From Young Disks to Planets:
New Observations, Models and Theories

March 7 - 10, 2005
Pasadena, California, USA

http://msc.caltech.edu/conferences/2005/disks05/

We announce an international scientific conference being organized by the Michelson Science Center (MSC) and co-sponsors on March 7-10 2005, at the Sheraton Hotel in Pasadena, California.

The conference will cover topics bracketing the evolutionary stages between circumstellar disk formation, the stage during which the initial conditions for planet formation are set, and the fully formed planetary system. This meeting will emphasize new-generation observations, including long baseline spatial interferometers and space infrared observatories. By bringing together recent findings from techniques which probe various disk regimes and emission mechanisms, as well as the latest theoretical and modelling developments in these areas, we will address the physics and evolution of these pre-planetary environments.

The conference will include one review talk in each topical session, plus invited and contributed talks. Posters may also be contributed and will remain on display for the duration of the conference, and each poster presenter will have a chance to describe their work through 1-minute, 1-viewgraph poster summaries.

A final agenda will be distributed soon, an registration will then be opened. If you have any questions, to express interest, or to request to receive further announcements, please email us at: disks05@ipac.caltech.edu.

Topical Sessions

- Global disk physics, chemistry and evolution
- New results from spatial interferometers: optical through radio
- First results from the Spitzer Space Telescope
- Disk imaging from the ground and space
- High resolution spectroscopy across the spectrum
- The inner 1 AU: observations and theory
- Initial conditions for planet formation
- Global properties of exo-planets

Scientific Organizing Committee

- Rachel Akeson, co-chair, MSC, USA
- Rafael Millan-Gabet, co-chair, MSC, USA
- Carsten Dominik, U. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Thomas Henning, MPIA Heidelberg, Germany
- Paolo Garcia, CAUP, Portugal
- Wilhelm Kley, U. Tubingen, Germany
- Fabien Malbet, LAOG, France
- Antonella Natta, Osservatorio di Arcetri, Italy
- Joan Najita, NOAO, USA
- Deborah Padgett, SSC, USA
- Dimitar Sasselov, CfA, USA

Co-Sponsors

- Spitzer Science Center (SSC), USA
- Jean-Marie Mariotti Center (JMMC), France
- Frontiers of Interferometry in Germany (FrInGe), Germany
- NOVA-ESO VLTI Expertise Center (NEVEC), The Netherlands
- Centro de Astrofisica da Universidade do Porto (CAUP), Portugal

Local Organizing Committee

- Rachel Akeson (MSC)
- Rafael Millan-Gabet (MSC)
- David Ciardi (MSC)
- Kathy Golden (MSC)