class conflicts on the day of the event—so we can work your judging around it—and the name of your advisor by Tuesday March 4, 2008. Please be sure to include “MGU Abstract” in the subject line of your email. Details regarding poster preparations will be made available to you upon receipt of your abstract. Tentative Schedule of Activities: Poster Session 10am to 12pm Lunch 12pm to 1pm Poster Session 1pm to 3pm Poster Awards Presentation 3pm to 3:30pm All faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to attend to learn about the exciting research that is taking place within these two departments.
	March 19, 2008 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm	AOSS March Major Madness AOSS Auditorium (2246 Space Research Building) More Information
	March 20, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Ralph D. Lorenz, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory 2246 SRB Auditorium "Titan Unveiled" Saturn's giant moon Titan has been of considerable interest since the presence of an atmosphere was hinted at one century ago. The NASA-ESA-ASI Cassini-Huygens mission, at Saturn for the last 4 years, has transformed this curious dot in the sky into a remarkably diverse, complex and interesting world, which is in many ways more Earth-like than anywhere in the solar system. This talk will summarize some of Cassini's recent findings with emphasis on the interactions between Titan's surface and atmosphere. These include dune-covered sand seas, river channels that attest to violent but perhaps rare downpours and climate change, hydrocarbon lakes and a changing spin state forced by seasonal changes in zonal winds. Titan's thick atmosphere and low gravity permit a wide range of exploration vehicle types, notably aircraft and balloons. The scientific goals and technical features of vehicles and instruments for future exploration of Titan, perhaps in the next decade's Flagship opportunity, will be discussed.
	March 21, 2008 8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Ralph B. Baldwin Prize in Astrophysics and Space Science Application and Deadline Ralph B. Baldwin Prize in Astrophysics and Space Science competition
	March 24, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Carolyn Kuranz, AOSS 2246 SRB Title: Laboratory blast wave driven instabilities on the Omega laser Abstract: This presentation discusses experiments well scaled to the blast wave driven instabilities during the explosion phase of SN1987A. Blast waves occur following a sudden, finite release of energy, and consist of a shock front followed by a rarefaction wave. When a blast wave crosses an interface with a decrease in density, hydrodynamic instabilities will develop. These experiments include target materials scaled in density to the He/H layer in SN1987A. About 5 kJ of laser energy from the Omega Laser facility irradiates a 150 µm plastic layer that is followed by a low-density foam layer. A blast wave structure similar to those in supernovae is created in the plastic layer. The blast wave crosses a three-dimensional interface with a wavelength of 71 µm in two orthogonal directions, at times supplemented by additional sinusoidal modes. This produces unstable growth dominated by the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. We have detected the interface structure under these conditions, using dual orthogonal radiography, and will show some of the resulting data. Recent advancements in our x-ray backlighting techniques have greatly improved the resolution of our x-ray radiographic images. Under certain conditions, the improved images show some mass extending beyond the RT spike and penetrating further than previously observed. Current simulations do not show this phenomenon. This presentation will discuss the amount of mass in these spike extensions as well as the error analysis of this calculation. This research was sponsored by the SSAA through DOE Research Grants DE-FG52-07NA28058, DE-FG52-04NA00064.
	March 26, 2008 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm	Nelson W. Spencer Lecture - Dr. S. Pete Worden, NASA Ames Research Center Director Boeing Auditorium (1109 FXB) "U. S. Space Exploration Program: Opportunities for the Future" In January of 2004 President Bush defined the vision for U.S. Space Exploration. NASA was charged with completing the International Space Station, safely flying the Space Shuttle until 2010, developing and flying the Crew Exploration Vehicle – the Shuttle’s replacement no later than 2014 and with a goal of 2012, returning to the moon no later than 2020, extend human presence across the solar system and beyond, implement a sustained and affordable robotic program, develop supporting innovative technologies knowledge and infrastructures, and promote international and commercial participation in exploration. The goal of commercial participation in exploration is key. We are optimistic this will open the entire sphere of the inner solar system to commerce. It is also worth noting that the impressive new technologies and capabilities we will develop will benefit people on earth. NASA Ames Research Center is playing a key role in support of the Space Exploration Program particularly with the Constellation Program and the LCROSS mission. NASA Ames also plays a key role in both small spacecraft development and with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Implementation of the U.S. Space Exploration Program and establishing a program to develop a sustained human presence on the Moon, including a robust precursor program is critical to promote exploration, science, commerce and U.S. preeminence in spaces as well as a stepping stone to future exploration of Mars and other destinations.
	April 3, 2008 11:30 am - 1:00 pm	STEM Education: Preventing the pipeline from leaking Johnson Rooms - Third Floor of the Lurie Engineering Center The College of Engineering and Tau Beta Pi invites you to a free panel luncheon where you can voice your opinions and learn how to get involved: Featuring panelists from the UM community: Jill Andrews – Director, Office of Engineering Outreach and Engagement (OE)^2 Perry Samson – Associate Chair and Professor Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Richard Hill – Graduate Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering Aaron Santos – Research Fellow, Department of Chemical Engineering America is at risk of losing its place as the global leader in innovation if we do not address the issues. Other countries are currently outpacing the U.S. in science and technology. In 2004, the NAS study found that China graduated more than 600,000 engineers; India, 350,000 and America, only 70,000. How can we address this trend? What is the current state of public education in regards to science, technology, engineering, and math (the STEM fields)? How can we encourage and prepare students to become leaders in the STEM fields? Are there steps that should be taken or programs that can be implemented to help prevent ‘the STEM pipeline from leaking?’ Free Middle Eastern food from Jerusalem Garden
	April 3, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:29 pm	Tomislava Vukicevic, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder 2246 SRB Auditorium A new look at data assimilation and inversion problems in atmospheric sciences. Data assimilation and inversion problems are involved in almost every aspect of quantitative analysis in atmospheric sciences from observing by indirect measurements to prediction and projections by numerical models. Contemporary literature on common data assimilation and inversion techniques typically refers to theoretical basis of the techniques as a straightforward generalization of the Bayesian rule for conditional probabilities when applied under assumptions of errorless linear model and Gaussian statistics. The data assimilation and inversions are however, more often than not done with complex nonlinear models and observations for which these assumptions are not necessarily valid. To help understand impact of model nonlinearities, Gaussian statistics and modeling and observation errors a new approach is used which is based on a generalized formulation of the statistical inverse problem theory that does not make explicit use of the Bayesian rule. Based on the new approach an analysis of data assimilation and inversion solutions was done by numerical evaluation of the associated probability density functions on examples of two relatively simple but representative dynamical models of atmospheric processes. Relationship between properties of common data assimilation and inversion techniques and the generalized solutions will be discussed with an outlook at furthering benefits from inverse methodology in atmospheric sciences.
	April 24, 2008 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	Dr. Hiram Levy, NOAA 2424 SRB Title: "Climate Change Science Program: Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.2 or Climate vs. Air Quality?" Abstract: By year 2100, "IPCC" projected decreases in sulfate aerosol and increases in black carbon aerosol contribute a significant portion of the simulated A1B surface air warming relative to the year 2000; 0.2oC (southern hemisphere), 0.4oC globally, 0.6oC (northern hemisphere), 1.5-3oC (wintertime Arctic), and 1.5-2oC (~40% of the total) in the summertime United States. These changes are also responsible for a significant decrease in central US late-summer root-zone soil water and precipitation. These changes in short-lived air pollutants produce a global average increase in radiative forcing of ~1 W/m2; over East Asia it exceeds 5 W/m2. However, the resulting regional patterns of surface temperature warming are uncorrelated to the forcing pattern (correlation coefficient of -0.172) and similar to the temperature patterns for well-mixed greenhouse gases (global pattern-correlation coefficient of 0.8) with the strongest summertime warming occurring over the continental US, Mediterranean Sea and southern Europe. It should be noted that the projections of future pollution emissions are extremely uncertain, particularly looking out to 2100.
	April 28, 2008 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm	Dr. Bruce Fryxell, Los Alamos National Laboratory, CRASH Research Scientist candidate 2246 SRB (Auditorium) Title: Simulation of Turbulent Flows With Strong Shocks Abstract: Computation of turbulent flows with strong shocks is a very challenging problem, since the requirements for a method to produce accurate results for turbulence are orthogonal to those needed to treat shocks properly. In order to prevent an unphysical rate of decay of the turbulent structures, it is necessary to use a method with very low numerical dissipation. Because of this, central difference schemes are widely used. However, computing strong shocks with a central difference scheme can produce unphysical post-shock oscillations that corrupt the entire flow unless additional dissipation is added. This dissipation can be difficult to localize to the area near the shock and can lead to inaccurate treatment of the turbulence. Modern high-resolution shock-capturing methods usually use upwind algorithms to provide the dissipation necessary to stabilize shocks. However, this upwind dissipation can also lead to an unphyical rate of decay of the turbulence. This talk will discuss a hybrid method for simulating turbulent flows with strong shocks that couples a high-order central difference scheme with a high-resolution shock-capturing method. The shock-capturing method is used only in the vicinity of discontinuities in the flow, while the central difference scheme is used in the remainder of the computational domain. Results of this new method will be shown for a variety of test problems, including Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities and the interaction of a shock with a turbulent flow field.