Organizers:
Dr. Reggie Hudson (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
Dr. Stefanie Milam (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Overview:

We are organizing a 3.5-day symposium for the ACS national meeting to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 21-25, 2016. The symposium will focus on the chemistry associated with the origin, evolution, and present state of the Solar System. Surface, sub-surface, and atmospheric chemistry will be highlighted through contributions by laboratory scientists, theorists, and astronomical observers. Research into the chemistry of small bodies, such as comets, asteroids, and meteors, will be welcome as will studies of planets and satellites.

Confirmed speakers as of February 10, 2016 include the following individuals from the chemistry and planetary science communities: Matthew Abplanalp, Nadia Balucani, Steve Benner, Michael Brown, Wendy Brown, Dale Cruikshank, Jamie Elsila Cook, Will Grundy, Kevin Hand, Bryanna Henderson, Karl Hibbitts, John Keller, Tim Lee, Paul Mahaffy, Linda McGown, Arielle Moullet, Mike Mumma, Thom Orlando, Tony Remijan, Mark Smith, Robert Stanley, Melissa Trainer, Hal Weaver, Loren Williams, David Woon, and Tim Zwier. 10-15 contributed talks are still available for submission as well as associated posters.

Topics expected to be included are the chemistry of Mars with the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover, of comets with the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission, of asteroids with NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, and of the outer Solar System with the New Horizons spacecraft. Exciting ALMA radio-telescopic observational results for Titan and other objects are expected for this symposium, along with a glimpse at what chemical discoveries await with the James Webb Space Telescope. Laboratory and theoretical needs will be emphasized from the observing community.