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ANNUAL REPORT 2009 PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE Th E Planetary Science Institute Is a Private, Nonprofi T 501(C)(3) Corporation Dedicated to Solar System Exploration

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ANNUAL REPORT 2009 PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE Th E Planetary Science Institute Is a Private, Nonprofi T 501(C)(3) Corporation Dedicated to Solar System Exploration Painting by William K. Hartmann showing a view from the surface of Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Planetary Science Institute ANNUAL REPORT 2009 PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE Th e Planetary Science Institute is a private, nonprofi t 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to solar system exploration. It is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, where it was founded in 1972. PSI scientists are involved in numerous NASA and international missions, the study of Mars and other planets, the moon, asteroids, comets, interplanetary dust, impact physics, the origin of the solar system, extra-solar planet formation, dynamics, the rise of life, and other areas of research. Th ey conduct fi eldwork in North America, South America, Australia, Asia and Africa. Th ey also are actively involved in science education and public outreach through school programs, teacher workshops, children’s books, popular science books and art. PSI scientists are based in 16 states, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Russia and Australia with affi liates in China and Japan. Th e Planetary Science Institute corporate headquarters is located at 1700 E. Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona, 85719-2395. Th e main offi ce phone number is 520.622.6300, fax is 520.622.8060 and the Web address is www.psi.edu. PSI BOARD OF TRUSTEES Tim Hunter, M.D., Chair Brent A. Archinal, Ph.D. David H. Levy, Ph.D. University of Arizona Medical Center U.S. Geological Survey Jarnac Observatory Candace P. Kohl, Ph. D., Vice Chair Donald R. Davis, Ph.D. Benjamin W. Smith, J.D. Independent Consultant Planetary Science Institute Attorney at Law John L. Mason, Ph. D., Secretary Michael G. Gibbs, Ed.D. Mark V. Sykes, Ph.D., J.D. Applied Research and Technology Capitol College Planetary Science Institute William K. Hartmann, Ph.D. Planetary Science Institute The rocky profile along the edge of asteroid 25143 Itokawa is a fine example a “rubble pile” structure, a concept developed at the Planetary Science Institute in the 1970s and 1980s as a type of asteroid fragmented and reassembled during large-scale collisions. PSI scientists Paul Abell, Donald Davis and Robert Gaskell have been part of the Hayabusa science team that obtained the image. (Japanese Space Agency; image processed by W. K. Hartmann.) 2 A Busy Year at PSI Planetary Science Institute researchers created new maps In addition, PSI scientists participated in the Dawn fl yby of the seasonal polar caps of Mars using neutron measure- of Mars; supported NASA missions to comets Hartley 2, ments from orbit, placing new constraints on global circu- Tempel 1 and Wild 2 using ground-based observations; lation models of the atmosphere; raised questions about made the fi rst-ever, up-close look at neutron production subsurface ice trapped in Martian dunes, preventing their from a solar fl are; identifi ed and mapped on the lunar movement; provided new insights into the large role that surface previously unidentifi ed chemical elements, water has played in shaping the topography of large Mar- including uranium; and determined a means by which tian craters; and determined that warm weather near the small gravitational eff ects on a satellite could be used to Martian equator may have melted the ice in ice-rich soils constrain the local population of near-Earth objects. as recently as 2 million years ago, indicating that the planet Th is was a small fraction of research conducted this year at may have been more life-friendly very recently. the Institute, and demonstrates its breadth and richness. PSI Strengthens Science, Education and Support Staff PSI’s strength and advantage is in its people. Our culture of openness and high level of mutual support sets us apart from other organizations. In 2009 PSI continued to grow, adding 15 new staff , including 10 researchers. Other new personnel focus on Education and Public Outreach eff orts and add to PSI’s science support and administrative eff orts. New PSI staff members for 2009: Alice Baldridge Susan Benecchi Jade C. Bond Sanlyn Buxner Thea Cañizo Associate Research Scientist Associate Research Scientist Postdoctoral Research Assistant Education Specialist Education Support Specialist Mary G. Chapman Steven K. Croft Deborah Domingue Lorin Rossman Irwin Jian-Yang Li Senior Scientist Senior Education Specialist Senior Scientist Research Scientist Senior Research Associate Joseph R. Michalski Karly M. Pitman Linda Rueger Nicholas Tosca Michael Wendell Research Scientist Associate Research Scientist Human Resources Specialist Associate Research Scientist Software Developer 3 NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR At PSI we take pride in being an organization that is run by participating in our scientists for the benefi t of scientists. We are a community community and who have of people that seeks not only to advance our own research, demonstrated the capabil- but also to provide support for our colleagues within the ity or show the promise Institute through things like internal proposal reviews and to develop a dynamic, strategy workshops. independent research program to advance our We also remove subjective barriers to advancement and understanding of the solar salary rates and promote an egalitarian work environment system. Applications are – everyone is treated the same whether they are one of required, as are letters of the founders who has been around for 37 years or a young reference. We bring candidates to Tucson to give a seminar. scientist submitting his or her fi rst proposals to NASA. Finally, the staff has an open discussion of the application Our criteria for promotion are objective (becoming the and the suitability of the candidate to be a PSI scientist. If a Principal Investigator of grants and years since Ph.D.). positive consensus is reached, an off er for an appointment Scientists set their own salaries, guided by national to the Institute is made. Eleven new appointments were averages for similar positions. made in 2009 to Principal Investigator-eligible positions in One consequence of PSI’s institutional culture was driven science and education. home when I recently attended the Women in Astronomy PSI was honored this year by the visit of Congresswoman (WIA) conference in Washington, D.C. to give an invited Gabrielle Giff ords, Chair of the House Subcommittee for lecture on PSI’s policies and practices. I was very surprised Space and Aerospace, which oversees NASA, our principal when an earlier speaker presented statistics showing that source of funding. PSI brings in millions of federal dollars women astronomers at universities earned about 20 percent each year to Giff ords’ district, providing well-paying jobs less in salary than their male colleagues of comparable to a highly educated work force and stimulating the local experience and position. economy. It is always a pleasure to show off the Institute, its Women make up 33 percent of Ph.D.s at PSI, increasing people, and the incredible range of science we undertake. to 44 percent when considering scientists earning their We are on the science teams of 11 missions by the U.S., degrees less than 20 years ago (a time when the profession Europe, Japan and India.We run instruments on four of was far more male-dominated). Comparing salaries at these missions, and have 130 ongoing contracts and grants PSI of women and men as a function of years since Ph.D., with NASA. We are also involved in the future of human women’s salaries were on average higher than their male exploration. PSI has a long history, going back to the 1980s, counterparts, bucking the national trend! of supporting the role of near-Earth asteroids (NEOs) in Scientist retention was another issue discussed at the the future of human exploration. Currently, PSI scientists Women in Astronomy conference. A common problem in are generating simulations of human missions to NEOs for our profession arises when one spouse needs to relocate for NASA. I recently briefed President Obama’s Review of U.S. work and the other spouse may not have job opportunities Human Spacefl ight Plans Committee, headed by Norm in the new location. PSI addresses this issue by allowing Augustine, on this subject. scientists to work basically anywhere, supporting people Our work is funded by the public, so we feel a deep com- in 16 states and around the world. Nature magazine has mitment to convey what we are doing and its value back highlighted PSI as one of a few such companies that uses to them. Our research is very much comparative planetol- the internet to bring together and provide support for ogy – and what we learn about other worlds is important geographically distributed scientists. to understanding the history, present and future of our Interestingly, at PSI this problem of co-location has been own world. It is also laying the groundwork for any future an issue for as many husbands following wives as for wives expansion of humans beyond the Earth. following husbands. Mark V. Sykes At the same time, joining the PSI science staff is not auto- matic. We seek scientists who are interested in actively 4 NASA Funds PSI to Archive Asteroid and Dust Data PSI received a NASA grant of nearly $2.5 million to archive data relating to asteroids and interplanetary dust. PSI has been part of NASA’s Planetary Data System (PDS) eff ort to preserve, organize, and make mission data available to the scientifi c community since the PDS was formed in the early 1990s. Th e fi ve-year grant will fund PSI work on the Asteroid/ Dust Subnode of the PDS Small Bodies Node. PSI Senior Scientist Donald R. Davis is the Principal Investigator on the project. “NASA established PDS as a long-term archive for data col- lected on planetary missions,” Davis said.
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