Since its conception more than 50 years ago, the intergalactic medium (IGM) has been chiefly the study of interconnectivity. This gas traces the cosmic web between galaxies. It connects galaxies to their fuel (and the energetic consequences of this fuelling) in the circumgalactic medium. It connects collapse and cosmological expansion. It connect galaxies to the metagalactic background and subsequently to the ionization of baryons. It connects quasar spectra to large-scale structure through absorption.

At this conference we seek to understand these connections in order to establish a holistic picture of galaxy formation, the properties of baryons, and the expansion of the universe. Key to this goal is promoting greater interconnectivity between communities: cosmologists and IGM scientists, observers and simulators, data analysis and theory, project planners and modellers. Through sharing the latest results and fostering new connections we wish to prepare the community for the emergence of new massive IGM surveys and facilities for many years to come.

Scope of sessions:

1) IGM's contribution to baryon content
- Deuterium abundance
- hidden baryons/WHIM
- filament detection in absorption and with thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich

2) CGM/IGM observers meet CGM/IGM simulators
- detecting galactic gas flows
- simulating galactic gas flows
- parsec scale structure
- diffuse emission
- IGM in the cosmic web

3) IGM (re-)ionization properties meets source population studies
- probing (HI+HeII) reionization in absorption
- UV background
- escape fraction/photon production
- imprint on thermal history

4) IGM Cosmology meets IGM properties
- baryon acoustic oscillations
- tracer bias
- WDM, FuzzyDM, neutrino masses
- separation from thermal properties

Registration:

• Create a sciencesconf.org account (if you don't already have one) by clicking on "Login" on top right
• Use the "Register" link on the left hand side. 

Key dates:

Abstract submission deadline for contributed talks: 23th March 2018

Abstract submission deadline for lightening talks: 8th June 2018

Registration deadline: 8th June 2018

Contributed talks will be standard ~15 minutes talks. Lightening talks will be ~2 minute talks intended to advertise work and prompt one-on-one discussions in coffee. Note that lightening talk speakers are advised to bring further supporting material in the form of slides (personal laptop or paper) to aid potential discussions.

Venue: Amphitheatre Gastaut at Pharo

Fees: 

• €400 for researchers
• €300 for students

This includes three lunches, the conference dinner and a boat cruise of the Calanques. Payment should be made using this link by 15th June.

 

Some limited funding may be available for students and will be announced at a later date.

Ryan Cooke - CEA, Durham
Todd Tripp - University of Massachusetts
Marta Silva - University of Groningen
Varsha Kulkarni - University of South Carolina
Smita Mathur - Ohio State University
Rob Crain - Liverpool John Moores University
Max Gronke - University of California, Santa-Barbara
Chris Martin - Caltech
Clothilde Laigle - University of Oxford
Gabor Worseck - University of Potsdam
Francesco Haardt - Universita dell’Insubria
Anne Verhamme - Observatoire de Geneve
James Bolton - University of Nottingham
Michael Blomqvist - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
Jordi Miralda-Escudé - Universitat de Barcelona
Nathalie Palanque-Delabrouille - CEA, Saclay
Joe Hennawi - University of California, Santa-Barbara

Mat Pieri - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (co-chair)
Celine Peroux - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (co-chair)
Dusan Keres - UC, San Diego
Juna Kollmeier - Carnegie Observatories
Gwen Rudie - Carnegie Observatories
Joop Schaye - Leiden Observatory
Mike Shull - University of Colorado at Boulder
Matteo Viel - SISSA, Trieste

Vincent Le Brun (co-chair)
Mat Pieri (co-chair)
Michael Blomqvist
Cecile Gry
Bruno Milliard
Sean Morrison
Ignasi Perez Rafols
Celine Peroux
Debopam Som