Workshop on Asteroid 2008 TC3- 28OCT09

Workshop on Asteroid 2008 TC3 Scheduled

http://asima.seti.org/2008TC3/workshop2008TC3.html

WORKSHOP ON ASTEROID 2008 TC3
University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
Dec 5-15, 2009

INVITATION

The University of Khartoum, Faculty of Sciences and Physics Department,
and the SETI Institute invite planetary astronomers and meteoriticists
to participate in a workshop dedicated to asteroid 2008 TC3. Asteroid
2008 TC3 was the first asteroid to be detected in space and subsequently
found to impact the Earth. Fragments were recovered in the Nubian Desert
of northern Sudan in the form of rare ureilite meteorites, called
"Almahata Sitta".

Goal of the workshop is to discuss the results from ongoing research
into the properties of asteroid 2008 TC3 when it was still in space, its
nature and origin, the asteroid's impact in Earth's atmosphere, the
subsequent recovery, and the analysis of the recovered meteorites. Talks
on the origin of ureilites are invited, as well as discussions on how to
adjust observing strategies to increase the likelyhood of future
discoveries of small asteroids on a collision course with Earth.

By accepting this invitation, researchers will have a chance to examine
the collection of recovered meteorites and discuss how best to proceed
with the investigation of this small asteroid.

The workshop will be held on the days of December 6 and 7, 2009. The
University invites participants to take part in a banquet on the evening
of December 6 [Earliest return flight would be afternoon December 8].

In the week following, from December 8 to 15, there will be a site visit
to the area where Almahata Sitta was recovered . An effort will be made
to expand the diversity of recovered materials by finding more of the
fallen debris. Participants are asked to bring clothes and strong shoes,
suitable for outdoor camping and hiking. The weather can be cold at
night (bring woolen hat). Bring medication for a bad stomach,
anti-musquito spray, and sun-screen.

Itinerary: Dec. 8 - travel to Almahata Sitta; Dec. 9-12 - field survey;
[optional: Dec 13 - morning travel back to Khartoum (10-hr trip, arrive
3 pm afternoon at the earliest)]; Dec 13-15 - sight seeing along Nile,
back in Khartoum 4pm afternoon Dec. 15.

Abstract and registration <http://atv.seti.org/registration2008TC3.html

>
deadline is *November 1, 2009*. Please do not delay.

After registration (and sending us your passport pdf), you will receive
a letter of invitation from the University and a visa approval number
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan that should help expedite
the visa process. If there are any questions, please feel free to
contact us at: Petrus.M.Jenniskens [at] nasa.gov


Scientific Organizing Committee:

* Dr. P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, USA (chair)
* Dr. S. Chesley, NASA JPL, USA
* Dr. A. Fitzsimmons, Queens U. Belfast, UK
* Dr. D. Nesvorny, SWRI, USA
* Dr. P. Scheirich, Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic
* Prof. C. Taricco, University of Torino, Italy
* Dr. M. H. Shaddad, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Dr. M. Zolensky, NASA JSC, USA

Local Organizing Committee:

* Dr. Muawia H. Shaddad, University of Khartoum, Sudan (chair)
* Dr. Omer Eid, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Dr. Arbab Ibrahim Arbab, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Dr. Abbakar Ali Abdella, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Saadia Elsir, Juba University, Khartoum, Sudan
* Ayman Ismael Hamid, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Hosam Eldeen Babiker, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Ayman Kudoda, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Diya Numan, University of Khartoum, Sudan
* Nesreen Shareef Hassan, University of Khartoum, Sudan

Contact information:
Muawia H. Shaddad, LOC chair, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences,
University of Khartoum. Email: shaddadmhsh [at] yahoo.com; Tel.:
+249-912-359317.

Omer Eid, Head of the Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences,
University of Khartoum. Email: omereid [at] gmail.com; Tel.:
+249-11-780539.

Saadia Elsir, Juba University, Khartoum. Email: saadia.elsir [at]
yahoo.com; Tel.: +249-912-346333.

Peter Jenniskens, SOC chair, SETI Institute, 515 N. Whisman Road,
Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Email: Petrus.M.Jenniskens [at] nasa.gov;
Tel.: +1-650-8100216.