CARL SAGAN CENTER

Activity Report August 2017 Dr. Nathalie A. Cabrol, Director

Cover. Great American Eclipse Umbra viewed from the International Space Station. Credit: NASA; Commemorative poster of the 40th anniversary of Voyager 1’s launch. 2

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Brozovic, M., L. A. M. Benner, J. McMichael, J. D. Giorgini, P. Pravec, P. Scheirich, C. Magri, M. W. Busch, C. G. Lee, L. G. Snedecker, M. A. Silva, M. A. Slade, B. Semenov, M. C. Nolan, P. A. Taylor, E. S. Howell, and K. J. Lawrence, 2017 August 22. Goldstone and Arecibo radar observations of (99942) Apophis in 2012-2013. Icarus, in press.

Cox N, Cami J, Farhang A, Smoker J, Monreal-Ibero A, et al. (2017). The ESO Diffuse Interstellar Bands Large Exploration Survey: EDIBLES I. Project description, survey sample and quality assessment. Accepted to A&A.

Colman IL, Huber D, Bedding TR, Kuszlewicz JS, Yu J, et al. (2017). Evidence for compact binary systems around Kepler red giants. MNRAS 469, 3802-3812.

Campante TL, Veras D, North TSH, Miglio A, Morel T, et al., including Huber D (2017). Weighing in on the masses of retired A stars with asteroseismology: K2 observations of the exoplanet-host star HD 212771. MNRAS 469, 1360-1368.

Fortenberry RC, Lee TJ, Huang X. (2017) Towards completing the cyclopropenylidene cycle: rovibrational analysis of cyclic N3+, CNN, HCNN+, and CNC, PCCP, 19, 22860-22869, DOI: 10.1039/c7cp04257d (link)

Hanus, J. et al., . including F. Marchis, (2017). Spin states of asteroids in the Eos collisional family, Icarus, Volume 299, p. 84-96.

Hargitai, H.I., Gulick, V.C., and Glines, N.H. 2017. Discontinuous drainage systems formed by highland precipitation and ground-water outflow in the Navua Valles and southwest Hadriacus Mons regions, Mars. v. 294, 15 September 2017, Pages 172-200, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.03.005 .

Huber D, Zinn J, Bojsen-Hansen M, Pinsonneault M, Sahlholdt C, et al. (2017). Asteroseismology and Gaia: Testing Scaling Relations Using 2200 Kepler Stars with TGAS Parallaxes. ApJ 844, article id. 102, 13pp.

Nielsen E. L., et al. including F. Marchis, Evidence that the Directly-Imaged Planet HD 131399 Ab is a Background Star, accepted for publication in Astronomical Journal, 2017

Zinn JC, Huber D, Pinsonneault MH, Stello D (2017). Evidence for Spatially Correlated Gaia Parallax Errors in the Kepler Field. ApJ 844, Iid. 166, 16 pp.

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Conferences: Abstracts and Proceedings

Blake, D. F., P. Sarrazin, T. Bristow, R. T. Downs, M. Gailhanou, F. Marchis, D. W. Ming, et al. 2016. The Mapping X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (mapx). American Geophysical Union, Fall General Assembly 2016, abstract #P21C-2141.

Estrada PR, Cuzzi JN (2017). Growth and drift of solids in protoplanetary nebulae. Presented at the Accretion: Building New Worlds workshop, held at LPI, August 15-18, Houston, TX. Invited.

Greenberg, A. H., E. Nesvold, E. van Heerden, N. Erasmus, and F. Marchis. 2016. The Deflection Question. American Geophysical Union, Fall General Assembly 2016, abstract #NH13A-1746.

Huang X (08/01/2017). Prediction accuracy, consistency, and limitation of IR computations based on ab-initio theory and high-resolution experimental data (invited talk). Workshop on Astrophysical Opacities, Kalamazoo, MI, USA (link)

Huang X (08/20/2017). Accurate IR line lists for SO2 isotopologues (invited talk), in Molecules in Space: Linking the Interstellar Medium to (Exo)-Planets, PHYS 54, the 254th ACS National Meeting in Washington, DC, August 20-24, 2017.

Jeute TJ, LL Baker, JL Bishop, EB Rampe & Z Abidin (2017). Characterizing nanophase materials on Mars: Spectroscopic studies of allophane and imogolite. GSA Annual meeting, Abstract #303855.

Marchis, F., M. Christian, C. Bradley, C. Blain, O. Lardiere, C. Melis, C. Packham, and A. Skemer. 2016. Imaging and characterizing exo-Earths at 10 microns - The TIKI project. American Geophysical Union, Fall General Assembly 2016, abstract #P13C-06.

Naidu, S.P. L.A.M. Benner, M. Brozovic, J.D. Giorgini, M.W. Busch, J. S. Jao, C.G. Lee, L.G. Snedeker, M.A. Silva, M.A. Slade, K.J. Lawrence (2017 December). Goldstone radar images of near-Earth asteroids (469896) 2007 WV4, 2014 JO25, 2017 BQ6, and 2017 CS. AGU Fall Meeting, New Orleans.

Tiscareno MS (9/22). Imaging of Saturn’s main rings during the Cassini Ring-Grazing Orbits and Grand Finale (invited). European Planetary Science Congress, 11, 996 (link).

Tiscareno MS (10/16). High-resolution imaging of Saturn’s main rings during the Cassini Ring-Grazing Orbits and Grand Finale (invited). AAS Division for Planetary Sciences, 49, 108.02 (list of the invited speakers).

Tiscareno MS (December). High-resolution imaging of Saturn’s main rings during the Cassini Ring-Grazing Orbits and Grand Finale (invited). American Geophysical Union, submitted. 4

Weitz CM, DC Berman, A Rodriguez & JL Bishop (2017). Geologic mapping and studies of diverse deposits at Noctis Labyrinthus, Mars. GSA Annual meeting, Abstract #298877.

Technical Reports & Data Releases Caldwell, D.A., 2017, K2 Campaign 12 Data Release Notes https://keplergo.arc.nasa.gov/k2-data-release-notes.html

Coughlin J (2017). K2 C12 and C13 data were processed and delivered to MAST, along with C14 raw data. Delivered last update to Kepler DR25 KOI table, which is now closed. In process of delivering extra Kepler DR25 data sets to NExScI and GitHub.

Popular Publications/Web Stories/ Other Media / Interviews Unistellar Press release (August 31) http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/press-release/unistellar-unveils-consumer-enhanced- vision-telescope-ifa-2017

Observations of the asteroid Florence by Franck Marchis & Clement Chalumeau with the Unistellar prototype (August 31 2017, Mount Tamalpais).

Showalter MR (8/14) was interviewed by Nola Taylor Reed of Scientific American, who is working on an article about the rings of Saturn at the end of the Cassini mission.

Tiscareno MS was quoted in a retrospective article about Cassini by Lisa Grossman that appeared in the September issue of Science News (based on interview of 7/27).

Tiscareno MS (8/11) was interviewed via phone by Nola Redd of Scientific American, who quoted him in an article about Cassini that appeared 8/22. 5

Tiscareno MS (8/28) was interviewed via email by David Freeman of NBC, who quoted him in a short article about the Cassini “inside-out movie” that appeared 8/29.

Tiscareno MS (8/30) is credited as an advisor on two “System Sounds” websites from the University of Toronto that use music to explain certain aspects of Saturn’s ring system and its interactions with Saturn’s moons (links here and here). This work is the result of extensive email conversation between Tiscareno and the U Toronto workers. Unfortunately, the associated press release does not mention Tiscareno.

Invitation to Speak (Professional and Public)

Barrios J. (Aug, 16) “SETI Survey of Pulsars, Quasars, Blazars, and Exoplanets”, lightning talk summarizing internship project.

Bishop JL (August 2). Closing Address, University of Colorado at Boulder, Summer Science Program in Astronomy for gifted high school students.

Bishop JL (August 22). “’The Martian’ traverse and what Mark Whatney missed along the way”, Grand Teton National Park, WY, Eclipse Watch event for 200 people coordinated by Dr. Doug Duncan, director of the Fiske Auditorium, Boulder.

Gillum E (Aug, 17) “Answers to your Laser SETI Questions.” Featured web story http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2017/08/17/guest-blog-answers-to- your-laser-seti-questions.aspx.

Harp, G and Shostak, S (Aug, 15) “Wow! Signal” Facebook Live! Event organized by Rebecca McDonald and hosted by Bill Diamond. Videos at https://www.facebook.com/pg/SETIInstitute/videos/?ref=page_internal, and https://www.facebook.com/SETIInstitute/videos/10155469479165535/.

Marchis F. is invited to talk at the East Bay Astronomical Society (October 14) “The Search for a Cousin of Earth: Science or Fiction?”

Race, MS (August 18) Presented two Assemblies at Brawly Elementary School, Sunnyvale CA • “Understanding Eclipses” for combined Grades K-2 (~150 students) • “The Great American Eclipse” for combined Grades 3-5 (~200 students)

Richards, Jon and Tarter, Jill (Aug. 24) Interviewed at the ATA for Discovery Channel Canada.

Smith J. is invited talk at the NASA Ames Code TI CAS technical area talk on August 29th entitled "TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the Planet Searching Pipeline”.

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Shostak, S (Aug, 01) “What Happens Next If We Find Proof of Space Aliens?”, NBC News/Mach, August 1, https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-happens-next-if- we-find-proof-space-aliens-ncna788511

Shostak, S (Aug, 15) “Happy Birthday Wow!”, SETI Institute web article, http://seti.org/happy-birthday-wow

Shostak, S (Aug, 18) “Eclipse! Time to Grab the Binocs!” SETI Institute web article, http://seti.org/eclipse-time-to-grab-the-binocs

Shostak, S (Aug, 18) “What’s New in SETI,” Triple Ring Technologies, Newark, CA

Shostak, S (Aug, 18) “When Will We Find ET, and What Happens If We Do?”. colloquium, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA

Shostak, S (Aug, 18) “When Will We Find ET, and What Happens If We Do?”, popular talk, Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA

Shostak, S (Aug, 21-25) four talks on SETI, atomic physics, and the geology of the Pacific Northwest, MWT Associates eclipse tour.

Showalter MR (8/20, 8/21) gave two public lectures about the eclipse near Boise, ID.

Showalter MR (8/21) led an expedition of almost 50 people to the 8/21 eclipse. Tarter, J, Shostak S., Harp, G. R., (Jul. 12, missed this last period) Public interviews and discussions at Jill’s book signing event about Sarah Scoles new book about Jill and about SETI in general.

Tiscareno MS (8/16) led a SETI Talks in which the REU interns gave a round of lightning talks reviewing their summer projects.

Tiscareno MS (8/20) gave an impromptu talk about eclipses to a combined audience of some 50 to 60 people at the campground in Eastern Oregon where he and his family were awaiting the total eclipse of 8/21. He used slides that had been given to him by Mark Showalter. He explicitly promoted the institute during this talk, and one attendee gave him a $100 donation to the institute the following day.

Tiscareno MS (9/11) will give the September edition of the Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lecture at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco CA. His title will be “Farewell to Saturn: Cassini’s spectacular end-of-mission science.” This month, he continued to work with the technical staff of Cal Academy to prepare a Cassini-focused presentation for the planetarium dome.

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Significant Events and Activities Barrios, J. and G. R. Harp. Completed 9 week internship examining ATA data for SETI signals using Autocorrelation method. Bishop JL (August 18). Visited Chocolate Pots and Echinus Geyser sites at Yellowstone National Park where iron oxide-bearing precipitates have formed. Took photos for papers on previously collected samples and for future permits to investigate these sites. Cabrol, NA. Sent the Acceptance letters following the reviews of the “new SETI vision” white papers. A follow-up workshop will be organized in January 2018. Coughlin J (2017). Work continues on processing the backlog of K2 data, finally getting caught up to C14, the most recent campaign, which was downloaded last week. Investigation into a possible re-processing of all K2 data continues as well. C15 is currently being observed, and work is underway on selecting targets for C16. French Astronomical Society – A group from the French SAF visited the Institute on August 25th. They spent the morning with CEO Bill Diamond, CSC Director Nathalie Cabrol, and the Chair of the Exoplanet Research Group, Franck Marchis. The group listened to a presentation of the Institute; a visit of the Institute HQ followed, with a VR demo led by Frank Marchis and Clement Chalumeau. Marchis F. A lot of Unistellar activities including demos in various sites (California Academy of Sciences, Perseids night with SFAA, Oregon, private demo at the SETI Institute) and observations of the asteroids Florence during its flyby with the Earth-Moon system (August 31).

Showalter MR is now leading the New Horizons hazard planning and analysis effort for the January 2018 flyby of Kuiper Belt object 2014MU69.

Showalter MR is a co-I and Tiscareno MS is a collaborator on a proposal for JWST Early Release Science, ERS observations of the Jovian System as a demonstration of JWST’s capabilities for Solar System science. Proposal was submitted 8/20.

Tiscareno MS (continuing). Member of the AAS DPS Subcommittee on Professional Culture and Climate, which works towards making the community of planetary scientists an environment in which professional merit is the only criterion that determines each person’s success.

Tiscareno MS (continuing). Co-chair of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2018 meeting of the AAS Division on Dynamical Astronomy, which will take place next April in San Jose CA.

The Frontier Development Lab program concluded for 2017 on August 17 with a series of presentations to NASA representatives, the program’s corporate partners, and the public.

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Honors and Awards

Peter Tenenbaum, SETI Institute, receives the 2017 NASA Ames Honor Awards for Contractor Employee.

Where on Earth is the Flag?

The Expedition Flag #1 has returned from the Arctic and is back at the SETI Institute.

Carl Sagan Center Science Council

Research Division Chair Co-Chair Astronomy & Astrophysics Paul Estrada Uma Gorti Astrobiology Janice Bishop Nathalie A. Cabrol Climate & Geoscience Dale Andersen Exoplanets Franck Marchis Doug Caldwell Planetary Exploration Virginia Gulick Lori Fenton SETI Gerry Harp Eliot Gillum

Advisors to the Science Council Mark Showalter Margaret Race Young Scientist Representative Michael Busch