Archived Newsletters

GPAP Newsletter 2018

In This Issue

Season’s Greetings to all the members!

The APS Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics (GPAP) was formed in 1999 to provide an intellectual home for plasma physicists who have an interest in astrophysical phenomena. At present, GPAP has approximately 400 members from broad backgrounds and includes scientists at both universities and national laboratories. The Topical Group serves as a bridge between the APS Division of Astrophysics (DAP) and the Division of Plasma Physics (DPP), which organizes the annual meeting for GPAP. GPAP aims to promote plasma astrophysics within the APS-DPP by coordinating with scientists in other fields.

We at GPAP would like to further strengthen our communication among you and promote and stimulate cross-disciplinary works of plasma physics and astrophysics.

Toshi Tajima, Chair

Officers

With the election of Nuno Loureiro (MIT), the leadership chain of GPAP is Merav Opher (BU) past-chair, Toshi Tajima (UCI) chair, Mike Brown (Swarthmore) chair-elect, and Nuno Loureiro (MIT) vice-chair. These terms are for one year, and all the officers move up one link on the leadership chain in October 2019. Ivo Furno (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne), whose term has also been confirmed at the last elections, serves as Secretary/Treasurer until October 2021. GPAP executive committee members at large include: Paul Cassak (11/16-10/19) West Virginia University, Christopher Chen (11/16-10/19) Queen Mary, University of London, Jason TenBarge (11/16-10/19) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Fatima Ebrahimi (11/17-10/20) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Jonathan Squire (11/17-10/20) Caltech (now New Zealand), Kristopher Klein (11/18-10/21), University of Arizona.

For more information: GPAP Executive Committee

GPAP Student Travel Grants

At the 2018 meeting, we approved GPAP student travel grants for the APS-DPP 2019 meeting. Each grant will be for $500 to defray travel and accommodation costs. Preference will be given to astrophysics graduate students who would normally not attend DPP. Students should send a one-page letter to Mike Brown describing their work, and why they would like to present their research at the APS-DPP meeting in Ft. Lauderdale in 2019. Applicants must be or become members of GPAP. After the meeting, GPAP student travel grant recipients should submit travel expenses (up to $500) to Ivo Furno for reimbursement. The deadline for travel award applications will be the same as the abstract submission deadline for APS-DPP (around July 1, 2019).

GPAP Summer School

We are pleased to announce a GPAP-sponsored plasma astrophysics summer school for summer 2019. The inaugural session will be held at Swarthmore College the week of June 17, 2019. Confirmed instructors include Prof. Matt Kunz (Princeton), Dr. Jason TenBarge (Princeton University), Prof. Kris Klein (Arizona), Jimmy Juno (University of Maryland), and Prof. Mike Brown (Swarthmore). There will be a nominal enrollment fee, and students will stay in Swarthmore College dorms. Interested students and postdocs must be or become members of GPAP. The format will include morning lectures, followed by small group work sessions in the afternoons. Preference will be given to astrophysics students and post-docs not trained in plasma physics. Enrollment will be limited to 20 persons.

The topics will include fundamental plasma physics appropriate for astrophysical contexts, and plasma astrophysics topics such as MHD waves and turbulence, magnetic reconnection, the magneto-rotational instability, and the dynamo problem. PDF notes will be provided.

GPAP Meeting Minutes

The annual GPAP business meeting was held on Nov. 5, 2018, at the APS-DPP meeting. New officers and GPAP fellows were announced. Several ideas for GPAP initiatives were discussed, including the GPAP summer school, and GPAP student travel grants. View Minutes »

Upcoming GPAP-relevant Meetings

GPAP aims to keep membership informed of upcoming meetings of interest to the plasma astrophysics community.

GPAP Story in APS News

Chair-elect Mike Brown wrote a piece on the GPAP mission that appeared in APS News in July 2018.

GPAP Article in APS News

Call for White Papers for the Plasma 2020 Decadal Report

GPAP informs you about the email received from Gary Zank, Co-chair Plasma 2020, on the Plasma 2020 Decadal Report, an important step for the plasma community.

Dear Colleague,

The US National Academies has recently started the Decadal Assessment of Plasma Science - Plasma 2020. As with the previous decadal assessment, Plasma 2010, the Plasma 2020 report will provide an overview of accomplishments in all fields of plasma science and technology during the previous decade, and provide guidance on the most critical science challenges leading to societal benefit to be addressed in the coming decade. As with Plasma 2010, we expect the Plasma 2020 report to be highly influential in establishing priorities for plasma focused agencies, both in the US and internationally. The Plasma 2020 committee invites the US and international plasma science and technology communities to submit white papers addressing past accomplishments, future science challenges, opportunities to provide societal benefit, needed interdisciplinary collaborations and means to enhance careers in the fields of plasma science and technology. The white papers will be a major source of input to the committee.

Instructions for submitting white papers are at the bottom of nas.edu/plasma. Please submit white papers by February 15, 2019. Questions can be addressed to the study Director, Christopher Jones or the co-chairs of the study.

Best regards,

Gary Zank, Co-chair Plasma 2020
Mark J. Kushner, Co-chair Plasma 2020