Fwd: Petition Update: Request for input

[Rob Seaman]

Apropos our earlier VOConcepts discussions, we may well want to have  
VOEvent participation in the tussle over Pluto.  This is an  
opportunity for us to get involved in the minor planet (sorry, "small  
solar system body") business.

Rob
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Begin forwarded message:

> From: Mark Sykes <sykes at psi.edu>
> Date: September 17, 2006 9:41:18 PM MST
> To: seaman at noao.edu
> Subject: Petition Update: Request for input
>
> Dear Colleagues -
>
> Planning efforts are underway to establish a webforum on features,  
> processes
> and other characteristics we consider to be 'planetary' (e.g.,  
> think about what
> we see on Titan), how they are manifested, and the conditions  
> underwhich they
> arise on bodies throughout the solar system. The webforum will also  
> discuss
> what we know about the 200+ planets around other stars. This is to  
> facilitate
> the generation of white papers on specific planetary  
> characteristics that will
> be gathered and published in a book. The final subject of the  
> webforum, once
> the white papers have been posted and discussed, is to define and  
> discuss terms
> such as 'planet' and 'planetary body' that captures those  
> properties that give
> rise to the characteristics people will have written about. The  
> webforum will
> be followed by an international conference to be held in Tucson in  
> about a
> year or so. Parallel to this will be an EPO effort to inform the  
> public about
> what we study in the solar system and around other stars and what  
> discoveries
> we may anticipate in the future. They will be allowed to 'look over  
> our
> shoulders' and watch science discourse in action. Of course, there  
> will be
> broad interest in the 'planet' issue, but it is last for a reason -  
> the
> necessary context needs to be openly laid out, so that at the end  
> of the day,
> the public gets to witness a more logical and less fractious  
> process (than
> occurred at the IAU meeting in Prague) and learn a lot more in the  
> meantime.
>
> We would like to generate a list of planetary features, processes  
> and other
> characteristics as sample white paper topics for people on the  
> webforum to
> organize around when it becomes operational. We tend to think of  
> things like
> differentiation, mantle convection, volcanism, fluvial surface  
> processes,
> Aeolian processes, magnetic fields, etc. If you could give us your  
> ideas for
> sample topics, they would be greatly appreciated. Different levels  
> of detail
> would be fine. Please send them to sykes at psi.edu.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Mark Sykes (PSI)
> S. Alan Stern (SWRI)
>
> PS. The News Hour (PBS) and other print and broadcast media outlets  
> have
> communicated their interest in following up on these activities.  
> Public
> interest remains high. It is our desire to conduct this process in  
> a positive
> and constructive fashion. Your input and feedback will help us  
> achieve this
> goal.

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