Understanding Galaxies from their Spectral Energy Distribution: Mod els to Observations

An RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting organised by Médéric Boquien (Cambridge)*, Vivienne Wild (St Andrews)*Contact: mboquien@ast.cam.ac.uk How have the tiny proto-galaxies detected at the farthest reaches of the universe become the rich and widely diverse galaxies that populate the Hubble tuning fork in the nearby universe? This is one of the most important questions in modern astrophysics. Yet, it is a topic still shrouded in mystery. To answer this question, we need to understand the fundamental physical processes that are at play in galaxies and which drive their fate, from star formation to the presence of active nuclei. Key to understanding the physical processes in galaxies is our ability to interpret their spectral energy distributions. This meeting will bring together observers and modellers to present their approaches in interpreting the spectral energy distribution of galaxies. 10:30 Introduction
10:35 High mass stars modelling (Claus Leitherer)
11:05 Low mass stars modelling (Claudia Maraston)
11:35 Dust modelling (Karl Gordon)
12:05 AGN modelling (Jacopo Fritz)
12:35 15-second presentations13:00-14:00: Lunch break14:00 Radiation transfer SED modelling (Cristina Popescu)
14:15 Energy balance SED modelling (Mederic Boquien)
14:30 Attenuation curves in galaxies (Jacopo Chevallard)
14:45 Model requirements for next-generation instruments (Daniela Calzetti)
15:15 Further discussion and conclusion of the meeting Tea and coffee will be available from 10:00 and again after the meeting at 15:30.