Letters of Intent received in 2012

LoI 2014-161
Galaxies in 3D across the Universe

Date: 30 June 2014 to 4 July 2014
Category: Non-GA Symposium
Location: Vienna, Austria
Contact: Bodo Ziegler (bodo.ziegler@univie.ac.at)
Coordinating division: Division J Galaxies and Cosmology
Other divisions:
Chair of SOC: Bodo Ziegler (University of Vienna)
Chair of LOC: Bodo Ziegler (University of Vienna)

 

Topics

-optical/NIR 3D-spectroscopy of local and distant galaxies
-radio interferometry of local and distant galaxies
-3D simulations of galaxy evolution
-spatially resolved stellar structure, kinematics, and populations
-spatially resolved gas and dust content, state, and distribution
-spatially resolved star formation
-growth of galaxy components (disk, bulge, bar, halo)
-interplay between gas, molecules, and star formation
-chemical enrichment
-influence of environment

 

Rationale

In recent years, significant advances in our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution were achieved thanks to powerful ground-based telescope instrumentation, sophisticated space-based satellites, and high performance super computers. New accurate measurements sometimes enforced shifts of paradigms and stimulated new theoretical ideas like for example feedback processes to stimulate and quench star formation. These new concepts now need further verification via detailed observations and simulations. While in the radio regime interferometric studies have already a longer history, campaigns of spatially resolved spectroscopy in the optical and infrared of larger samples have started more recently. The technical development of integral field units is progressing in an astounding way allowing survey type investigations in the local Universe going from dozens of objects in the past (like SAURON) to presently hundreds (like CALIFA) to thousands in the very near future (like MaNGA or SAMI). For the distant Universe, new instrumentation with multiplex capability come online soon (like ESO's KMOS and MUSE 2nd-generation VLT instruments). Similarly in the radio regime, modernized or new facilities like EVLA, NOEMA, and ALMA will also enable detailed investigations of faint emission. In addition, HST, Chandra & XMM/Newton, Herschel & Planck still offer unique spatially resolved data acquisition. Likewise, numerical simulations have also made breakthroughs in hydrodynamics and star formation processes, being now able to resolve the molecular cloud scales in giant galaxy simulations, taking into account the cosmological context.

The main intention of this meeting is to bring together observers from the optical and radio communities and theoreticians to discuss science but also tools and techniques to handle data cubes. Various concepts for data analysis but also data presentation and derivation of physical parameters have been developed that need to be homogenized in order to allow multi-wavelength approaches. A good understanding of the data characterization (S/N) and the extrapolation in determining observed quantities is also urgently necessary for a direct and matched comparison with simulation output.

In order to understand the life cycle of stars, we need to approach star formation from all sides. What are the processes that connect Hi distribution to molecular clouds to star formation regions? Why is it possible to average over local phenomena and arrive at global relations for SF like the Kennicutt-Schmidt law? What is the role of turbulence generated by supernovae or AGN jets? How does this evolve in cosmic time? How does environment affect the different ingredients and physical processes? To advance in our understanding the meeting will gather both star formation and extragalactic observers as well as theoreticians and simulators.