P01 - Galaxy formation and evolution
Convenor: Carlton Baugh, Omar Almaini
Talks: Larmor, Tue 1 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
This session will explore recent observational and theoretical progress in understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies.
P02 - Dark matter, dark energy, and cosmological parameters
Convenor: Lindsay King
Talks: Larmor, Wed 2 April, 14:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
This session will focus on progress in testing and refining our cosmological model, from galactic to cosmological scales. We welcome contributions from both observers and theorists working in this area.
P03 - Clusters and groups of galaxies
Convenor: Kathy Romer
Talks: Larmor, Thu 3 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
The UK has a very strong tradition in cluster science. We aim to show case all major UK led (or UK involved) cluster projects during this session. Contributions from final year PhD students working on such projects are especially welcome. The session will cover multi-wavelength observations (current and future) plus theoretical and numerical work.
P04 - AGN activity and the Growth and Influence of Massive Black Holes
Convenor: David Alexander, Mat Page
Talks: Larmor, Fri 4 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
We invite contributions to this session on all aspects related to the identification and study of AGN activity and the growth and influence of black holes, both near and far. For example, contributions could include presentations on the presence and nature of absorption in AGNs, the unfiied AGN model, fuelling of the central supermassive black hole, outflows and their role in the growth of galaxies and large scale structure, and the evolution of AGN activity and supermassive black hole growth, amongst other aspects of AGN-centric research.
P05 - Gas and galaxies: the intergalactic medium
Convenor: Avery Meiksin
Talks: Larmor, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
The baryons produced in the Big Bang reside predominantly between galaxies. This session addresses the physical state, distribution and origin of the gas between galaxies and the interaction with galaxies, as well as current and prospective methods for the detection and study of the gas and gas-galaxy interactions.
P06 - Low-z galaxies and stellar populations
Convenor: Annette Ferguson
Talks: Larmor, Wed 2 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
This session focuses on low redshift galaxies and what we can learn about their formation and evolution from studies of both resolved and unresolved stellar populations, as well as star clusters.
P07 - The GAIA mission
Convenor: Gerry Gilmore
Talks: Bell, Thu 3 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
Gaia is the ESA mission to provide a precision 7-D census of one billion stars brighter than V=20. Accurate distances, positions, 3-D velocities, chemical abundances and spectrophotometry in several tens of epochs will be available, defining the history of the Milky Way, the structure of the HR diagram, and much more, from cosmology to fundamental physics, from Nemesis asteroids to a complete sample of tens of thousands of extrasolar planets - see www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=GAIA&page=index
Gaia will be in operation in 2012. Now is the time to prepare for its wealth of opportunities. Talks will provide an overview of Gaia science and data, describe the leading UK role, and outline opportunities to enjoy the bounty.
P08 - Science with current and future wide-field surveys
Convenor: David Bacon, Will Percival
Talks: Bell, Fri 4 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
Current wide field survey data, such as provided by 2dF and SDSS, has revolutionized our understanding of the Universe, providing rich cosmological information and details of galaxy formation. This session will review our current state of knowledge, and look ahead to future surveys that promise answers to key science questions. Invited speakers include Ofer Lahav, Richard McMahon, Seb Oliver and John Peacock.
P09 - Star Formation: The First Three Million Years
Convenor: Tom Ray
Talks: LG09N, Tue 1 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
This session is devoted to recent progress in our understanding of how stars form (both high and low mass) as well as sub-stellar objects, i.e. brown dwarfs. Topics to be covered include molecular clouds, clumps, cores, outflows and the initial mass function from an observational, theoretical and computational perspective. A forward look to the promise of SCUBA2 and Herschel will also be made.
P10 - Chemistry as a Probe of Physics in Space
Convenor: Tom Millar, Dave Nutter
Talks: LG09N, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
In recent years molecular line emission has been used to study physical conditions in space. Such studies are enhanced when combined with chemical kinetic models of interstellar and circumstellar sources. This session welcomes contributions on fundamental data, including reaction rate coefficients and collisional excitation cross-sections, and the application of astrochemical models to understanding processes such as star formation, in both local and high-redshift material, and the late stages of stellar evolution.
P11 - Massive star clusters: near and far
Convenor: Simon Goodwin
Talks: Bell, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
The aim of this session is to compare and contrast massive stars clusters in which we can resolve details (such as the stellar populations) with distant point-source-like clusters. Are massive clusters analogues to young globular clusters? What are the properties of massive clusters the same everywhere? If there are differences, what are they, and how do they vary?
P12 - Low mass stars and brown dwarfs
Convenor: Jenny Patience
Talks: LG09N, Fri 4 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
This session will bring together theorists and observers to discuss recent results in low mass star and brown dwarf research. All topics are welcome, including the formation and evolution of low mass objects, activity and variability, objects in young clusters and in the field, multiple systems, disks around low mass objects, and atmospheric studies.
P13 - Exoplanets
Convenor: Pierre Maxted
Talks: LG09N, Wed 2 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
As the observational study of extra-solar planetary systems enters its second decade it continues to be a vibrant research topic, driven by a flow of new discoveries, new theoretical insights and new instrumentation. This session will both look back at the UK contribution to these developments, and look forward to new developments in this area.
P14 - Stellar pulsation and asteroseismology
Convenor: Günter Houdek
Talks: Bell, Tue 1 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
The range of stars in which oscillations can be observed is expanding enormously. This is due to new high-quality data from the very successful French space mission CoRoT, from NASA's up-coming Kepler mission, and from ground-based observations such as those anticipated from the new Danish Stellar Oscillation Network Group (SONG). With the new asteroseismic observations we have discovered a rich world of stellar oscillations in various types of star and found new opportunities to bring our understanding of the theory of stellar structure and evolution to a higher level of sophistication.
In the session we will address recent results and new approaches in helio- and asteroseismology and provide an overview of our current understanding of the mechanisms of stellar oscillations and of the physical processes that prevail inside the Sun and other stars.
P15 - Planetary science
Convenor: Pat Irwin
Talks: LG09N, Wed 2 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
This session will review the UK's current planetary science activities, covering ground-based observations, spacecraft missions such as Cassini, Huygens, Venus Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and also future plans.
P16 - Atmospheres in exo- and solar planets
Convenor: Alan Aylward
Talks: LG09N, Wed 2 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
Since the discovery of Peg-51's companion planet in 1995, the detection and characterisation of extrasolar planets has become a major astronomical field. Even before planets were found transiting their stars, and the ability to make measurements of their atmospheres became reality, modelling of putative extrasolar planet atmospheres had begun. Now, with realistic measurements of atmospheric constituents, this modelling has constraints - and things to explain! The work on these non-solar-system bodies has caused a re-evaluation of what we know about planetary atmospheres in general - and hence given a boost to studies of our nearest neighbours in the Sun's family.
This session will examine the latest work on both solar system and exoplanet atmospheres. While its core theme will be the neutral atmospheres and ionospheres, we will also look at how these are affected by their surroundings - the magnetospheres, solar (stellar!) wind interactions and other nearby bodies.
P17 - Massive stars
Convenor: Jorick Vink
Talks: Bell, Wed 2 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
Massive stars are key drivers for the evolution of galaxies, but despite their important role, their evolution and ultimate fate are as yet largely unknown. This session will contain the latest developments in theory and observations of both single and binary massive stars.
P18 - Supernovae and supernova remnants
Convenor: Mark Sullivan
Talks: Bell, Wed 2 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
Supernovae are important cosmological tools, yet much about their nature and progenitor systems remains unknown. However, rapid progress is being made thanks to new instruments, new observations, new large surveys, and new interpretations in the context of improved theoretical models. This session will contain the latest exciting results from studies of supernovae and their associated remnants in both the distant and local Universe.
P19 - Gamma-ray bursts
Convenor: David Bersier
Talks: Bell, Wed 2 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
Gamma-ray bursts are not only an opportunity to study extreme physics, they also allow us to probe the Universe in new and powerful ways. This session will look at GRBs from all angles. Theorists and observers will be brought together to discuss the latest emerging trends in this fast-moving field. A non-exhaustive list of topics to be covered includes progenitors of short and long bursts, the GRB-SN connection, the scientific potential of very high redshift GRBs, physics of the central engine and of the GRB itself.
P20 - Black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs
Convenor: Danny Steeghs
Talks: PFC 212, Fri 4 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
Compact objects lie at the heart of a wide variety of energetic phenomena in the Universe. This session will discuss new insights into the properties of compact stellar remnants including accretion onto compact objects and the diverse populations of binaries containing compact objects.
P21 - Magnetospheres throughout the Universe
Convenor: Chris Arridge, Ben Stappers
Talks: PFC 210, Wed 2 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
The solar system contains a variety of fascinating planetary magnetospheres, each unique in its own way but which share common physical processes. These magnetospheres have been explored in-situ by many spacecraft and some processes, such as magnetic reconnection, have been studied in great deal. The universe at large presents yet another array of astrophysical magnetospheres, such as those around black holes and degenerate objects. Galactic, heliospheric, and exoplanetary magnetospheres add yet another dimension to the immense variety in the universe.
We invite contributions that discuss the physical processes and structures in astrophysical and planetary magnetospheres, with an emphasis on the cross-discipline nature of this field of study.
P22 - High energy astrophysics
Convenor: Rob Fender
Talks: PFC 212, Wed 2 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
In this session we will discuss the latest results in galactic and extra-galactic high-energy astrophysics, including X-ray and gamma-ray surveys.
P23 - Current facilities and new instruments
Convenor: Suzanne Ramsey
Talks: PFC 212, Wed 2 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
In this session, the status of existing telescopes and instruments available to UK astronomers will be reviewed. In addition, presentations will be made on instruments imminently to be released to the community.
P24 - Future facilities
Convenor: Rob Ivison
Talks: PFC 212, Wed 2 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
A riveting selection of exciting new observational opportunities due in the next few years, including ELT, Herschel, ALMA and anything else that lacks a dedicated session.
P25 - ESA Cosmic Visions
Convenor: Simon Green, Monica Grady
Talks: PFC 212, Thu 3 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 is the next phase of ESA's long term plan for space science missions to address the key science questions:
- What are the conditions for life and planetary formation?
- How does the Solar System work?
- What are the fundamental laws of the Universe?
- How did the Universe begin and what is it made of?
This session will present the missions selected for the assessment phase 2007-2009, their science objectives and UK involvement.
P25a - ESA Cosmic Visions Part 2
Convenor: Simon Green, Monica Grady
Talks: PFC 212, Fri 4 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
This session is simply a continuation of P25.
P26 - The Virtual Observatory and grid development
Convenor: Nic Walton
Talks: PFC 212, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Whitla Hall
Virtual Observatories (VO) are now offering a range of exciting features giving much easier access to astronomical data and applications. This session will highlight recent developments in the UK and Europe focusing on how VO access to data as diverse as UKIDSS and Merlin, SCUBA and HST, can help maximise the scientific return from these missions
Contributions to the session are invited from those who have been early scientific users of Virtual Observatory and Grid systems, or are involved with contributing to the development of these systems, perhaps adding new applications or data resources.
P27 - Atomic data for astrophysics
Convenor: Penny Scott
Talks: Bell, Tue 1 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
Most of the quantitative information we have regarding the Universe comes from the analysis and interpretation of astronomical observations. In this analysis procedure, highly-accurate atomic data are required as input for various astrophysical modelling codes. This session welcomes astrophysical modellers seeking state-of-the-art atomic data, and atomic data providers with new data to offer.
P28 - YAM@NAM - From Stars To Galaxies
Convenor: Jenny Richardson
Talks: LG09N, Thu 3 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
This session is designed to showcase the work of up-and-coming early career researchers from a wide variety of fields within Astrophysics. The central theme of the session is 'From Stars To Galaxies'. Contributions are invited on topics as diverse as star formation, stellar evolution, star clusters, stellar populations, galaxy structures, the chemical and physical evolution of galaxies and other related subjects.
The RAS and LOC strongly urge the more senior delegates to come along and see this showcase for the new generation of UK astronomers.
P29 - Education and outreach
Convenor: Paul Roche, Robert Hill
Talks: PFC 212, Tue 1 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Whitla Annexe
These sessions will be placing a particular emphasis on Education and Public Outreach (EPO) in astronomy and space science, both within the UK and overseas, in the run-up to International Year of Astronomy in 2009. The sessions will be open to teachers as well as astronomers, and should provide plenty of opportunities to find out more about national and international programmes, and see what is actually happening in UK classrooms.
Speakers will present a range of UK-based and overseas projects, and report on the position of the UK in a number of international programmes. The emphasis of the sessions is on current projects, future opportunities, and how the UK can participate in international initiatives for IYA09.
P30 - Solar spectroscopy and atomic data
Convenor: Helen Mason
Talks: Emeleus, Tue 1 April, 11:00-12:45
Posters: Great Hall
Quantitative spectroscopy of solar astrophysical plasmas require accurate atomic data. The UK community has a strong heritage in this area with emphasis in UV and X-ray wavelengths. The session will bring together atomic physicists, observers and spectral modellers who will highlight the main advances in the field in the era of new instruments such as the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode.
P31 - Solar seismology - from the interior to the corona
Convenor: Bernie Roberts
Talks: Emeleus, Tue 1 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
It is well established that oscillations observed on the solar surface allow us to probe the internal structure and dynamics of the Sun. Recently, the wealth of observations from TRACE and SOHO missions have revealed a range of wave modes detected in the solar atmosphere (transition region and corona), giving rise to the new field of coronal seismology.
The session will bring together observers and theorists interested in current trends in solar seismology, with the question of how various regions connect with one another being of special interest. Cross-fertilisation between ideas in helioseismology and coronal seismology is also of particular interest.
P32 - Magnetic coupling in the solar atmosphere
Convenor: Robertus Erdelyi
Talks: Emeleus, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:45
Posters: Great Hall
The magnetic field plays the key role in forming solar atmospheric structures and its dynamics. In some regions, in particular in the higher parts of the solar atmosphere the magnetic field completely dominates the behaviour of the gas. In this session we will move away from the ''traditional'' picture of the static time-averaged atmosphere and emphasize the ubiquitous interplay between the highly ionized plasma and the magnetic field. We will place emphasis on the fine structure of the solar atmosphere and its changing morphology from photosphere to the corona.
P33 - The explosive Sun
Convenor: Louise Harra
Talks: Emeleus, Wed 2 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
Solar explosive events vary in magnitude and behaviour from rare white-light flares and CMEs to common microflares and other transient events. Explosive events usually encompass several areas of the solar atmosphere and the physical processes behind them are far from been fully understood. The session will present the current knowledge in this area and discuss scenarios associated with their complex behaviour and evolution.
P34 - Magnetic reconnection
Convenor: Clare Parnell, Chris Owen
Talks: Emeleus, Wed 2 April, 11:00-12:45
Posters: Great Hall
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process in the Universe. For example, it plays a key role in the interaction of the Earth's magnetospheric environment with the solar wind, in the onset of solar and stellar flares and CME formation, in the interaction of our solar system with its interstellar neighbourhood and in astrophysical contexts such as pulsar magnetospheres and active galactic nuclei. Indeed, we might expect the process to occur in any system in which magnetic fields and plasmas of different origin may interact. Contributions to the session are solicited which address the magnetic reconnection process in any of its disparate manifestations, and papers addressing observational, theoretical, modelling and/or simulation studies are equally welcome.
P35 - From Sun to Earth and beyond
Convenor: James McAteer, Claire Foullon
Talks: Emeleus, Wed 2 April, 16:00-17:45
Posters: Great Hall
A forum dedicated to Heliophysics, with emphasis on the solar-terrestrial or solar-planetary relations to further stimulate dialogue between the UKSP/MIST/Space and planetary science communities.
P36 - Waves and Instabilities in Space Plasmas
Convenor: Tony Arber, Richard Horne
Talks: Emeleus, Thu 3 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Great Hall
Waves and instabilities play an important role in space plasmas. At the fluid level they provide a mechanism for energy transport and useful diagnostics. At the kinetic level they drive processes such as electron and ion heating, acceleration plasma resistivity and particle precipitation have applications to planetary magnetospheres, astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. Here we invite papers on waves from MHD down to kinetic scale processes in all these areas.
P37 - Solar and STP missions forum
Convenor: Andrzej Fludra, Andrew Fazakerley
Talks: Emeleus, Fri 4 April, 11:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
The Missions Forum provides an opportunity to discuss operational and planned missions (and facilities) in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, through both invited and submitted contributions. The presentations should encourage and aid interested community members to get involved in science exploitation, and describe future scientific potential.
P38 - Atmospheric electrodynamics and climate change
Convenor: Martin Fullekrug, Michael Rycroft
Talks: PFC 210, Tue 1 April, 11:00-12:30
Posters: Great Hall
This session explores the natural atmospheric electromagnetic environment and its relation to climate change. Contributions on atmospheric electricity such as the global atmospheric electric circuit, thunderstorms, lightning discharges and their location, sprites and jets, cosmic rays, relativistic processes and the conductivity within the Earth's atmosphere are solicited. Special emphasis will be given to the impact of electrodynamic processes on atmospheric properties which have the potential to contribute and/or identify climate change within the Earth's atmosphere.
P39 - Substorms in the age of THEMIS
Convenor: Jim Wild, Steve Milan
Talks: PFC 210, Tue 1 April, 14:00-15:30
Posters: Great Hall
Substorms represent the explosive reconfiguration of the Earth's magnetic tail and are a key regulatory mechanism in the coupling between the solar wind, the terrestrial magnetosphere and the ionosphere. This phenomenon is responsible for some of the most dynamic auroral displays observed in the polar regions, sometimes with significant detrimental repercussions for space-based and ground-based technology. The onset location and timing of magnetospheric substorms is one of the key outstanding uncertainties in solar-terrestrial physics, this question being directly addressed by the recently launched NASA THEMIS mission. This multi-satellite programme will make its inaugural measurements of the Earth’s magnetic tail during winter/spring 2008. As a consequence of THEMIS, the international research community is currently enjoying a surge in substorm-related research. We invite contributions that report techniques, insights and results in substorm science, at the Earth and beyond, at the dawn of the THEMIS era.
P40 - MIST open session
Convenor: Gary Abel, Cathryn Mitchell, Betty Lanchester
Talks: PFC 210, Tue 1 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Great Hall
This session welcomes papers on any aspect of plasma physics. In particular the affects of plasma processes on radio systems is stressed.
This includes recent applications in lower-frequency radio astronomy where correction for a wide range of ionospheric processes are planned.
P41 - Sample - The Mythical Session 41
Convenor: Someone Important
Talks: Whitla Hall, Fri 4 April, 16:00-17:30
Posters: Great Hall
This session does not exist, except as a demo of the style we would like people to use in their descriptions of the parallel session content. We sent out an email telling people to look at this session as an example, and then promptly renumbered all the sessions. A true Homer moment.
