Letters of Intent received in 2012

LoI 2014-138
High Spatial Resolution Astrophysics: from the Sun to Stars and Beyond

Date: 12 October 2014 to 17 October 2014
Category: Non-GA Symposium
Location: Nice, France
Contact: Thierry Lanz (thierry.lanz@oca.eu)
Coordinating division: Division IX Optical & Infrared Techniques
Other divisions: Division I Fundamental Astronomy
Division III Planetary Systems Sciences
Division IV Stars
Division VIII Galaxies & the Universe
Co-Chairs of SOC: John Monnier (U Michigan)
Denis Mourard (CNRS/INSU)
Co-Chairs of LOC: Thierry Lanz (OCA)
Farrokh Vakili (OCA)

 

Topics

 High angular resolution at the millisecond of arc level from 0.4 to 10μm.
 Stellar surface activity from the sun to the giant and supergiant stars. Convection, transport, turbulence, micro gravity, limb darkening, spots.
 Stellar formation and early stages of evolution: accretion, rotation, role of magnetic fields. Planets formation and observational characterization.
 Main sequence stars and evolved stars: fundamental stellar parameters and physical processes.
 Active galactic nuclei: down to the sub-parsec scale in the near infrared wavelengths.
 Prospects for new generation of long baseline optical interferometers.

 

Rationale

Over the last decade, spatial interferometry at optical wavelengths has been established as an observing technique producing some remarkable scientific results. There are arrays with 1-10-m telescopes and baselines of a few hundred meters providing an angular resolution in the millisecond of arc range, which is up to fifty times better than on the largest single telescopes. In the meantime, the development of a new generation of extremely large telescopes has started. With apertures of 30-40m they do not only narrow the gap in angular resolution but provide a sensitivity that is far beyond of today’s interferometers.

This symposium intends to review the most recent advances in solar and stellar physics as well as in the active galactic nuclei domain brought by the large optical interferometers. These research fields will be examined in the framework of global progresses in Astronomy including reviews from theoreticians and other observational techniques. The program will be focused on Sun, stars and exoplanets, AGN and fundamental physics. A particular attention will be paid on focusing the symposium on identifying the best avenues for the next generation of optical interferometers in parallel to other large facilities like extremely large telescopes or arrays of radio antennas.