Thinkshops seit 2000

The rotation periods of cool stars: Measurements, uses, connections and prospects

Rotation periods are rapidly becoming available for large numbers of cool stars, both from ground-based efforts, and also from space missions such as Kepler, Gaia, TESS, and before long, PLATO. These periods offer independent and complementary information about stars in comparison to prior techniques. For instance they are often used to derive ages for cool stars via a procedure known as gyrochronology. Rotation also helps to interpret and illuminate various magnetic and activity behaviors of stars, and rotation in turn is likely itself affected by various factors. Related topics include open clusters, membership, metallicity, binary stars, effects of close companions, and various others might be relevant to the aims of well-reasoned measurement, usage, and interpretation of rotation periods, and future prospects. The workshop will enable researchers to present their results in a more intimate setting than often possible, and significant time will be reserved for discussions and interaction.

The role of feedback in galaxy formation: from small-scale winds to large-scale outflows

Galaxies come in various shapes and sizes ranging from spirals to ellipticals – which processes are mainly responsible for their appearance? How do transformative processes affect the characteristics of galaxies? Observations indicate that the mass of a galaxy is a discriminating factor in its ability to effectively turn gas into stars. But why are galaxies like our own Milky Way apparently the most efficient in producing stars, while dwarf galaxies and galaxy clusters struggle? Is “feedback” the answer? and if so, what is the underlying physics? Or do we need to go beyond Occams razor and add additional interactions to otherwise cold dark matter?

We intend to host the 15th Potsdam Thinkshop in 2018, with a focus on understanding the role of feedback in galaxy formation.

We  plan to cover all subjects directly related to feedback including stellar and active galactic nuclei feedback, interstellar medium, circumgalactic medium, mechanical feedback, magnetic fields and cosmic rays, radiative feedback, etc. from both an observational and theoretical point of view.

Magnetic fields are present at all stages of stellar evolution, from brown dwarfs and young T Tauri stars through the main sequence phase, to the end products: white dwarfs, neutron stars, and magnetars. Over the past decade, important progress has been made in measuring the magnetic fields of both massive and low mass stars (on and off the main sequence), in understanding the origins of such fields, the role of convection in stellar magnetism, and in various related fields such as rotation, ages, differential rotation, activity, solar-stellar connection, and exoplanet-related research, all of which give insight into stellar magnetism and magnetic field evolution.

Near Field Cosmology

Observational cosmology has traditionally focused on the outskirts of the visible universe, with an ever increasing appetite to reach deeper into space and backwards in time. Recently, cosmologists have realized that treasures are buried much closer to home. In the last decade cosmologists have turned into archeologists as they search for fossils and clues on the formation of the Milky Way in the present day structure of nearby objects: so-called Near Field Cosmology and (extra-) galactic archeology The Milky Way and Andromeda are possibly the two galaxies that are best observed compared with any other. Moreover, detailed observations of tiny nearby dwarfs have shed light on the properties of a population of galaxies which can be observed only in our local neighborhood. The sizes and emptiness of the large voids seen in the nearby universe may help to discriminate between different cosmological models. The largest cosmological structures - clusters of galaxies and superclusters can be observed on very large distances however the most detailed observations are available in our cosmic neighborhood.

In order to make full use of the potential of all the excellent observational data of nearby objects it is important to study the formation of the local universe from a theoretical point of view as well. Over the last two decades numerous attempts have been made to use observational data to reconstruct the initial conditions from which the structure of the local universe formed, and to study its evolution.

Abstracts (pdf, 7.4 MB).

The Dynamic Sun – Exploring the Many Facets of Solar Eruptive Events

Eruptive Protuberanzen und Filamente, Surges, Flares sowie Koronale Massenauswürfe (CMEs) sind Beispiele für eine dynamische Sonne. Beobachtungen in verschiedenen Wellenlängen und unterschiedlichen Instrumenten erlauben die Untersuchung hochenergetischer Prozesse auf der Sonne von der Chromosphäre und der Übergangsregion bis über die Korona hinaus. Sonnenphysiker haben heute durch neue bodengebundene Teleskope sowie zahlreiche Weltraummissionen umfassende Möglichkeiten zum Studium von Magnetfeldern, Plasmaflüssen, beschleunigten Teilchen und thermischen Eigenschaften eruptiver Ereignisse auf der Sonne. Die »Potsdam Thinkshops« bringen Spezialisten von Instrumentenbau, Beobachter und Theoretiker zusammen, um Ideen auszutauschen, Diskussionen zu neuen Projekten anzustoßen und neue Nutzungen der Instrumente anzuregen. Ziel ist eine umfassende Behandlung solarer eruptiver Ereignisse von globalen Eigenschaften bis zu ihrer sehr dynamischen Feinstruktur.

Satellite galaxies and dwars in the local group

The local neighborhood surrounding the Milky Way and M31 is teeming with small satellite galaxies whose properties are of immense interest. The aim of the proposed meeting is to form a consensus across theorists and observers of the status of dwarf galaxies, with an aim to understand the successes and failures of current models while simultaneously gauging what we can expect from future missions.

High resolution optical spectroscopy: From instruments to astrophysical models

The scope of this meeting is to bring together the astronomical community that builds and uses high-resolution spectrographs. High spectral resolution is essential to quantify and to constrain the many micro- and macro-scale processes in cosmic plasma. In particular we will emphasize the coupling between predictive numerical simulations and quantitative spectroscopic observations. We organize this meeting in the framework of the series of “Potsdam ThinkShops” as meeting number 10. The venue will be held at the Telegrafenberg science campus of the AIP in Potsdam in May 2013 and will be open for an international professional auditorium as well as students.

Galaxy surveys using Integral Field Spectroscopy: Achievements and Opportunities

The advent of truly large single-fiber spectroscopic as well as multi-wavelength photometric surveys has boosted our understanding of galaxy formation/evolution. The technical possibilities of Integral Field Spectrsocopy have the potential to provide another such boost. The goal of this conference is to provide an overview over the range of topics susceptible to be adressed through IFS surveys. We aim to bring together all significant players involved in on-going or future IFS surveys, to take stock of what has already been achieved, what are the immediate perspectives and what might be promises of the future. We also aim to bring in interested scientists from the community, working both in observations and theory, to help develop awareness of the possibilities and to trigger theoretical effort capable of making full use of the observational advances.

8th Thinkshop 2011

Young and Bright: Understanding High Redshift Structures

The search for high-z galaxies is now entering its maturity, with thousands of sources having being found at z>4. However, both observationally and theoretically, the nature of these sources, their dust enrichment and their impact on the intergalactic medium remain open to debate. The goal of this meeting will be, first, to reach a consensus on our understanding of these objects that have already been observed, and secondly, to summarize the advances expected when state of the art instruments including HST, MUSE, JWST and ALMA come together online.

7th Thinkshop 2011

Magnetic fields in stars and exoplanets - Future directions in observational and theoretical studies

The investigation of magnetic fields of stars and exoplanets is benefiting greatly from recent advances in high-resolution spectroscopy and polarimetry as well as high-performance computing. This conference will bring together active researchers involved in theoretical and observational studies of stellar and exoplanetary magnetic fields. In the tradition of Potsdam Thinkshops, the conference will offer an efficient exchange of latest results and enough room for discussions of future approaches in between the presentations. The meeting focuses in particular on the stimulation of collaborations among the participants.

6th Thinkshop 2009

Open Problems in Galaxy Formation

The formation of galaxies is the result of the complex interaction of many different processes. Observations at different frequencies trace different galactic constituents, while semianalytic models of galaxy formation are an attempt to combine these different aspects into a coherent picture of galaxy formation in a cosmological context. Theoretical arguments and hydrodynamic simulations have brought a new comprehension of the way galaxies accrete and cease to accrete gas. These developments have also renewed interest for some key open problems in galaxy formation: the link between stellar populations and dynamical evolution, the formation of massive star forming galaxies at high redshift, the formation of discs, and the thermal and chemical evolution of the intergalactic and intracluster medium. The workshop "Open Problems In Galaxy Formation" will bring together the different perspectives of theorists and observers from all wavelengths in order to identify the outstanding problems where we can make substantial progress in the next five years, also thanks to new observing facilities such as MUSE, ALMA, and the JWST, and to promote a closer collaboration between theory and observations.

Meridional flow, differential rotation, solar and stellar activity

Meridional flow and its connection to the differential rotation are our main topics as well as magnetic stars, the stability of magnetic fields, and dynamo problems. Observational issues cover helio- and asteroseismology, indirect imaging, and stellar activity surveys. Our current understanding of the magnetohydrodynamics of the solar and stellar interiors shall be discussed, from both a theoretical and an observational point of view.

The role of black holes in galaxy formation and evolution

The discovery that many nearby galaxies contain supermassive black holes and that the black hole mass is proportional to the mass of the host galaxy has stimulated an intense research activity to understand the growth of supermassive black holes in a cosmological perspective. This conference of the Potsdam Thinkhop Series will bring together scientists from both the galaxy formation and the active galactic nucleus community to make a coherent picture emerge.

Robotic astronomy

The aim of the meeting is to bring together astronomers and technicians from any field in astronomy to review the current status of robotic telescope projects and to discuss the future science cases for such installations. New results from existing robotic telescopes and their ongoing projects will be presented. Part of the "Thinkshop" concept is to jointly think about new scientific projects tailored to the unique capabilities of modern robotic telescopes, small and large.

The Local Group as a cosmological training sample

The Local Group (LG) is the astronomical environment we can study in most detail. As such it provides the ideal test bed for our ideas of the Universe at large. The goal of this workshop is to bring together experts in all aspects of the LG who are using observations or simulations of the Local Group to constrain models of the growth of structure and galaxy evolution.

Sunspots and Starspots

Differences and analogies of Sunspots and starspots. What could the detailed solar observations tell the stellar colleague and, vice versa, how can stellar data constrain models for solar spots? What is the state-of-the-art in observing and modeling solar and stellar magnetic fields and what is foreseen for the near future?