2013-2014 Annual Report

Laboratory Astrophysics Division

Chair: Steven R. Federman – University of Toledo
Vice Chair: Farid Salama – NASA Ames
Treasurer: R. Paul Drake – University of Michigan
Secretary: Daniel Wolf Savin – Columbia University
Member at Large (Atoms): John Black – Chalmers University of Technology
Member at Large (Planetary Science): Nancy Janet Chanover – New Mexico State University
Member at Large (Dust and Ices): Gianfranco Vidali – Syracuse University

The Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) came into being at the Anchorage AAS meeting in
June 2012. The first set of officers and committee members (see above) were announced at the
business meeting at the Indianapolis AAS meeting in June 2013. LAD currently has over 110
members, with the majority being full members (80). The officers and committee members have
publicized LAD at a number of national and international meetings to encourage the community
of users and providers to join LAD (see Chronology below). As of 16 April, $1650 in
contributions toward the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize sponsored by LAD, and $4585 in
additional contributions, have been received.

Daniel Wolf Savin maintains the distribution list for LAD, and Farid Salama updates the Web
page on the AAS server. Otherwise, the various activities for the most part take place through
email consultation, with one of the officers taking the lead.

A number of highlights have occurred over the past year. Prof. Fausto Cattaneo (University of
Chicago) gave a plenary lecture at the Indianapolis AAS meeting; his topic was “Computation as
a Bridge between the Laboratory and Astrophysics.” LAD also held a business meeting in
Indianapolis and ran a series of seven sessions; “Bridging Laboratory and Astrophysics” included
sessions on atoms, molecules, dust and ice, plasmas, planetary science, nuclear physics, and
particle physics. The format for each session was two 30-minute presentations and two
contributed 15-minute talks. There was also a poster session that remained for the duration of the
AAS meeting.

Another highlight was our joint proposal with Commission 14 (Atomic and Molecular Data) of
the IAU for a Focus Meeting at the IAU General Assembly in Hawaii in 2015. The proposal was
submitted by Farid Salama, Steve Federman, and Lyudmila Mashonkina, who is the President of
Commission 14. We expect to receive a decision by late Spring 2014.

A series of six sessions are planned for the Second LAD Annual Meeting; “Bridging Laboratory
and Astrophysics” will include sessions on atoms, molecules, dust and ice, plasmas, planetary
science, and nuclear and particle physics. The format is the same as the one for Indianapolis.

We also sought connections with SPD and the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics (TGPAP),
a unit of the American Physical Society (APS). Two joint sessions on the last day of the Boston
Meeting are planned. The format for each joint session is six contributed 15-minute presentations.

LAD has been involved with the AAS High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) and has put
together an LAD-sponsored session for the HEAD meeting in August 2014.

We also sought connections with DPS for coordination of events of mutual interest (DPS
meetings and LAD Planetary sessions). The SOC of DPS 2014 will include a LAD representative

(M. Gudipati) who will work in close coordination with the LAD committee member representing
Planetary Science (N. Chanover).
For the coming year, the officers and committee members will continue to encourage
participation by colleagues, both users and providers of data for astronomy and astrophysics. The
LAD recruitment campaign targets colleagues with research activities aligned with LAD
activities who are not members of either the AAS or LAD or who are AAS members and are not
currently affiliated with LAD. Moreover, those conducting research in nuclear and particle
physics traditionally have been involved in activities organized by Divisions of the APS. Further
collaborative events with these APS Divisions seem warranted.

LAD Events' Chronology:

• June 2013: LAD First Meeting at AAS 222nd in Indianapolis, IN.
• October 2013: Steve Federman and Farid Salama attended the AAS Leadership Meeting.
• December 2013: Farid Salama and Steve Federman, along with Lyudmila Mashonkina
from Commission 14, submitted a proposal for a Focus Meeting at the next IAU General
Assembly.
• March 2014: Daniel Wolf Savin sent out a call for nominations to fill two Member-at-
Large positions on the Committee. The Nominating Committee consisted of Randall
Smith (CfA), Chair, Phillip Stancil (Univ. of Georgia), and Wick Haxton (UC, Berkeley).
• April 2014: Daniel Wolf Savin sent out a call for nominations for the first Laboratory
Astrophysics Prize.
• June 2014: LAD second meeting at AAS 224th in Boston, MA, with joint sessions with
SPD and APS TGPAP.