Visions for Science

What are Africa’s scientific ambitions for 2024? What science will be presented to the world in 2024 and how do we get there? What science will come from different instruments across the continent and from African participation internationally? To achieve the science vision it would be important to encourage/facilitate participation of Africa astronomers in international working groups and collaborations relevant to the different topics below.

This section was populated following community discussions coordinated by the Science Sub-Committee of the 2024 General Assembly.

Status / Challenges:

Observational studies of AGN cover the entire electromagnetic spectrum from X-rays to radio wavelengths. Additionally, with blazars suggesting a connection to neutrinos, AGN studies also reach into the domain of multi-messenger astronomy. Investigating the properties of AGN allows us to further understand the black-hole and host galaxy connection which is critical to answering some open questions related to how galaxies evolve. We wish to bring together the latest results in both observations and simulations, and (particularly) to showcase southern-hemisphere telescopes (MeerKAT, SALT, HESS, VLT, ALMA, MWA, SKA* , etc). We also wish to discuss publication of ‘null results’, and to promote a hybrid format for aiding accessibility, inclusion, and sustainability during the climate crisis (which disproportionately affects the African continent). GA 2024 will be 5 years after IAU Symposium 356 (held in Ethiopia), and so an excellent follow-up to the previous AGN discussion and outreach that took place there.

* The GA is around the time of array assembly 0.5, and array assembly 1 (8 dishes, 18 low stations) is only a few months after the GA

Actions:

  • Advertise symposium idea to garner community support
  • Establish SOC (international) and LOC
  • Seek letters of support from SPARCS, SARAO, SKAO, SAAO, HESS, ESO, IAU Division J, OAD, Astronomers for Planet Earth
  • Contact ALL possible IAU Divisions and Commissions for their input and support.

Potential Stakeholders:

Sthabile Kolwa (UJ) & Sarah White (RU, IAU Junior Member)

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Propose the symposium

Potential Stakeholders:

Marisa Geyer

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Built global ‘SOC’; contact IAU divisions+WG

Potential Stakeholders:

Paul Groot

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Define the science areas to be covered and assemble the SOC.

Potential Stakeholders:

James Chibueze

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Propose the symposium

Potential Stakeholders:

Patrick Woudt

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Propose the symposium

Potential Stakeholders:

Itumeleng Monageng & Vanessa McBride

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for symposium at GA2024

Actions:

Create a working Group beside AfAS

Potential Stakeholders:

Zouhair Ben Khaldoun

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for focus meeting or symposium. 20 years of HESS, with a focus on multiwavelength and multimessenger links. Clear link with IAU Division D (high energy phenomena and fundamental physics).

Actions:

Propose the symposium

Potential Stakeholders:

Michael Backes (UNAM), Markus Böttcher (NWU)

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for focus meeting: With their wide frequency coverage, high resolution, and wide-field imaging capabilities, SKA precursor radio telescopes are enabling unprecedented studies of the gas in galaxies and its role in galaxy evolution over cosmic time. As we look forward to the beginning of SKA science observations, it is time to take stock of the current state of the field by highlighting recent key results from HI precursor surveys and predictions from state-of-the-art models of galaxy evolution to inform directions for HI science with the SKA.

Actions:

Propose the symposium

Potential Stakeholders:

Sarah Blyth (UCT), D.J. Pisano

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for a focus meeting; To bring the attention of the astronomical community to the upcoming 6.5m ELOT and its importance to Egypt and the astronomical community worldwide. ELOT is expected to fill the observational gap between Asia and Chile and between Europe and South Africa. More than 300 photometric nights are expected from ELOT. A lot of work needs to be done to match between ELOT optical design, its attached astronomical instruments and site optical characteristics to fill this gap and to maximize the importance of this telescope.

Actions:

  • Advertise the meeting idea to  garner community support
  • Establish SOC and LOC.
  • Contact possible IAU Divisions and Commissions for their support
  • Contact site testing and telescope design experts in the continent and worldwide to introduce their experiences through workshops and lectures to people at NRIAG.
  • Prepare for the findings reached upon in the site selection and testing of the sites already found.

Potential Stakeholders:

Yosry Azzam (NRIAG)

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Preliminary Idea in search for observers/partners in Africa

Actions:

Organize observational campaigns about interesting objects using meter-sized telescopes. Focus in astrometry, photometry and spectroscopy.Particularly there is a significant interest in occultations on the basis of space missions, like e.g. Lucy and New Horizons, using small (20cm) portable telescopes.

Potential Stakeholders:

Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez (CSIC-IEEC), Anne Verbiscer (Univ. Virginia, USA)

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for a focus meeting

Actions:

Propose the Focus Meeting

Potential Stakeholders:

Khadija, Benhida, Zakaria Belhaj

Call for proposals

Status / Challenges:

Idea for a focus meeting during the GA2024

Actions:

Propose the Focus Meeting

Potential Stakeholders:

Lucia Marchetti (UCT)

Call for proposals

© 2024 IAU General Assembly 2024 – Cape Town