************************************************************************* BOLETIM ELETRÔNICO SAB N. 353 - 17/01/2007 ************************************************************************* SEÇÃO: EVENTOS / INFORMES Responsável: Vera Ap.F. Martin (vmartin1963@hotmail.com) ************************************************************************* 1. MOLECULES IN SPACE AND LABORATORY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2. UFRN - MESTRADO E DOUTORADO EM FÍSICA 3. 3rd CoRoT BRASIL WORKSHOP 4. THREAT ON XMM-NEWTON EXTENSION ************************************************************************* 1. MOLECULES IN SPACE AND LABORATORY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (comunicado por Sergio Pilling - LNLS ) Dear Colleague The "Molecules in Space and Laboratory" international conference will be held 14-18 May 2007 in Paris, France. The venue will be the campus of Observatoire de Paris/IAP, in the IAP amphitheatre, in the center of Paris. Information on the meeting are available at http://www.u-cergy.fr/Mol_Spa_Lab/ Scope of Symposium: Observations, Laboratory studies, modelling astrophysical environments, modelling interactions (see webpage) Registration and deadline: Registration has now opened, via the Conference web page (see above). Initial registration requires at least to fill up the identity area. Please use the "modifications" area to re-enter. Then you will have the opportunity to use the credit card payment option as well as to update and change your personal data. Full registration, including payment of registration fee and conference dinner, must be completed before the deadline of 14 March 2007 (early registration) The registration fee for early registration is 280 Euros (360 Euros later). A reduced registration fee for early registration is 170 Euros for students with supervisor attestation (250 Euros later). Several methods of payment are detailed on the web page. Contributing talks and posters: There will be space for 30 contributing talks of 15/20 minutes. Participants interested in presenting a contribution have to use the web page to give title and abstract. The deadline for selection by the SOC is 25 February 2007. Contributing talks will be published in the proceedings of the conference. You will have the opportunity (through the "Modifications" area) to update and change title and abstract of your contribution(s) and/or poster(s) until the abstract submission deadline (16 April 2007). ======================================================= 2. UFRN - MESTRADO E DOUTORADO EM FÍSICA (comunicado por José Renan de Medeiros - UFRN) UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE/NATAL MESTRADO E DOUTORADO EM FÍSICA Áreas de Concentração: Astrofísica, Cosmologia e Física da Matéria Condensada Período Letivo de Ingresso: 2007.1 Inscrições: 15 de dezembro 2006 a 31 de janeiro de 2007 Documentação Necessária para Inscrição a) Formulário de Inscrição devidamente preenchido b) Prova de Conclusão do Curso de Graduação ou Pós-Graduação c) Histórico Escolar d) Curricullum Vitae e) Duas Cartas de Recomendação f) Uma foto 3X4 Informações adicionais: (84) 3215 3791 / 2315 3793 (ramal 204) ========================================================= 3. 3rd CoRoT BRASIL WORKSHOP (comunicado por José Renan de Medeiros - UFRN e Eduardo Janot-Pacheco - IAGUSP) 3rd CoRoT Brasil Workshop Natal, 15-19 de abril 2007 O 3rd CoRoT Brasil Workshop estará acontecendo no Hotel Ocean Palace, Ponta Negra, Natal RN, no período de 15 a 19 de abril próximo vindouro. O Evento terá um caráter bastante prático, voltado para a optimização da exploração e processos de tratamento, uso e interpretação dos dados CoRoT, particularmente nas áreas de PMS e rotação estelar. Enfoque será dado, também, sobre a organização das equipes temáticas nestas áreas tanto a nível nacional quanto internacional. Devido às restrições impostas pelas principais agências financiadoras do país, encorajamos a todos(as) os(as) interessados(as) a buscarem apoio financeiro juntos a suas instituições e FAP's estaduais. Informações adicionais: corot@dfte.ufrn.br Renan/Janot ====================================================== 4. THREAT ON XMM-NEWTON EXTENSION (comunicado por Gerardo Juan Manuel Luna - IAGUSP) Dear Colleague, You may be aware that there is a threat to long-term operation of XMM-Newton, arising out of financial stress in the timetable for Cosmic Vision. The executive has to identify, by February 2007, savings of 200 million Euros if there is to be an AO for new missions under Cosmic Vision. It is proposed to remove some 60 million Euros from the planned mission extensions budget; and XMM-Newton, despite its high scientific productivity is a key target. The executive is preparing a plan for implementing these savings, which will be presented to the Astronomy Working Group on 18th January. The proposal will then proceed to the Space Science Advisory Committee on 30th January and to the SPC for approval on February 22nd. Operations and particularly mission extensions are a soft target when looking for budget savings. XMM-Newton operations are currently funded till 2008 with the extension to 2010 approved. Extension beyond 2010 is a potential target for operations cuts. XMM-Newton is a highly successful mission, producing top quality science in virtually all astrophysical domains from stars to cosmology. The scientific output of XMM-Newton is reflected in a current publication rate of about 300 papers per year in refereed journals. XMM-Newton data are exploited by a very large international community, which is by no means confined to classical X-ray astronomers; in fact the majority of observers are from the wider astronomical community and XMM-Newton continues to be oversubscribed by factors of six. In difficult times it may be argued that some sacrifices by existing missions need to be made in order for new missions to be started. This is hardly appropriate for XMM-Newton and its community. The instruments were designed to have a very long active life, and at present there is little, if any, degradation in key parameters like energy resolution and quantum efficiency. The spacecraft systems are similarly robust, and consumables like manoeuvring gas and electrical power, are capable of supporting the mission until 2018. Moreover, there is little chance of a new ESA X-ray mission, whatever its size, before about 2018. To close down XMM-Newton operations early in the second decade would deny the community a key spectroscopic facility, which would not be replaced or emulated before 2018 at the earliest. The XMM-Newton User Group wrote to the Director of Science in December to express its concern and to ask for a full scientific review before any decision is taken. At an extraordinary meeting on 9th January it prepared a resolution to be presented to the AWG on 18th January, which firmly rejects the concept of cutting short XMM-Newton operations, while endorsing potential operational savings that can be achieved with moderate increase in risk to the mission. It is also important that the community of users makes its support for XMM-Newton known to the ESA advisory bodies, and to the national delegations. Details of how to contact these, and the User Group are given below. Please inform your colleagues, and, where appropriate, contact members of the Astronomy Working Group, the Space Science Advisory Committee, and your national delegates on the ESA Science Programme Committee. Do all you can to make it clear that the Astronomical Community, which uses XMM-Newton, cannot support the cessation or significant curtailment of operations, while the observatory is still functioning and providing unique and world-leading scientific data. Yours sincerely, Monique Arnaud Chair of the XMM-Newton User Group *************************************************************************