Focus Groups

We had three focus group meetings.
The Role of Magnetic Fields in Star Formation
Dick Crutcher
Wednesday, 30th of July, 2008, 16:30-17:50
Presentations and discussion on what observational results theorists need to provide a definitive answer to the issue of the importance of magnetic fields relative to turbulence in the star formation process, how well current observations meet that need, what new observations will be possible in the next few years, and what theorists should do to produce directly observable tests of the relative importance of magnetic fields and turbulence.

45 minutes of brief talks, 35 minutes of open discussion

Brief introduction - Crutcher
Future of linear polarization observations - Crutcher
Future of Zeeman observations - Troland
Cloud formation in the magnetized ISM - Banerjee
Testing models of flow-driven cloud formation - Heitsch
Modelling turbulence: comparison of different driving schemes - Klessen
The correlation of mass-to-flux with scale in MHD turbulence - Pudritz
Measuring magnetic criticality from field morphology - Dapp
Using velocity anisotropy to measure magnetic field strength - Bate
FIR/submm Space Missions & Observations for Star- and Planet Formation
Harald Yorke
Thursday, 31st of July, 2008, 11:20-12:30
Presentations by participants regarding future opportunities for observing in the Far IR/submm range. For example, short descriptions of Herschel Key Projects and their data products related to star and planet formation are welcome. Other examples: SPICA, ESPRIT, SPIRIT, CALISTO. Please contact H. Yorke prior to the meeting.
Participating in Star Formation Taste Tests
Alyssa Goodman
Thursday, 31st of July, 2008, 15:30-16:20
Plans around the future of the Star Formation Taste-Testing Efforts will be made.