IAU Commission 16
Physical Study of Planets and Satellites
L'Etude Physique des Planetes et Satellites
Welcome to the web page of Commission 16 of the International
Astronomical Union!
Commission 16 deals with the physical studies of the planets in the
Solar System and their natural satellites. This work includes
observational studies with telescopes on Earth and in space, and with
spacecraft that fly by or orbit the planets. It also includes
theoretical studies of planets and satellites, and laboratory work that
directly supports observational and theoretical investigations.
Scientists engaged in the study of the planets and their satellites
come from many different disciplines. While this work was
originally the purview of traditional astronomers, the age of space
exploration has attracted geologists, chemists, biologists, atmospheric
physicists, and other scientists to this field of study. As a
result of several decades of multidisciplinary investigations, planets
(and some of their satellites) are now viewed as systems in which
surfaces, interiors, atmospheres, oceans, and even biospheres are
closely integrated. Many scientists study the planets to gain
insight into the nature of the Earth, its past and its future.
Commission 16 strives to bring together astronomers who study the
physical properties of the planets and satellites to facilitate the
exchange of ideas in international conferences, the coordination
international observing campaigns, and the consideration of various
issues arising from the rapid pace of the exploration of the Solar
System by the nations of the world.
Officers for the 2009-2012 Triennium
President: Melissa A. McGrath (USA)
Vice President: Mark T. Lemmon (USA)
Secretary: Luisa M. Lara (Spain)
Past President: Regis Courtin (France)
(The e-mail addresses are no longer listed, in order
to impede spam attacks. Sorry!)
Organizing Committee: SANG
JOON KIM ,
Leonid V. Ksanfomality ,
Luisa
M. Lara , David
Morrison ,
Viktor G. Tejfel ,
Padma A. Yanamandra-Fisher
Members of the Commission 16
A complete list of the members of Commission 16 as of 15th of August
2009 can be found here
IAU XXVIIth General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 August 2009
Special Session
6:
Planetary Systems as Potential Sites for Life
Communications from the President of the Commission (now superseded
by the "PS2 News" Electronic Bulletin)
IAU/Commission 16 News Bulletin -
Nov. 06, 2006.
PS2 News (IAU/Commission 16 Electronic Bulletin)
LaTeX template for submissions can be downloaded from here
IAU/Commission 16 Electronic Newsletter - Issue
No. 00, March 2007
The Program for the 2006 General Assembly in Prague is available
on-line
Program for the Joint Discussion
10 on Progress in Planetary
Exploration Missions
Resolution 5 on the Definition
of a Planet in the Solar System
Resolution 6 on Pluto
Triennial Reports
One of the functions of the Commission is to prepare a report on
advances in Planetary Sciences.
Present and past Triennial Reports can be found at these sites:
2002-2005
Triennial Report
1999-2002
Triennial Report
1996-1999
Triennial Report
Business at the 2004 General
Assembly
The Minutes of the Commission 16 Business Meeting are available here.
The Minutes of the Division III Business Meeting are available here.
Business at the 2006 General
Assembly
The Minutes of the Commission 16 Business Meeting are available here.
The Minutes of the Division III Business Meeting are available here.
Business at the 2009 General
Assembly
The Minutes of the Commission 16 Business Meeting are available here.
Other Sites of Interest:
The best source for upcoming meetings is the Lunar and Planetary Institute
This AAS Division for
Planetary Sciences page includes links to many other useful
planetary sites.
Other IAU Links:
IAU Commission 15
Physical Study of Comets, Minor Planets, and
Meteorites/L'Etude Physique des Cometes,
des Petites Planetes et des
Meteorites
IAU Commission 20
Positions and Motions of Minor Planets, Comets, and
Satellites/Positions et Mouvements
des Petites Planetes, des Cometes,
et des Satellites
IAU Commision 21
Light of the Night Sky / Lumiere du Ciel Nocturne
IAU Commission 22
Meteors and Interplanetary Dust/Meteors et la Poissiere
Interplanetaire
Created: 19 December, 2000 gjc; Last Update: 25 November 2008, Luisa M. Lara