24 April 2015
*Media Advisory*
The American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division (AAS/SPD) and the American Geophysical Union’s Space Physics and Aeronomy Section (AGU/SPA) will meet together at the Westin Indianapolis in Indiana for the first Triennial Earth-Sun Summit (TESS), 26-30 April 2015. The meeting’s charter is to unify study of the entire connected Earth-Sun system by sharing and connecting the latest science results concerning the Sun, its heliosphere, planetary magnetospheres, and planetary upper atmospheres.
Journalists attending the meeting can learn about the latest research in heliophysics, connecting the Sun and Earth and their mutual environment in space, and will have direct access to the principals for press releases and a press briefing at 10:00 AM EDT, Tuesday, 28 April.
Complimentary press registration for the conference is now available for bona fide working journalists and public-information officers (PIOs); see details below. The abstracts and meeting program are now online and searchable at the main meeting website: http://aas.org/meetings/tess2015
The TESS meeting’s scientific highlights include plenary presentations by noted scientists summarizing the state of each of the four major subtopics of heliophysics: Dr. Bart De Pontieu (solar physics), Dr. Justin Kasper (heliospheric physics), Dr. Janet Kozyra (magnetospheric science), and Dr. Tim Fuller-Rowell (upper atmospheric science). Session topics include the latest science results from state-of-the-art computer modeling of the Sun-Earth system, recent eclipse expeditions, NASA missions including IRIS and MAVEN, and ground-based observatories from radio telescopes to the Big Bear Solar Observatory.
Several Town Hall meetings will allow attendees to hear from, and provide feedback to, senior representatives from NASA, NSF, and DKIST, the world’s largest solar telescope (currently under construction in Hawaii). Additional workshop focus groups will advance knowledge in multiple-wavelength solar observations, nonlinear statistics, and data analysis techniques.
MAIN MEETING WEBSITE AND FULL ABSTRACT LIST
Meeting main website: http://aas.org/meetings/tess2015
Abstracts and Online Program: http://aas.org/meetings/tess2015/ancillary_events
Note: Abstracts reflect the situation at the time of submission and often do not correspond exactly to the paper that is ultimately presented, usually months later. Reporters should note that preparing a story based exclusively on an abstract is ill-advised.
EMBARGO POLICY
AAS/SPD meetings follow the AAS embargo policy: All findings are embargoed until the time of presentation at the meeting. “Time of presentation” means the start time of the oral or poster session in which the paper will be given, or the start time of the corresponding press conference (if any), whichever comes first. The complete AAS embargo policy is online here: http://aas.org/media/press-releases/embargo-policy-aas-division-meetings
MEDIA BRIEFING
One media briefing is scheduled for 10:00 AM EDT, Tuesday 28 April, on the topic of “Millions of H-bomb sized explosions heat the Sun’s corona to 1-2 million degrees”, merging several important results that will be presented at the conference. The panelists in the briefing are: Dr. James Klimchuk (NASA/GSFC); Dr. Adrian Daw (NASA/GSFC); Dr. Iain Hannah (University of Glasgow); and Dr. Stephen Bradshaw (Rice University).
Note: All new discoveries are subject to confirmation by independent teams of scientists. Inclusion here does not imply endorsement by the American Astronomical Society, the AAS/SPD, or the American Geophysical Union. The AAS does not endorse individual scientific results.
The briefing will be streamed online via Webex to registered press, and supporting materials will be made available to registered press. To register for the briefing, send an e-mail to the AAS/SPD press officer, [email protected], with the phrase “TESS Briefing” in the subject line. We will acknowledge the e-mail and send detailed information to connect.
PRESS REGISTRATION AND MEDIA BADGE PICKUP
Press registration is via email. Please contact the AAS/SPD press officer, Craig DeForest, at [email protected], with the subject “TESS press registration” for complimentary pre-registration with badge pickup at the regular registration booth onsite. Be sure to include your name and affiliation as you wish them to appear on your badge. Complimentary press registration is also available on-site at the registration booth.
PRESS ACCOMMODATION
A press room is available at the meeting, with workspace, power strips, telephone, Internet connections, and space to conduct interviews with attending scientists. Registered journalists will receive hard copies of all press releases issued during the meeting.
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Peter Weiss, +1 (202) 777-7507, [email protected]
AAS Contact:
Craig DeForest, +1 303-546-6020, cell: +1 303-641-5769, [email protected]