The Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) announces the 9th Annual International Astrophysics Conference: Pickup Ions Throughout the Heliosphere and Beyond to be held at the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa on the island of Maui, Hawaii, March 14 - March 19, 2010.

It is now recognized that pickup ions are present in almost all possible space environments, created from atoms originating at comets, planets, the satellites of the gas giants, and the interstellar medium. Indeed, pickup ions can be formed whenever a neutral gas and plasma interact. Over the past three decades, the physics and consequences of pickup ions has been studied in considerable detail, ranging from artificial comet experiments (AMPTE) in the Earth’s magnetosphere, to interplanetary missions to comets Halley, Giacobini-Zinner, and Grigg-Skjellerup, the planets Venus and Mars and the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, to the outer heliosphere and the solar wind-local interstellar medium boundaries (heliospheric termination shock, inner and outer heliosheath). We will soon have new and detailed observations from the Rosetta mission exploring the interaction of the solar wind with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Meanwhile, Mars Express and Venus Express are exploring the interaction of the Martian and Venusian atmospheres with the solar wind. Cassini-Huygens is exploring Saturn’s magnetosphere and its interaction with Enceladus and Titan, and with neutral particles in the inner magnetosphere which provide a major source there via ion pickup. Preparations are underway for an international return to Europa and Ganymede.Also, Voyagers 1 and 2 have made important observations related to the energization of pickup ions at the heliospheric termination shock, Voyager 2 has identified pickup ion reflection at the termination shock as a primary dissipation mechanism, the mission to Pluto, New Horizons, is making new and puzzling observations of pickup ions en route, IBEX is measuring energetic neutral atoms produced by charge exchange of interstellar atoms with interstellar pickup ions. Despite our long study of pickup ion physics, it is fair to suggest that many observations, both past and present, remain unexplained at worst or poorly understood at best. In view of the current and anticipated broad interest in the physics and consequences of pickup ion physics, it is appropriate to review the state of our understanding, identify outstanding problems, and consider potential new approaches. We therefore invite everyone interested in any aspect of the physics of pickup ions to join us at the 9th Annual International Astrophysics to be held on the Hawaiian island of Maui from 14-19 March, 2010.