Letters of Intent received in 2016

LoI 2018-1935
Binaries, Multis and Astrostatistics at the Crossroads

Topics

* binary systems
* multiple (3+) stellar systems
* planetary transits
* astrostatistics
* big data science
* large missions and surveys

Rationale

Binary stellar systems have long been recognized as fundamental calibrators of the principal stellar parameters: masses, radii, temperatures and luminosities. They also serve as exquisite distance indicators since the precision with which the distances are measured do not depend on the distance itself. With the advent of space-borne missions such as MOST, CoRoT, Kepler/K2, the field is experiencing a major surge in data quantity and reliability. Thousands of stellar and substellar binaries (also known as exoplanets :-)) have been observed to a precision that allows the determination of principal parameters to better than 1%. In addition, stellar and substellar multiples have become commonplace, testing a vast range of physics, from orbital tightening via Kozai cycles and tidal friction to the impacts of mass transfer on stellar evolution. Added to this is a slew of transient phenomena typical of binary and multiple systems, from cataclysmic variables to exploding stars and gravity waves, that make this field an ever-interesting source of opportunities. Our analysis methods, however, have yet to fully cope with this new era. Addressing this is especially crucial now, in light of upcoming missions such as Gaia, TESS, Plato and LSST, that will increase the data quantity by orders of magnitude. The field is at the crossroads where advanced astrostatistical techniques are being employed more and more frequently, and the overlap between potential applications is extensive. Exoplanets, binaries, multiples and transient phenomena hold an immense wealth of information if we learn how to decode the data properly. The main goal of the proposed symposium is a synergy between fields that are rapidly beginning to overlap in methodology and to share expertise that promises significant advances in all related fields. The timeliness cannot be overstated: as we develop and learn to use modern astrostatistical tools, there is no better time to share the lessons learned from applying them to our respective problems. Failure to do so can result in possible duplication, misinterpretation and over-interpretation of the data; hence the crossroads. We propose to host a vibrant program with keynote speakers from all these fields: binary and multiple star physics, exoplanets, transient and time domain astronomy, with a strong focus on astrostatistics. We aim to foster wider collaborations and to help establish a common statistical methodology that benefits everyone.