›Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX)

After the success of the 2012 Ringberg meeting on APEX science where about 70 participants discussed exciting APEX science ranging from our Solar system to distant galaxies in the Early Universe, time is ripe to review what has been accomplished since then and to look into science opportunities for the next years.

Since its inauguration in 2005, the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m submillimeter telescope has significantly contributed to a wide variety of submillimeter astronomy science areas, ranging from the discoveries of new molecules to large and deep imaging of the submillimeter sky.

Among the partners the extension of APEX operations to 2017 and beyond is being prepared and new instruments are on their way and in the planning, including new wide-field bolometer cameras and new heterodyne instruments highly complementary to ALMA. While Herschel ran out of Helium, the work on its archival data benefits strongly from complementary APEX observations. SOFIA is collecting first exciting results where again lower frequency APEX studies needs to be added. With ALMA ramping up, we see already how important APEX is as a pathfinder for high angular resolution studies.

The conference venue Ringberg Castle will provide a unique setting for in depth discussions on current and future science with APEX. In particular, sessions on new scientific results, on synergies with other observatories and on APEX beyond 2015 are envisioned.