70th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc 2007), August 13-17, 2007, Tucson, AZ

70th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc 2007)

Final Announcement — June 2007

 

Hosted by —
The University of Arizona
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Department of Geosciences

Sponsored by —
Lunar and Planetary Institute
National Aeronautics and
    Space Administration
The University of Arizona:
    College of Science,
    Lunar and Planetary
    Laboratory,
    Department of Planetary Sciences,
    Department of Geosciences,
    Department of Physics,
    NSF-Arizona AMS Laboratory
Southwest Meteorite Center, Tucson
Planetary Science Institute, Tucson
Barringer Crater Company
CAMECA Instruments, Inc.
LAPLACE, University of Arizona
Lockheed Martin
New Wave, Inc.
Planetary Studies Foundation
Raytheon, Inc.
Steward Observatory
Thermo-Finnigan, Inc.
Tucson Visitors and Convention Bureau
University of Arizona Press

Local Organizing Committee
Timothy Jull, Chair
    Geosciences,
    University of Arizona

Timothy Swindle, Co-Chair
    Planetary Sciences & Geosciences,
    University of Arizona

Agnieszka Baier,
    Geosciences/MAPS,
    University of Arizona

Julia Goreva,
    Planetary Sciences,
    University of Arizona

Marvin Killgore,
    Southwest Meteorite Center,
    University of Arizona

Dante Lauretta,
    Planetary Science and
    Southwest Meteorite Center,
    University of Arizona

Elisabetta Pierazzo,
    Planetary Science Institute

Scientific Organizing Committee
Harold Connolly, Chair
    Kingsborough-CUNY and
    LPL-University of Arizona

Daniel Apai,
    Steward Observatory
Steve Desch,
    Arizona State University
Michael J. Drake,
    University of Arizona
Joseph Goldstein,
    University of Massachusetts
Julia Goreva,
    University of Arizona
Timothy Jull,
    University of Arizona
Marvin Kilgore,
    SMC-University of Arizona
Dante Lauretta,
    University of Arizona
Mark Robinson,
    Arizona State University
Carolyn Shoemaker,
    Flagstaff, AZ
Timothy Swindle,
    University of Arizona
Meenakshi Wadhwa,
    Arizona State University
Rainer Wieler,
    ETH-Zürich, Switzerland

Field Trips —
Randy Korotev, Washington University
David Kring, Lunar and Planetary Institute


  HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING

  Scientific Highlights:  Since the meeting will be held shortly after the scheduled early August launch of the Phoenix mission to Mars, the Barringer Lecturer will be Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith.

Special Sessions:  We will have special sessions on the following areas of research:

  • Chondrules and Chondrule Formation, in honor of the late Dr. Robert Hutchison
  • Achievements and Advances in the Study of Cosmogenic Radionuclides
  • Meteor Crater and Other Impacts
  • Protoplanetary Dust

The program with abstracts is now available. Authors may locate their presentation by looking in the author index.

Note about posters:  Poster sessions will be on Tuesday, August 14, and Thursday, August 16. Posters can be a maximum of 44 inches by 44 inches (110 cm by 110 cm). They can be put up beginning Monday afternoon, and need to be taken down by noon on Friday.  

 

  WHEN AND WHERE

  The 70th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society will be held August 13–17, 2007, in Tucson, Arizona, at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa, a modern facility opened in 2005. Located in the western part of Tucson, adjacent to the Tucson Mountain Park, the hotel has five restaurants, spas, a golf course, and all the amenities expected of a large resort. The hotel is located approximately eight miles west of the Tucson airport and a similar distance from central Tucson and the University of Arizona. All sessions will be held at the hotel.

Accommodations:  The room rate during the meeting is $89.00 per night, plus local hotel taxes (currently about 11%). This special rate will be available for a few days prior to and after the meeting. As many as four people can share a room.

The hotel reservations can be made through Marriott's Reservation Website. If you use this link, you should automatically get the $89.00 rate. Guests will simply input their requested dates and click on "check availability." If you reserve by calling Marriott reservations in the U.S. (1-888-236-2427) or their overseas reservation numbers, please quote the reservation code "METMETA" for this conference.

We strongly encourage participants to stay at the conference hotel. Other hotels such as the Holiday Inn Express, Howard Johnson Motel, and Riverpark Inn are located about five miles from the hotel. However, participants staying at these hotels should arrange their own transportation to the conference hotel.

The hotel has a free parking garage. Valet parking is available at $18.00 per day for guests.

Driving instructions to the hotel:  Please note that the entrance and exit ramps on I-10 between 29th Street and Prince Road in Tucson will be CLOSED at the time of the meeting due to construction. We strongly advise against taking the freeway and instead to drive north from the airport on South Tucson Boulevard (which becomes E. Benson Highway) to S. Kino Boulevard, turn right onto Kino and then turn left (west) onto E. 22nd Street, which becomes Starr Pass Boulevard. It is then an easy drive to Starr Pass Marriott. (If you take the freeway, we advise taking the exit at 29th Street/Silverlake Road and then continuing north to 22nd Street.)

If driving from Phoenix, exit on Prince Road and then drive 5 miles south on the frontage road. If you don't exit at Prince Road, you will be unable to exit until 29th Street and then go back north along the frontage road. Please refer to the Arizona Department of Transportation website prior to the meeting for the current status.

Transportation:  Tucson is served by the Tucson International Airport, about 12 miles from the hotel. There are frequent van shuttle services that connect with the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (110 miles away). We recommend attendees fly to Tucson, although some discount airlines have better service to Phoenix. Rental cars and shuttle services are available at both airports.

Tucson Airport:  The Tucson airport has non-stop flight service to/from 24 airports in the U.S. and Mexico and direct flights from 33 airports in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Although Tucson has a reasonable public bus system, which serves the airport, the hotel is not on a bus route. Therefore, we recommend attendees take the Arizona Stagecoach shuttle (fixed fare is $25.00, roundtrip $46.00) or a taxi (about $30.00) from the Tucson airport. There is also a more expensive limousine service at around $40.00. Please see the airport shuttle website for further information.

Phoenix Airport:  The Phoenix airport is about 1.5 to 2 hours by car from the conference location (depending on traffic). Arizona Shuttle Service and some other shuttle companies have shuttle service between the Phoenix airport and Tucson. Arizona Shuttle provides service to the University of Arizona stop, from which participants can take a taxi to the hotel. Arizona Shuttle is more expensive, costing $31.00 (advance reservation) to $41.00 one-way and $52.00–$62.00 return. This service can be quite heavily used. There is also Greyhound bus service between Tucson and Phoenix, as well as other parts of Arizona. There is not currently any passenger rail service between Phoenix and Tucson.

Climate:  The climate in Tucson is a semi-arid environment (200–250 mm per year average precipitation) typical of the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northwest Mexico. The Sonoran Desert is characterized by a summer rainy season that lasts from early July to early September. During this period, high temperatures are approximately 37°–40°C (98°–105°F) and lows are around 20°C (70°F). Temperatures drop rapidly after sunset and evenings can feel quite cool. Maximum temperatures occur in the late afternoon. Convective thunderstorms are common in the late afternoon at this time and can delay travel. However, these rains also can create cooler evenings, and the early mornings are excellent times for walking on the trails around the hotel.

 

  KEY POINTS:
Date:
August 13–17, 2007
Location:
Tucson, Arizona

  TRAVEL TO THE U.S.A.

  Foreign Travel Information:  Travelers other than those from Canada, and 27 visa-waiver countries (mostly western European countries, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand) and Mexican citizens may require a visa to enter the USA. We recommend applying three months or more in advance for a visa, since U.S. consulates are often requiring personal interviews for visa applicants. Please consult the National Academies website, which provides detailed information for scientific visitors.

All travelers arriving by air MUST have a valid passport. Other forms of identification previously allowed from some travelers in the Western Hemisphere (e.g., Canada) are no longer permitted. Please see the U.S. Department of State website for further information.

 

 

  TRAVEL IN THE TUCSON AREA

  Driving in the Border Region:  Since we are located close to the border, travelers should note that there are U.S. border-patrol checkpoints on many highways in the areas to the southeast and southwest of Tucson, as well as on the freeway to San Diego. Most people are not required to stop at these checkpoints, but we advise international guests to carry their passports with them on such trips around southern Arizona in order to avoid any problems.

Travel to Mexico:  The hotel is about 100 km (62 miles) from Nogales, Mexico. If you visit Nogales to go shopping, a common local practice is to leave your car on the U.S. side and walk across the border via the pedestrian entrance. There is also a bus service to Nogales. Travelers proposing to visit Mexico as part of their trip to Tucson should ensure they take their passport or other identity documents. Nogales is located in a 21-km customs-free border zone of Mexico. There is no passport check going into Nogales, but there is on returning to the U.S. Non-U.S. guests can usually enter Nogales and return to the U.S. with the same I-94 entry form on which they originally entered the U.S. If you are in any doubt you have the correct documentation, we recommend that you please stay in Arizona, or consult the organizers.

Other Mexican Travel:  It is possible to drive into much of the bordering state of Sonora (e.g., as far as Guaymas) without a temporary car permit. However, Mexican insurance is required and can be purchased online from AAA and other auto insurance agencies. Rental car companies in general discourage or do not allow taking a car into Mexico. Please contact the organizers for further advice.

Desert Survival Skills:  Tucson in August can be VERY HOT! Temperatures around 104°F (40°C) are possible in the afternoon. The average high temperature on August 12 is 100°F (38°C) and the low is 73°F (23°C). We will provide some essentials such as sunscreen, a bottle of water, and helpful tips in the conference package. When you are out in the desert, please be aware of your surroundings, wear a hat, drink plenty of water, and be aware of the symptoms of dehydration. You should also be aware that the temperature inside a parked car can exceed 122°F (50°C) in the Sun and anything that cannot tolerate these temperatures (including pets, children, computers, Ipods, anything plastic, etc.) should not be left unattended in vehicles.

 

 

  FIELD TRIPS

  One-Day Pre-Conference Field Trip:
Birds of Southern Arizona on Saturday, August 11

August is a good time to go birding in the mountains of the Tucson area. Several species of Mexican birds can be found reliably in the U.S. only in this region. The afternoon rains of late summer bring a "second spring," and birds vocalize again. Also, juvenile and post-breeding adult hummingbirds are on the move. More than a dozen species can be found at flowers and feeders. We are still working on the details and final destinations, but we intend a day-long trip to see hummingbirds and find some southeast Arizona specialties. We will take the scenic drive from Tucson to the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/preserves/art1972.html. Patagonia is located at an altitude of 1200 m and temperatures will be a little cooler than Tucson.

Depending on demand, we expect transportation will be in a bus or 15-passenger vans. The trip will be limited to about 30 participants. We will depart at 6:30 a.m. from the hotel and return to the hotel by about 2:00 p.m.

Note: This trip passes through a U.S. border-patrol checkpoint close to the border, so remember to bring your passport or ID, as well as your hiking boots, binoculars, and camera!

Your Host:  Randy Korotev and other bird enthusiasts.

Cost:  $70.00.

Three-Day Post-Conference Field Trip:
Meteor Crater and Northern Arizona, Saturday, August 18–Monday, August 20

This field trip will examine geologic features at Barringer Meteorite Crater (a.k.a. Meteor Crater), Sunset Crater Volcanic National Monument (a young basaltic cinder cone and lava flow), and the Grand Canyon National Park. In addition, there will be a cultural stop at Walnut Canyon National Monument to examine ancient cliff dwellings, and possibly a second cultural stop at Wupatki National Monument to examine an ancient pueblo and ball court. An evening barbecue is planned at Barringer Meteorite Crater. The field trip will occur immediately after the conference and occupy 2 1/2 days. We will depart from and return to the conference site via bus. Hotels in Flagstaff and/or Winslow will be arranged for field trip participants. David Kring, Bevan French, Carleton Moore, and Carolyn Shoemaker will be assisting with the geological excursions at the impact crater. Drew Barringer, President of Barringer Crater Company, and Brad Andes, President of Meteor Crater Enterprises, will be our hosts at the impact crater.

Hiking conditions will be strenuous at some locations and aggravated by high elevations. A 1- mile hike is planned for Walnut Canyon, which involves a steep 185-foot descent and ascent at an elevation of 7000 feet. The path is paved, but not accessible to wheelchairs. This hike will be followed by excursions at Barringer Meteorite Crater. A long excursion will descend about 600 feet to the crater floor and examine impact breccias along the crater wall, before returning to the crater rim to examine the overturned rim sequence and impact ejecta. The elevation at the crater is over 1 mile high, so this is usually a very taxing hike for visitors from lower elevations. Average daytime temperatures on the crater rim reach 90°F in August, but can exceed 100°F. Temperatures inside the crater will be hotter than those on the crater rim. Well-groomed trails do not exist. This will be a rugged hike. Because conditions for this hike will be so strenuous, a second excursion will be offered. Participants on this excursion will hike about 1/3 of the way around the crater rim to examine crater rim uplift, the overturned rim sequence, and impact ejecta. Most of the important geological features of the crater exist in the crater rim, so this will be a very good option for those unable to climb the crater walls in the longer excursion. For those unable to hike the crater walls or crater rim, all of the normal publicly-accessible viewing locations along the north rim of the crater will be open to them. The crater museum and gift shop will be accessible to all participants. Sample collecting will be prohibited at the crater (and at all other cultural and geologic locations on this field trip).

Trail descending to crater floor. Trail returning to the crater rim.
The excursion that descends the crater wall to reach the crater floor and
return to the crater rim will be strenuous.

Closed-toed shoes are required for both hiking excursions; hiking boots are recommended. Participants should have a minimum of 1 liter of water and a snack. If we have sunny conditions, participants will probably want a hat and need sunscreen. (The Sun can be intense a mile high in the dry air of northern Arizona.) It is possible, however, for there to be thunderstorms at the crater in August, so a poncho or very light rain jacket might be useful. Do not pack an umbrella. Wind conditions will likely make it useless and lightning can be a serious problem at the crater. Participants should probably have a small backpack to carry supplies so that their hands are free during the hikes, particularly those climbing down the crater walls. All participants will need to sign a liability waiver. Field trip leaders reserve the right to direct participants to one of the less strenuous options.

The remainder of the trip will be spent in the Flagstaff area and on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Both have an elevation of ~7000 feet (1.3 miles high). Average low and high temperatures in Flagstaff are 49° and 80°F in August, with a maximum of 93°F. Similar average low (49°F) and high (80°F) temperatures occur at the Grand Canyon. Walking conditions at Sunset Crater National Monument and Wupatki National Monument are fairly comfortable. At the Grand Canyon, a short hike is planned for those interested. This hike will follow a major trail through the upper Grand Canyon sequence, which is the same stratigraphic sequence seen in the walls of Barringer Meteorite Crater. Approximately 2 hours will be set aside at Grand Canyon Village so that participants can tour gift shops and other venues at their own pace. Sunglasses, cameras, and more sunscreen are recommended for this part of the trip.

Departure from Marriott Starr Pass Resort: Saturday, August 18, 7:15 a.m.
Return to Marriott Starr Pass Resort: Monday, August 20, approximately noon.

Cost:  $425.00 single occupancy or $375.00 double occupancy.

Participation is capped at 95 people. We expect this trip to be full and encourage early registration.

 

 

  SOCIAL EVENTS AND GUEST ACTIVITIES

  We recognize that the Meteoritical Society meeting is also an important social event for many members of the Society.

Welcome Reception:  A welcome reception will be held on the evening of Sunday, August 12, 2007, on an outdoor patio area (weather permitting).

Wednesday Morning Optional Conference Outings:
There will be three different excursions to local sites (depending on interest) available to participants on Wednesday morning, August 15, 2007. We expect to leave early and return by late morning in order to avoid the heat of the Tucson summer. Wednesday afternoon will be devoted to "light" sessions of the conference, including invited talks and some award ceremonies.

Desert Museum:  The Organizing Committee's recommendation is the world-renowned Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which is famous for its zoo, natural history museum, and botanical garden.

Tombstone and Southeastern Arizona:  If there is sufficient interest, we will have an alternative Wednesday morning outing to southeastern Arizona, including the famous old-west town of Tombstone, Arizona, where reenactments of the famous shoot-out at the "OK Corral" occurred. We will also see some of the beautiful scenery in the San Pedro River Valley and some Paleoindian mammoth kill sites.

San Xavier Mission:  Depending on interest, we will arrange a trip to the historic San Xavier Mission, the oldest mission church in the southwestern U.S., founded in 1691 by Fr. Eusebio Francisco Kino, an Italian in the service of the Spanish crown. The interior of this church has been beautifully restored and is an excellent example of the Spanish mission style. This tour will be either on Wednesday morning or for small groups on other mornings.

Wednesday Late Afternoon Optional Conference Outing:
Aircraft "Boneyard":  Prior to the banquet, we can arrange for a limited number of interested people to tour the famous U.S. Air Force "boneyard." After the tour you will return to the Pima Air and Space Museum for the banquet. Advance registration for this trip will be required.

Banquet:  In the late afternoon of Wednesday, we will depart to the Pima Air and Space Museum, which has a large collection of military and civilian aircraft from all over the world, as well as a Space Museum. We will have a reception at the Museum, followed by a banquet. The banquet will be held in a large area known as "Hangar 4," which includes some interesting aircraft itself. We also plan some entertainment suitable for the evening with a "big band" sound. All transportation to and from the banquet is included in the registration fee.

Other Optional Tours:  We plan to have optional tours available each day either through the meeting or through Starr Destinations to popular destinations of interest, including the Tucson presidio, the University of Arizona campus museums, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, San Xavier Mission, the Mexican border town of Nogales, nearby art galleries and wineries, Old Tucson Movie Studios, downtown Tucson museums, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and Kartchner Caverns. More information, as well as contacts for tours, will be provided in the registration packets and at the meeting.

Most of these have not yet been finalized, but one that has is a tour of Tucson's Old Spanish Presidio (Fort) and a short walk on the Presidio Trail on Tuesday morning. Participants will meet at 7:00 a.m. for a morning tour of the newly reconstructed Presidio San Agust�n. Founded in 1775, this Spanish frontier fort protected the first European settlers and was the first building built by Europeans in downtown Tucson. We'll visit the northeast corner of the adobe presidio with its two-story tower, recently reconstructed as part of Tucson's ambitious downtown revitalization project. We'll walk through the presidio grounds and museum, view a prehistoric Native American dwelling, and then walk a portion of "The Presidio Trail: A Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Tucson" before having a mid-morning breakfast at the Hotel Congress. Enjoy an early summer morning viewing part of the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States. Bring water and wear a hat. Total walk is less than one mile and is all on flat sidewalks. The tour will be led by Gayle Hartmann, wife of Bill Hartmann and president of the Tucson Presidio Trust for Historic Preservation.

Farewell and Star-Gazing Party:  Since the meeting sessions will last well into Friday afternoon, we will have a farewell party and (weather permitting) a star-gazing party with telescopes. We expect many visitors to stay overnight in Tucson on Friday, since there are few flights to the east coast in the afternoon.

Golf Tournament:  We are arranging a small golf tournament for interested participants at Starr Pass. Please contact Rich Cruz for details.

 

 

  CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

  Participants registering by credit card can 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. All scientists attending sessions and guests must pay the registration fee to help cover the conference costs. Registration fees on site will be accepted in cash (USD), check, American Express, Visa, or MasterCard.

The registration fee does not include abstract fees. Please pay the abstract fee when submitting your abstract.
REGISTRATION FEES
    Through July 13, 2007  After July 13, 2007
Member  $335.00  $385.00
Nonmember  $400.00  $450.00
Student Member  $170.00  $220.00
Student Nonmember  $200.00  $250.00
Guest  $150.00  $200.00

Cancellation Policy:  A $25.00 cancellation fee will be charged on any cancellations received before July 25, 2007. No refunds will be given after July 25, 2007.

 

 

  CONTACT INFORMATION

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

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS
    Timothy Jull, Chair
    University of Arizona
    Phone: 520-621-6816
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Timothy Swindle, Co-Chair
    University of Arizona
    Phone: 520-621-4128
    E-mail: [email protected]

For information regarding meeting logistics and announcements, contact

LPI MEETING COORDINATOR
    Elizabeth Wagganer
    Lunar and Planetary Institute
    Phone: 281-486-2164
    E-mail: [email protected]

 

SCHEDULE
July 13, 2007Deadline for preregistration
August 11, 2007Preconference excursion to Birds of Southern Arizona
August 13–17, 200770th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society
in Tucson, Arizona
August 18–20, 2007Postconference excursion to Meteor Crater and Northern Arizona


Go to Top of Page   |   Back to MetSoc 2007 Main Page   |   Back to Upcoming Meetings Page