Workshop "Stellar Winds in Interaction"

Convento da Arrábida

This meeting gathered a group of amateur and professional astronomers. It began Friday 28th May 2010 and ended  the 2nd June. The meeting was split in two parts, one dedicated to ProAm activity and the other strictly professional, the G2G group brainstorming. For the first time a ProAm meeting covered all the wavelengths used in astrophysics, from radio to X-rays.

1st Part: ProAm

Saturday was dedicated  to the WR 140 international ProAm campaign (mentioned in the section "meetings" in this site). The program was:

Hot colliding winds and the 2008/2009 campaign on WR 140 - Anthony Moffat (Université de Montréal)

The WR 140 periastron passage 2009 - first results from MONS and other optical sources - Remi Fahed (Université de Montréal)

WR 140 in the Infrared - Peredur Williams (Royal Observatory Edinburgh)

X-ray RXTE observations of WR140 - Michael Corcoran & Kenji Hamaguchi (NASA/GSFC)

WR 140 and WR 25: What they say about WC and WN colliding winds - Andrew Pollock (ESAC/Madrid)

WR 140 results from radio observations - Sean Dougherty (Institute for Space Imaging Science Radio Astronomy Calgary) - presented by Peredur Williams

New models and theory - Julian Pittard (University of Leeds)

Model of the system WR 140 by Peredur Williams based on his paper from 1990. The WR star has the bigger orbit. The blue dash line shows the wind collision front and the white dash-dot line is the line of sight from Earth. The inset shows the CIII line spectra corresponding to the same phase in the model. These spectra were acquired at the MONS campaign in 2009.

Sunday was dedicated to the ProAm affairs, the collaborations between professionals and amateurs. The program was:

Why amateurs invest their time - Filipe Dias (Portugal)

Spectroscopic madness - A golden age for amateurs - Thomas Eversberg (STScI Germany)

The eps Aur eclipse ProAm campaign - Robin Leadbeater (Three Hills Observatory England)

Recent ProAm Campaigns - Be stars, CoRoT and others - José Ribeiro (Observatório Atalaia Portugal)

Scientific collaborations in astronomy between amateurs and professionals - Johan Knapen (IAC Tenerife)

Round-Table-Discussion - How to go forward to future ProAm campaigns - All

The round-table was very interesting. Here, everybody , pros and ams, were beginners. One concluded that these collaborations are fruitful as shown by the outcomes from the WR 140 campaign and others presented in the meeting. The highest point in this round-table was the birth of the ConVento group, the first international multiwavelength ProAm group. This group will aim the study of stellar winds in interaction (physics of plasma), recurring to ground and space observations, from radio to gamma-rays!!! Curiously the name of the group was proposed by Andy Pollock, an Englishman, making a pun with the place and subject of the meeting (ConVento = WithWind). With this group, we have assured a continuity for the preparation of future ProAm campaigns. Pros will take care of the theoretical models and data gathering on all wavelengths, amateurs will work on the visible and near infrared in photometry and spectroscopy.

2nd Part: G2G meeting

G2G stands for  "Get to Grips". It is a professional group of scientists covering all the wavelength fields in astrophysics. Their field of work is mainly the study of the stellar winds' behaviour in binary (or more) stellar systems. The members that attended this meeting had two-day brainstorming work. Hopefully the Convento da Arrábida have all the conditions for such a meeting. Inserted in a National Natural Park, a calm environment allied to the beauty of a luxurious Mediterranean forest in contrast with a blue-transparent sea, provide the ingredients for a great brain stimulation. Joining the good kitchen and the marvellous drinks during the leisure time, everybody considered very fruitful the outcome of this pundit.

Whenever the projector and the computers weren't necessary, the discussions were transferred to the swimming pool. Much work was performed that way.

The Social

The sympathy, care and professionalism of the staff leaded by Lavínia Machado contributed to very good moments during work and leisure. Two guided visits, one to the late convent other to the old one, were performed with the great explanations and legends enthusiastically given by Mr. Quirino de Almeida.

The meals were carefully prepared with good prime matter. The coffee-breaks had always some delicatessen to taste.

The nights were spent in convivial friendship. Open bar, Coimbra and Lisbon fado, night observation, ideas' discussions, and brainstorming, of course!

 

Arrabida WR140 Workshop, Tony Moffat's Prize Awards: https://youtu.be/jzbHOtEG4GU

WR140 workshop, Saturday night: https://youtu.be/auv54PmO8MI

 

Acknowledgements:

To all my co-organizers' team:

From abroad:

Anthony Moffat

Thomas Eversberg

From Portugal:

Alberto Fernando

Fátima Seixas

Luis Carreira

Paulo Sanches

The Staff:

Lavínia Machado

Quirino de Almeida

Sr. Candeias

The Kitchen personnel

Without all of your effort, things would have been just a shadow  of what happened.

Photos from Alberto Fernando, Filipe Alves and mine.

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