SYMPOSIUM 6: Science Cases for Optical and Infrared Interferometry - Present and Future

Optical interferometry has entered a new era with the advent of VLTI in Europe and of other facilities opened to non-specialist communities in the US. The number of research areas has dramatically increased with the number of interferometer users. Originally devoted to stellar physics, extragalactic astronomy and solar system bodies are now part of the scope of interferometers. Interferometry is such a success in Europe that ESO has decided to start building a second generation of instruments for VLTI making interferometric imaging in the near- and mid-infrared domains a more common tool for astrophysics. These new instruments will open new scientific venues on important topics such as the disks of pre-main-sequence stars and the Galactic Center.

Synergies with other facilities (e.g., ALMA) will also have to be exploited. Despite all these efforts and progress, there is still a long way to go to make interferometry relevant for some astrophysical science cases that would require higher quality imaging capabilities, higher spatial resolution and higher sensitivity. This calls for a next-generation facility which may be either a single facility or a multi-component facility like the ALMA array with a compact and a large array serving different purposes. Such a large facility must be given some thought in advance as it will take long to build and as it will require support from the astronomical community at large. On the European side, success will require that the facility be identified as an Astronet priority. This workshop is a necessary step to build a community, establish science cases and discuss possible options or the design.

More information at the symposium site: http://www.lsw.uni-heidelberg.de/jenam2010/