The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics of P. Universidad Católica
and
The Department of Astrophysical Sciences of Princeton University

ANNOUNCE:

DARK MATTER AND GRAVITATIONAL LENSING

THE SECOND PRINCETON - PUC WORKSHOP ON ASTROPHYSICS

to be held in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, on July 19-22, 2000


SPRINGER'S TOPICAL VOLUME click here


Sponsored by: explora EN ATACAMA , Fundación Andes, ESO, LCO, NRAO-AUI


The center of A2218 observed with the HST (CREDIT: A. Fruchter (NASA/STScI).


    PURPOSE


    Each year, Princeton University and the Universidad Catolica de Chile organise a joint workshop on a selected topic. This year, the topic of the meeting will be "Dark matter and gravitational lensing"

    Most of the best observational facilities developed to assess cosmological problems are currently built in Chile. Optical telescopes such as VLT are now offered to the astronomical community, and many other large telescopes will start operations within the next 2 years. Followed later by the millimeter array ALMA, these tools cover a large wavelength range, offering new possibilities to investigate the origin of dark matter through a wide range of physical processes. Gravitational lensing, strong or weak, is a natural tool that is used to study dark matter. Thanks to the improved performances of the new instruments, it is now possible to use it in its weaker effects to map the dark matter accross galaxy clusters or even to detect Large Scale Structures. More locally, microlensing helps to map the distribution and understand the nature of dark matter in our own galaxy. Comparison with dark matter halos derived at higher redshift is even becoming possible via galaxy-galaxy lensing studies.

    This meeting intends to bring together Chilean and foreign astronomers working in Chile, plus a small number of participants from abroad (up to a total of about 45 people), with some 15 experts from around the world to discuss recent advances in the study of dark matter and on how to attack the problem under the new view angle made accessible by the most recent observational developments.

    TOPICS

    The talks will focus on the study of dark matter via the gravitational lensing effect and will expose the most recent developments in areas including:

  • Galactic microlensing
  • Galaxy-galaxy lensing
  • Mass-to-light ratios of clusters and single galaxies
  • Distribution of dark matter in galaxy halos
  • Weak lensing by Large Scale Structures
  • Lens models and quasar time delays
  • Use of future instrumentation for the study of dark matter (ALMA, NGST)



    • INVITED SPEAKERS

    - Danielle Alloin, ESO, Chile
    - Charles Alcock, LLNL, USA
    - Roger Blandford, Caltech, USA
    - Tereasa Brainerd, Boston University, USA
    - Tom Broadhurst, ESO, Germany
    - Arlin Crotts, Columbia, USA
    - Norman Gray, Glasgow, UK
    - Eduardo Hardy, NRAO-AUI, USA
    - Yannick Mellier, IAP, France
    - Julio Navarro, University of Victoria, Canada
    - Michael Rauch, Carnegie Institutions, USA
    - Prasenjit Saha, Queen Mary and Westfield College, UK
    - Paul Schechter, MIT, USA
    - Alain Smette, NASA/GSFC, USA
    - Jean Surdej, Liege, Belgium
    - David Valls-Gabaud, Toulouse, France
    - Tommy Wiklind, Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden
    - David Wittman, Bell Labs, USA

    		SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

    - D. Alloin, ESO, Chile
    - C. Alcock, LLNL, USA
    - F. Courbin, PUC, Chile
    - D. Garcia Lambas, Cordoba, Argentina
    - J. Gunn, Princeton, USA
    - B. Paczynski, Princeton University, USA
    - M. Phillips, LCO, Chile
    - H. Quintana, PUC, Chile
    - G. Meylan, ESO, Germany
    - D. Minniti, PUC, Chile
    - G. Soucail, Toulouse, France
    - M. Strauss, Princeton University, USA
    - E. Turner, Princeton University, USA
    - D. Valls-Gabaud, Toulouse, France
    - S. D. M. White, MPA, Germany

    LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

    - L. Barrera, Univ. Catolica del Norte
    - F. Barrientos, PUC
    - A. Clocchiatti, PUC
    - F. Courbin, PUC
    - G. Galaz, LCO
    - D. Geisler, Concepcion
    - E. Hardy, NRAO, USA
    - L. Infante, PUC
    - C. Lidman, ESO
    - S. Lopez, U Chile
    - H. Quintana, PUC
    - G. Mallen-Ornelas, PUC
    - D. Minniti, PUC
    - H. Muriel, OAC, Argentina
    - A. Reisenegger, PUC
    - P. Tissera, IAFE, Argentina

    		 SPONSORS

    - explora EN ATACAMA
    - Fundación Andes
    - European Southern Observatory
    - Las Campanas Observatory
    - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - AUI

(* to be confirmed)

A FEW PICTURES OF THE EVENT click here


San Pedro de Atacama (2300m)
Geyser "El Tatio" (4300m) o 1st circular

o Program and abstracts

o Out Door Activities

o Registered participants

o FLIGHT INFORMATION

o BUSES to/from Calama

o Area map (zoom)

o Hotels location (map/phone/fax)

o Tourist information

For information contact the LOC:
Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics,
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile,
Casilla 306, Santiago 22, Chile.
FAX: (56)(2)686-4948
Phone: (56)(2)686-4940
E-mail: workshop@astro.puc.cl


San Pedro's church
Salar de Atacama
Laguna Miscanti (4100m)
Laguna Miniques (4100m)

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