SPONSORS
Lunar and Planetary Institute
NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Timothy Titus
   U. S. Geological Survey
Rose Hayward
   U. S. Geological Survey
Mary Bourke
   Planetary Science Institute
Nick Lancaster
   Desert Research Institute
Lori Fenton
   Carl Sagan Center

The Planetary Dunes Workshop: A Record of Climate Change will be held April 29 – May 2, 2008, at the Willie Estrada Memorial Civic Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The workshop will feature a one-day field trip to White Sands National Monument. A block of sleeping rooms is reserved for workshop participants at the Comfort Inn and Suites at a special rate of $70.00 per night. Comfort Inn and Suites provides a complimentary daily breakfast.  Hotel room amenities include free high-speed Internet access, free local calls, satellite/cable television, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, and hair dryer.  To reserve your room at the special rate, please call the hotel at 1-800-255-5061 and request the Planetary Dunes Workshop group rate. This rate is only available until March 31, 2008. After that, rooms will be subject to availability and rate increase. This rate is not available via the hotel website.

KEY POINTS:
Date:  April 29–May 2, 2008
Location:  Alamogordo, New Mexico

Sand dunes and other aeolian bedforms are a prominent part of landscapes shaped by wind action on several bodies in our solar system. Despite the three decades of study of these features, many questions regarding their composition and sediment sources, morphology, age, origins, and dynamics under present and past climatic conditions remain poorly understood. Recently acquired data from orbiters and rovers together with innovative approaches using terrestrial analogs and numerical models are beginning to provide new insights into martian sand dunes, as well as aeolian bedforms on other terrestrial planetary bodies (e.g., Titan).

Researchers in scientific disciplines appropriate to the purpose and scope of this workshop are invited to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentation. Presenters should submit extended two-page abstracts so the workshop abstract volume will have lasting value as an information source.

All abstracts, whether invited or contributed, must be submitted electronically to the Lunar and Planetary Institute via the electronic submission form by 5:00 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, February 28, 2008 (see timezone map). Two abstracts may be submitted, but only one abstract per person will be assigned an oral presentation.  Abstracts will be limited to two pages, including graphics, tables, and references. Templates and detailed instructions for formatting and submitting your abstract are provided.  Additional guidelines for scientific content can be found by viewing published examples from this year's LPSC (click on any four-digit abstract number to view the abstract).

Note:  It is in your best interest to submit early to allow for possible technical problems or delays in transmission. Please do not wait until the last minute to access the system; access to the web form will terminate at 5:00 p.m. CST.

The NASA Mars Program Office has announced that travel funds will be made available for as many as five students who are U.S. citizens or legal residents, with Mars-related interests, to attend the workshop. An electronic student travel grant application must be submitted by February 28, 2008, to be considered for this funding.

Reimbursable costs include transportation (airfare, mileage to/from airport, parking, rental car) and lodging/per diem. In most cases, actual expenses will exceed the funding provided.

Note:  Students who are depending on travel assistance should not pay the registration fee or make travel arrangements until they have been notified that they have received an award. If you are requesting funds to travel to the meeting from outside the U.S., you should also wait to register until you have successfully completed NASA's foreign travel approval process. Failure to comply with this requirement may prohibit reimbursement.

Travel costs up to $1000.00 will be reimbursed according to JPL/government-specified allowances. For reference, hotel/per diem rates can be found at www.gsa.gov (see per diem).

Eligibility:
- Students must be U.S. citizens or legal residents.
- Students must be enrolled at a university at the time of the workshop or the semester immediately following the workshop (if during break).

A fee of $175.00 for professionals and $125.00 for students will be assessed each participant to cover workshop services including a welcome reception, lunches, morning and afternoon coffee breaks, field trip transportation, and a program and abstract volume. The NASA Mars Program office has generously sponsored other workshop costs to keep the registration fee affordable. You must preregister and prepay by April 11, 2008, to attend the workshop.

** PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO ONSITE REGISTRATION FOR THIS MEETING. **

KEY POINTS:
Registration Deadline:
   Friday, April 11, 2008

* NO ONSITE REGISTRATION *

For further information regarding the format and scientific objectives of the workshop, contact

Timothy Titus
U.S. Geological Survey
Phone: 928-556-7201
E-mail:  ttitus@usgs.gov

For further information regarding workshop logistics, announcements, and accommodations, contact

Elizabeth Wagganer
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Phone: 281-486-2164
Fax: 281-486-2125
E-mail:  wagganer@lpi.usra.edu

For further information regarding abstract submission or registration, contact

Linda Tanner
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Phone: 281-486-2142
Fax: 281-486-2125
E-mail:  tanner@lpi.usra.edu