One year after the release of the first data of the James Webb Space Telescope, we will gather in the Italian Dolomites to discuss the transformative science enabled by Webb’s observations in the field of galaxy formation and evolution, from its earliest stages to more mature phases in cosmic history. Specific topics will include:
From first stars to current star formation
Dust and circum-galactic medium in distant galaxies
Reionization history
Galaxy mass growth and early morphological evolution
To date we have discovered more than 200 quasars at z>6 powered by accreting black holes with masses up to 109 – 1010 M⊙. The physical mechanisms driving/regulating their formation and evolution are among the most debated issues in Astrophysics.
With the first load of data incoming from JWST (with most Cycle 1 programs likely executed) and in view of the future campaigns/missions like Athena, LISA, ET, it is urgent to set the stage for interpreting observational information, refine/develp models, tools as well as selection strategies.
In this Symposium we will discuss the most recent advances in theoretical and observational studies of supermassive black holes at the reionization epoch as well as the cosmic evolution of the seeds out of which they form. In detail, we will review the state of the art of:
1. theoretical studies for the formation and growth of early black holes (from the seeds to the supermassive) including black hole dynamics, comparing the results of different approaches (e.g. analytical models and numerical/hydro simulations). We foresee to foster discussion on the relevant processes operating on different scales and in different physical regimes relevant to black holes.
2. observational campaigns devoted to study both high-z quasars and seed black hole relics in the local Universe with the aim of i) characterizing the population of (rare) titans at the reionization epoch and their less luminous counterparts (fainter AGN) and i) to build ?complete? mass/luminosity functions across cosmic epochs.
3. development of observational, multi-wavelength/messenger strategies to detect signatures of accreting and merging black holes.
The final goal of the meeting is to discuss ongoing and future projects, foster and consolidate collaborations within the scientific community.
This workshop is a chance to discuss the nature and evolution of high redshift galaxies, from cosmic noon to re-ionization, as derived from a variety of observational evidence collected across the whole electromagnetic spectrum, and theoretical investigations. In the tradition of the previous meetings we aim at bringing together members of the main extragalactic surveys and theorists to present their latest results and perspectives for the next future.
The workshop will be a chance to discuss the major questions on the ground, like: – What physical mechanisms control the growth of galaxies behind their mass? – How far are we from a complete census of star-formation rate in the early Universe? How much is still hidden (and not accounted for) in dusty galaxies? – What are the properties of galaxies at the highest redshifts?
These main questions are further expanded in specific topics, like: – Reionization and properties of very first galaxies; – Star formation and mass assembly at high redshift; – Gas and dust properties, very dusty galaxies at high redshift; – Statistical properties of high redshift galaxies and AGNs; – Links and differences between AGN and starburst galaxies at cosmic noon
The birth of the first stars, galaxies and black holes heralded the end of the cosmic Dark Ages, ushering in the Cosmic Dawn. Light from these objects spread out, heating and ionizing virtually every baryon in our Universe. This Epoch of Reionization (EoR) was the last major phase change of our Universe, encoding a wealth of information about the unseen first galaxies and structures in the intergalactic medium (IGM). Despite spanning the majority of our visible Universe, the EoR has only recently begun to be explored.
We now have many observational clues of the EoR, including from: (i) the opacity of the Lyman alpha and beta forests; (ii) damping wing imprints in QSO spectra; (iii) evolution of Lyman alpha emitting galaxies; (iv) clustering of Lyman alpha emitters; (v) CMB polarization power spectra; (vi) the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’Dovich effect in CMB temperature fluctuations; (vii) the cosmic 21-cm signal. However, interpreting these observations is challenging, requiring careful modeling of both the cosmic signal as well as associated systematics.
This workshop will focus on putting together these pieces of the puzzle of reionization. What was the timing of the EoR? What sources were responsible? How did they interact with themselves and their surroundings through feedback mechanisms? What are the associated observational signatures? What was the role of IGM structures? How can we improve models of the EoR? How do we best build forward models, accounting for relevant theoretical and observational systematics? Where are the next observational breakthroughs? How do we best prepare for upcoming data from next generation telescopes like JWST and SKA?
