Carl Sagan Center Activity Report April 2016 Dr. Nathalie A. Cabrol, Director

2

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Andrén M., A. Skelton , E. Sturkell , C.-M. Mörth , H. R. Guðrúnardóttir , N. Keller , N. Odling, B. Dahrén , C. Broman , T. Balic-Zunic , H. Hjartarson , H. Siegmund , F. Freund , I. Kockum: Coupling between mineral reactions and chemical changes in groundwater before and after earthquakes in Iceland, Journal of Geophysical Research, accepted. Bishop J. L. & Rampe E. B. (2016) Evidence for a changing Martian climate through Al/Si clay unit at . Earth and Letters, in press. De Rosa, R. J., J. Rameau, J. Patience, J. R. Graham, R. Doyon, D. Lafrenière, B. Macintosh, L. Pueyo, A. Rajan, J. J. Wang, K. Ward-Duong, L.-W. Hung, J. Maire, E. L. Nielsen, S. M. Ammons, J. Bulger, A. Cardwell, J. K. Chilcote, R. L. Galvez, B. L. Gerard, S. Goodsell, M. Hartung, P. Hibon, P. Ingraham, M. Johnson-Groh, P. Kalas, Q. M. Konopacky, F. Marchis, C. Marois, S. Metchev, K. M. Morzinski, R. Oppenheimer, M. D. Perrin, F. T. Rantakyrö, D. Savransky, S. Thomas, " Spectroscopic Characterization of HD 95086 b with the Gemini Planet Imager, ApJ101604R2” accepted, ApJL, Accepted for publication in ApJL, http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016arXiv160401411D El Moutamid, M., Nicholson, P. D., French, R. G., Tiscareno, M. S., Murray, C. D., Evans, M. W., McGhee French, C., Hedman, M. M., and Burns, J. A. “How Janus’ orbital affects the edge of Saturn’s A ring. “, Icarus in press. Jensen-Clem, R., M. Millar-Blanchaer, D. Mawet, J. R. Graham, J K. , B. Macintosh, S. Hinkley, S. J. Wiktorowicz, M. D. Marshall, M. S. Marley, M. P. Fitzgerald, R. Oppoenheimer, Mark, A. S., F. T. Rantakyrö, and F. Marchis, "Point Source Polarimetry with the Gemini Planet Imager: Sensitivity Characterization with T5.5 Dwarf Companion HD 19467 B” The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 820, Issue 2, article id. 111, 7 pp. (2016) http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016ApJ...820..111J Grundy, W. M., R. P. Binzel, B. J. Buratti, J. C. Cook, D. P. Cruikshank, C. M. Dalle Ore, A. M. Earle, K. Ennico, C. J. A. Howett, A. W. Lunsford, C. B. Olkin, A. H. Parker, S. Philippe,S. Protopapa, E. Quirico, D. C. Reuter, B. Schmitt, K. N. Singer,A. J. Verbiscer, R. A. Beyer, M. W. Buie, A. F. Cheng, D. E. Jennings, I. R. Linscott, J. Wm. Parker, P. M. Schenk, J. R. Spencer, J. A. Stansberry, S. A. Stern, H. B. Throop, C. C. C. Tsang, H. A. Weaver, G. E. Weigle Ii, L. A. Young, and the Science Team. Surface Compositions Across and Charon. SCIENCE, 18 MARCH 2016. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6279/aad9189 Freund, F. T.: Nature of the Electronic Charge Carriers Involved in Triboluminescence; book chapter in: Triboluminescence - Theory, Synthesis, and Applications, David O. Olawale, Okenwa O. Okoli, S. Fontenot and William A. Hollerman, eds., Springer 2016. Goordial, J., Davila, A.F. et al. (2016) Comparative activity and functional ecology of permafrost soils and lithic niches in a hyper-arid polar desert. Environmental Microbiology. Accepted. Jackson, A., Davila, A.F., et al (2016). Deposition, accumulation, and alteration of Cl−, NO3−, ClO4− and ClO3− salts in a hyper-arid polar environment: balance and isotopic constraints. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 182, 197–215. 3

Moore, Jeffrey M., William B. Mckinnon, John R. Spencer, Alan D. Howard, Paul M. Schenk, Ross A. Beyer, Francis Nimmo, Kelsi N. Singer, Orkan M. Umurhan, Oliver L. White,S. , Kimberly Ennico, Cathy B. Olkin, Harold A. Weaver, Leslie A. Young, Richard P. Binzel, Marc W. Buie,Bonnie J. Buratti, Andrew F. Cheng, Dale P. Cruikshank, Will M. Grundy, Ivan R. Linscott, Harold J. Reitsema, Dennis C. Reuter, Mark R. Showalter, Veronica J. Bray, Carrie L. Chavez, Carly J. A. Howett, Tod R. Lauer, Carey M. Lisse, Alex Harrison Parker, S. B. , Stuart J. Robbins, Kirby Runyon, Ted Stryk, B. Throop, Constantine C. C. Tsang, Anne J. Verbiscer, Amanda M. Zangari, Andrew L. Chaikin, Don E. Wilhelms, New Horizons Science Team. The Geology of Pluto and Charon Through the Eyes of New Horizons. Science: 1284-1293 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6279/1284 Rameau, J., E. L. Nielsen, R. J. De Rosa, S. C. Blunt, J. Patience, R. Doyon, J. R. Graham, D. Lafreniere, B. Macintosh, F. Marchis, V. Bailey, J. K. Chilcote, G. Duchesse, T. M. Esposito, L.- W. Hung, Q. M. Konopacky, J. Maire, C. Marois, S. Metchev, M. D. Perrin, L. Pueyo, A. Rajan, D. Savransky, J. J. Wang, K. Ward-Duong, S. G. Wolff, S. Ammons, P. Hibon, P. Ingraham, P. Kalas, K. M. Morzinski, R. Oppenheimer, F. T. Rantakyearo, S. Thomas, "Constraints on the architecture of the HD 95086 planetary system with the Gemini Planet Imager”, Accepted for publication in ApJL http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016arXiv160405139R Rodriguez, Jose Palmero, Alberto Fairen, Ken Tanaka, Mario Zarroca, Rogelio Linares, Thomas Platz, Goro Komatsu, Hideaki , Jeffrey Kargel, Jianguo Yan, Virginia Gulick, Kana Higuchi, Victor Baker, and Natalie Glines Tsunami waves extensively resurfaced the shorelines of an early Martian ocean [Paper #SREP-15-32867A], Nature Scientific Reports, accepted. Sumner, D. Y., A. D. Jungblut, I. Hawes, D. T. Andersen, T. Mackey, and K. Wall (2016), Growth of Elaborate Microbial Pinnacles in Lake Vanda, Antarctica, Geobiology, Accepted for publication in Geobiology, April 22, 2016. Sutter, B., Quinn, R. C., Archer, P. D., Glavin, D. P., Glotch, T. D., Kounaves, S. P., Ming, D. W. (2016). Measurements of Oxychlorine species on . International Journal of Astrobiology, FirstView, 1–15. http://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000057 Weaver, H. A., M. W. Buie, B. J. Buratti, W. M. Grundy, T. R. Lauer, C. B. Olkin, A. H. Parker, S. B. Porter, M. R. Showalter,J. R. Spencer, S. A. Stern, A. J. Verbiscer, W. B. Mckinnon, J. M. Moore, S. J. Robbins, P. Schenk, K. N. Singer, O. S. Barnouin, A. F. Cheng, C. M. Ernst, C. M. Lisse, D. E. Jennings, A. W. Lunsford, D. C. Reuter, D. P. Hamilton, D. E. Kaufmann, K. Ennico, L. A. Young, R. A. Beyer, R. P. Binzel, V. J. Bray, A. L. Chaikin, J. C. Cook, D. P. Cruikshank, C. M. Dalle Ore, A. M. Earle, G. R. Gladstone, C. J. A. Howett, I. R. Linscott, F. Nimmo, J. Wm. Parker, S. Philippe, S. Protopapa, H. J. Reitsema, B. Schmitt, T. Stryk, M. E. Summers, C. C. C. Tsang,H. H. B. Throop, O. L. White, A. M. Zangari. The Small Satellites of Pluto as Observed by New Horizons, Science: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6279/aae0030 Weitz C. M. & Bishop J. L. (2016) Stratigraphy and Formation of Clays and Other Hydrated Minerals within a Depression in Coprates Catena. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, in press. 4

Wray J. J., Murchie S. L., Bishop J. L., Ehlmann B. L., Milliken R. E., Wilhelm M. B., Seelos K. D. & Chojnacki M. (2016) Orbital evidence for more widespread carbonate-bearing rocks on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research, in press.

Abstracts of Conferences Beyer, R. A.; Schenk, P.; Sides, S.; Edmundson, K.; Berry, K.; Moore, J.; Weaver, H.; Young, L.; Ennico, K.; Olkin, C.; Stern, S. A.; and New Horizons Science Team. 2016. Cartography at the Edge of the . 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2690. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2690B Beyer, R. A.; Nimmo, F.; McKinnon, W.; Moore, J.; Schenk, P.; Singer, K.; Spencer, J.; Weaver, H.; Young, L.; Ennico, K.; Olkin, C.; Stern, S. A.; and New Horizons Science Team. 2016. Tectonics of Charon. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2714. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2714B Bonaccorsi, R., Willson, D., Fairén, AG., Baker, L., McKay, CP., Zent, AP., and Mahaffy, P. (2016), Hollow Nodules gas escape sedimentary structures in Lacustrine Deposits on Earth and Crater (Mars), The Fourth Annual ARC Space Science & Astrobiology Jamboree March 8, 2016. Buie, M. W.; Stern, S. A.; Young, L. A.; Olkin, C. B.; Weaver, H. A.; Ennico, K.; Grundy, W. M.; Moore, J. M.; Beyer, R. A.; Schenk, P.; and New Horizons Science Team. 2016. Photometric Properties of Pluto. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21- 25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2927. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2927B Daubar, I. J.; Golombek, M. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Tornabene, L. L.; Calef, F. J.; Fergason, R.; Kirk, R.; and Beyer, R. 2016. Depth-Diameter Ratio of Corinto Secondary Craters. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2950. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2950D Davila, A.F., Jackson, A. et al., (2016), Extraterrestrial (per)chlorate. Goldschmidt Conference, Japan Gayathri, U. K., and F. T. Freund (2016), Matrix Embedded Organic Synthesis (MEOS), in Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Mars Analog Environments I: Paleo-Hydrothermal Systems, May 16-19, 2016, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA, Poster #2082. Golombek, M.; Warner, N.; Daubar, I. J.; Kipp, D.; Huertas, A.; Beyer, R.; Piqueux, S.; Putzig, N. E.; Calef, F.; and Banerdt, W. B. 2016. Surface and Subsurface Characteristics of Western , Mars. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21- 25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1572. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1572G 5

Howard, A. D.; Moore, J. M.; White, O. L.; Umurhan, O.; Schenck, P.; Beyer, R.; McKinnon, W.; Singer, K.; Spencer, J.; Stern, S. A.; Weaver, H.; Young, L.; , K. E.; Olkin, C.; and New Horizons Science Team. 2016. Present and Past Glaciation on Pluto. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1089. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1089H Lowe, D. R.; Bishop, J. L.; Beyer, R. A.; Wilhelm, M. B.; Wray, J. J.; and Loizeau, D. 2016. Characterization of Aeolian and Sedimentary Features in the Mawrth Vallis Region, Mars. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1651. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1651L Moore, J. M.; Howard, A. D.; White, O. L.; Umurhan, O. M.; Schenk, P. M.; Beyer, R. A.; McKinnon, W. B.; Singer, K. N.; Spencer, J. R.; Stern, S. A.; Weaver, H. A.; Young, L. A.; Ennico, K.; Olkin, C. B.; and New Horizons GGI Team. 2016. Sublimation as a Landform- Shaping Process on Pluto. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1636. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1636M Race, M.S., J.E. Johnson, J.A. Spry, B. Siegel, and C.A. Conley (Editors) 2016. Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions: Report on Workshop Findings. Abstract submitted to SSERVI-- Exploration Science Forum for July 20-22 at Ames. Rafkin, S. C. R., A. Soto, and T. I. Michaels (2016), The effect of surface ice and topography on the atmospheric circulation and distribution of nitrogen ice on Pluto, in Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2016, 22 May to 26 May 2016, Makuhari Messe, Japan, Abst. #PPS01-06. Ricca, A., “PAH clusters and the interstellar infrared emission bands”, to be presented at the 228th AAS Meeting, San Diego, CA Robbins, S. J.; Singer, K. N.; Bray, V. J.; Schenk, P.; McKinnon, W. B.; Runyon, K.; Weaver, H. A.; Zangari, A.; Young, L. A.; Beyer, R. A.; Porter, S.; Lauer, T. R.; Moore, J. M.; Olkin, C. B.; Ennico, K.; Stern, S. A.; New Horizons Ggi Theme Team; New Horizons Pluto Encounter Team; New Horizons Lorri Instrument Team; and New Horizons Mvic Instrument Team. 2016. A Consensus Crater Catalog of Pluto, Charon, and Nix. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1756. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1756R Schenk, P.; Singer, K.; Robbins, S.; Bray, V.; Beyer, R.; Moore, J.; McKinnon, W. B.; Spencer, J.; Runyon, K.; Stern, S. A.; Young, L. A.; Olkin, C.; Ennico, K.; and Weaver, H. A. 2016. Topography of Pluto and Charon: Impact Cratering. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2795. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2795S Singer, K. N.; White, O. L.; Schenk, P. M.; Moore, J. M.; McKinnon, W. B.; Howard, A. D.; Spencer, J. R.; Stern, S. A.; Cook, J. C.; Grundy, W. M.; Cruikshank, D. P.; Beyer, R. A.; Nimmo, F.; Umurhan, O.; Howett, C. J. A.; Parker, A. H.; Protopapa, S.; Lauer, T. R.; Weaver, H. A.; Young, L. A.; Olkin, C. B.; Ennico, K.; New Horizons Geology; Geophysics Team; New Horizons Composition Team; New Horizons Vic Team; and New Horizons Lorri Team. 2016. Pluto's Putative Cryovolcanic Constructs. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held 6

March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2276. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2276S Singer, K. N.; McKinnon, W. B.; Robbins, S. J.; Schenk, P. M.; Greenstreet, S.; Gladman, B.; Parker, A. H.; Stern, S. A.; Bray, V. J.; Weaver, H. A.; Beyer, R. A.; Young, L. A.; Spencer, J. R.; Moore, J. M.; Olkin, C. B.; Ennico, K.; Binzel, R. P.; Grundy, W. M.; New Horizons Geology; Geophysics Team; New Horizons Composition Team; New Horizons Mvic Team; and New Horizons Lorri Team. 2016. Craters on Pluto and Charon — Surface Ages and Impactor Populations. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2310. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2310S Spencer, J. R.; Moore, J. M.; McKinnon, W. B.; Stern, S. A.; Young, L. A.; Weaver, H. A.; Singer, K. N.; Howard, A. D.; Nimmo, F.; Lauer, T.; White, O.; Olkin, C. B.; Ennico, K.; Beyer, R. A.; and New Horizons GGI Team. 2016. The Geology of Pluto and Charon Revealed by New Horizons. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2440. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2440S Thompson, S., J. Coughlin, F. Mullally, J. Christiansen, and C. Burke, Creating 's Final KOI Catalog while Balancing Completeness and Reliability, 228th ASS Meeting, Abstract ID: 401.07. Tiscareno, M. S., “Propeller peregrinations: Ongoing observations of disk-embedded migration in Saturn’s rings”, to be presented at the 46th DDA meeting, Nashville, TN Umurhan, O. M.; Howard, A. D.; Moore, J. M.; Schenk, P.; Beyer, R. A.; White, O. L.; Binzel, R. P.; Singer, K.; McKinnon, W. B.; Nimmo, F.; Stern, S. A.; Weaver, H.; Young, L. A.; Ennico Smith, K.; and Olkin, C. B. 2016. Examining Scenarios for Glacial Flow of Volatile Ices onto Pluto's Sputnik Planum. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.2093. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.2093U Zangari, A. M.; Singer, K. N.; Beyer, R. A.; Schenk, P. M.; Moore, J. M.; McKinnon, W. B.; Stern, S. A.; Young, L. A.; Weaver, H. A.; Olkin, C. B.; Ennico, K.; New Horizons Geology, Geophysics; and Imaging Team. 2016. Have Stellar Occultations Probed Charon's Chasmata? 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1535. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016LPI....47.1535Z

7

Invitation to Speak (Professional and Public Talks) Bonaccorsi, Rosalba: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 2016 April 21. Santa Clara University: Analog Field Research in Extreme Desert Environments. Bonaccorsi, Rosalba: MarsFest Symposium Guided talks Busch, Michael: Lectures for Margaret Race's class at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on April 14 & 28. Cabrol, N. A., Decoding a Changing Planet, Rolex, Geneva, Switzerland. Davila, A. Mars Fest-Death Valley. 9-11 April 2016. Estrada, P. R., “Fractal Growth and Radial Migration of Solids: the Role of Porosity and Compaction in and Evolving ”, presented at the SADL weekly talk series, SETI Institute, April 27, 2016. Fenton, Lori: Presentation to Sophia educators at SETI (using Zoom), Mar. 27 Freund, Friedemann: Protonic Semiconductor Approach to Proton Translocation through Membranes, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (German equivalent to NIST), Berlin, Germany, Apr. 15, 2016. Freund, Friedemann: Protonic Semiconductor Approach to Water, WETSUS Leuuwarden, NL Apr 19, 2016; and A View from the Waterfront, WETSUS Leuuwarden, NL Apr 21, 2016. Gillum, Eliot: “OSETI: All Sky, All The Time” at Breakthrough Discuss. Event 4/15/16. Race, Margaret. April 6- Novato Library: " Looking for Cosmic Company" (linked with Mars Month at Marin County Library). Race, Margaret. April 8-9: Death Valley National Park Centennial and Mars Fest: • Safeguarding Special Places on Earth & Beyond: How to preserve, protect and study environmentally and culturally important places’ • Panelist- Unimpaired for Future Generations - Preservation & Protection of sites; • EXPO Hands-on Activities (SETI Table) Race, Margaret. (March 28, April 7, 14, 21, 28): Santa Clara University Course Lead & Lecturer- Astrobiology & Searching for ET, Osher Life Long Learning (OLLI) Program Race, Margaret. April 18-19: Invited Speaker; USC Senior Honors Program- The Process of Change in Science (lectures on Planetary Protection & Astrobiology; and Planetary Defense and Decision Making. Shostak, Seth: Guest (one hour) on “Dark Thirty Radio. 4/1/16. Shostak, Seth: Panelist at Conference on World Affairs – science and technology, nine panels total 4/4/16 – 4/8/16. Shostak, Seth. Guest on BBC World Service Television, on Breakthrough Starshot. 12 minutes, 4/12/16. Shostak, Seth. Guest for news segment (Breakthrough Starshot) on “Coast to Coast AM” radio, 10 minutes. 4/12/16. Shostak, Seth. Guest on “Coast to Coast AM” radio, two hours. 4/14/16 8

Shostak, Seth. Presentation on Fermi Paradox (via Skype), class in New York City arranged by Vladimir Butkov, Ultimate Risk Solutions. 4/15/16. Shostak, Seth. Invited SETI talk, Smithsonian event, “The Future is Here.” 4/24/16. Showalter, Mark.: Invited Talk: Orbital and Rotational Dynamics of Pluto’s Small Moons. Mark Showalter, Harold Weaver, John Spencer, Simon Porter, Douglas Hamilton, Richard Binzel, , William Grundy, Francis Nimmo, Robert Jacobson, Marina Brozovic, S. Alan Stern, Cathy Olkin, Leslie Young, Kimberly Ennico, and The New Horizons Science Team, EGU Meeting, Vienna, week of April 2016. Tarter, Jill: OLLI@ Santa Clara University; SETI Lecture. Event 4/7/16. Tarter, Jill: Keynote: Marsfest in Death Valley “A Cosmic Perspective; Searching for Aliens, Finding Ourselves.” Event 4/8/16. Tarter, Jill: Cal Academy - Yuri’s Night at NightLife: “Life Beyond Earth?” Event 4/14/16. Tarter, Jill: Chair Session at Breakthrough Discuss Meeting at Stanford Univ: OSETI and Directed Energy Propulsion Systems. Event 4/15/16. Tarter, Jill: Brown University, President’s Thinking Out Loud Lecture Series; “The 21st Century: The Century of Biology on Earth and Beyond.” Event 4/20/16. Tarter, Jill: Mills College Noon Lecture; “Life Beyond Earth?” Event 4/27/16. Zalucha, Angela: SETI Institute Colloquium, May 10.

Intellectual Property SETI – To be submitted

Proposals Status (Reported)

Selected: NASA MDAP: 2 Funded (1 PI and 1 Co-I) NASA STTR Accepted (SI PI and Co-I)

Submitted: 1 NASA CDAP Step 1 (PI) 1 N6-AVRSNG-0032 Step 1 (PI) 9 NASA Emerging Worlds (Step 1, all Encouraged: 3 as PIs, 6 as Co-Is) 1 NASA Research Program (Step 1 Encouraged) 1 HST (Co-I) 1 SSO (Step 1) 2 NEOO (Step 1) (PI and Co-I). 5 CDAP (3 as PIs, 2 as Co-Is) Step 1. 2 Step1 XRP encouraged 1 NASA IRTF proposal submitted. Multiple contributions to ALMA as Co-I without funding requested. 1 NOI AVRSNG submitted 9

Significant Events • L. Fenton: Finished mentoring high school student Helen Carson, whose presentation at the Washington state science fair on Mars dust devils won her awards from AIAA and the Association of Women Geoscientists. • R. Bonaccorsi: Death Valley Celestial Centennial & MarsFest Symposium April 8-10, 2016. Results in brief: This year’s event has been considered outstandingly successful and well attended. Over 4,500 visitors + happened to be in the Park at the time of the event (Visitor Center pass-throughs). The Park recorded about 500 visitors at the night sky viewing on Saturday, and over 2,500 pass-throughs at the Visitor Center on Saturday only! Sales doubled for the MarsFest week-end with respect to those for the previous week-end (Spring break). There were about 200 people attending Jill Tarter’s talks and Mat Kaplan Radio Show on Friday night. Death Valley Superintendent and upper Management were pleased about the outcome of this year event and acknowledged the excellence of speakers and field trip leaders. Bill Diamond, Barbara Vance and Margaret Race supported the SETI Institute table on Saturday and Sunday. Bill Diamond, Margaret Race, Alfonso Davila gave key and introductory talks on Friday and Saturday. Rosalba Bonaccorsi did lead two successful field trips at the Ubehebe Volcanic Field analog site. We also had our first ever, private sponsor for MarsFest! Farabee Jeep Rental" provided us with a capable vehicle to run the event at a discounted price (350$, instead of 1300$). Sponsors: NASA Astrobiology Program supported ASU NAI Expo boot and travel, Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) supported the event. Death Valley Natural History Association supported free housing/event headquarter for a week i.e., in-kind contribution of~2000$ to the organizer (R. Bonaccorsi).

Figure - Group photo with the Park Service’s upper Management (Death Valley Park Service HQ) and the Icebreaker Mission mock up payload the day after the event (Monday 11th). The general public, including a Maori visitor from New Zealand, was also involved in the mock up spacecraft assembling effort at DV HQ!

• Marchis, Franck gave a talk to the Yuri's Night of the California. Also, the California Academy of Sciences contacted Franck several months to help them set up a live exhibit called of Worlds to explain to the public the discovery of exoworlds. This is a live 15 min-presentation that is giving 6 times a day for the visitors using a large screen in the Hohfeld Hall. Franck has been asked to provide some inputs on our solar system planets, and . Franck went to see the show on May 3rd and liked the result. b is the last planet shown to the public (the artistic composition) and the capability of GPI is mentioned. They recorded one of the presentations given this week you can find it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B705Dlp_oNCDN3VsTHltQi0zUEE/view GPI is mentioned at 11:56 (Franck asked Tim to correct the name of the ). This is for 10

a young public so showing spectra or even a tiny dot around a large one is not what they are looking for. Also each presenter slightly modifies the text of their presentation and the pace. Finally the recording is not as good as the real show so if you are local please go see it. Franck also attach below some pictures that I took. CalAcad will be able to tell us soon how many people have viewed the show in 6 months but they estimate that ~15,000- 20,000 people over a period of one year.

• Shostak, Seth: Meeting with Chris Shank, policy director for the Science, Space and Technology Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, and assistant to Congressman Lamar Smith. 4/25/16.

Potential Highlights for the Website and/or PR Potential

From the Kepler team: Kepler spacecraft is back in business! http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=48828

11

Carl Sagan Center:

Research Thrust Chair Co-Chair Astronomy and Astrophysics Paul Estrada Uma Gorti Astrobiology Richard Quinn Janice Bishop Climate & Geoscience Dale Anderson Adrian Brown Exoplanets Franck Marchis Doug Caldwell Planetary Exploration Ginny Gulick Lori Fenton SETI Gerry Harp (co-chair) Eliot Gilum (co-chair) Advisor Mark Showalter Advisor Margaret Race Young Scientist Michael Busch