Workshop on the Chronology of Meteorites and the Early Solar System (MetChron 2007)

Poipu Beach, located on Kauai's southern coastline, was recently named America's Best Beach by the Travel Channel, ranking top among the ten "best" beaches selected nationwide. For maps, information, and activities at Poipu Beach, go to www.poipubeach.org.

The workshop will review recent advances in long-lived and short-lived isotope systematics such as ²⁶Al-²⁶Mg, ⁶⁰Fe-⁶⁰Ni, ¹⁰Be-¹⁰B, ⁴¹Ca-⁴¹K, ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W, ⁵³Mn-⁵³Cr with the goal of reconciling long-lived and short-lived isotope chronologies, as well as potential chronological significance of O-isotopes. The workshop will also address technical aspects (i.e., limitations, advantages, precision, accuracy, interlaboratory calibration) of various analytical techniques used in cosmochronology such as LA-MC-ICPMS, MC-ICPMS, SIMS, and TIMS. An important goal of the workshop is to identify outstanding questions and establish future research directions.

Unfortunately, due to the large number of abstracts submitted to the workshop and the need to retain ample discussion time, only 8 of the 37 abstracts submitted as contributed oral presentations could be assigned 10-minute talks; the rest were assigned poster presentations.

During the discussion periods, participants may use a PowerPoint slide to illustrate a question or comment. However, the slide must be submitted to and verified by the session chair 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.

Contrary to information in the second announcement, first authors of posters will not be offered the opportunity to give three-minute oral summaries of their poster presentations.

More detailed information about the meeting schedule is available by viewing the online program and abstracts. These files are in pdf format. Author notification letters will not be mailed, so authors should check the online program or use the author index to find out where their abstract has been scheduled.

Oral sessions will be held in the Poipu Ballroom. Coffee and tea will be available in the ballroom foyer prior to the start of each session and during session breaks. Lunch, included in the registration fee, will be served at the hotel's Shells Restaurant. Note: Extended lunch breaks have been scheduled to allow additional time for beachside discussions.

A poster session is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 5, in the Koloa Room. Authors of poster presentations must be present during this time to discuss their poster. A light snack and an assortment of beverages will be served during the poster session.

The workshop will adjourn at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, November 7.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the workshop, it is essential that all technical terms in oral and poster presentations be explained clearly without the use of discipline-specific jargon.

The workshop proceedings will be published as review papers or regular articles in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Proceedings articles should be submitted by February 15, 2008. All papers will be subject to the normal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta review process.

Oral Presentations:  Audio-visual equipment available for oral presentations will include one LCD projector and one PC laptop.

Electronic Presentation Instructions:  Electronic presentations should be submitted on a CD-ROM or USB drive and verified at the audio-visual desk 24 hours prior to the start of the session in which the presentation is to be made. Participants who want to use their personal laptop computers for oral presentations must check with the audio-visual desk 24 hours prior to their presentation to confirm compatibility. PowerPoint slides that are used to illustrate a question or comment during the discussion periods must be submitted to and verified by the session chair at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.

Poster Presentations:  Posters may be installed on Monday morning and may be left on display through noon on Wednesday, November 7, at which time they must be removed.

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 do not exceed the size limits. Due to space limitations, tables, computers, video equipment, etc., cannot be accommodated as a part of a poster display.

Registration and Social Events:  Participants may register from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 4, in the foyer outside the Poipu Ballroom. A welcome reception consisting of a buffet of hors d'oeuvres with an assortment of beverages will be served from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the Ocean Lawn, which has spectacular views of the coastline and sunset.

A reception will be held on Tuesday, November 6, to honor C. J. Allegre, G. W. Lugmair, L. E. Nyquist, D. A. Papanastassiou, and G. J. Wasserburg for their outstanding contributions to our understanding of the chronology of the early solar system. A buffet of hors d'oeuvres with an assortment of beverages will be served from 5:30 to 7:30 on the hotel's Beach Lawn.

This fee will include morning and afternoon breaks, three lunches, three receptions, and a program and abstract volume. We are also offering a guest fee of $175.00. The guest fee does NOT include lunches.

Participants registering by credit card must use the electronic registration form; those registering using any other method of payment must use the downloadable registration form.

Requests for cancellation with a fee refund (less a $25.00 processing fee) will only be accepted through October 19, 2007.

NOTE: Those who fail to attend and do not notify the LPI Publications and Program Services Department prior to the October 19 deadline will forfeit their full fee.

An ocean-front guest room is available for a daily rate of $250.00 plus applicable taxes.

There is no charge for children 18 years and younger when they share a room with parent(s) and utilize existing beds. There will be an additional charge of $50.00 plus tax for a third or fourth adult (18 years or older) in a room. A maximum of four adults is allowed per room.

Check-in time is 3:00 p.m.; check-out time is noon. Guests arriving prior to check-in will be accommodated as rooms become available. The hotel will accommodate late check-outs subject to space availability.

To ensure a room at the special rate, reservations MUST be made by October 4, 2007.

Room Reservations:  To reserve a room, call the hotel directly at 1-808-742-1661.

Room Deposit:  A deposit equal to two nights' stay is required to hold each individual's reservation. Upon guest check-in, the deposit will be applied to the first and final nights of the reserved stay. All deposits will be charged at the time the reservation is made.

Cancellations:  The deposit is refundable if cancellation is prior to 30 days before arrival and a cancellation number has been obtained.

Porterage/baggage handling charge:  A one-time charge of $6.00 per person will be assessed for round-trip baggage handling. The charge will be indicated at check-out on each guest's bill and is in addition to (not in lieu of) the usual gratuities for baggage handling.

Resort Amenity Charge:  A charge of $15.00 plus 4.16% tax will be charged per room per day, to be indicated at check-out on each guest's bill. The Resort Amenity Charge includes the following amenities and services:

• Self-parking
• In-room coffee and tea
• In-room personal safe
• In-room refrigerator
• Local on-island telephone calls
• Use of fitness center and tennis facilities
• Guest news library with internet and e-mail access
• Daily torch-lighting ceremony and Hawai'ian entertainment
• Cultural arts and crafts, lei making, and hula lessons
• Discount on selected beach activity rentals

Early Departure Fee:  Guests will be required to advise the hotel at or before check-in of any change in the reserved length of stay. Changes made after check-in will be subject to an early departure fee of 50% of the special room rate, to be charged to the guest's individual account.

Keiki Program:  A fun, cultural, and educational program for children ages 3–12 is available at the Sheraton Kauai Resort. For more information go to http://www.sheraton-kauai.com/act_keikisk.htm.

Driving Directions:
From the Lihue airport proceed onto Ahukini Road, then turn left on Kuhio Highway 56. Follow Highway 56, which connects with Kaumualii Highway 50. Stay on Kaumualii (approximately 20 minutes) and turn left on Maluhia Road/Highway 520, also known as "Tree Tunnel" (green sign says Poipu and Koloa town). Proceed to Koloa town, and turn right on Koloa Road; very shortly turn left on Poipu Road. Continue on Poipu Road until you see the Sheraton sign (on the corner of Kapili) and turn right onto Kapili. At the stop sign, turn left on Hoonani, and the hotel will be a short distance ahead on the right side.

There are many excellent restaurants in Poipu. Several are within walking distance in Poipu Shopping Village, which also has a general store including provisions. A rental car is essential if you want to explore Kauai before or after the meeting but during the meeting you may not need one.

BEACHES
The beaches in front of the hotel and at other reef-sheltered bays of South Kauai are generally safe spots for casual swimmers to enjoy the pleasures of ocean swimming. However, swimming at many of Kauai's beaches can be dangerous. On the average, 12 people drown each year on Kauai. Often the drowning victims are strong swimmers who underestimate the power of the local ocean current. Use wisdom in choosing time and place before jumping into the Hawaiian waters. Never depend on flotation devices.

Click here for Hawaiian water safety tips and check on current ocean conditions and hiking guides.

Also, for those unaccustomed to intense sun, the Hawaiian sun (even in November) can cause severe burns if one does not take proper precautions, such as applying sunscreen and wearing a hat. Click here for more information.

KAUAI WEATHER
The average temperatures for Kauai in November are a high of 81°F and a low of 70°F. Click here for current conditions.

    MARTIN BIZZARRO
    Geological Institute of Denmark
    Phone: 45 35 32 24 21
    Fax: 45 35 32 24 99
    E-mail: [email protected]

    ALEXANDER N. KROT
    Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology,
    School of Ocean and Earth Science
    University of Hawai'i at Manoa
    Phone: 808-956-3900
    Fax: 808-956-6322
    E-mail: [email protected]

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

    MARY CLOUD
    Lunar and Planetary Institute
    Phone: 281-486-2143
    Fax: 281-486-2125
    E-mail: [email protected]