Meeting Location and Dates
The Optimizing Planetary In Situ Surface-Atmosphere Interaction Investigations workshop is scheduled for June 28–July 1, 2022, in Boise, Idaho. This hybrid workshop will be conducted in person with opportunities for virtual participation.
All are welcome to view meeting presentations and full-group discussions during and after the workshop. Pre-recorded videos are available on YouTube at https://boi.st/planetinsitu22, and e-posters are here. A block program showing which portions of the workshop will be streamed and recorded can be viewed here.
Purpose and Scope
Surface-atmosphere interactions on planetary bodies are key drivers for the shape and composition of landscapes, the sources/sinks of crucial atmospheric constituents, and influences on climatological and meteorological dynamics. Understanding these processes informs our interpretation of observed or modeled geology, geomorphology, climate, and related hazards. Such interpretation influences predictions used in mission design, including EDL and surface operations of robotic and human missions and identification of potentially habitable environments. Observations of similar processes within different planetary environments provide a method to test and refine process models applied on other planetary bodies and will further improve our general understanding of even terrestrial processes and their records.
Investigations focused on real-time observation of active processes have, to date, been mostly limited to Earth, with planetary studies reliant on terrestrial-based models with scaling/modifications hypothesized based on theory or limited laboratory studies and constraints based on indirect planetary observations. However, increased scientific maturity of planetary surface and atmosphere process models, increased coverage and resolution in contextual geologic and atmospheric observations, and new technology advances in science, engineering, and computing enable new thinking about ways to measure and characterize surface-atmosphere activity concurrently with environmental drivers. These advances mean compelling, high-science-value planetary mission concepts focused on in situ investigations of active planetary atmosphere-surface interactions appear feasible for the next decade.
To advance opportunities for in situ studies of planetary surface-atmosphere interactions and foster collaborations (including for mission concept and instrument development), we plan two workshops that will consider end-to-end optimization of in situ investigations of active planetary surface-atmosphere interactions. The first workshop (Planetary Dunes Workshop) will focus on identifying the high-priority science questions and measurements needed to explore such interactions. The results of that workshop will be a starting point for this second workshop, in which we aim to understand how to collect the needed measurements and optimize their science value.
For this workshop, we welcome all interested in optimization of in situ investigations of planetary surface-atmosphere interactions, such as but not limited to:
- Terrestrial and planetary aeolian/atmospheric/volatile flux scientists
- Atmospheric and surface process modelers and lab/field study practitioners
- Terrestrial and planetary soil/dust scientists
- Developers of relevant instruments for terrestrial and/or planetary application
- Planetary mission formulation and development engineers, including those working on small landed spacecraft
- Those enabling human exploration, with respect to, for example, weather monitoring and surface/atmosphere hazard characterization
Code of Conduct
USRA/LPI is committed to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, age, race, religion, or other protected status. We do not tolerate harassment of meeting participants in any form. USRA/LPI expects that all participants will abide by this Code of Conduct, creating an environment free from harassment, discrimination, disruption, incivility, or violence of any kind. We expect participants to exercise consideration and respect in their speech and actions and refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior. Report issues, concerns, or violations of this Code of Conduct directly to USRA/LPI management at USRA-LPI Meetings Code of Conduct. The full USRA/LPI Code of Conduct can be found here.
