| Date: | 2006-11-30 09:47:00 | |
| Sender: | James Williams, JPL <James G. Williams <James.G.Williams@jpl.nasa.gov>> | |
| Subject: | [SLR-Mail] No. 1512: Lunar Laser Postdoctoral Opportunity | |
| Author: | James Williams, JPL | |
| Content: | ******************************************************************************** SLR Electronic Mail 2006-11-30 09:47:00 UTC Message No. 1512 ******************************************************************************** Author: James Williams, JPL Subject: Lunar Laser Postdoctoral Opportunity There is an opportunity to apply for a postdoctoral position at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the area of Lunar Laser Ranging. The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) is administered by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). The web site for information on the program is The web site includes descriptions of the program and application process, application forms, and descriptions of this Lunar Laser opportunity as well as other opportunities across a broad range of science disciplines. There are two types of NPP appointments: Postdoctoral Fellow and Senior Fellow. A Postdoctoral Fellow has held a doctoral degree for less than 5 years at the time of application. A Senior Fellow has held a doctoral degree for 5 or more years at the time of application. The next deadline for applications is March 1. Approval of an applicant by ORAU takes several months, and another 2-3 months is needed for foreign nationals. Appointments to Fellowship positions are competitive; the number of applicants is expected to exceed the number of appointments. The positions can last from one to three years. The application is made to ORAU through their web site, not to JPL, but potential applicants for the Lunar Laser position should consult by email with the undersigned advisor at JPL before applying. Jim Williams JPL Research Scientist and NPP Advisor for the Lunar Laser Ranging opportunity James.G.Williams@jpl.nasa.gov Description of opportunity titled Lunar Laser Ranging Data Analysis Accurate ranges are measured from observatories on the Earth to four retroreflector arrays on the Moon. Fit with an rms scatter of 2 cm, these ranges are sensitive to the lunar orbit and physical librations, the positions of the retroreflectors and observatories, and the Earth´s rotation. A comparison of the range data to model calculations yields solutions for a number of physical parameters of interest to lunar science (including origin, evolution, and history of the Moon), gravitational physics (the nature of gravity), geophysics, and geodesy. Recent results include measurement of solid- body tides on the Moon, detection of a fluid lunar core, a test of the equivalence principle, and a limit on rate of change of G. Opportunities exist to improve theories, models, and computational techniques, and many of these approaches can be adapted to other satellites. Williams, J. G., Boggs, D. H., Yoder, C. F., Ratcliff, J. T., and Dickey, J. O., “Lunar rotational dissipation in solid body and molten core,” J. Geophys. Res., vol. 106, 27933-27968, 2001. Williams, J. G., S. G. Turyshev, and D. H. Boggs, “Progress in lunar laser ranging tests of relativistic gravity,” Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 93, 261101, 2004. [arXiv:gr-qc/0411113] James G. Williams, Slava G. Turyshev, Dale H. Boggs, and J. Todd Ratcliff, Lunar Laser Ranging Science: Gravitational Physics and Lunar Interior and Geodesy, in Advances in Space Research, vol. 37, Issue 1, The Moon and Near-Earth Objects, 67-71, 2006. doi: 10.1016/ j.asr.2005.05.13 [arXiv:gr-qc/0412049] J. G. Williams, D. H. Boggs, and J. T. Ratcliff, Lunar Interior Results and Possibilities, abstract #1229 of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XXXVII, March 13-17, 2006. From: ”James G. Williams” ******************************************************************************** |