Category: Press Release

European Science Foundation signs agreement to host the Europlanet Society in Strasbourg

The Europlanet Society was formally established yesterday at an official event in the City Hall of Strasbourg following the announcement made at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. The Europlanet Society is a new membership organisation that aims to promote the advancement of planetary science in Europe and builds on the heritage of 15 years of Europlanet projects funded by the European Commission. The Society is open to both corporate and individual members.

At the event, the Europlanet Society and the European Science Foundation (ESF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to seal their partnership and strengthen their collaboration in the field of planetary science. Henceforth the ESF will host the Executive Office of the Society in its headquarters in Strasbourg and oversee the day-to-day running of the Society.

Jean-Claude Worms, ESF Chief Executive, said “Since its establishment in 1974 the ESF has always been a strong supporter of astronomy and space science, by hosting the European Space Science Committee (ESSC) that had been created earlier that year under the auspices of the UK Royal Society, or creating the ESF’s Astronomy Standing Committee. Soon after, the ESF-ESSC and the US National Academies’ Space Science Board organized a series of joint workshops in Strasbourg and Heidelberg in 1980, 1982 and 1984, that shaped the way for the development of the major planetary science missions Cassini and Rosetta. I am particularly proud that ESF can continue today to actively support that community through the hosting of the Europlanet Society in our Headquarters in Strasbourg”.

“The launch of the Europlanet Society is a landmark moment in the development of European planetary Science community and recognises that Europe is a major player in space exploration both in our solar system and beyond. The Europlanet Society aims to build and foster the European planetary Science community (academic and industrial) and engaging Europe’s citizens with this inspirational area of international research” said Prof Nigel Mason, President of the Europlanet Society.

The Europlanet Society will engage with decision makers and solicit the views of its members to provide coordinated input into strategy papers and policy consultations. Within Europe , the Europlanet Society will serve as a means of bringing the planetary science community together and contributing to the further development of the field, as well as building collaborations with related organisations in Europe and worldwide. These collaborations were represented at the event by Prof Michael Bode, Special Representative of the European Astronomical Society to the European Union. In his speech he emphasized the importance of scientific societies in building communities the European Research Area.

A scientific address was contributed by keynote lecturer, Dr Gabriel Tobie, who as a CNRS Researcher at the University of Nantes investigates the geophysical and geodynamic processes in oceans. On this occasion, he gave a presentation on Icy moons of the Solar System and their potential for hosting life.

The Europlanet Society is overseen by an elected Executive Board and ten European Regional Hubs will help the Society to develop planetary science communities and networks at a regional and national level. The Society has also established committees to support diversity and early career researchers within the community. Additional working groups will develop links with industry, amateur astronomers, outreach and education providers, and policy makers.

Science Contacts

Nigel Mason
President of the Europlanet Society
nigel.mason@open.ac.uk

Emmanouil Detsis
Europlanet Society Executive Office
European Science Foundation
edetsis@esf.org

Media Contacts

Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Laura Alvarez
ESF Communications Officer
Europlanet Society Executive Office
media@europlanet-society.org

Notes for Editors

European Science Foundation

The European Science Foundation (ESF) was established in 1974 as an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization committed to promoting the highest quality science in Europe, and to driving progress in research and innovation. Through Science Connect, its Expert Services division, the ESF provides quality scientific support based on a deep understanding of the scientific landscape, funding context and needs of the research community. With a portfolio of 31 high-profile European Commission funded projects since 2003, the ESF offers its expertise in project coordination and support to its members, customers and partners. It is also at the leading age of grant evaluation, with 4,500 research proposals evaluated since 2014, and a strong community of international experts that guarantee independence and transparency in the assessment process.

More information at www.esf.org

Europlanet Society

The Europlanet Society is a membership organisation which actively promotes the advancement of planetary science and related fields in Europe. The Society is open to individual and corporate members and builds on the heritage of 15 years of Europlanet projects funded by the European Commission. The Europlanet Society organises the annual European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC), the largest annual meeting on planetary science in Europe.

More information at www.europlanet-society.org

Europlanet

Since 2005, the Europlanet project has provided European’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European Citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. Europlanet 2020 RI is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries.

More information at www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu

Europlanet educational partner recognized on 2019 HundrED  list

HundrED, a global education nonprofit organisation, researches inspiring innovations in education from around the world and annually selects the 100 most inspiring initiatives. Educational practices had to meet the criteria of being innovative, impactful and scalable to make it onto the list. For the 2019 list, HundrED has recognized IAU astroEDU among the top-100 innovations.

IAU astroEDU — a project from the International Astronomical Union — is an open-access platform that uses the familiar peer-review concept of scientific publications, to improve the standards of quality, visibility and accessibility of educational activities. This online platform is a place where educators can discover, review, change, and share astronomy- and space-related activities for primary and secondary education, and also have their activities peer-reviewed by professionals in education and science. Europlanet 2020 RI has developed three new collections of planetary-themed educational activities for astroEDU: Children’s Planetary Maps, The Planets and Their Moons, Asteroids, Comets and Meteors. Europlanet has also contributed updates to three further astroEDU collections: Explore our Moon, Our Star: the Sun and Exploring the Earth. 

Saku Tuominen, CEO of HundrED, said: “Spreading innovations such as astroEDU across borders can be a gamechanger for education worldwide. We will continue to encourage as many stakeholders as possible including schools, educators, administrators, students and organizations to get involved so that we can work towards a positive future.”

“It is not another web repository for educational resources but a mechanism for peer-reviewing and publishing high-quality astronomy education activities in an open-access way,” says Michael Fitzgerald (IAU astroEDU Editor-in-Chief; Edith Cowan University). The peer review involves input from both a content specialist (scientist) and a pedagogical expert (educator). This assures educators that the activities are both scientifically current and address the pedagogical and practical realities of the classroom. The activities are inquiry-based, covering open-ended inquiry, guided inquiry, structured inquiry, project-based learning, and fun learning, in line with skills needed in the 21st-century. “In this new era of education,” concludes Fitzgerald, “education is becoming more self-directed, and I look forward to developing versions that adapt to the students, not just to the teachers.”

Innovating across digital learning environments, IAU astroEDU also announces the release of new educational videos to explain the unknown Universe, spanning concepts of black holes, dark matter, and dark energy. The videos feature astronomers Thomas Russell (researcher at University of Amsterdam), Henk Hoekstra (professor at Leiden University) and Maria Cristina Fortuna (PhD candidate at Leiden University), and provide incisive explanations supporting primary and secondary school activities on the topic. Hoekstra adds, “IAU astroEDU is an excellent platform to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and schools and we hope to see young minds engaged in solving the Universe’s most difficult mysteries.” The videos and activities are freely available on the IAU astroEDU platform.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 13 500 professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest professional body for astronomers.

IAU astroEDU began in 2013 as an International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) project in collaboration with the Astronomy & Society Group at Leiden University and Las Cumbres Observatory. In the last 5 years, astroEDU was awarded the first Scientix Award for Best Resources in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering and was nominated for Open Knowledge Foundation Award and also launched the first language version in Italian. This recognition also honours the astronomy education community, who contribute to IAU astroEDU. The development of the new IAU astroEDU activities and videos was funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

Links

• IAU astroEDU: https://astroedu.iau.org/en/   
• HundrED Innovations: https://hundred.org/en/innovations/iau-astroedu
• The complete list of this year’s HundrED innovations can be found here: https://hundred.org/en/collEDUections/hundred-2019

Origami opens up smart options for architecture on the Moon and Mars

Origami and high-performance textiles are transforming architecture plans for smart human habitats and research stations on the Moon and Mars. Initial field tests of the MoonMars project’s origami prototype will be presented at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin by Dr Anna Sitnikova.

MoonMars is a collaboration between the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), ESA-ESTEC, research institutions and textile architect studio Samira Boon. The MoonMars team have incorporated origami structure into digital weaving processes to sculpt complex forms that are compact to transport and easy to deploy through inflatable, pop-up or robotic mechanisms in extraterrestrial environments.

“Origami structures made of textiles can be unfolded into a myriad of different shapes. They are lightweight. They can be easily deployed and re-used in different configurations and sizes for flexible spatial usage. Structures remain functional in changing circumstances, thereby extending their useable life-span,” said Sitnikova, who leads the MoonMars project on behalf of the ILEWG.

In the hostile environment of space, high-performance textiles and the flexibile nature of origami can provide unique architectural advantages. The angled facets of origami structures mean that incoming micrometeorites are less likely hit surfaces at 90 degrees, dissipating the energy of potential impacts and the risks of penetration, thus protecting astronauts inside habitats. Solar panels embedded in shape-shifting textiles can follow the Sun to gather more energy through the day. Transparent and opaque facets can change direction to alter internal lighting and climate conditions.

Following initial tests of a prototype entrance tunnel during the EuroMoonMars simulation at the European Space Agency’s ESTEC facility in April 2018, the MoonMars team is now planning an ambitious series of trials for 2019. In June, the IGLUNA project, led by the Swiss Space Center, will include tests of an origami habitat in the glacier above Zermatt in Switzerland. In September 2019 the team will travel to Iceland to participate in a campaign inside a lava-tube cave system.

“We’ve just returned from a scouting trip and have selected the cave systems of Stefanshellir and Surtshellir, which has large galleries and a very elaborate tunnel system. We are provisionally looking at setting up a small habitat, implementing knowledge from previous demonstrations of our origami tunnel and woven domes,” said Sitnikova.

The next design milestone will be a self-deployable origami habitat.

“Origami for space architecture promotes cross-disciplinary approaches and applications, providing state-of-the-art production and design methods,” said Sitnikova. “Habitats enhanced by such structures are temporal and alive as they are able to transform and redefine themselves in resonance with human and environmental factors.”

Further information
The EuroMoonMars 2018 team thanks ILEWG for supporting its activities and ESA/ESTEC for providing field test opportunities and technical expertise.

Images

The prototype was deployed and tested to extreme conditions on the 20th of April during the EuroMoonMars2018 simulation at ESA – ESTEC. The origami structure was designed as a gateway and sub-system between the exo-habitat, airlock system and exo-laboratory. Credit: Anna Sitnikova

Freeform Origami Software by collaborator, Tomohiro Tachi, allows the team to sculpt or generate complex origami forms while altering  the crease pattern of the model. Credit: Tomohiro Tachi

Studio Samira Boon has created a woven self supported origami dome from a single sheet of fabric and woven self supportive arc. Credit: Studio Samira Boon

Studio Samira Boon has created woven self supported origami structures from a single sheet of fabric and woven self supportive arc. Credit: Studio Samira Boon

Contacts

Anna Sitnikova
MoonMars
annesitnikova@gmail.com

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.
Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Catalogue of planetary maps, past and present, highlights our evolving view of our Solar System

A catalogue that provides an overview of over 2,200 planetary maps produced worldwide between 1600 and 2018 was presented today at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. The catalogue has been produced by Henrik Hargitai, from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest (Hungary), and Mateusz Pitura, from the University of Wroclaw (Poland).

“Production of planetary maps started in Europe in the 1600s. It expanded to the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1960s and, more recently, has spread to China and Japan,” said Hargitai. “Over time, mapping has become less coordinated and more diverse, so that today it is becoming challenging to oversee the proliferation of spatial data published in different countries by institutions, individual researchers and, increasingly, citizen scientists. A common database is needed.”

To provide this definitive overview, Hargitai and Pitura have created the open access “International Catalogue of Planetary Maps”, available at http://planetarymapping.org and through the International Cartographic Association’s Commission on Planetary Cartography. The data can be filtered by author, year, country, scale, type and reveal long-term trends in planetary mapping and planetary science activities. Recent web-based map services, such as MoonTrek by NASA/JPL/Caltech or OpenPlanetaryMap’s vector basemap of Mars are organized into layers so that the user can view and analyse planetary surfaces in detail with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. Most of the maps in the cataloguepresent Mars (40% of all maps) and the Moon (46%) whereas mapping of Venus (5%), Mercury (2%) and the Jovian moons (4%) has produced many less examples. Around 20% of all maps are geologic maps that represent the most complex planetary cartographic analysis.

“Our catalogue is being updated regularly with both newly resurfaced historic maps and new additions. For the future, we plan to add maps that have been published in journal articles and digitize maps that do not yet include GIS formats,” added Hargitai. “We live in a transition period where static maps that characterized the last 400 years may become extinct, replaced by dynamic digital map services and tools. In the digital platforms it is becoming difficult even to define what we consider to be a ‘map’, and not just layers of spatial data. Maps are used for mission planning, surface operation, and post-mission analysis. In the near future, they will be key components of planning and operating new human missions.”

Images

Details of four maps representing planetary maps with different themes, goals and eras. 1647: One of the first detailed telescopic maps of the Moon, with an Earth-like representation (J. Hevelius: Selenographia). 1824: the first segmented lunar map with topographic and albedo details of the Moon, using hachures (W. Lohrman: Topographie der sichtbaren Mondoberflaeche, Dresden). 1960: the first astrogeologic map of the Moon, the Lunar Photogeologic Chart (LPC 58) that introduced stratigraphic methods to planetary mapping (EM Shoemaker, RJ Hackman, USA). 2016: Map of Charon designed for children, representing a new type of outreach maps (A. Gyöngyösi, Hungary).

Contacts

Dr Henrik Hargitai
Eötvös Loránd University
Budapest
Hungary
hhargitai@gmail.com

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet Society, launched in September 2018, is a membership organisation to promote the advancement of planetary science and related fields in Europe. It is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2024-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Plans for European Astrobiology Institute announced

Astrobiology, the study of the origin, evolution and future of life on Earth and beyond, is a multidisciplinary field that has expanded rapidly over the last two decades. Now, a consortium of organisations has announced plans to establish a European Astrobiology Institute (EAI) to coordinate astrobiology research in Europe. The new institute is being created in accordance with the recommendations of a White Paper addressing the scientific and social implications of astrobiology research in Europe, presented today at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin.

The White Paper includes contributions from authors in twenty countries and over thirty scientific institutions worldwide. The contributions draw on the experiences of other astrobiology research communities around the world and recognise the societal implications of the field as well as addressing the scientific goals.

“We are increasingly well-placed to answer major questions concerning the possibility of extraterrestrial life, the origins of life on Earth and the evolution of our planet,” said Wolf Geppert, co-author of the White Paper chapter on leading the future of astrobiology in Europe. “By its nature, astrobiology is multidisciplinary field that requires collaboration. This White Paper shows that Astrobiology has the potential to be a flagship of European cooperation. The formation of the EAI will provide a structure that will bring together many organisations involved in the field to coordinate research and provide a proactive voice for the community.”

Missions and research programmes related to astrobiology have led to some of the most significant and high-profile discoveries in recent years. Thousands of planets have been discovered in other solar systems. The Rosetta mission confirmed a connection between comets an the life-supporting atmosphere on Earth. There is the potential that, in the near future, we will discover living or fossilized microbes on planets or moons within our own Solar System, or we could find signs of biological processes in exoplanetary systems.

“Regardless of whether or not we find evidence for life beyond Earth, astrobiology can provide paradigm-changing scientific advances in our understanding of our origins and our place in the Universe,” said Nigel Mason, who edited and co-authored the White Paper chapter on science and research. “Key areas of research identified in the White Paper include understanding the formation of habitable planets and moons, the pathway to produce the complex organics needed for life from simple molecules, how the conditions for life evolved on the early Earth and the study of life under extreme conditions.”

The White Paper includes sections on environmental protection and sustainability, current regulation, education, training, careers, technical innovation and commerce. In particular, the White Paper emphasises the role of social sciences and humanities in astrobiology and how the field has the capacity to change the view of how humans look at themselves and what it means to be alive.

“Astrobiology has clear existential implications. The social sciences and humanities can play a key role in helping us to prepare for the discovery of life beyond Earth, whether microbial or intelligent, and to understand the likely theological, ethical and worldview impacts on society,” said Klara Anna Čápová, co-editor of the White Paper and author of chapters on the social study of astrobiology as a science and public understanding of astrobiology. “Astrobiology is a subject of intrinsic interest to the general public and to school students but it is also vulnerable to misinterpretation. The formation of the EAI will enable us to make sure that reliable information is distributed to Europe’s citizens and classrooms and that they are actively engaged with the field.”

Astrobiology also presents environmental challenges in ensuring that any extraterrestrial life forms or remains are not compromised by scientific investigations (forward planetary protection), and protecting the Earth from contamination by potentially harmful biological material of extraterrestrial origin (backward planetary protection).

“The preservation of biodiversity and of pristine environments on Earth is of the greatest importance for our ability to study life, its origin, distribution and future. Both forward and backward planetary protection must be understood within a broader context of ensuring the sustainability of scientific and commercial practices,” said Erik Persson, co-editor of the White Paper and author of chapters on the international context of astrobiology and environment and sustainability.

An interim board has been established to map out the tasks, structure, governing bodies, activities, funding and administration of a EAI. The presentation of the White Paper at EPSC 2018 is the first step in a community consultation on its recommendations and plans for the EAI. The formal launch of the EAI is planned for the spring of 2019.

The White Paper “Astrobiology and Society in Europe Today”, edited by K. Capova, E. Persson, T. Milligan, D. Dunér, is published through the SpringerBriefs in Astronomy book series, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96265-8

Astrobiology and Society in Europe Today
Read the chapter Leading the Future of Astrobiology in Europe for free until 30 September 2018.
http://bit.ly/2OCDX0l

European Astrobiology Institute: http://europeanastrobiology.eu

Images

The “Flammarion Engraving”, a woodcut engraving by unknown first documented in Camille Flammarion‘s 1888 book “L’atmosphère: météorologie populaire”.

Tardigrades can survive in extreme conditions. Credit: Ingemar Jönsson, Kristianstad University, Sweden.

North to south. Image of Mars taken by ESA’s Mars Express during camera calibration. Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CCBY-SA3.0GO

Fresh from Earth. An image shared by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on his social media channels. Credit: ESA/NASA

Field trips to analogues of other planets and extreme sites play a key role in astrobiology research. Credit: Karen Meech

Science Contacts
Prof Wolf Dietrich Geppert
Stockholm University
Sweden
wgeppert@fysik.su.se

Dr Klara Anna Čápová
Honorary Research Fellow
Durham Anthropology
UK
k.a.capova@durham.ac.uk
klaraannacapova.org
Facebook: @spacecultures

Prof Nigel Mason
The Open University / University of Kent
UK
nigel.mason@open.ac.uk

Dr Erik Persson
Lund University
Sweden
erik.persson@fil.lu.se

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet Society, launched in September 2018, is a membership organisation to promote the advancement of planetary science and related fields in Europe. It is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Europlanet Society launched at the European Planetary Science Congress 2018

The Europlanet Society, a new membership organisation to promote the advancement of planetary science in Europe, has been launched today at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. The Society is open to individual and institutional members and builds on the heritage of 15 years of Europlanet projects funded by the European Commission.

“With the launch of the Europlanet Society, we have put in place a sustainable structure to support planetary science in Europe for decades to come,” said Prof Nigel Mason, President of the Europlanet Society. “Europlanet has made a unique contribution in building a coherent, collaborative, strategic community for planetary science and related fields in Europe. The Europlanet Society is an exciting new venture that will enable individuals and organisations involved in all aspects of planetary science to take an active role in shaping our community’s future.”

Governance of the Europlanet Society will be overseen by an elected Executive Board, with the first elections to be held at the Society’s General Assembly in October 2019. The Society has established committees to support diversity and early career researchers within the community. Additional working groups will develop links with industry, amateur astronomers, outreach and education providers and policymakers.

The day-to-day running of the Society is managed by the Europlanet Executive Office, to be hosted by the European Science Foundation in Strasbourg. Eleven Regional Hubs located around Europe will help the Society to develop planetary science communities and networks at a regional and national level. The Society will act as the parent body for future EPSC meetings.

Nicolas Walter of the European Science Foundation, said: “We estimate that there are over 1,000 tenured researchers with an interest in planetary science working in more than 200 research institutes across Europe, as well as around 4,000 early career scientists and more than 1,000 companies and SMEs. However, there are still parts of Europe that are under-represented in our community. One of the primary aims of the Europlanet Society is to build capacity in these regions. We have developed an affordable, flexible structure for the Society that will facilitate individuals and institutions from all countries and diverse backgrounds to join.”

The Europlanet Society will engage with decision makers and solicit the views of its members to provide coordinated input into strategy papers and policy consultations. It will also collaborate and coordinate with all other sister organisations related to planetary sciences in Europe and world-wide.

Athena Coustenis, Vice President of the Europlanet Society, said: “Planetary science is a growing field that sits at the intersection of many different disciplines. With so many current and upcoming missions to explore our solar system and those around other stars, it’s a very exciting time. The formation of the Europlanet Society will ensure that we have a strong community in Europe that can identify strategic priorities and maximise the scientific return on investment through the European Space Agency and national and international programmes.”

Images
The Europlanet Society General Assembly following the launch of the Society at the European Planetary Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. Credit: Europlanet Society

Prof Nigel Mason proposes the launch of the Europlanet Society at the General Assembly at the European Planetary Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. Credit: Europlanet Society

The Europlanet Society supports the advancement of planetary science in Europe, including research and technology development related to the study of our Solar System and those around other stars, and how the Earth compares to other planetary bodies. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

Science Contacts
Nigel Mason
President of the Europlanet Society
nigel.mason@open.ac.uk

Nicolas Walter
Europlanet Society Executive Office
European Science Foundation
nwalter@esf.org

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Laura Alvarez
ESF Communications Officer
lalvarez@esf.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.
Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet Society, launched in September 2018, is a membership organisation to promote the advancement of planetary science and related fields in Europe. It is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: http://www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

The European Science Foundation
The European Science Foundation (ESF) was established in 1974 as an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization committed to promoting the highest quality science in Europe, and to driving progress in research and innovation. Through its Expert Services division, Science Connect, the ESF provides quality scientific support based on a deep understanding of the scientific landscape, funding context and needs of the research community. With a portfolio of 31 high-profile European Commission funded projects since 2003, the ESF offers its expertise in project coordination and support to its members, customers and partners. It is also at the leading age of grant evaluation, with 4,500 research proposals evaluated since 2014, and a strong community of international experts that guarantee independence and transparency in the assessment process.
More information at http://www.esf.org

ScanMars demonstrates water detection device for astronauts on Mars

Analogue astronauts have successfully trialed a radar that could help future Mars explorers identify where to dig for water. ScanMars is an Italian experiment that was used to identify subsurface water features in the Mars-like Dhofar region of Oman during the AMADEE-18 analogue mission in February 2018. The results will be presented by Alessandro Frigeri of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin.

The ScanMars ground penetrating radar has been developed by a group of Italian scientists from INAF’s Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali and the University of Perugia. The radar has an appearance similar to a metal detector, with a pack of instrumentation pulled along the ground at the end of a pole. The radar investigates the subsurface by transmitting and receiving radio-wave impulses into the ground. Regions with different geological characteristics react in different ways to the radio-waves, and enable an image of the subsoil structure and boundaries to be built up from the reflected signals.

Led by the Austrian Space Forum, the AMADEE-18 mission aimed to prepare for future human exploration of Mars by conducting experiments in different fields ranging from engineering to astrobiology and from geophysics to life sciences. After being trained on how to use ScanMars at the Austrian Space Forum’s facilities in Innsbruck, analogue astronauts tested the radar over four areas in Dhofar with different geologic characteristics. In total, they collected a total of about 70,0000 radar echoes and 1.4 kilometres of profiles to a depth of 5 metres.

“The innovative element of ScanMars with respect to common radar fieldwork is that the data was acquired by the analogue astronauts and not the scientists,” said Dr Frigeri. “This means that the astronauts’ training has become a key part of the experiment.”

Among all the data collected during the AMADEE-18 expedition, the instrument successfully recognised the typical signal of a dry riverbed, or wadi.

“The data quality is very good and, even if we are not yet able to distinguish unambiguously the presence of water, we can find alluvial structures that could guide future astronauts to dig where they are most likely to find water,” said Dr Frigeri. “In view of the recent discovery of liquid water beneath the surface of Mars, it’s very timely to look ahead to the development of techniques that future explorers could use to analyse the Martian subsurface.”

The ScanMars radar has a range of applications on Earth and has been used by the University of Perugia to analyse the fault zone involved in the Italian earthquake of Amatrice- that took place in August 2016.

The ScanMars experiment also represents a successful demonstration of collaboration between a scientific team, an operations team and a field crew.

“Our mission embraced different aspects of scientific exploration and implemented new strategies and workflows for the members,” said Dr Frigeri. “Getting these collaborations right will be extremely precious for future human planetary missions.”

“The georadar experiment, as part of a carefully designed workflow called the exploration cascade, was a remarkable demonstration of the potential of this method. The exploration cascade determines the sequence of when and which instrument to deploy during a human Mars mission. For future analogue missions, and for the actual first human missions to Mars, this was an important demonstration in a high-fidelity proving-ground environment,” said Dr Gernot Grömer, Administrative Director of the Austrian Space Forum.

Images

The analogue astronauts using the ScanMars radar in the Dhofar region, Oman during AMADEE-18. Credits: OEWF – Austrian Space Forum

The analogue astronauts using the ScanMars radar in the Dhofar region, Oman during AMADEE-18. Credits: OEWF – Austrian Space Forum

The analogue astronauts using the ScanMars radar in the Dhofar region, Oman during AMADEE-18. Credits: OEWF – Austrian Space Forum

The analogue astronauts using the ScanMars radar in the Dhofar region, Oman during AMADEE-18. Credits: OEWF – Austrian Space Forum

Science contacts
Alessandro Frigeri
alessandro.frigeri@iaps.inaf.it
+39 06 4993 4227
mobile: +339 7256229

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.
Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.
Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Candy-pink lagoon serves up salt-rich diet for potential life on Mars

The discovery of a microorganism that gives a candy-pink lagoon in central Spain its startling colour is providing new evidence for how life could survive on a high-salt diet on Mars or Europa. The Laguna de Peña Hueca, part of the Lake Tirez system in La Mancha, has very high concentrations of salt and sulphur and is a good analogue for chloride deposits found in the Southern highlands of Mars and briny water beneath Europa’s icy crust. The results of a study of microorganisms found in the lake will be presented at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin by Dr Felipe Gómez.

Dr Rebecca Thombre and Dr Gómez collected samples of lagoon water and studied the physical characteristics and genetic sequence of the isolated microorganisms. They found that the lagoon’s pink colour derives from the red cells of a sub-genus of the salt-loving algae Dunaliella. This extremophilic algal strain from Laguna de Peña Hueca has been named Dunaliella salina EP-1 after the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure, which funded the study through its transnational access programme.

“Dunaliella salina EP-1 is one of the most salt-tolerant extremophiles that we’ve found,” said Dr Thombre, of the Department of Biotechnology, at the Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Shivajinagar, Pune, India. “Microbes find it difficult to tolerate hypersaline environments because water needed for the cell to function tends to flow out through the cell-membrane into the salty surroundings. The algae survive the conditions at Peña Hueca by producing molecules like glycerol that mimic the external salt concentrations within the cell and counteract water-loss.”

The cells of Dunaliella algae are used in many countries for the industrial production of carotenoids, ß-carotene, glycerol, bioactives, biofuel and antioxidants, so the strain EP-1 may have applications for a range of biotechnologies.

“Considering the commercial and economic significance of this organism, future studies are warranted to gain a complete picture of its physiology, ecology and biotechnological potential,” said Dr Thombre.

The team also identified the halophilic bacteria, Halomonas gomseomensis PLR-1, in a pink rock submerged in the sulphate-rich brine of Peña Hueca. The study of this microorganism may provide vital clues in understanding the role of sulphates in microbial growth and lithopanspermia, the theory that organisms can be transferred in rocks from one planet to another.

“The resilience of extremophiles to the conditions of Mars analogues on Earth demonstrate their potential to thrive in martian soils,” said Dr Gómez of the Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain. “This has implications for planetary protection, as well as how algae might be used to terraform Mars.”

Images

The candy-pink Laguna de Peña Hueca derives its colour from the red cells of the salt-loving algae Dunaliella salina EP-1. Credit: Europlanet/F Gómez/R Thombre

The water in the candy-pink Laguna de Peña Hueca derives its colour from the red cells of the salt-loving algae Dunaliella salina EP-1. Credit: Europlanet/F Gómez/R Thombre

The water in the candy-pink Laguna de Peña Hueca derives its colour from the red cells of the salt-loving algae Dunaliella salina EP-1. Credit: Europlanet/F Gómez/R Thombre

Red samples of the salt-loving algae Dunaliella salina EP-1 in a salt crystal. Credit: Europlanet/F Gómez/R Thombre

This extremophilic algal strain from Laguna de Peña Hueca has been named Dunaliella salina EP-1 after the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure. Credit: Europlanet/F Gomez/R Thombre

Science Contacts
Dr Rebecca S Thombre
Modern College,Shivajinagar, Pune-5, India
rebecca.thombre@gmail.com

Dr Felipe Gómez Gómez
Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC)
Madrid, Spain
gomezgf@cab.inta-csic.es

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.
Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.
Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/
Europlanet project website: http://www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

2018 Farinella Prize Awarded to Francis Nimmo for Work on Giant Planets’ Satellite Systems

Prof Francis Nimmo, an English scientist working at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has been awarded the eighth Paolo Farinella Prize in 2018 for his contributions to understanding of the internal structure and evolution of icy bodies in the Solar System. The award ceremony was hosted today at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin, Germany. The ceremony included a lecture by Prof Nimmo on giant planets satellite systems.

The annual prize was established in 2010 to honour the memory of the Italian scientist Paolo Farinella (1953-2000) and, each year, it acknowledges an outstanding researcher not older than 47 years (the age of Farinella when he passed away) who has achieved important results in one of Farinella’s fields of work. Each year the Prize focuses on a different research area and in 2018, the eighth edition was devoted to the giant planets satellite systems, their geology, geophysics and orbital evolution.

Prof Nimmo has made significant contributions to understanding the internal structure and evolution of icy bodies of the Solar System and the resulting influence on their surface processes. He has investigated the internal processes that affect plume activity at Enceladus’ southern polar region, suggesting that shear heating is at the origin of the plumes and heat flux on this moon. He has also studied other giant planet satellites, including Europa, Ganymede, Titan, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Triton, and others.

“Francis Nimmo has shown an excellent ability to combine geologic observations with geophysics and orbital dynamics to clarify the formation and evolution of icy satellites,” said David Lucchesi, Member of the Organising Committee of the Farinella Prize. “His outstanding publication record contains over 180 peer-reviewed papers, have been very well received by the community as shown by the extraordinary number of citations. For these reasons, Prof Nimmo is well deserving the 2018 Farinella Prize.”

Prof Nimmo received a BA degree in geological science and a PhD in volcanism and tectonics on Venus from St John’s College, Cambridge University, UK. He has worked at the California Institute of Technology, University College London and the University of California, Los Angeles. He currently holds the position of Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Before receiving the Prize, Prof Nimmo commented, “I never had the privilege of meeting Paolo Farinella, but I know we shared a deep interest in the origin and dynamics of outer Solar System bodies, like Pluto and Triton. These bodies are interesting and complicated because their orbits affect their interiors, and their interiors affect their orbits. It is precisely this feature that leads my work: I make inferences about the interiors and evolution of Solar System bodies using geological and geophysical techniques, and then try to drawn dynamical conclusions. My approach is quite different from Prof Farinella’s and most of the previous recipients’ of the Prize, so I am even more proud of winning the Prize.”

Further Information
The Paolo Farinella prize (http://www.europlanet-eu.org/paolo-farinella-prize) was established to honour the memory and the outstanding figure of Paolo Farinella (1953-2000), an extraordinary scientist and person, in recognition of significant contributions given in the fields of interest of Farinella, which span from planetary sciences to space geodesy, fundamental physics, science popularization, and security in space, weapons control and disarmament. The winner of the prize is selected each year on the basis of his/her overall research results in a chosen field, among candidates with international and interdisciplinary collaborations, not older than 47 years, the age of Farinella when he passed away, at the date of 25 March 2000. The prize has first been proposed during the “International Workshop on Paolo Farinella the scientist and the man,” held in Pisa in 2010, supported by the University of Pisa, ISTI/CNR and by IAPS-INAF (Rome). The first “Paolo Farinella prize” was awarded in 2011 to William Bottke, for his contribution to the field of “physics and dynamics of small solar system bodies”. In 2012 the prize went to John Chambers, for his contribution to the field of “formation and early evolution of the solar system”. In 2013, to Patrick Michel, for his work in the field of “collisional processes in the solar system”. In 2014, it was awarded to David Vokrouhlicky for his contributions to “our understanding of the dynamics and physics of solar system, including how pressure from solar radiation affects the orbits of both asteroids and artificial satellites”, in 2015 to Nicolas Biver for his studies of “the molecular and isotopic composition of cometary volatiles by means of submillimeter and millimeter ground and space observations,” and in 2016 to Dr. Kleomenis Tsiganis for “his studies of the applications of celestial mechanics to the dynamics of planetary systems, including the development of the Nice model”. Last year, it was presented to Simone Marchi for his contributions to “understanding the complex problems related to the impact history and physical evolution of the inner Solar System, including the Moon”.

Images

Prof Francis Nimmo, winner of the Farinella Prize 2018. Credit: F. Nimmo/Europlanet/A. Postiglione

Prof Francis Nimmo being presented the Farinella Prize 2018 by Maria Cristina De Sanctis. Credit: F. Nimmo/Europlanet/A. Postiglione

Prof Francis Nimmo giving the Farinella Prize Lecture 2018. Credit: F. Nimmo/Europlanet/A. Postiglione

Science Contacts
Prof Francis Nimmo
Dept. Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz
fnimmo@es.ucsc.edu
tel. +1 831 459 1783
mobile +1 415 640 1528

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
+44 7756034243
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini,
EPSC2018 Press Officer
livia.giacomini@iaps.inaf.it

EPSC 2018

The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet

Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet Society website: http://www.europlanet-society.org/

Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu

Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

ExoMars highlights radiation risk for Mars astronauts, and watches as dust storm subsides
European Space Agency/European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 Press Release

Astronauts on a mission to Mars would be exposed to at least 60% of the total radiation dose limit recommended for their career during the journey itself to and from the Red Planet, according to data from the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter being presented at the European Planetary Science Congress, EPSC, in Berlin, Germany, this week.

The orbiter’s camera team are also presenting new images of Mars during the meeting. They will also highlight the challenges faced from the recent dust storm that engulfed the entire planet, preventing high-quality imaging of the surface.

Radiation monitoring
The Trace Gas Orbiter began its science mission at Mars in April, and while its primary goals are to provide the most detailed inventory of martian atmospheric gases to date – including those that might be related to active geological or biological processes – its radiation monitor has been collecting data since launch in 2016.

The Liulin-MO dosimeter of the Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) provided data on the radiation doses recorded during the orbiter’s six-month interplanetary cruise to Mars, and since the spacecraft reached orbit around the planet.

On Earth, a strong magnetic field and thick atmosphere protects us from the unceasing bombardment of galactic cosmic rays, fragments of atoms from outside our Solar System that travel at close to the speed of light and are highly penetrating for biological material.
In space this has the potential to cause serious damage to humans, including radiation sickness, an increased lifetime risk for cancer, central nervous system effects, and degenerative diseases, which is why ESA is researching ways to best protect astronauts on long spaceflight missions.

The ExoMars measurements cover a period of declining solar activity, corresponding to a high radiation dose. Increased activity of the Sun can deflect the galactic cosmic rays, although very large solar flares and eruptions can themselves be dangerous to astronauts.

“One of the basic factors in planning and designing a long-duration crewed mission to Mars is consideration of the radiation risk,” says Jordanka Semkova of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and lead scientist of the Liulin-MO instrument.

“Radiation doses accumulated by astronauts in interplanetary space would be several hundred times larger than the doses accumulated by humans over the same time period on Earth, and several times larger than the doses of astronauts and cosmonauts working on the International Space Station. Our results show that the journey itself would provide very significant exposure for the astronauts to radiation.”

The results imply that on a six-month journey to the Red Planet, and assuming six-months back again, an astronaut could be exposed to at least 60% of the total radiation dose limit recommended for their entire career.

The ExoMars data, which is in good agreement with data from Mars Science Laboratory’s cruise to Mars in 2011–2012 and with other particle detectors currently in space – taking into account the different solar conditions – will be used to verify radiation environment models and assessments of the radiation risk to the crewmembers of future exploration missions.

A similar sensor is under preparation for the ExoMars 2020 mission to monitor the radiation environment from the surface of Mars. Arriving in 2021, the next mission will comprise a rover and a stationary surface science platform. The Trace Gas Orbiter will act as a data relay for the surface assets.

Global dust storm subsides
Radiation is not the only hazard facing Mars missions. A global dust storm that engulfed the planet earlier this year resulted in severely reduced light levels at the surface, sending NASA’s Opportunity rover into hibernation. The solar-powered rover has been silent for more than three months.

Orbiting 400 km above the surface, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter’s Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, has also suffered. Because the surface of the planet was almost totally obscured by dust, the camera was switched off for much of the storm period.

“Normally we don’t like to release images like this, but it does show how the dust storm prevents useful imaging of the surface,” says the camera’s Principal Investigator, Nicolas Thomas from the University of Bern. “We had images that were worse than this when we took an occasional look at the conditions, and it didn’t make too much sense to try to look through ‘soup’.”

But the camera team discovered that even a dust cloud has a silver lining.

“The dust-obscured observations are actually quite good for calibration,” says Nicolas. “The camera has a small amount of straylight and we have been using the dust storm images to find the source of the straylight and begin to derive algorithms to remove it.”

Since 20 August, CaSSIS has started round-the-clock imaging again.

“We still have some images affected by the dust storm but it is quickly getting back to normal and we have already had a lot of good quality images coming down since the beginning of September,” adds Nicolas.

One image acquired on 2 September, although not completely free from artefacts, shows striking dark streaks that might be linked to the storm itself. A possible interpretation is that these features were produced by ‘dust devils’ – whirlwinds – stirring up loose surface material. The region, Ariadne Colles in the southern hemisphere of Mars, was imaged by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter camera in March, before the storm, and there seemed to be little evidence of these streaks.

“We are very excited to be discussing some of the first scientific results from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter at EPSC this week, as well as the progress of the upcoming surface mission,” says Håkan Svedhem, ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter project scientist.

“While our instrument teams are working hard analysing the details of the atmospheric gas inventory and preparing these results for publication, we are certainly pleased to already be able to contribute to topical discussions on the dust storm and on issues that are essential for future crewed missions to Mars.”

Images
Dust devils on Mars
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/09/Dust_devil_tracks_on_Mars
The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, onboard the joint ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter imaged the Ariadne Colles region at 34ºS on 2 September 2018. The image shows an unusual terrain type – sometimes referred to as chaotic blocks – but what is particularly striking are the large number of dark streaks. One possible interpretation is that these features were produced during the recent dust storm: they could have resulted from dust devils stirring up the surface dust. Credits: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Dust obscures surface of Mars
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/09/Dust_obscures_surface_of_Mars
Example of an image effected by the global dust storm that began in late May, and which had engulfed the planet a month later. Although it is now subsiding, the dust in the atmosphere has obscured images taken by orbiting spacecraft. This image was taken by the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter on 3 August. Because the image quality was so reduced, the camera was switched off for much of the storm period, only returning to routine imaging in late August. Despite the challenges, images like these have allowed the team to better calibrate their observations by identifying sources of straylight.
Credits: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Artist’s impression of the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) with its instrument packages labelled. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2015/11/Trace_Gas_Orbiter_instruments

Science contacts
Jordanka Semkova
Lead scientist Liulin-MO instrument
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
jsemkova@stil.bas.bg

Nicolas Thomas
Principal Investigator CaSSIS
University of Bern, Switzerland
nicolas.thomas@space.unibe.ch

Håkan Svedhem
ESA TGO project scientist
hakan.svedhem@esa.int

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Markus Bauer
ESA Science Communication Officer
Tel: +31 71 565 6799
Mob: +31 61 594 3 954
markus.bauer@esa.int

Notes for Editors

Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND): http://exploration.esa.int/mars/48523-trace-gas-orbiter-instruments/?fbodylongid=2217

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.
Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.
Europlanet outreach website: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Early birth and strange chemistry: Mercury studies reveal an intriguing target for BepiColombo

**CORRECTED: This release contains revisions/corrections to the paragraphs relating to the chemical composition of Mercury in the version distributed on 18^th September.**

A month before the planned launch of the joint ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, two new studies shed light on when the innermost planet formed and the puzzle of its chemical composition. The findings will be presented by Bastien Brugger and Thomas Ronnet at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin.

Mercury is the least-studied of the terrestrial planets and is something of an anomaly compared to Venus, Earth and Mars. It is very small, very dense, has an oversized molten core, and formed under chemical conditions that mean it contains much less oxidized material than its neighbouring planets.

Research by a team at the University of Aix Marseille suggests that two factors may help explain why Mercury is so strange. Firstly, the planet may have formed very early in the Solar System’s history from condensed vapour from planetesimals. Secondly, that there may be more iron within Mercury’s mantle than might be suggested by measurements of the surface.

“We think that very early in the Solar System, planetesimals in the innermost region of the Solar System could have formed from reprocessed material that was vaporized due to the extreme temperature there and subsequently recondensed,” said Ronnet. “In addition, we are able to rule out a scenario where Mercury formed from a pile-up of planetesimals coming from further out in the Solar System since, in this case, Mercury would contain more oxidized material than we actually find.”

Early studies have suggested that Mercury is very rich in iron, and contains more sulphur than should be available in the material from which the bulk of the Solar System formed. Since then, the MESSENGER mission has greatly improved our view of the bulk composition of Mercury.

Brugger ran computer simulations of Mercury’s interior investigating core and mantle compositions and compared the results with gravity data gathered by the MESSENGER mission. The results suggest that Mercury has a dense mantle that may contain substantial amounts of iron.

“MESSENGER revealed very low abundances of silicate iron on the surface of Mercury, and this element would instead be present in metallic or sulphide phases. Our study suggests that iron abundances in the mantle could be higher than values measured on the surface,” said Brugger. “With the launch of BepiColombo, we will have a whole new suite of instruments to continue the investigation of Mercury’s unique properties, and try to better understand the structure and origin of the planet.”

BepiColombo is Europe’s first mission to Mercury. It is a joint endeavour between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, and consists of two scientific orbiters: ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter and JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter. They will be carried on a seven year journey to the innermost planet by the Mercury Transfer Module, using a combination of ion propulsion and gravity assist flybys at Earth, Venus and Mercury. The mission will study all aspects of Mercury, building on the achievements of MESSENGER to provide the best understanding of the Solar System’s innermost planet to date.

Images

BepiColombo approaching Mercury. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab, NASA/JPL

Interior of Mercury. Credit: Brugger/ University of Aix Marseille/NASA/JPL/JHU-APL

False colour image of Mercury to enhance the chemical, mineralogical, and physical differences between the rocks that make up Mercury’s surface. Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Science Contacts

Bastien Brugger
University of Aix Marseille
bastien.brugger@lam.fr

Thomas Ronnet
University of Aix Marseille
thomas.ronnet@lam.fr

Media Contacts

Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018

The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/

About Europlanet

Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet outreach website: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/

Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu

Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Hit-and-run heist of water by terrestrial planets in the early Solar System

A study simulating the final stages of terrestrial planet formation shows that ‘hit-and-run’ encounters play a significant role in the acquisition of water by large protoplanets, like those that grew into Mars and Earth. The results will be presented by Christoph Burger at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin.

Four and a half billion years ago, the inner Solar System was a chaotic place with around 50-100 protoplanets ranging in size from the Moon to Mars that were prone to giant collisions. Bodies that formed within what is now the orbit of Mars contained no water as the conditions were too hot for volatile material, like water or methane, to condense. For water to make its way onto the developing terrestrial planets, water needed to be delivered from outside this region via a sequence of collisions.

Burger and colleagues from the University of Vienna and Tübingen have used high-resolution simulations to track the fate of water and other materials through a series of different impact scenarios. Outcomes of collisions could include bodies sticking together, material being lost, or being redistributed between the two objects. The results depend on various factors like the speed and angle of impact, the difference in mass between the bodies and their total mass.

“We found that ‘hit-and-run’ collisions, where the impact is off-centre and the bodies have enough speed to separate again after the encounter, are very common. In these scenarios, tens of percent of water can be transferred between the colliding bodies or ejected and lost entirely,” said Burger.

The smaller of the colliding pair is often modified down to the core and effectively stripped of water, while the more-massive body remains more-or-less unaltered. The team is now focusing on how long chains of successive collisions affect the evolution of a disk of planetesimals and protoplanets.

“Recent research shows that comets can only account for a small fraction of the terrestrial planets’ water. These giant collisions early in the Solar System’s history must also be a major source. Our results strongly suggest we need to track the water in both survivors following hit-and-run encounters. This will help us predict the properties of planets that form as the end-product of a long sequence of successive collisions,” said Burger.

Images

Snapshots from the simulations illustrating water transfer and loss in a typical hit-and-run encounter. The blue and white colours represent water on the initial bodies, while red is rocky material from their interiors. Credit: Burger et al

Artist’s concept of a celestial body about the size of the moon colliding with a body the size of Mercury. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Science Contacts
Christoph Burger
University of Vienna
c.burger@univie.ac.at

Media Contacts
Anita Heward
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
Europlanet/EPSC 2018 Communications Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

EPSC 2018
The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) is taking place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science. Around 1000 scientists from Europe and around the world will attend EPSC 2018 and will give around 1,250 oral and poster presentations about the latest results on our own Solar System and planets orbiting other stars.
Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu/ 

About Europlanet
Europlanet provides Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC).

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.
Europlanet outreach website: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Details of press briefings at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018

The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) will take place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. More than 1250 abstracts have been submitted and over 1000 planetary scientists from Europe and around the world are expected to attend the meeting, making it the largest stand-alone EPSC to date.

EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science and the programme covers the full spectrum of planetary science and technology. A full programme of scientific sessions can be found here:
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/EPSC2018-session-overview-final.pdf

Two press briefings will be held during the meeting:

Tuesday, 18th September, 12:45-13:45 Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

Mercury and BepiColombo

• New results on the birth and strange chemistry of Mercury – Thomas Ronnet and Bastien Brugger (University of Aix Marseille)
• One month to BepiColombo launch – Johannes Benkhoff (European Space Agency)
• Investigating mysterious Mercury with BepiColombo – Joana Oliveira (European Space Agency)
• The Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter of the BepiColombo mission – Go Murakami (JAXA)

Friday, 21st September, 12:45-13:45 Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

Astrobiology and Society in Europe Today

• Key science and research areas for astrobiology – Prof Nigel Mason (Open University, UK)
• Astrobiology and society and Europe – Dr Klara Anna Čápová (Durham University, UK)
• Environment and sustainability for astrobiology – Dr Erik Persson (Lund University, Sweden)
• Leading the future of astrobiology in Europe: The European Astrobiology Institute – Prof Wolf Geppert (Stockholm University, Sweden)

Live streams of both press briefings can be accessed at:
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/epsc-2018-livestream-press-briefings/

Submit questions during the briefing via the chat window, via Twitter @europlanetmedia, or email anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org.

Press notices on presentations that may be of special interest to the media will be circulated during the meeting. The meeting hashtag is #EPSC2018.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu

EPSC 2018 is the annual meeting of Europlanet and is organised by Copernicus Meetings.

MEDIA REGISTRATION
Media representatives are cordially invited to attend EPSC 2018. Press room facilities will be available for the duration of the conference from 9 am on Monday 17 September through to 3 pm on Friday 21 September. Media registration is free. Any bona fide media delegates can pre-register by e-mailing anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org or livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org (advance registration is not essential but encouraged).

CONTACTS

EPSC Press Office
+49 30 314 21993

Anita Heward
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
+44 07756 034243
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

FURTHER INFORMATION

Europlanet
Since 2005, the Europlanet project has provided European’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European Citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC), and the EPSC Executive Committee is drawn from its membership.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. Europlanet 2020 RI is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries.
Project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow @europlanetmedia

European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018, 16-21 September, TU Berlin – 2nd Media Announcement

The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) will take place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. More than 1250 abstracts have been submitted and over 1000 planetary scientists from Europe and around the world are expected to attend the meeting, making it the largest stand-alone EPSC to date.

EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science and the programme for 2018 covers the full spectrum of planetary science and technology across 59 oral sessions, 3 dedicated poster sessions and multiple splinter meetings and workshops. A month ahead of the planned launch of the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission, EPSC will include presentations of the latest results on Mercury’s interior, surface and magnetic environment, as well as science and mission updates for the Moon, Mars, Venus, comets, asteroids, outer planets, astrobiology and extrasolar planets. A full programme of scientific sessions can be found here:
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/EPSC2018-session-overview-final.pdf

Press notices on presentations that may be of special interest to the media will be circulated during the meeting. Details of press briefings and webcasts will be circulated in the week preceding EPSC 2018. The meeting hashtag is #EPSC2018.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu

In addition to EPSC, two planetary-related meetings will also take place in Berlin in September:
• The 4th International Workshop on Instrumentation for Planetary Missions (IPM) will take place at TU Berlin from 12-14 September: https://ipm2018.org/
• The European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA) 2018 meeting will take place at the Freie Universität Berlin from 24-28 September: http://www.eana-net.eu/index.php?page=Conferences/EANA2018

EPSC 2018 is the annual meeting of Europlanet and is organised by Copernicus Meetings.

MEDIA REGISTRATION
Media representatives are cordially invited to attend EPSC 2018. Press room facilities will be available for the duration of the conference from 9 am on Monday 17 September through to 3 pm on Friday 21 September. Media registration is free. Any bona fide media delegates can pre-register by e-mailing anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org or livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org (advance registration is not essential but encouraged).

CONTACTS
Anita Heward
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
+44 07756 034243
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

FURTHER INFORMATION
Europlanet
Since 2005, the Europlanet project has provided European’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European Citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC), and the EPSC Executive Committee is drawn from its membership.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. Europlanet 2020 RI is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries.
Project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow @europlanetmedia

Austrian Space Forum seeks new Analog Astronauts to participate in future simulated Moon/Mars Missions

Application Deadline 10^th October 2018

The Austrian Space Forum (Österreichisches Weltraum Forum, OeWF) is seeking six volunteers to complete its international analog astronaut corps. Citizens of the European Union, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, who are between 25 and 45 years old and have a background in science or engineering, can submit their application until the 10^th of October 2018.

Successful candidates will undergo an extensive training using the Austrian Space Forum’s spacesuit prototype. Two of the newly selected analog astronauts will participate in the next Mars analog mission to take place in 2020 involving international institutions from science, industry and academia. The Austrian Space Forum’s analog astronauts will also act as ambassadors of science, technology and engineering, interact with the public and media and have access to a wide network of spaceflight experts, industry and politics.

“The Austrian Space Forum is one of the world’s leading institutions to conduct simulated Mars missions aiming to further the human exploration of the red planet. We are using a spacesuit prototype weighing 45kg that we have especially engineered to emulate the conditions of a human Mars mission. Our analog astronauts play a key role as they conduct a wide range of internationally developed experiments wearing this spacesuit prototype. Therefore they need to meet very specific requirements, such as experience in a technological, engineering or scientific field, preferably commercial or military pilot training as well as fluency in English and preferably another European language. We are looking for dedicated women and men with excellent mental and physical health and a body height ranging from 165 to 190 cm,” says Dr. Gernot Grömer, administrative director of the Austrian Space Forum.

“I consider myself privileged to work in one of the cutting edge fields of scientific exploration paving the way for future human Mars missions. As part of an outstanding international team of women and men I have gained valuable experiences in the fields of science and research as well as public outreach,” says Dr. Carmen Köhler, who has been a member of the analog astronaut corps since 2015. Köhler adds,”My fellow analog astronauts and I have the opportunity to gain unique experiences and we gladly share our insights to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers. I’m looking forward to working with our new colleagues and hope that a lot of women will apply for this special opportunity.”

Further information on how to apply and more details regarding the call for the 2019 class of analog astronauts can be found here: https://class2019.oewf.org

About the Analog Astronauts

The analog astronauts chosen for a Mars analog mission are carefully selected and trained to execute most of the science field activities. They also act as a public face and represent the mission as STEM-ambassadors for media and educational activities.

The analog astronauts train to conduct spaceflight-simulations in Mars-like regions on earth, testing and evaluating procedures as well as human factors and workflows pertinent to human Mars exploration.

They conduct experiments in field campaigns in an international and interdisciplinary environment, typically lasting from a few days up to one month. Analog astronauts contribute to the development of the OeWF’s spacesuit prototype and many other relevant instruments and equipment.

ABOUT THE AUSTRIAN SPACE FORUM (ÖSTERREICHISCHES WELTRAUM FORUM, OeWF)

The Austrian Space Forum is one of the world’s leading institutions conducting Mars analog missions, thus paving the way for the future human exploration of the red planet.

Experts from a broad variety of disciplines as well as the spaceflight sector constitute the core of the OeWF’s continued endeavors that on a regular basis include national and international institutions from science and industry to work at the cutting edge of scientific research. On doing so the Austrian Space Forum is using its excellent contacts to opinion leaders, politics and media to further and internationally propagate Austrian top-level research.

The Austrian Space Forum also contributes significantly to inspiring and educating young people in the sectors of science, technology and engineering. The OeWF offers internships to students and pupils, its experts supervise scientific papers on a regular basis.

www.oewf.org

Media Contact:
Mag. Monika Fischer
Media Officer
Austrian Space Forum
Tel: +43 699 1213 4610
monika.fischer@oewf.org

European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018, 16-21 September, TU Berlin – 1st Media Announcement

The European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 (www.epsc2018.eu) will take place at the Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, from Sunday 16 to Friday 21 September 2018. More than 1250 abstracts have been submitted and over 1000 planetary scientists from Europe and around the world are expected to attend the meeting, making it the largest stand-alone EPSC to date.

EPSC is the major European annual meeting on planetary science and the programme for 2018 covers the full spectrum of planetary science and technology across 59 sessions, including: First Results from ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter; Science and Innovation for the Moon Village and Beyond; Ocean worlds and Icy moons; Sample Return Missions; Exoplanets and Astrobiology. A full programme of scientific sessions can be found here:
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/EPSC2018-session-overview-final.pdf

Press notices on presentations that may be of special interest to the media will be circulated during the meeting. Details of press briefings and webcast access will be circulated closer to the time. The meeting hashtag is #EPSC2018.

Details of the Congress and a full schedule of EPSC 2018 scientific sessions and events can be found at the official website: http://www.epsc2018.eu

The Local Organising Committee for EPSC 2018 has organised a tour of Archenhold Observatory, the oldest and largest public observatory in Germany, on Friday 21 September at 17:00:
https://www.epsc2018.eu/guided_observatory_tour.html

In addition to EPSC, two planetary-related meetings will also take place in Berlin in September:
• The 4th International Workshop on Instrumentation for Planetary Missions (IPM) will take place at TU Berlin from 12-14 September: https://ipm2018.org/
• The European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA) 2018 meeting will take place at the Free University Berlin from 24-28 September: http://www.eana-net.eu/index.php?page=Conferences/EANA2018

EPSC 2018 is the annual meeting of Europlanet and is organised by Copernicus Meetings.

MEDIA REGISTRATION
Media representatives are cordially invited to attend EPSC 2018. Press room facilities will be available for the duration of the conference from 9 am on Monday 17 September through to 3 pm on Friday 21 September. Media registration is free. Any bona fide media delegates can pre-register by e-mailing anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org or livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org (advance registration is not essential but encouraged).

CONTACTS
Anita Heward
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
+44 07756 034243
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Livia Giacomini
EPSC 2018 Press Officer
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

FURTHER INFORMATION

Europlanet
Since 2005, the Europlanet project has provided European’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European Citizens with planetary science. Europlanet is the parent organisation of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC), and the EPSC Executive Committee is drawn from its membership.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. Europlanet 2020 RI is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries.
Project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow @europlanetmedia

Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement awarded to Amara Graps for work to inspire Baltics with space

The 2018 Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science has been awarded to Dr Amara Graps for her far-reaching work to inspire and promote space activities in the Baltic region within the scientific and industrial communities, in education and in wider society.

Dr Graps, who is based in Riga, Latvia, is the founder of the not-for-profit organisation, Baltics in Space, Lead Scientist at the University of Latvia and Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, based in Tucson, Arizona. The activities of Baltics in Space in support of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2017, which took place in Riga from 17-22 September last year made a significant contribution to raising the profile of space in Latvia and the Baltics with audiences ranging from members of Parliament, business, the media, educators and schools. By compiling a catalogue of the skills and space capabilities in the region, as well as organising a showcase exhibit at EPSC, Baltics in Space facilitated opportunities for researchers and industry based in the Baltics to build new and competitive space collaborations with each other and with the international space community. An exhibition on the Solar System was visited by 600 local schoolchildren during EPSC and has since been visited by 10,000 children at the Zinoo Science Centre in Cesis.

Dr Graps said, “The aim is to create a community where Baltic space workers can collaborate to complement each other’s skill sets. We have the capabilities to achieve unique projects when we work together.”

Mārtiņš Zemītis, Economic Adviser at the European Commission Representation in Latvia, said, “We were truly delighted to cooperate with Amara Graps in organizing the ever-largest gathering of planetary scientists in the Baltic States – the European Planetary Science Congress 2017 in Riga. Amara’s personal commitment made the Congress much more than a large event, allowing for genuine outreach of the world’s best planetary scientists into the Baltic society and contributing to bridging the science skills gap among the younger generation. We appreciate Amara bringing space to the Baltics and the Baltics into space.”

The Europlanet Prize, which includes an award of 4000 Euros, will be presented during the European Planetary Science Congress 2018 in Berlin, Germany, on Monday 17th September.

Dr Régis Courtin, Chair of the Europlanet Prize 2018 Judging Panel, said, “The judges were impressed by the dedication and immense personal effort that Dr Graps has invested in building collaborations and raising the profile of space in the Baltic Region.”

Dr J.L. Galache, Chief Technology Officer of Aten Engineering, who nominated Dr Graps for the Europlanet Prize, said, “Amara is the rare scientist who realises, naturally, intuitively, that she is not extending the boundaries of human knowledge for herself, but for everyone, and she can’t wait to share that knowledge with those around her, young or old, near or far. At every stage of her career, Amara has found a way to communicate her work and her field to a wider audience. From websites to whitepapers, from teaching in a classroom to teaching through citizen science; Amara has used whatever means she had at her disposal to share her enthusiasm and passion for planetary science and learning to a broad community of colleagues, lay people and children.”

Baltics in Space is now working to develop an Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish (ELLF) Cubesat that will investigate climate change by measuring how the whole-disc albedo of Earth (the light reflected by the planet) changes over time. Citizen scientists will be able to participate by providing ground validation measurements by a Rasberry Pi with albedo sensors or by using a phone app to measure the Earth’s brightness reflected by the Moon.

Images

Dr Amara Graps. Credit: Anrijs Pozarskis

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_4860.jpg

Dr Amara Graps. Credit: Anrijs Pozarskis

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_4909.jpg

Dr Amara Graps with Dr Kārlis Šadurskis, Minister of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, during the public event at EPSC 2017. Credit: Mareks Matisons LSM.lv / LMT

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amara.jpg

Dr Amara Graps with conference participants at the Baltics in Space exhibition at EPSC 2017. Credit: Mareks Matisons LSM.lv / LMT

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC05135.jpg

The Solar System for Kids exhibition at EPSC. Credit A. Graps

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Solar_System_for_Kids_EPSC2017.jpg

Contacts

Dr Amara Graps
amara@balticsinspace.eu
Tel: +371 28853907

Media Contacts

Anita Heward
Europlanet 2020 RI Press Officer
Mobile: +44 (0)77 5603 4243
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Further information

Baltics in Space

The philosophy of the nonprofit organisation Baltics in Space is to: Inventory, Identify, and Integrate with a sprinkling of Inspiration to build a space product greater than the sum of its parts. Our best resource in the space business is people. With an eye to strengthening the triple helix links (Industry, Education, Research), our outcomes are integrating Baltic-wide space events, catalogs of skill-sets for prospective users, Baltic space project development with distributed teams and Baltic space education. https://www.balticsinspace.eu/

About Europlanet

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Europlanet outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement

The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science aims to recognise achievements in engaging European citizens with planetary science and to raise the profile of outreach within the scientific community. Established by Europlanet in 2010, the Prize is awarded to individuals or groups who have developed innovative practices in planetary science communication and whose efforts have significantly contributed to a wider public engagement with planetary science.

For further information, see: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/outreach/prize/

“New views of Jupiter” showcases swirling clouds on giant planet

Members of NASA’s Juno mission team, some of the world’s leading observers of Jupiter, and citizen scientists from across the globe will attend a workshop ‘New Views of Jupiter: Pro-Am Collaborations during and beyond the NASA Juno Mission’ at the Royal Astronomical Society in London on 10-11 May.

JunoCam images presented at the meeting by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran include an animation showing the evolution of swirling features in the giant planet’s atmosphere and a composite image of Jupiter’s cloud tops.

Gerald Eichstädt, a mathematician working as a software professional, has taken two images from JunoCam and reprojected them to the same vantage point to enable a direct comparison between the images and show the subtle motions within the atmosphere. By modelling the movement of individual pixels in the images, he has created an animation that extrapolates the swirling evolution of the vortices in the atmosphere.

Eichstädt explains: “This animation represents a ‘feasibility test’. Building on this initial work, we can add in more variables that will give us a more detailed description and physical understanding of Jupiter’s atmosphere.”

Seán Doran, in collaboration with Eichstädt, has created a new composite image of Jupiter as seen by Juno as it swung away from Jupiter’s south pole on 1^st April 2018. Because Jupiter was larger than JunoCam’s field of view when the main portion of the image was taken, Eichstädt rendered four other images to the same viewing geometry to reconstruct a mosaic of the whole planet. Doran then processed the composite image to balance and blend the overlapping components, sharpen the contrast, and fill gaps.

“It’s something of a labour of love that requires plenty of patience,” says Doran. “Energetic particles impact the CCD and produce bright specks. Once I’d finished the processing, I needed to go through and repair a couple hundred of these bright pixels.”

Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester, who has co-organised the workshop with the support of Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure, says: “The contribution of the Earth-based support campaign to the Juno mission, both professional and amateur, has proven to be invaluable in filling the spatial, temporal, and spectral gaps in Juno’s capabilities.  Now two years into the mission, we’ve seen some tremendous new science emerging from this collaboration, and breath-taking imagery of Jupiter’s complex atmosphere that would not have been possible without the talented army of citizen scientists that have been working alongside the JunoCam team every step of the way.”

“The amateur observations are key to detecting and rapid changes of the atmospheric properties in time on shorter time scales than possible from the professional community, whose resources are shared among many different programs.  Thus, they not only measure changes between Juno’s close encounters with Jupiter, but they also provide a means to anticipate changes that might influence how future observations can be interpreted, and they could even influence decisions on Juno’s observing strategy in the case of unexpected phenomena,“ says Glenn Orton of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, who is the Juno science team member in charge of coordinating Earth-based observations to extend and enhance the science return from Juno’s investigation of Jupiter and its magnetosphere.

John Rogers of the British Astronomical Association, who co-organised the workshop says: “Many of these people have known each other for years by email addresses and social media alone, so to have them all in one place will be an incredibly special opportunity, fostering new collaborations and cementing existing friendships.”

Follow updates for the workshop through the hashtag #RASJuno on social media.

Images

This composite image of Jupiter was taken as Juno swung away from Jupiter’s south pole following its closest approach to Jupiter on 1^st April 2018. JunoCam took the central part of the image when Juno was 24,749.4 km above Jupiter’s cloud tops. Jupiter was larger than JunoCam’s horizontal field of view of about 58 degrees. JunoCam took additional images from other perspectives and distances along Juno’s trajectory. Those additional images have been reprojected as if they would have been taken from the same vantage point. Credit: NASA / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt / Seán Doran.

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PJ12_GRS_reprojection3_GE_2k.jpg

Two JunoCam images, taken around 8 minutes 41 seconds apart, have been re-projected to the same vantage point, cropped, and enhanced in a context sensitive way. A subtle motion can be perceived through a simple “blink comparison”. Image credit: NASA / JPL / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.

http://junocam.pictures/gerald/talks/europlanet_london_20180510/summary_v01/PJ12_JNCE_2018091_12C00099_V01_099_100_Hipass00_blink.gif

Animation extrapolating the movement of the clouds from JunoCam imagery taken on 1^st April 2018. Image credit: NASA / JPL / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.

http://junocam.pictures/gerald/talks/europlanet_london_20180510/summary_v01/PJ12_099_s2_100_s2_10000samples_mode2_morph.mp4

The animation was created from imagery taken during Juno’s swing-by of Jupiter on 1^st April 2018. The white box on the image of Jupiter (left) shows the location of the clouds in the zoomed in area (top right). A filter was applied (bottom right) to enhance the contrast. Image credit: NASA / JPL / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.

http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Clouds_animation.jpg

Science Contacts

Gerald Eichstädt

Gerald.Eichstaedt@t-online.de

Seán Doran

sean.doran@gmail.com

Dr. Leigh N. Fletcher
Royal Society Research Fellow (URF)
University of Leicester
leigh.fletcher@le.ac.uk

Dr. John Rogers

Jupiter Section Director

British Astronomical Association

jhr11@cam.ac.uk

Glenn

Media Contacts

Anita Heward

Europlanet 2020 RI

+44 7756 034243

anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org

Further information

The workshop ‘New Views of Jupiter: Pro-Am Collaborations during and beyond the NASA Juno Mission’ (https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/leighfletcher/ras-juno-europlanet-meeting-2018) builds on a 2016 workshop, ‘Juno Ground-Based Support from Amateurs: Science and Public Impact’ (http://www.ajax.ehu.es/Juno_amateur_workshop/), hosted by the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur. Both workshops have been supported by Europlanet 2020 RI through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. The Italian Space Agency (ASI), contributed two instruments, a Ka-band frequency translator (KaT) and the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM). Lockheed Martin Space, Denver, built the spacecraft.

https://www.nasa.gov/juno

https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu

The public can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

https://www.facebook.com/NASAJuno

https://www.twitter.com/NASAJuno

More information on Jupiter can be found at:

https://www.nasa.gov/jupiter

About Europlanet

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu

Europlanet outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org

Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

About the Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 4,000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

Follow the RAS on Twitter, Facebook and Insta gram

About the University of Leicester

The University of Leicester is led by discovery and innovation – an international centre for excellence renowned for research, teaching and broadening access to higher education. It is among the top 25 universities in the Times Higher Education REF Research Power rankings with 75% of research adjudged to be internationally excellent with wide-ranging impacts on society, health, culture, and the environment.

Find out more: http://le.ac.uk/about

Extreme environment of Danakil Depression sheds light on Mars, Titan and nuclear waste
Europlanet 2020 RI Press release

The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is a spectacular, hostile environment that may resemble conditions encountered on Mars and Titan – as well as in sites containing nuclear waste. From 20-28 January 2018, five teams of researchers and more than 30 support staff visited two locations in the region to study the microbiology, geology and chemistry at the Dallol hydrothermal outcrop and the saline Lake Afrera.

The research trip was supported by the EU-funded Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI), which has organised a series of field campaigns over the past two years to characterise the site as an analogue for other planetary surfaces and for astrobiological studies.

Dallol is a uniquely hostile place for life due to the combination of its extreme salinity, high temperature, and acidity. It is one of the hottest places on Earth, at more than 100 metres below sea level. Upwelling water, rich in many different salts and heated by magma close to the surface, forms brightly-coloured, highly acidic pools. Toxic gases, including chlorine and sulphur vapour, hang in the air.

Karen Olsson-Francis and Vincent Rennie from the Open University are studying how microbiology is affected by variation in the physical and chemical conditions at Dallol, and where pockets of habitability might be found. They focused on two channels of highly acidic, saline water with temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 degrees Celsius. The pair took measurements on-site and collected samples for further analysis in the laboratory.

“Our initial findings showed that microbes may be present, despite the extreme salinity and acidity,” said Rennie. The team will now undertake further geological and microbial analysis in the coming months and hope to have preliminary results of the outflow channel study by early September.

Hugo Moors and Mieke De Craen of SCK•CEN also studied microbiology in the context of the geology and the chemistry of the water at a number of locations, and successfully tested a range of new sampling techniques and sample preservation systems. In addition to their astrobiology research related to exoplanets, the pair are using Danakil as an analogue for nuclear waste.

“The extreme conditions in the Danakil Depression might resemble some of the conditions encountered in the  disposal of waste from nuclear reactors. We will now try to cultivate microbes and chemically analyse samples of the water from Danakil to attempt to understand what might be able to survive in nuclear waste,” said Moors.

Next summer, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter will begin a study of rift zones on Mars, which are characterised by salt deposits and ancient magma systems and have strong similarities to the Afar rift currently forming between the Erta Ale and Dallol volcanoes. To support the upcoming mission observations, Daniel Mège of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Ernst Hauber of DLR carried out a preliminary study of the structure of hydrothermal systems and took soil samples from several centimetres below the surface to determine microbial life present.

“We need to analyse our findings, but some of the preliminary results look very exciting,” said Mège. “We’ve also carried out reconnaissance work for a ground magnetic survey next year, in which we aim to characterise intrusive magmatic activity in the rift. We look forward to returning in 2019.”

Jani Radebaugh of Brigham Young University, with Ralph Lorenz of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, used a handheld digital camera and ‘kite-cam’, a kite-lofted GoPro, to create image-derived Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) at a variety of locations across the playas and other regions in the Afar. They have gathered 15 different image datasets at a variety of locations, which they will then compare to RADAR data on the roughness of the terrain.

“This region is absolutely spectacular for field work from a planetary perspective, as there are so many unusual and extreme environments that have strong planetary analogues,” said Radebaugh. “The comparison of our datasets gathered on the ground with RADAR images taken from space, which quantify roughness in a different way, will help us interpret data from space missions on the roughness of surfaces at Titan and Mars.”

David Vaz and Lourenço Bandeira of the Centre for Earth and Space Research of the University of Coimbra surveyed the shape, subsurface geometry and ages of fault scarps on a rift located south of Lake Afrera. Understanding how erosion degrades these volcanic structures in very arid environments on Earth will enable them to interpret similar features on Mars and infer erosion rates throughout the Red Planet’s geological history.

Vaz said: “When you spend several years at a computer, looking at images from the surface of Mars and trying to understand what happened there, it’s easy to lose the sense of scale. Going to the field, and actually seeing things with your own eyes gives you a more real perspective on what you are dealing with. To achieve our purpose of using fault scarps as paleo-environmental markers on Mars, it would be great to survey other faults, with different ages and presenting different states of preservation. On this trip, the geophysical instruments that should give a perspective on the underground fault geometry did not work, but that’s the price we pay when working in such remote and difficult conditions. We hope to return to the site to carry out further studies.”

Felipe Gomez, Nuria Rodriguez and Beatriz Flores of CAB-INTA worked on the preparation of the Danakil site as a planetary analogue for Europlanet 2020 RI’s transnational access programme, which provides funding for researchers to visit the site and carry out experiments.

“The diversity of the research carried out by these five teams shows the versatility of this exotic landscape for planetary research,” said Gomez. “We have already had interesting findings about the preservation of organic matter under such harsh conditions, which gives important clues about martian habitability. Any scientist can now apply to carry out planetary experiments at Danakil. We look forward to seeing the results!”

“In visiting Danakil, we have purposely brought together people from different parts of the world to encourage the sharing of ideas across institutions, countries and continental boundaries,” said Gian Gabriele Ori of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences in Pescara, who led the expedition.  “Seasoned researchers have worked side by side and shared their experience with young scientists. It has been a very successful trip.”

The expedition was supported by Monica Bufill and Daniela D’Alleva of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences in Pescara, Italy, Miruts Hagos from Mekelle University and Mikael Tamrat and Zablon Beyene of Zab Tours Ethiopia. The team was accompanied by photographer, Alex Pritz.

Images

1. Kitecam picture of the Dallol, with the research groups at the edge. Credit: Jani Radebaugh/Europlanet

2. Kitecam image of the salt flat surface, with one of the research groups (Vaz and Bandeira) and camels, which daily carry salt from a mine at the edge of a lake near the Dallol up to market. Credit: Jani Radebaugh/Europlanet

3. The Europlanet 2020 RI field trip team approaching the Dallol site. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

4. Pool at the Dallol site. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

5. Beatriz Flores, Ernst Hauber, Mieke De Craen, Hugo Moors and Mikael Tamrat at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

6. Karen Olsson-Francis taking water samples at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

7. Karen Olsson-Francis and Vincent Rennie taking measurements at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

8. Hugo Moors and Mieke De Craen collecting samples at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

9. Hugo Moors and Mieke De Craen collecting samples at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

10. Daniel Mège with team geologist, Barbara Cavalazzi, at Dallol. Credit: Alex Pritz/Europlanet

11. Jani Radebaugh using her kite-mounted camera at Dallol. Credit: Daniel Mège/Europlanet

12. David Vaz and Lourenço Bandeira of the Centre for Earth and Space Research of the University of Coimbra surveyed the shape, subsurface geometry and ages of fault scarps on a rift located south of Lake Afrera. Credit: Lourenço Bandeira

Further images of the trip can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/europlanetmedia/albums/72157693381391614

Science Contacts

Vincent Rennie
The Open University
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom
vincent.rennie@open.ac.uk
+32468215701

Bio-Eng Hugo Moors
SCK•CEN
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre
hugo.moors@sckcen.be

Prof Daniel Mège
Space Research Centre
Polish Academy of Sciences
Poland
dmege@cbk.waw.pl

Prof Jani Radebaugh
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
USA
janirad@byu.edu
+1 801 422 9127

Dr David Vaz
Centre for Earth and Space Research of the University of Coimbra (CITEUC)
Observatório Geofísico e Astronómico da Universidade de Coimbra
Portugal
vaz.david@gmail.com

Dr Monica Bufill
IRSPS
monica.bufill@unich.it
+39 388 69 27 789

Media Contact

Anita Heward
Communications Officer
Europlanet 2020 RI
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org
+44 7756034243

About Europlanet

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission.

Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Europlanet outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia

Ibn Battuta Centre (IRSPS)
http://www.ibnbattutacentre.org/danakil.html

Europlanet at EGU

From 9-13th April, Europlanet will be taking part in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2018 in Vienna, Austria.

On Thursday 12th April 2018, from 08:30 – 10:00, Europlanet will hold a tutorial session on the Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access (VESPA) virtual observatory for planetary science in room 2.85 (Short Course number 1.12 – Solar System Virtual Observatory Hands-on session. Further details at: http://www.europlanet-vespa.eu). VESPA connects multiple planetary data sets, and provides modern tools to retrieve, cross-correlate, and display data and results of scientific analyses.

Information on activities of the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) and the launch of the new Europlanet Society will be available from Monday 9th to Friday 13th at the Display Booth X2D05 HEMERA/Europlanet (Hall X2, level -2). Participants at EGU are invited to come to the Booth on Thursday, 12th April at 15:00 to see the premiere of Europlanet’s latest animated video, “Space Detectives – the case of the rocks from Space”. The video, designed in a film noir style by the award-winning Science Office, is a creative look at how planetary scientists investigate meteorites and samples returned by missions to find out more about our Solar System and its origins, and how techniques developed to analyse planetary samples are used by the police to solve crimes and identify bodies.

Details will also be available on how to become involved in the Europlanet Early Careers Network and Diversity Working Group, as well as opportunities to participate in Europlanet prorammes that provide free access to laboratories and field sites, expert exchanges, workshops and meetings, including the Europlanet Summer School, “Space missions: ground-based observations and science communication”, from 1-10 August at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory in Lithuania for early career researchers and amateur astronomers, and the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018, which will take place at the Technical University Berlin from 16-21 September.

————
Contact
Livia Giacomini
Europlanet 2020 RI
livia.giacomini@europlanet-eu.org

Notes for Editors

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. Europlanet 2020 RI is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries.
Project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org

Europlanet 2020 RI Press Release
Creating a hotspot for understanding Venus – the Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory

A new simulation facility at the Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) could help revolutionise our understanding of the hot, hidden surface of Venus. The Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory (PSL) can analyse rock samples similar to those found on the surface of Venus at temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius, enabling researchers to interpret accurately data acquired by space missions and ground-based observations.

Although Venus is a similar size to Earth and sometimes called its twin planet, it is surrounded by a thick atmosphere of mainly carbon dioxide and clouds of sulphuric acid that make it very difficult to study the planet’s surface. Until recently, it was thought that a lander was needed to analyse the chemical composition of rocks on the ground.

“Landing on Venus is very challenging and no missions to the surface are currently planned,” said Dr Jörn Helbert, who has led the development of the chamber. “Lately, planetary scientists have taken advantage of ‘spectral windows’ in Venus’s atmosphere that are transparent to certain wavelengths of infrared light to gather data on the surface remotely. However, there have been challenges in interpreting this data, as we haven’t had the lab-based measurements needed to validate the results.”

Because different chemical compounds emit radiation at specific electromagnetic wavelengths, every mineral has a unique ‘spectral fingerprint’ of emission lines. To interpret remote detections of these spectral fingerprints and determine which rocks are present, planetary scientists need reference catalogues showing emission lines acquired under conditions matching those on the surfaces being studied. For more than 40 years, scientists have attempted to take measurements under Venusian conditions to build up these libraries but, until now, with very little success.

The PSL, funded through the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure, is located in a temperature-controlled room in the Institute for Planetary Research in Berlin. The new Venus chamber uses state-of-the art detectors and electronics, and innovative ceramic enclosures to block out background radiation that can drown out the spectral signals from samples at high temperatures.

Earth analogues for rocks on Venus include volcanic rocks, such as basalt from Spain and rhyolite from Italy, rocks that have undergone intense heating, such as granite from Norway, and iron-rich rocks such as haematite and magnetite.

The new facility has been used to analyse spectroscopic emissions by analogue rocks across the range of temperatures found on Venus, which average 462 degrees Celsius, and at all known atmospheric windows of Venus. Observations in six spectral windows using Venus Express’s Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC) and Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) instruments have revealed chemical variations that can be related to geological features on the surface of Venus. The measurements from PSL are now being used to validate and improve understanding of these Venus Express observations.

“The spectral databases that we are compiling with the PSL facility will enable researchers to revisit data from past missions, help plan for future missions and make new ground-based observations that will give us a much more accurate understanding of the surface of Venus,” said Dr Helbert. “Earth’s twin planet is a fascinating place that we still know relatively little about. This chamber will enable to study surface of Venus remotely in a way that so far we thought was only possible with a lander.”

A call for applications is now open for researchers to obtain up to a week’s free access to the PSL and other Europlanet laboratory and field facilities, funded by the European Commission European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208. The closing date for applications is 1st March 2018.

Images

High temperature setup at the Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory (PSL) at DLR’s Institute for Planetary Research in Berlin. Credit: J. Helbert/DLR/Europlanet
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/image1.jpg

Dr Helbert testing the Venus chamber at the Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory (PSL) at DLR’s Institute for Planetary Research in Berlin. Credit: J. Helbert/DLR/Europlanet
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Helbert_PSL.jpg

Comparison of a view inside the Venus chamber at a target temperature of 480°C. The image on the left shows the glow of the stainless steel cup necessary for the induction heating illuminating the whole chamber. The right image shows how the newly developed ceramic enclosures suppress the background radiation to obtain a good signal from the samples.  Credit: J. Helbert/DLR/Europlanet
http://www.europlanet-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Samples_PSL.png

Further information

The Spectroscopy of the surface of Venus. J. Helbert et al, 15th Meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) (2017): https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/vexag2017/pdf/8006.pdf

Science Contact

Dr Jörn Helbert
Team leader Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratories
Institute for Planetary Research
DLR, Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 30 67055-319
joern.helbert@dlr.de
http://s.dlr.de/vb5n
www.DLR.de

Media Contact

Anita Heward
Europlanet Media Centre
anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org
+44 7756 034243

Ulrich Köhler
DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin
Phone: +49 – (0)30 – 67055-215
Mobile +49 – (0)172 – 565 66 94
ulrich.koehler@dlr.de

About Europlanet

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided Europe’s planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science.

The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe’s planetary science community. The project builds on a €2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and €6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission. The Europlanet collegial organisation, linked by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), has a membership of over 90 research institutes and companies.
Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu
Europlanet outreach website: www.europlanet-eu.org
Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia