The program and abstracts are now available. Please note that author notification letters will NOT be mailed out, so authors need to check the program index to determine when and where their presentation has been scheduled.

Oral presentations will be scheduled during the conference to allow 10 minutes for speaking and 5 minutes for discussion and speaker transition; the program includes specific times for each talk. Electronic presentations will be the only audio-visual support allowed for oral presentations. 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 read carefully the instructions for electronic presentations. Presenters for Monday morning's session must have either their presentations turned in or their laptops validated, according to the instructions, no later than 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, in the LPI Lecture Hall during registration and open house.

The location of e-mail stations, the LPSC-supported WiFi area, and the area for submission of CDs for electronic presentations and laptop validation will be located in the Poolside Salon on the lower level of South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center. (Refer to the conference center map for the location of the Poolside Salon.)

Two separate poster sessions will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Posters may also be viewed any time between noon on Monday and 10:00 a.m. on Friday. Authors of papers scheduled for poster presentations must designate — and post — a specific timeslot of one hour during the 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. timeframe during which they will be present at their poster to discuss their results. This will give the poster authors an opportunity to view and discuss other posters that are scheduled during the same poster session.

Posters scheduled for presentation on Tuesday may be installed any time on Monday, but MUST be removed at the conclusion of the poster session on Tuesday night. Posters scheduled for presentation on Thursday should be installed between 10:00 a.m. and noon on Wednesday, but MUST be removed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Any remaining posters will be discarded.

Each poster will have a space 44" x 44" (1.1 m x 1.1 m) for display. Posters will be displayed on free-standing panels that are 4' x 8' (122 cm x 244 cm) (inside frame). Two presenters will share one side of one panel, so it is important that displays are confined to the specified limit. Posters must be designed to be attached to the panel with pushpins. Due to space limitations, tables, computers, video equipment, etc., CANNOT be accommodated as a part of a poster display.

Tuesday posters MUST be taken down at the end of that session.

Thursday posters MUST be taken down by 10:00 a.m. Friday.

Posters may be viewed anytime from noon Monday to 10:00 a.m. Friday.

GSA Stephen E. Dwornik Student Awards
The presentation of the 2006 GSA Stephen E. Dwornik U.S. Citizen Student Award winners will be announced during the Monday plenary session, preceding the Masursky Lecture.

Special Session on SMART-1
After one-and-a-half years of orbital science, Europe's first lunar mission, SMART-1, ended with a bang in September 2006 when the probe was directed to crash into the Moon's nearside. Astronomers observed the impact flash and ejecta debris. The low-cost probe tested solar electric propulsion techniques and a suite of remote sensing instruments as it mapped the Moon's surface. This session will provide an overview of the newest results from the mission, e.g., lunar composition, origins, and evolution; the study of impact, volcanic, and tectonic processes; the mapping of polar regions; and surveys for future lunar exploration.

Special Session on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
The primary science phase for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) began on November 7, 2006. All MRO instruments are returning excellent data, providing higher-resolution data than has been previously been obtained from orbit. In the first five months of the mission, MRO will acquire several terrabytes of data. MRO carries six science instruments: HiRISE, a high-resolution camera [ground sampling distance (GSD) ~0.3 m]; CTX, a context camera (GSD = 6 m); CRISM, a visible-near-IR imaging spectrometer (GSD = 20 m, spectral range = 0.4–3.96 m); MARCI, a wide-angle color imager; MCS, an atmospheric IR sounder; and SHARAD, a shallow radar sounder (to a depth of ~0.5 km). Additionally, the accelerometer and radar tracking data provide data on atmospheric density and the martian gravity field. This session will provide an overview of new results, covering a wide range of studies. Specific investigations will be presented in other relevant Mars sessions.

Special Session on Volcanism and Tectonics on Saturnian Satellites
Cassini's tour of the Saturn system has revealed a wealth of detail on the planet's icy satellites. Cassini has returned mapping images of 100–200 m/pixel for many of these satellites and high-resolution images down to 20–40 m/pixel in a few locations. Unprecedented disk-resolved near-infrared multispectral data have also been returned. These new data have helped resolve some Voyager-era mysteries, but have raised even more new questions. Satellites such as Dione and Enceladus have proved to be even more geologically active than hinted at by Voyager. The latest views on the roles of tectonism and volcanism in creating these geologically diverse bodies will be presented.

An unprecedented number of missions are exploring our solar system, and interest in our near neighbors, the Moon and Mars, has been reinvigorated. But is the information about our solar system accessible by everyone? How do we share opportunities and discoveries with an increasingly multicultural public audience? How do we actively engage students of all ages from traditionally underserved cultures in exploration?

Join us to discuss the diverse needs of diverse audiences and learn strategies to engage multicultural audiences in scientific investigation and discovery.

The workshop is free, but participants must register using the electronic registration form provided. Please note that the workshop will be held at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, not at the conference hotel.

A limited number of travel grants are available; the application form for support must be returned by February 13. For more information about the workshop or travel grants, please contact Christine Shupla ([email protected]; 281-486-2135).

NASA Proposal Writing Workshop
Program scientists from NASA Headquarters will host a proposal writing workshop on Sunday, March 11, in the Oasis Room at the South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center. This meeting is open to all interested planetary scientists as well as senior graduate students. The morning session will focus on understanding NASA's research programs and will include information on how to write a research proposal, where to apply for funding, and what kind of feedback one can expect. Other opportunities for funding, such as participating scientist programs and education/public outreach add-on awards, will also be discussed. The afternoon session will be a Mock Peer Review for participants who are ready to apply for grants and want to understand what happens to their proposal after submission. To register, send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, and current position to [email protected].

Open House Displays of Outreach Programs and Activities
On Sunday evening, March 11, in conjunction with LPSC's open house and registration, the LPI will host displays of educational outreach activities and programs. The displays will showcase programs that have an interactive component and/or associated products. 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 12, at 5:30 p.m. in Crystal Ballroom A of the South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center.

Student/Scientist Reception
A special reception will be held on Monday, March 12, to honor the Masursky Lecturer, the winners of the GSA Stephen E. Dwornik Student Awards for 2006, and all students who are making presentations at the 38th LPSC. The reception will be held in the Marina Plaza Ballroom immediately following the conclusion of the NASA Headquarters Session.

NASA Headquarters R&A Program "Meet and Greet"
On Tuesday, March 13, Discipline Scientists from the Planetary Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters will host an informal R&A reception. It's your chance to meet the people who manage the programs that provide funding for your research efforts and to talk with them one-on-one. The event will take place from noon to 1:00 pm in the Harbour Club; light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Wednesday Night Social Event
Because of the expansion of the scheduled sessions to a full five days, and the increase in other conference-related activities, we have received numerous requests from the community to forego the mid-week social event. In response, we are not formally scheduling any organized social activity on Wednesday evening. Participants are encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity to have a free evening to network and socialize with colleagues.

Combined Publishers' Exhibit
A Combined Publishers' Exhibit will be held in conjunction with the 38th 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 16, 2007. For more information about the exhibit, contact Linda Chappell, Combined Publishers Exhibit Coordinator, at 281-486-2103 or [email protected].

Please note that this is NOT a book sale. All submitted exhibit items are for DISPLAY ONLY and become property of the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

There will not be a Wednesday evening social event this year.

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 23, 2007.

NOTE: Those who fail to attend and do not notify the LPI Publications and Program Services Department prior to the February 23 deadline will forfeit their full fee.

Sunday Night Registration and Reception
** Be aware that Daylight Savings Time now begins SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2007. Please plan accordingly for attendance at the Sunday Night Open House/Registration. **

On Sunday evening, March 11, 2007, 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.

There are a number of other hotels in the area. Remember to ask if a special rate is available when you make your reservations. The local area map shows the locations of the LPI, South Shore Harbour, and other local hotels.

Participants looking for a roommate to share housing expenses may use the roommate search form.

If you are staying at the South Shore Harbour Hotel and need shuttle service to the Sunday Night Open House/Registration at the LPI, you may download the South Shore Harbour Hotel—Sunday Night Shuttle Schedule.

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.

    MARY CLOUD
    Lunar and Planetary Institute
    Phone: 281-486-2143
    E-mail: [email protected]

For further information regarding abstract submission and registration, contact

    LINDA TANNER
    Lunar and Planetary Institute
    Phone: 281-486-2142
    E-mail: [email protected]