COSPAR 2011 Event E1.7: BEYOND THE CONTINUUM: X-RAY LINE SPECTROSCOPY OF COMPACT OBJECTS

First announcement for an event (H02) at the
39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly - Mysore, India - 14-22 July, 2012

Duration: 4 half-days

Commission E (Research in Astrophysics from Space)
Sub-commissions: E1 (Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics)

Scientific rationale:

The X-ray emission from galactic and extragalactic compact objects is dominated by continuum processes. However, spectral lines, both in emission and absorption, albeit rare, are very sensitive probes of the physical conditions in the vicinity of the central objects. Relativistically broadened iron lines, cyclotron lines, surface lines on neutron stars and accretion disk corona lines have been reported for a large variety of systems as the sensitivity and resolution of instrumentation has improved. Missions currently planned such as ASTRO-H and Athena will bring a considerable advancement to the field, although even lower-resolution instruments can contribute to specific aspects of line spectroscopy.
The purpose of this meeting is to bring together scientists working on all different aspects on X-ray line spectroscopy from compact objects in an effort to assess the current status and identify the outstanding questions to be addressed by future missions. Emphasis will be given to overcome physical and technical issues that are currently under debate in order to reinforce the reliability of the various interpretations.

Scientific Organizing Committee

Tomaso Belloni (Main Scientific Organizer, Italy), Chris Reynolds (Deputy Organizer, USA), Sudip Bhattacharyya (India), Andy Fabian (United Kingdom), Jelle Kaastra (Netherlands), Tim Kallman (USA), Julia Lee (USA), Jon Miller (USA), Kirpal Nandra (Germany), Norbert Schulz (USA), Jörn Wilms (Germany)

Invited speakers

To be announced soon

The precise dates of the Event will be announced as soon as they are fixed.

Abstract submissions for all COSPAR 2011 events opened on 2011 August 19.

**** ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 2012 FEBRUARY 10 ****

Information on the 38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly can be found at 
http://www.cospar-assembly.org/ 

Information on Event E1.7 is available at 
http://www.brera.inaf.it/lines2012/index.html


=========================
UNVEILING THE PROPERTIES OF
SUPERGIANT FAST X-RAY TRANSIENTS


First announcement for the EVENT (E1.4) at the
39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly - Mysore, India, 14-22 July 2012

Duration: 2 half-days

Commissions E (Research in Astrophysics from Space)


*********************IMPORTANT DATE****************************

**** ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 2012 FEBRUARY 10 ****


Scientific rationale:

A new field of research in High Energy Astrophysics has been opened thanks 
to the survey of the Galactic plane performed by instruments onboard 
INTEGRAL: a new subclass of High Mass X-ray Binaries showing short 
outbursts has been recognized, the so-called Supergiant Fast X-ray 
Transients. The outburst mechanism at work in these hard X-ray transients 
associated with OB supergiants is still unknown, as well as their actual 
duty cycles, the properties of the compact object and of the accreting 
supergiant wind, their link with massive X-ray binaries displaying 
persistent X-ray emission. Their total number in our Galaxy is highly 
uncertain, but they could be a dominant population of massive binaries. 
They also represent a challenge for theory and stellar population 
synthesis models. Future generation of instrumentation, both by monitoring 
the hard X-ray sky and thanks to in-depth investigations of single 
sources, are expected to solve several of these open issues.


Scientific Organizing Committee

Lara Sidoli (Main Scientific Organizer, INAF/IASF-Milano, Italy),
Vito Sguera (Deputy Organizer, INAF/IASF-Bologna, Italy)

Angela Bazzano   (INAF/IASF Rome, Italy)
Tony Bird   (University of Southampton, United Kingdom)
Ed van den Heuvel   (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Ignacio Negueruela   (Universidad de Alicante, Spain)
David Smith   (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA)
John Tomsick   (University of California, Berkeley, USA)


Invited speakers:
To be announced soon

The precise dates of the Event will be announced as soon as they are
fixed.

*********************IMPORTANT DATE****************************

**** ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 2012 FEBRUARY 10 ****

Information on the 39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly can be found
at http://www.cospar2012india.org/
and
http://www.cospar-assembly.org/