From Observations To Self Consistent Modelling Of The Ism In Galaxies

From Observations to Self-Consistent Modelling of the ISM in Galaxies

Research of the interstellar medium (ISM) has been advancing rapidly during the last 10 years, mainly due to immensely improved observational facilities and techniques in all wavelength ranges. We are now able to investigate the ISM in external galaxies and even the intergalactic and intracluster medium in great detail. Increased spatial and spectral resolution have provided us with a great deal of information on the interstellar gas in its various phases, the magnetic field and the cosmic rays, and of course, also the stellar component, which is the driving agent of the interstellar matter cycle. Since only fairly recently, a sufficient amount of computing power has become available to tackle these problems with some prospect of obtaining a self-consistent picture of the ISM, a major goal of this workshop was to bring together observers and theoreticians sufficiently close, so that intense discussions about the necessities and desiderata of modelling the ISM could be stimulated. Observers have shown in great detail on this conference of what is seen on all scales of the ISM, near and far, and what boundary conditions would be appropriate for realistic models, and theoreticians pointed out what assumptions and simplifications their codes need, and how future observations could test their models. As a first step towards this goal, some self-consistent numerical simulations with a minimum number of relevant physical processes were also presented on this meeting. There was wide agreement, that this approach - to keep observers and theoreticians in close contact and also in sometimes quite controversial discussions - will bear fruitful results in the near future.

From Observations to Self-consistent Modelling of the ISM in Galaxies

How does the Galaxy work?

TheinternationalconferenceHowdoestheGalaxywork? Agalactictertulia rd th with Don Cox and Ron Reynolds, was held during the week of 23 to 27 of June 2003 in the marvelous city of Granada, Spain. This week marked the beginningofoneofthehottestsummersthatwehaveeverlived, butincontrast, the meeting was one of the coolest events that we can remember! First, it certainly wasa?rstclassscienti?creunion, withanexcellent program, talented speakers, and alive discussions in a friendly atmosphere. Second, the whole event was embedded in the passionate Andalucian way of life, a true tertulia, well seasoned with tasty tapas and perfectly marinated in cool and dry sherry wine. Third, the celebration was framed by some of the most beautiful settings thatonecanimagine; weenjoyedthemagni?centsplendoroftheAlhambra,the unique Muslim-Jewish-Christian ?avor of the Albaicin, and the magical gipsy heartbeat of Sacromonte. Last but not least, all discussions, whether they were duringthesessionsoratabartable,weresprinkledwiththecharmandwitofthe twoguestsofhonor: DonCoxandRonReynolds. Theideaofhavingascienti?c feast to celebrate their 60th birthday in Granada was actually conceived at a bar table in Seville, with plenty of manzanilla at hand, a couple of summers ago. That, perhaps, was the dif?cult part of the project. The rest was relatively easy to achieve because Don and Ron are not only remarkable astronomers but they are also great human beings. Indeed, we had a very positive response from all parties involved: every person we talked to was enthusiastic about the celebration, and wanted to give their own point of view in this tertulia.