Oral presentations will be scheduled during the conference to allow 10 minutes for speaking and 5 minutes for discussion and speaker transition. Audio-visual equipment available for oral presentations will include laptop PCs and Macs and an LCD projector. There will NOT be an option for dual-screen presentations.

Please note that, at the 36th LPSC, 97% of the speakers utilized electronic presentations. Because of the additional costs and personnel associated with continuing to support presentation methods that are no longer a critical requirement, speakers at the 37th LPSC who wish to use overhead transparencies to support their talks MUST notify us in advance, and we will make every effort to accommodate these requests.

Speakers should be aware, however, that the 37th LPSC will be the last conference at which we will offer to accommodate requests for the use of overhead projectors. Beginning with the 38th LPSC in 2007, electronic presentations will be the only audio-visual support allowed for oral presentations.

Please read carefully the instructions for electronic presentations.

Poster presentations will be highlighted on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Authors of papers selected and scheduled for poster presentations must be available to display and discuss their results in the poster area from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Each poster will have a space 44" × 44" for display. Requests for tables, computers, video equipment, etc., cannot be honored due to the limited space available for poster displays.

Masursky Lecture
The Masursky Lecture will be given during a special plenary session that will be held Monday afternoon from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The speaker and topic will be included in the final announcement.

Special Session on the Hayabusa Asteroid Mission
In September 2005, the Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft began to rendezvous with near-Earth asteroid (25143) Itokawa, a 600-meter-sized, potato-shaped asteroid. Although the primary objectives of the Hayabusa mission, the first asteroid sample return mission, are to test new technologies, the mission will also provide a wealth of scientific returns. For the three-month period from September through November 2005, the science instruments onboard the Hayabusa spacecraft undertook an intensive study of Itokawa. This session will feature the first results obtained from these observations.

Special Session on the Deep Impact Mission
On July 4, 2005, Deep Impact's copper-headed impactor spacecraft made history when it successfully impacted the surface of Comet Tempel 1, blasting material into space. The data from the mission is expected to provide invaluable information on the composition and history of comets, where the materials from the formation of the solar system may remain relatively unchanged since the formation of our planet. Current results from the data analyses performed so far will be presented in this session.

Special Session on the Bosumtwi Meteorite Impact Crater Drilling Project
The Bosumtwi meteorite impact crater in Ghana, West Africa, is the youngest and best-preserved large complex impact crater on Earth and was the subject of an international and multidisciplinary research drilling project in 2004, funded mostly by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). The crater is also the source of the Ivory Coast tektite strewn field. The drilling project was aimed mainly at solving questions related to impact crater studies, tektite origin, astrobiology, and paleoclimatology. After about one year of intense studies on the drill cores, this special session will provide the opportunity to present the first scientific results to the planetary science community.

Planetary Cartography and Its Importance to the Planetary Researcher
Planetary cartography is an essential tool for the planetary science research community. No serious extraterrestrial geology can be accomplished in the absence of good cartography, because a geologist simply must know where they are on a planetary body for the rocks (or surfaces) they are studying to have a context. Yet the planetary community as a whole does not have a comprehensive recognition of what cartography is or what the science of cartography does for the planetary researcher. An interactive session discussing the importance of planetary cartography will be held on Thursday, March 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Marina Plaza Ballroom and will be chaired by Dr. Tracy Gregg (University at Buffalo, State University of New York).

Open House Displays of Outreach Programs and Activities
On Sunday evening, March 12, in conjunction with LPSC's open house and registration, the LPI will host displays of educational outreach activities and programs. The displays are intended to showcase programs that have an interactive component and/or associated products. Because of limited space in the Tuesday and Thursday evening poster sessions, programs proposed for both the Sunday display and the poster session may only be included in one. Displays will be set up at 4:00 p.m. and will be on display from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

NASA Headquarters Session
The NASA Headquarters briefing will be held on Monday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. in Crystal Ballroom A of the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center.

Student/Scientist Reception
A special reception will be held on Monday, March 13, to honor the Masursky Lecturer, the winners of the GSA Stephen E. Dwornik Student Awards for 2005, and all students who are making presentations at the 37th LPSC. The reception, to be held at the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center at 6:30 p.m., will provide opportunities for students to meet and interact with scientists.

Wednesday Night Social Event Tickets for the Wednesday evening social event are NOT included in the registration fee. The conference social event will be held at South Shore Harbour on Wednesday, March 15, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. A cash bar with cocktails will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. at poolside, to be followed by a gourmet buffet dinner with wine and beer from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Buffet tickets (including two drink tickets for wine, beer, or soft drinks) are $20, and can be purchased using the registration form.Vegan plates will be available by special order only. To reserve a vegan plate, send a mail message to [email protected].

Combined Publishers' Exhibit
A Combined Publishers' Exhibit will be held in conjunction with the 37th LPSC. This conference exhibit provides an opportunity for LPSC participants to review new publications in the fields of lunar and planetary sciences, astronomy, astrophysics, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, mathematics, computer science applications, remote sensing, and image processing applications. Publishers and authors are invited to submit materials related to these fields for display at this exhibit. Previous exhibits have featured books, journals, maps, globes, posters, images, slide sets, videos, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, along with advertising materials, catalogs, and order forms. A comprehensive exhibit catalog listing all participating publishers, all items on display, and contact information will be made available to conference participants at the exhibit.

There is no charge to display items at the exhibit; however, materials sent for the exhibit will not be returned. All materials submitted for display should be sent by February 17, 2006. For more information about the exhibit, contact Linda Chappell, Combined Publishers Exhibit Coordinator, at 281-486-2103 or [email protected].

Two awards are given annually: one for an oral presentation and one for a poster presentation. The awards are open to U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled as students at any degree level in the field of planetary geosciences. Only one abstract per student will be considered for the award. The student must be the senior author of the abstract and the material should not have been previously presented at another meeting. Judging will be based on both the written abstract and the presentation. Recent graduates, pre-college students, and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible. To apply for the award, students MUST complete the student award application form and MUST send the original application, with an original signature by their advisor, to LPI on or before the deadline of January 10, 2006.

Abstract Submission Policies
There will be a limit of TWO abstracts per first author for oral or poster presentation requests. Authors submitting two abstracts will be asked to rank them in order of preference.

Authors may request any combination of two — but no more than two — oral and poster presentation formats (i.e., two orals, two posters, or one oral and one poster).

In an effort to promote the dissemination of research from members of the community who may not be able to attend the meeting, print-only abstracts will still be allowed, but ONLY from those authors who are NOT submitting an abstract for oral or poster presentation. In other words, if you're requesting a print-only abstract, you cannot submit an abstract for any other type of presentation. Authors are limited to ONE print-only request.

The program committee will strictly enforce the above policies. Abstracts submitted in violation of these policies will be rejected. The only exception will be for those who are invited to give a talk at a special session (e.g., the Masursky Lecture, or an invited speaker for a special session). Those abstracts will not be counted against authors as one of the two abstracts they are allowed to submit.

Use of Meteorite Names
Please read carefully the information about the use of meteorite names contained in the detailed instructions for authors. A representative of the Meteorite Nomenclature Committee will be reviewing the LPSC abstracts to make certain that all authors are in compliance with these policies. The program committee reserves the right to reject any abstract found to be in violation of these rules.

Policy Regarding File Sizes
The number and complexity of abstract files submitted to this meeting have exhausted the resources available on a single CD-ROM. All abstracts, regardless of file type, must be NO LARGER THAN 1 MB. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in this matter. If you attempt to submit a larger file, you will receive an error message, and your attempted submission will be rejected by the system.

Deadline
The electronic abstract deadline for NON-PDF files is 5:00 p.m. CST (local time in Houston), Tuesday, January 3, 2006. Abstracts that are not in PDF format will not be accepted after this date. The electronic deadline for abstracts submitted in PDF format is 5:00 p.m. CST (local time in Houston) Tuesday, January 10, 2006. No exceptions will be made for late abstracts. If you discover that you are having difficulty submitting your abstract on the Web site, please call us immediately (281-486-2142 or -2188) so that we will have time to assist you.

Preparation of Abstracts
Abstracts can be submitted in any of the following formats: PDF (preferred), PostScript, Microsoft Word for the PC and Mac, and rich text format (RTF). Templates and detailed instructions are provided. After you prepare your abstract file, you will have to fill out the electronic abstract submission form and upload the file containing your abstract (instructions are provided on the form). Abstracts sent by e-mail will NOT be considered.

Remember that electronic transmission of files is not always instantaneous; gateways can temporarily be shut down, local routers can fail, network traffic can be very heavy, etc. Because your abstract file must be RECEIVED at the LPI by 5:00 p.m., it's in your best interest to submit early to allow for possible delays in transmission. Because of the number of abstracts received and the time required to process them, exceptions cannot be made for anyone, regardless of the reason.

Provision for Hard-Copy Submission
If for some reason you will be unable to submit your abstract electronically, you must contact the LPI by fax (281-486-2125) to request the necessary forms and instructions for submitting by hard copy. These requests must be accompanied by a valid fax number, phone number, and e-mail address (we often have technical problems trying to reach fax numbers, particularly those outside the U.S.). The deadline for hard-copy submissions is January 3, 2006. Hard-copy submissions received after that date will be automatically returned to the author.

Participants registering by credit card MUST use the secure electronic registration form; those registering using any other method of payment (check, money order, or traveler's check) MUST use the downloadable registration form. Requests for cancellation with a fee refund (less a $10.00 processing fee) will only be accepted through February 24, 2006.

NOTE: Those who fail to attend and do not notify the LPI Publications and Program Services Department prior to the February 24 deadline will forfeit their full fee.

Advance tickets for the Wednesday evening social event ($20.00) may be purchased via the registration form.

Sunday Night Registration and Reception
Sunday evening, March 12, 2006, registration and a reception will be held at the LPI from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The location of the LPI is shown on the area map. Shuttle buses will operate from selected hotels to LPI on Sunday night. Participants arriving after Sunday night will be able to register on site at South Shore Harbour.

Registered guests will have access to the following amenities: complimentary covered parking, marina with rentals for water sports, a 185-foot tropical pool with heated jacuzzi, 70,000-square-foot fitness center, and golfing privileges at South Shore Harbour Country Club (green fees extra). There are also a number of area babysitting services that will provide childcare at the hotel for a fee; a list of these services is available upon request from the hotel.

There are a number of other hotels in the area, and we have negotiated special rates at most of them. Remember to ask for the LPSC rate when you make your reservations. The local area map shows the locations of the LPI, South Shore Harbour, and other local hotels.

Participants should be aware that the ONLY hotels that are on the LPSC shuttle route are listed below. Participants staying at any of the other hotels will have to provide their own transporation.

• South Shore Harbour
• Best Western-Webster
• Brentwood Inn
• Days Inn and Suites
• Extended Stay America
• Hilton Houston NASA/Clear Lake
• Microtel Inn
• Motel 6
• Oxford Inn and Suites
• Quality Inn
• Super 8

Clear Lake Shuttle (281-334-3873), located in the lobby of South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center, is available to provide transportation to or from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport. Contact them directly for current rate information.

For further information regarding abstract submission and registration, contact
Linda Tanner
phone:  281-486-2142;
fax:  281-486-2125;
e-mail:  [email protected].