Present: Betty Lanchester, Gabby Provan, Colin Forsyth, Andrew Kavangh, Mike Hapgood
None open other than the transfer of the Web site from the BAS server to the RAS server.
There was much feeling that the Missions forum did not work well - several talk tried to cover too much in too little time, perhaps also too much repitition of information already available. For the future we need to define what purpose the forum serves, e.g. Should we give more time for new mission ideas (including novel ideas for extensions) and only short talks on status of currrent missions?
Reconnection session. This is an important topic but there was only one MIST paper. The 2009 session emphasised system-level approach and 3-D studies. We need a better balance between these topological aspects and the detailed physics of reconnection itself. Can we build on experience of Leicester reconnection meeting?
Attendance of sessions by people on advisory panels (e.g. AGP) was weak. This is an important issue so that they know the people whose names and possible future work appears on proposals. How to encourage attendance?
Lecture theatres were a little awkward - wide and thin. But that's probably a function of the host site. Need to check what will be available in 2010.
Gary Abel to get information needed for transfer to RAS - Andrew will liase with him. Andrew to discuss use of content management system with Quentin Stanley (technical lead for the RAS web site).
Need better attendance by senior folks - how to persuade them to attend?
RAS Lecture Theatre comes for free and was big enough to take attendance in 2009. GeolSoc Lecture Theatre costs so would need a case to be made to RAS. So hold in the RAS Lecture Theatre.
Follow a similar format to last two years - but limit to one invited talk plus papers on that theme. This make it easier to give more oral opportunities to early career scientists. Need to ask people who submit abstracts to specify their status (PhD, PDRA, Staff) as well as preference for oral or poster.
We noted that the 2008 poster session (held in the RAS Council Room) was rather cramped. We will deal with that when we see how many posters we have.
Ideas for theme. We discussed various ideas - mainly linked to the ionosphere, a traditional topic but one that has not been well-covered in recent years and so perhaps timely to cover emerging ideas in this area. We noted that there are several RAS discussion meetings planned on space-based themes, e.g. SWARM in October 2009 and planetary magnetospheres in December. Identified several emerging ideas in the ionosphere area including (a) science case for EISCAT-3D, (b) Ionosphere and Radio Astronomy (especially LOFAR and SKA) and (c) the growing awareness that the mid-latitude ionosphere is not well understood, (d) the need to advance our understanding of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. We agreed that Ionosphere and Radio Astronomy would be better as a topic for NAM as that would allow us to engage with the radio astronomers. The theme for Autumn 2009 might therefore be something like "future trends in ionospheric research". This should include a keynote talk looking across the whole topic, but this theme should also include a talk on EISCAT-3D. Mike will contact potential speakers.
Organisers - Colin to be nominal organiser supported by others as needed. Betty can provide copies of emails amd timings used in 2008. Mike can liase with RAS if needed. MIST Council will act as convenors for the ionosphere session. We will seek a separate organiser to convene the general session. Colin will contact potential organisers.
It is difficult for many people to attend for full week due to constraints of time and money. The meeting arrangements need to support partial attendance - in particular it is important to tell people the approximate time of session (to half day resolution) at least a month in advance so they can make plans.
Note need for better organisation of missions forum.
Plenary speakers. We reviewed the names already discussed and came up with one additional idea; Andrew to send name to Alan Thompson (MIST rep on SOC for NAM 2010).
Times of business meetings - the current proposal has a clash between MIST and UKSP, which would prevent the cross-attendance that has been valuable, the proposed timing during the last lunch-time could be diastrous as people will want/need to get away, especially if travelling by train.
Mike to brief Alan Thompson on our thinking
A. STFC/NERC. The continuing delay in making decision is damaging the community. How should we press the system for news on when a decision will finally be made? A query via RAS may not work as Adrian Smith (DG Science and Innovation) has appeared reluctant to engage with the astronomers. We will seek advice from senior colleagues.
B. White papers, Colin and Gabby are taking the lead as Andrew is busy. We have lots of offers of ideas - mix of topics and projects. We selected a few ideas for the first round - and aim to use these to set the standard. On the topics side, we propose titles :
We may be able extract material from existing sources for these projects.
We need to run these proposals past the MIST list and then contact potential authors.
How to set format and level? For format use the BAS two-page model, which is mostly a description of field and small bit on future (see http://www.antarctic.ac.uk/bas_research/science_briefings.php). For level consider who are the audiences? We should treat this white papers as summary briefings for decision-makers (Government, Parliament, RCs, ...). Note that we are not trying to set priorities; we are trying to raise awareness of the field and its value.
We need a MIST logo for these white papers. A new logo would be good - suggest competition via MIST list, but no prize other than the honour.
The following was clarified in a later email discussion
C. NUAP consultation (& Ground-based astronomy review)
Mike hopes to attend the Town Meeting on 9 July - has registered but may yet have to attend another meeting.
Do we need a MIST input to the GB review? E.g. Telescopes for planetary aurora, ionosphere and SKA. Mike will consult with community; there is reasonable time to draft something for discussion on the Forum.
D. Space weather, climate change and EI
covered under white papers