 |
The IAU Symposium No. 236
The IAU Symposium No. 236 "Near Earth Objects, our Celestial Neighbors: Opportunity and Risk" will take place during the 26th IAU General Assembly in Prague (Czech Republic), August 14-18, 2006.
On this web site, still under construction, you will find the announcements, information on the scientific program and proceedings, later you will be able to submit abstracts and full papers.
The 26th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) will be held in Prague, August 14-25, 2006, in a city with a rich astronomical history going back to the middle of XIVth century, when the oldest central European university was established there.
The local organization of this Symposium coincides with the organization of the General assembly. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| 1st announcement (20 January 2006) |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
International Astronomical Union Symposium no. 236
Near Earth Objects, our Celestial Neighbors: Opportunity and Risk
IAUS 236 will be held from 14 August to 18 August, 2006, during the
General Assembly of the IAU in Prague.
Scientific Rationale
Although the Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are the closest neighbors of the
Earth-Moon system, they have been discovered and studied only in
comparatively recent times. Their relative proximity allows research
which is not yet possible on more distant small bodies. Thus the NEOs are
an essential tool to understand the overall populations of asteroids and
comets, to constrain the formation of the planetary system. This
symposium will concentrate on the specific techniques of observation and
modeling which are effective for NEOs, including radar, in situ
exploration by spacecraft, and measurement of very subtle dynamical
effects such as non-gravitational perturbations.
NEOs are important because they can strongly interact with the terrestrial
planets, thus they are the physical cause of major evolutionary processes
on the planetary surfaces and in the atmospheres. This includes
cratering, formation/removal of atmospheres and perturbations to the
biosphere. The low mass tail of the NEOs continously interacts with the
planets producing meteor phenomena and delivering meteorites. Being our
closest celestial neighbors, they are most relevant for us, but are also
our intermediaries to understand a wider region, such as the entire solar
system, and give us a glimpse to really universal phenomena such as
impacts, occurring in whatever planetary system.
The NEOs with orbits crossing that of the Earth are also a source of
impact risk, and this is being successfully taken care of by astronomical
observations, dynamical computations and development of deflection
technology. The next generation search programs designed to discover most
of the hazardous NEOs will result in an extraordinary wealth of data with
scientific value, and this in synergy with other astronomical communities
interested in transient phenomena. The space missions planned to develop
the know-how and the technology for orbital deflection will provide
information on the interior structure and on the collisional evolution
better than that available for any other body.
Last but not least, the educational value and public outreach potential of
NEO related issues are outstanding. The IAU has had in recent years an
important role in putting the impact phenomena in the proper context,
helping in correcting the public perception and showing that astronomy
does something which is, at least potentially, important for the society
at large.
INFORMATION
The information on this Symposium is available from the web site
http://adams.dm.unipi.it/iaus236/
including the following pages:
Program (topics, sessions, invited speakers)
Scientific organizing committee
Dates and Deadlines
Registration
Venue (Prague Congress Center)
Please note in particular the following:
1) Registration for all Symposia is included in the registration for
the IAU General Assembly in Prague; please use the IAU General Assembly
Web Site
http://www.astronomy2006.com
2) Abstracts of the presentations (invited/oral/posters) have to be
submitted through the IAU General Assembly abstract service
http://www.astronomy2006.com/abstracts.php
3) Proceedings: the invited reviews will be published in the IAU
Symposia book series by Cambridge University Press. We envisage
to collect contributed papers in a special issue of some refereed
journal; details on this will be provided later.
You are invited to disseminate this announcement to all potentially interested
people.
The chairmen of the Scientific Organizing Committee
Giovanni B. Valsecchi, Andrea Milani and David Vokrouhlicky
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
| | | |
Home