Carlos Abia, Universidad de Granada
TBD

Alasdair Allan, University of Exeter
Autonomous observing: the astronomer's last stand
In the last few years the ubiquitous availability of high bandwidth networks has changed the way both robotic and non-robotic telescopes operate, with single isolated telescopes being integrated into expanding smart telescope networks that can span continents and respond to transient events in seconds. We discuss work by the eSTAR project which demonstrates a fully closed loop autonomous system for the follow up of possible micro-lensing anomalies. Here not only are the initial micro-lensing detections followed up in real time, but ongoing events are prioritised and continually monitored, with the returned data being analysed in real time. If the "smart software" running the observing campaign detects a planet-like anomaly, further follow-up will be scheduled autonomously and other telescopes and telescope networks alerted to the possible planetary detection. We further discuss the implications of this, and other projects, on the growing meta-network of HTN enabled sites, and discuss the protocol and transport standards agreed by the HTN, which deals with the complex issue of how to optimally schedule observations on geographically distributed resources, can be used to build such autonomous observing systems.

Michael I. Andersen, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen
Hubble on the ground
With a median seeing around 0.3 arcsec in the free atmosphere, Dome-C is the best known site on Earth for astronomical high-resolution observations, which can otherwise only be conducted from space, using facilities like Hubble Space Telescope. We will argue that the planned demise of Hubble, in a time frame which is consistent with the implementation of a major faclity at Dome-C, is a major opportunity for a visible high-resolution facility at Dome-C

Phil Anderson, British Antarctic Survey
Proposed "Road Map" for boundary layer site testing at Dome C (Poster)
The requirement for astronomical site testing at Dome C provides an opportunity to collect a world class suite of stable boundary layer measurements. These can then be used to validate state-of-the-art boundary layer and mesoscale atmospheric models. Such models will be highly desirable to the polar astronomical community to generate a decadal site climatology and also operational forecasting.

Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
TBD (see H. Zinnecker)
TBD

Jacques Maurice Beckers, University of Washington
On the Daytime Use of Dome C for Astronomy (Poster)
I will describe aspects of the non-solar and solar astronomy use of Dome C telescopes under daytime/austral summer conditions. In the thermal IR wavelength region, where scattered sunlight is dwarfed by sky and facility radiation, astronomy can benefit from the better daytime seeing, continuous sky coverage of transient and variable sources, a doubling of the available observing time and the improved site accessibility and logistics (see also Zinnecker et al. EAS Publ. Ser. 25, 183, 2007). Because of the Sun's low elevation (< 40 degrees) it should be possible to shield the telescope from sunlight exposure. he initial set of telescopes on Dome C will have modest apertures (2-m class) which will give diffraction limited imaging in the thermal IR. Later large facilities (> 5-m) will benefit from adaptive optics. In a 2001 paper (Exp. Astr. 11, 133) Cacciani and myself described how Na-Laser Guide Stars can be used for wavefront sensing in daytime using very narrow band magneto-optical filters to suppress the sky background at visible wavelengths. It enables the use of Adaptive Optics for diffraction limited imaging for very large aperture telescopes (VLTs and ELTs) during daytime. I will expand that paper to Dome C condition. recommend that the early phases of Dome C astronomy include: (i) efforts to include telescope and enclosure design efforts to enable daytime operation, and (ii) astronomical thermal IR observations during daytime.

Denis Burgarella, Observatoire Astronomique Marseille Provence
The Wild-field High-resolution Infrared TElescope (WHITE)
We propose to use GLAO to get rid of the 30m turbulence layer at Dome C, Antarctica. With a 2.4m telescope we can reach an homogeneous 0.3arcsec angular resolution over 1 sq. deg with exceptional perfomances in the 1-5 micrometer wavelength range. We have named this project WHITE (Wild-field High-resolution Infrared TElescope)

Michael Burton, University of New South Wales
Twilight Science
Some science in Antarctica is easier to undertake than others. This is particularly so if the observations do not need to be performed in winter. Investigations which can make use of daylight or twilight conditions might be the first to be undertaken with a new or prototype instrument. For instance, the 3.3um PAHs image of the Keyhole region of Carina was obtained with SPIREX at the South Pole in November - daytime (Brooks et al, 2000). We discuss some examples of such science in this talk, involving mostly thermal infrared and sub-mm astronomy.

Paolo G. Calisse, University of Cardiff
A Large-Format 200 um Camera for Future Antarctic Telescopes
Future 10 metre class sub-mm telescopes will require large format focal plane arrays to carry out high resolution galactic and extragalactic surveys with large mapping speed. The Cardiff Astronomical Instrumentation Group is developing an instrument concept for a large format camera using novel lumped element kinetic inductance detectors (LeKIDs). The initial design is for a two frequency instrument with bands at 200 and 450 um and an order of 10K pixels. We describe the basic technology and status of initial tests of individual devices.

Vincent Coudé du Foresto, Observatoire de Paris
ALADDIN: challenges for automated interferometry
Interferometry at Dome C

Luc Damé, CNRS
Solar Astrophysics, Coronagraphy and Interferometry, at Dome C

Paolo de Bernardis, Università La Sapienza, Roma
CMB from Dome-C
We review the unique opportunities for Cosmic Microwave Background research and related activities provided by the Dome-C site. We outline key activities to be carried out at the site, like the search for B-modes in CMB polarization and the study of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in selected clusters, to constrain cosmological parameters and the nature of dark matter.

Hans Deeg, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
Small scale telescope transit surveys
Surveys for the detection of transiting planets aim at the coverage of large numbers of stars with a high cadence, while maintaining sufficient photometric precision. To date, planet discoveries have been dominated by surveys made with small telescopes such as SuperWASP, STARE, HAT etc., although large survey projects with dedicated wide-field telescopes such as LSST and PanSTARRS may also contribute to future discoveries. While small telescopes are predestined for the imaging with very large fields of view, achieving high photometric precision presents some challenges distinct from larger telescopes. The limits of these transit surveys are outlined, with a focus on the parameters where placements at Dome C would make a difference.

Carsten Denker, Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam
Solar Physics and the Solar- Stellar Connection at Dome C
Solar magnetic fields evolve on many time-scales, e.g., the generation, migration, and dissipation of magnetic flux during the 22-year magnetic cycle of the Sun. Active regions develop and decay over periods of weeks. The build-up of magnetic shear in active regions can occur within less than a day. At the shortest time-scales, the magnetic field topology can change rapidly within a few minutes as the result of eruptive events such as flares, filament eruptions, and coronal mass ejections. The unique daytime seeing characteristics at /Dome C/, i.e., continuous periods of very good to excellent seeing during almost the entire Antarctic summer, allow us to address many of the top science cases related to the evolution of solar magnetic fields. Understanding the activity cycle of solar-type stars is also an important prerequisite for instruments such as the proposed /International Concordia Explorer Telescope/ (ICE-T). While searching for transiting extra-solar planets, stellar activity might be considered as a noise term complicating this search. In this presentation, we present some of the science cases at Dome C for high-resolution and synoptic solar observations. Furthermore, we discuss solar-stellar connection related science, which can be based on observations with ICE-T.

Igor Di Varano , INAF- Teramo Astronomical Observatory
Main tasks for IRAIT telescope installation at Dome C (Poster)
An overview of interfacing devices and the integration of various IRAIT subsystems are here presented. It is also shown a schedule for mounting operations with the expected time table, taking into account the harsh environment and according to available facilities and logistics provided by PNRA.

Inma Dominguez, Universidad de Granada
TBD

Gilles Durand, CEA Saclay
Frost protection on instruments at Dome C (Poster)

Carlos Eiroa, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
Darwin

Nicolas Epchtein, CNRS - Univ. de Nice
European Antarctic Astronomy from FP6 to FP7
I will briefly review the achievements of ARENA and the prospects for the implementation of a world class Observatory at Dome C within the 7th European Framework Programme.

Anders Erikson, DLR - German Aerospace Center
TBD

Eric Fossat, CNRS - Univ. de Nice
Asteroseismology, an overview
Asteroseismology, that will benefit both of the long Antarctic nights and the reduced amplitude of scintillation, in among ths first evident scientific programmes to be started shortly after the site testing campaigns. The field is promised to a bright future, as there are many stars at various stages of their evolution, that show pulsating instability with more than one eigenmode, thus permitting a seismic benefit in term of internal structure knowledge. The first observing campaigns should use broad band photometry (one can speak of an "Concordia Corot-like" mode), and later on could be prolongated by spectroscopic measurements. I intend to scan all these possibilities.

Siegfried Franck, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
The Habitability Of Super-Earths
The unexpected diversity of exoplanets includes a growing number super-Earth-planets, i. e. exoplanets with masses smaller than 10 Earth masses. We present a thermal evolution model for a super-Earth to calculate the sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The habitable zone is determined by the limits of biological productivity on the planetary surface. We apply the model to calculate the habitability of super-Earths in Gliese 581.

Daniel Fuegner, AIP
ICE-T (Poster)

Christian Fuhrmann, AIP
ICE-T (Poster)

Yannick Giraud-Héraud, APC
The Brain experiment (Poster)

Roland Gredel, MPIA
Site testing on dome C: summary of methods
A summary of site testing equipment deployed on dome C will be presented. The various methods to infer atmospheric parameters will be discussed

Matt Griffin, Cardiff University
The Herschel Space Observatory
The Herschel Space Observatory is scheduled for launch in 2008. It will carry a 3.5-m telescope and three scientific instruments, HIFI, PACS, and SPIRE which will carry out sensitive imaging and spectroscopic observations over the 60 - 700 micron range. Its main scientific themes will be the study of galaxy formation and evolution, and of star formation and the ISM in our own and nearby galaxies. We shall describe the scientific capabilities of Herschel, outline some of the Key Projects to be undertaken with the observatory, and comment on the priorities for future ground-based FIR/submm facilities.

Roald Guandalini, University of Perugia
Why observe AGB stars at IR wavelengths from Dome Concordia?
Near- and mid-IR photometry is fundamental in the study of the stellar evolution during the Asymptotic Giant Branch phase. I will give here an overview of our studies on this topic, that is performed also in preparation of the IRAIT campaign. I will present also few cases in the AGB study for which Antarctic observation in mid-IR will be important. Finally, I will show the first observations made by SMALL-IRAIT during this winterover.

Tristan Guillot, Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
A STEP
A STEP is a pilot mission to evaluate the potential of Dome C for the photometric searches and to discover transiting extrasolar planets. I will present the status of the project which is getting ready for its first observations during the antarctic winter 2008.

Peter Jeffs, Studio North
Invisible Journey
With Bruno Lopez (OCA)
Invisible Journey is a one million year journey through ice and through time. The journey is a multi-disciplinary project, possessing artistic, scientific, environmental and humanitarian dimensions. The project was lauched by a group of professional scientists and artists, following their joint participation at the international ARENA "Large Astronomical Infrastructures at CONCORDIA" conference at Roscoff, October 2006. We propose to design and build an object that will be "lauched" into the Antarctic ice pack from the vicinity of the South Pole. The "Invisible Object" will follow the movement of the ice pack, slowly migrating towards the Antarctic Ocean. The duration of the journey will depend upon the local rate of ice-flow along its trajectory. It will also be related to the evolution of global climate. In this sense, all of humanity is linked to the destiny of the Invisible Object. The object itself will be designed and engineered to resist the extreme pressures of deep-immersion in the ice pack, and the length of time estimated for the journey. The object will contain a variety of messages. Amongst the messages will be photographs taken by people from all over the world, messages and signs from the Northern indigenous peoples, together with the symbol of the human hand. These messages are a postcard that we wish to leave in the ice, for the human beings who come after us.

Daisuke Kato, The University of Tokyo
The IRSF Magellanic Cloud Point Source Catalogue
I present a near-infrared (JHKs) photometric catalog including about 18 million point sources distributed over 40 square degrees of the LMC, 11 square degrees of the SMC, and 4 square degrees of the Magellanic Bridge. The 10 sigma limiting magnitudes are 18.8, 17.8, and 16.6 at J, H, and Ks, respectively, about 2 mag deeper than those for 2MASS. The photometric and astrometric accuracies for bright sources are 0.03-0.04 mag and 0.1 arcsecond. I present luminosity functions, color-color diagrams, and color-magnitude diagrams for the sources, which show features of the red clump and Herbig Ae/Be stars in the Magellanic Clouds.

Andreas Kelz, AIP
Scientific motivations for Imaging Spectroscopy in Antarctica (Poster)
Antarctica offers unique conditions for ground-based observations, such as low sky background in the infra-red, improved seeing, low turbulence and scintilation noise. These properties are particular beneficial for imaging, precision photometry and far infra-red observations. It may be less clear, if Antarctica offers compelling advantages for spectroscopy, in particular in the optical domain. For the special case of imaging (or 3D) spectroscopy, selected scientific topics, ranging from planetary monitoring, stellar population studies to cosmology, are presented that may benefit from the unique site conditions at Dome C.

Tae-Sun Kim, Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam
N/A
N/A

Nanda M. S. Kumar, Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto
Spitzer GLIMPSE of High Mass Protostellar Candidates
The Spitzer-GLIMPSE data has been used to investigate a sample of 380 HMPO candidates. Photometry and Images are analysed and compared with 2D radiative transfer models. Infrared point source counterparts are revealed in 50% of the sample and nebulae are detected in 75% of the sample. The spectral energy distribution of 50 bonafide counterparts completed using data in the mm and near-infrared along with the Spitzer bands, are best modelled by protostars of 8-40 solar masses. The nebulae are found to display a striking resemblance to the morphology of UCHIIs. The importance of 1-3" spatial resolution observations at wavelengths longer than 20 microns that can be potentially be available through ARENA to the studies of high mass protostars will be highlighted.

Pierre-Olivier Lagage, CEA Saclay
NONE (Poster)

Thibaut Le Bertre, Observatory of Paris
Near-infrared Spectro-photometry from dome C (Poster)
Near-infrared spectro-photometry, at a spectral resolution of ~100, allows to characterize a great variety of stellar sources, from late-type giants to emission line stars. Various components of the interstellar medium can also be traced. This technique can therefore be very fruitful for the studies of star forming regions and external galaxies. The outstanding environmental conditions that are expected at dome C should be favorable to carry out spectro-photometric surveys in the 1 to 2.5 micron region that would usefully complement space-borne projects.

Bruno Lopez, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur

Demetrio Magrin, INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
AMICA status (Poster)
TBD

Jean-Pierre Maillard, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
Physics of H2 from Dome C
Molecular hydrogen is the most abundant molecule in the Universe and as such plays a major role in many processes, in the assembly of of galaxies, in the formation of stars, in the formation of giant panets, in SN remnants, in the envelope of young PNs. From Dome C the rovibrational lines particularly in the K_dark band and the high levels of the rotional lines in the M band could be well accessible for deep surveys by spectro-imaging on a wide field, as complement to the observation from space of the first rotational lines.

Mark McCaughrean, University of Exeter
JWST: overview, status, and where Dome C fits in

Vincent Minier, CEA Saclay
Submillimetre Far Infrared Astronomy at Dome C
I will give an overview of the submm and FIR astronomy science cases and the needed instrument to achieve the science goals at Dome C. This will be a summary based on a recent ARENA workshop in Saclay. This includes solar system objects, planet and star formation, galaxy formation and evolution as well as a presentation of the site characterics in terms of atmospheric transmission, stability and sky noise. Planned site testing campaigns will also be presented.

Guy Monnet, ESO
Astronet Science Vision and Antarctica
Astronet is an effort by European funding Agencies sponsored by the EC to establish a common long-term stategic planning for European Astronomy. It has recently produced a global \"Science Vision\" covering light of all wavelengths and astroparticles, as observed from both ground and space. The Vision main themes will be presented and the implications for Antarctica briefly discussed.

Anna Moore, Caltech Optical Observatories
First results from the Gattini cameras
We present the first results of sky brightness measurements and cloud cover calculations from the Gattini cameras, located at the Concordia station at Dome C. The cameras have been operating for 2 years at the base and form part of the IRAIT site testing campaign.

Alcione Mora, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
NIR and MIR camera-spectrograph designs for a 2m class telescope (Poster)
Several designs of NIR and MIR camera spectrographs for a 2m class telescope at Dome C are presented. They combine wide field imaging with spectroscopy and polarimetry. They address the feasibility of performing NIR and MIR observations with a single instrument.

Benoit Mosser, Observatoire de Paris
Ground-based asteroseismology in Antarctica
SIAMOIS is a project devoted to ground-based asteroseismology, involving an instrument to be installed at the Dome C Concordia station in Antarctica. SIAMOIS is the only asteroseismphotometry.ic programme that can follow the way currently opened by the space project CoRoT: it will provide unique information on G and K type bright stars on the main sequence. In addition, spectrometric observations with SIAMOIS will be able to detect oscillation modes that cannot be analysed in photometry. The Doppler data, less affected by the stellar activity noise, yield a more precise mode structure inversion. The SIAMOIS concept is based on Fourier Transform interferometry. Such a principle leads to a small instrument designed and developed for the harsh conditions in Antarctic. The instrument will be fully automatic, with no moving parts, and a very simple initial set up in Antarctic. The single dedicated scientific programme will avoid the complications related to a versatile instrument. Data reduction will be performed in real time, and the transfer of the asteroseismic data to Europe will require only a modest bandwidth. SIAMOIS will observe with a dedicated small 40-cm telescope. Dome C appears to be the ideal place for ground-based asteroseismic observations. The unequalled weather conditions yield a duty cycle as high as 90% over 3 months, as was observed during the 2005 wintering. This high duty cycle, a crucial point for asteroseismology, is comparable to the best space-based observations. Long time series (up to 3 months) will be possible, thanks to the long duration of the polar night. SIAMOIS can be seen as one of the very first observational projects in astronomy at Dome C. Its scientific programme will take full advantage of the unique quality of this site, and will constitute a necessary first step in preparation of future more ambitious programmes requiring more sophisticated instrumentation and larger collectors.

Heike Rauer, DLR
Searching for exo-planets with CoRoT
The COROT satellite was successfully launched on the 27th of December 2006 and started its science observations in February this year. The space mission is the first satellite launched to perform a systematic search for exoplanets using the transit method. The planet domain down to a size of about two Earth radii and orbital periods of less than two months will be explored. During the presentation the satellite and the mission profile will be described together with the first scientific results obtained. In addition, a comparison of the expected transit detection performance by space missions, like CoRoT and Kepler, Earth-based networks and Dome C will be made.

Alexandre Refregier, CEA Saclay
DUNE: the Dark Universe Explorer

Ignasi Ribas, Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (CSIC-IEEC)
TBD (Poster)
TBD

Jan Ruppert, Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam

Shuji Sato, Nagoya University
Wide-Field Cryogenical Telescope (Poster)
We are carrying out a "cryotel" project using a small (D~23cm) telescope cryogenically cooled as a whole equipped with a 1kx1k InSb. It covers 1x1 deg with a pixel scale of 3.5" in a one shot. We aim mapping of the large scale star forming regions and the Galactic plane with PAH/Br-alfa/H2 emissions with a narrow band filter of R~50, for each band. The experiment is ongoing at Suhterland station, South Africa.

Will Saunders, Anglo-Australia Observatory
Design and Performance of the PILOT telescope
A design study for the PILOT telescope is now underway at the AAO, to be completed mid 2008. We present the specifications, current design, expected capabilities and possible upgrade paths for the telescope.

Luigi Spinoglio, IFSI

John Storey, University of New South Wales
Science drivers for a 2m-class wide-field IR telescope

Klaus G. Strassmeier, AIP
Stellar activity from robotic photometry

Will Sutherland, Queen Mary, University of London
VISTA and its Public Surveys
I provide a status update on VISTA, the 4-m wide-field telescope and near-IR camera now nearing completion on Cerro Paranal. I will also provide an overview of the six Public Surveys which have been selected by ESO to use the majority of VISTA time for the first few years of operation.

Naruhisa Takato, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
2m class telescope at Dome Fuji (Poster)
Dome Fuji is one of the potentially best astronomical sites in antarctic plateau. We have a plan to build 2-m class infrared telescope at Dome Fuji, and started site evaluation at Dome Fuji from 2006/2007 antarctic summer. We will present outline of 2-m class telescope project and some results of our SODAR measurements.

Giovanna Tinetti, University College London

Nick Tothill, University of Exeter
THz Surveys from Dome A: preHEAT and HEAT
Surveys of the Milky Way in THz transitions are crucial to our understanding of the life cycle of the ISM. Such large-scale THz programmes are only feasible from sites better than the South Pole. HEAT is a proposed 0.5m, 0.8-1.9THz telescope designed to operate remotely at Dome A. This season, we are deploying preHEAT, a submillimetre tipper/telescope, to Dome A as part of PLATO, to carry out site-testing, technology development and submillimetre science.

Sylvaine Turck-Chieze, CEA Saclay
Global helioseismology with GOLF-NG for the DynaMICCS perspective
After the success of SOHO in helioseismology and the first detection of gravity modes, one needs to cover the next decades with more data of the dynamics of the solar core. With this perspective a prototype of a new generation of resonant spectrometer has been built in CEA/SACLAY and got its first light in March 2007. A new perspective has been offered to ESA for a complete view of the solar mgnetic activity from the core to the corona through the projet DynaMICCS. To prepare such a mission a compact version of GOLFNG must be ready in 2009 for first scientific observation in Dome C.

Mattia Vaccari, University of Padova
A FIR and Sub-mm View on Galaxy Formation and Evolution: Resolving the Peak of the Cosmic Infrared Background from Dome C
Dome C unrivalled atmospheric transmission in the 200, 350 and 450 micron windows would be suitably exploited by a dedicated FIR and sub-mm observatory. Such a facility would not only provide a southern counterpart to 450 micron surveys performed by SCUBA2 in the northern hemisphere, but would also be breaking genuinely new ground at 200 and 350 micron. Galaxy formation and evolution studies would particularly benefit from the multi-wavelength FIR and sub-mm survey efforts which would thus be enabled. Long-wavelength galaxy SEDs would be studied in detail, the accuracy of bolometric luminosity estimates would see a dramatic improvement, the bulk of the Cosmic Infrared Background would be resolved into its constituent sources at its peak wavelengths and the AGN vs. starburst connection would be probed deep and wide.

Donald York, The University of Chicago
A wide-angle array for optical detection of fast and slow transients
An array of 0.5 meter Schmidt telescopes with fields of 20 square degrees (16Kx16K) pixels and readout amplifiers every 50-100 CCD lines can detect fast transients to 20th magnitude V. Continuous night time in Antarctica makes it ideal for detecting GRB after-glows, orphan afterglows, the early flash from SNe, lensing events of planets, planet transits (13th mag.) and various variable star phenomena. An on-site, followup telescope is essential to take advantage of short transients.

Harold Yorke, Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Caltech
Conference Summary

Martin Zwaan, ESO
APEX, ALMA and beyond: submm science for Dome C/A?

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