Letters of Intent received in 2013

LoI 2015-217
Focus Meeting: The picture of galaxy evolution painted with Lyman alpha

Date: 25 August 2015 to 27 August 2015
Category: Focus meetings (GA)
Location: Honoluly, United States
Contact: Esther Hu (hu@ifa.hawaii.edu)
Coordinating division: Division J Galaxies and Cosmology
Other divisions:
Co-Chairs of SOC: Esther Hu (University of Hawaii)
Daniel Schaerer (Geneva Observatory)
Masami Ouchi (University of Tokyo)
Stuatrt Wyithe (University of Sydney)
Hayes, Matthew James (University of Sweden)
Chair of LOC: Esther Hu (University of Hawaii)

 

Topics

- Lyman-alpha emitters (LAE) and their connection with other galaxy populations
- Star-formation probed by Lyman-alpha
- The nature of Lyman-alpha blobs (LABs)
- PopIII galaxy searches
- Lyman-alpha radiation transfer modeling
- Galaxy formation models confronted to UV and Lya observations
- Cosmological uses of Lyman-alpha (reionisation, galaxy clustering, dark
energy)

 

Rationale

The Lyman-alpha line is used in many studies of different types of galaxies
and over a very wide range in redshift. For example Lyman-alpha is used to
determine redshifts and star-formation rates. Its profile and strength can
also provide constraints on the age of star-forming galaxies, on their
dust content and other ISM properties and on outflows. Furthermore Lyman-alpha
luminosity functions (LFs), their redshift evolution and comparison with e.g.
UV LFs provide invaluable information on galaxy populations and their
evolution.
Lyman-alpha is of great interest to identify very distant galaxies, it serves
as a signpost for extremely metal-poor/PopIII galaxies, and is established
as a crucial tool to measure cosmic reionization. Finally, Lyman-alpha galaxy
surveys are also being used to map large scale structure, and
to probe dark matter properties.

Expanding the discoveries made during the last decade, new data is being
acquired
at a rapid pace with many ground-based telescopes and new HST instruments (e.g.
COS),
and new facilities/instruments (e.g. HETDEX, HyperSuprimeCam@SUBARU, MUSE@VLT)
are
being built. A diversity of new models, ranging e.g. from radiation transfer
codes
to galaxy formation models, have also been developped to interpret these
observations.

To discuss these latest developments, observational and modeling results, we
propose
a 1.5 day Joint Discussion on the topics described above. The timing of the JD
is
optimal to present many expected results from the above mentioned facilities
and
ongoing projects. The JD should contribute to paint an updated picture of
galaxy
formation and evolution from the perspective of a rapidly evolving field.