Tuesday, April 29, 2003 from: C. Carilli (NRAO) to: ISAC WG chairs re: Minutes from ISAC WG chairs telecon April 28, 2003 and Abstracts for WG sessions in Geraldton cc: Tarter, Schilizzi, Kellermann, Hall Attached below are the minutes from Monday's telecon. Also, a question has arisen concerning the WG sessions in Geraldton that needs to be addressed in the near-term. I have received a number of abstracts from scientists requesting to give talks during the working group sessions in Geraldton, and I have forwarded these to the relevant Chairs. Having contributed science talks during the break-out sessions is not something we have done at previous SKA meetings. There is a plenary session for science talks in Geraldton, but I was hoping to use this session as a forum for the WG chairs/delegates to discuss their respective contributions to the revised science case. And we may also have to use some of that time to present the re-review of the white papers. So I don't expect there to be much/any time during this plenary session for contributed science talks. The question becomes: do the WG chairs want to have contributed science talks during their perspective break-out sessions? If so, then I will continue to forward the abstracts to the Chairs, and you can decide within your groups on which to allow. If not, then we may have to tell all the contributers that they will have to present posters, with perhaps a few high-profile talks being given during the plenary session. Please let me know your opinions on this issue within the week, if possible. Concerning Geraldton, we also need to consider how to best interface the ISAC and the simulations group. If possible, working groups could spend some of their time before the meeting identifying specific projects that could be served well by the simulations group, and work with the simulations group at the meeting to refine the requirements. Chris Carilli Socorro NM USA -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minutes of WG chairs telecon April 29, 2003 ------------------------------------------- Attending: C.Carilli, S.Rawlings, D.Jones, J.Lazio, J. Dickey, L. Feretti, T. vd Hulst, R. Schilizzi Agenda: 1. Progress on suggested book chapters/authors by the WGs 2. Plans for Geraldton 3. Plans for Leiden retreat 4. Level 0 science ---------- 1. The chapters and authors for the proposed revised science case were discussed. We hope to contact authors by May 31 if possible. Rawlings is investigating publishers (Oxford). Preliminary views on the proposed authors/chapters were given by the working group chairs: i. Feretti though that the ICM and IGM chapters could be combined. She also suggested a few authors for SZ work. i. Lazio reviewed the transients chapter. He has already contacted some authors. He suggested Weiler and/or Marcaide for SNe. He also liked the idea of relative completeness, along the lines of 'Galactic and EG radio astronomy'. ii. Jones thought the subject topics/authors looked reasonable. He also suggested that the book include an introductory chapter describing the project and giving a clear overview of the main themes and key science areas that make the SKA a compelling project to a wide range of astrophysicists. iii. vdHulst has reviewed the material and thinks the chapters could be combined and reorganized to give a more unified picture of radio studies of the evolution of galaxies. He suggested a few other authors as well (v. Gorkom, Verheijen, Kanaker). He said that Brad Gibson in australia was doing simulations of galaxy formation and might be interested in including the radio aspects. Carilli emphasized the need to get the simulators to do detailed models which would presentable in refereed journals. vd Hulst also suggested that we put the most interesting topics first. iv. Dickey thought the proposed topics were reasonable. He suggested that the overall tone of the book should not be reviews of all of radio astronomy, but quantitative demonstrations on how the SKA will play a pivotal role in astrophysics in the coming decade. Carilli supported this notion, and said the role of the book was to lay-out the science case in-full, as well as be quantitative in terms of what the SKA will be able to do. Schilizzi said that the simulations working group should be very useful in generating the quantitative science case. The complete, quantitative case will then be a resource for the project to draw-on when presenting the project in various forums, although it was recognized that we can only hope for of order a 5 yr relevancy lifetime for such a book, as has been the case for the Taylor-Braun document. Inputs still required from: Briggs, Falcke, Dougherty, Solar system? ------------- 2. A head-count was taken as to who was going to Geraldton, and all present are going. It was suggested that the WG chairs and/or delegates give talks during the plenary science session outlining their chapter for the science book, or highlighting one or two key projects, and all agreed to participate. ------------- 3. The Leiden retreat dates are set. Richard is looking into funds, and Carilli has requested funds for US participants from Terzian and the US consortium. ------------- 4. Level 0 -- The issue of defining level 0 science remains difficult. Carilli and Rawlings have been busy with other aspects of the project. A recent note from Gaenslar made a strong request that progress be made, and this was seconded by Jones. Feretti suggested as opposed to specific projects, we make broad 'themes' that encompass a number of projects. Carilli proposed to appoint a small sub-committee, chaired by Gaenslar, to see a way forward on this, and to present the results in Geraldton. All agreed. ------------ 5. Schilizzi brought up the issue of the Turner Decade report on physics and astrophysics. He, and others, have noticed that radio astronomy is not mentioned at all, except in the context of CMB work. The NSF has asked the US SKA consortium to present a white paper on the relevant SKA science within 2 weeks (by May 10?). Lazio is on this US committee and has asked for input from anyone who may have ideas. ------------