›Putting A Stars into Context: Evolution, Environment, and Related Stars

Physical processes such as radiative diffusion, differential gravitational settling, grain accretion, convection, magnetic fields and non-radial pulsations, which play an important role in stars of many different types, are best studied in A-type stars, where they show their most extreme manifestations. New observational results obtained in the past few years and recent theoretical advances allow us for the first time to follow the development of these processes and their evolution throughout the life of the star, before, during and after the main sequence. They also open the possibility to understand better the dependences of A-star processes on their galactic environment, and the relations of these processes with similar ones in related (mostly hotter) stars. These qualitatively new pieces of information open the possibility of gaining insight into A-star physics from a novel perspective. The proposed meeting will discuss the potential of this unprecedented approach, and its implications for our knowledge and understanding of A-type stars.