save the date aiac 25 min

We are pleased to announce the 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference - Physics of the Solar Wind and Local Interstellar Medium to be held at the Hotel Palacio Del Carmen in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from April 7ᵗʰ to April 11ᵗʰ, 2025.  (Welcome Reception and Evening Registration begins Sunday, April 6ᵗʰ).

About

Parker Solar Probe will have completed its closest approach to the surface of the Sun, the Solar Orbiter mission continues, New Horizons is approaching the heliospheric termination shock, Voyager 1 & 2 continue to make ground-breaking measurements of cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and plasma, IBEX continues to map the heliospheric boundaries and very local interstellar medium, and new spacecraft such as Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, IMAP, and HelioSwarm are readying for their scientific missions. This is indeed an exciting time for solar wind and very local interstellar medium physics. The 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference (AIAC) will focus on all aspects of solar wind and very local interstellar medium physics and other problems that relate to and augment the topic. Sessions will follow the usual format of 25-minute presentations. The meeting will address the broad themes of the underlying physics including the heating and physics of the solar corona and young solar wind, turbulence, shock waves and nonlinear processes, cosmic rays and solar energetic particles, particle acceleration and transport throughout the solar wind and local ISM, including galactic cosmic rays and neutral atoms. A characteristic theme in the AIAC is the universality of many of the physical processes that inform the solar wind, its origin and its interaction with the surrounding interstellar medium, which remains a central element of the 22nd AIAC. 

 

gary circle frame2
AIAC Director: Dr. Gary P. Zank

Dr. Gary Zank received his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Natal in South Africa in 1987. Gary is an Eminent Scholar and Distinguished Professor, Director of Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Gary has been recognized in his field through the receipt of numerous honors and awards throughout his career. In 2017, he was named the University of Alabama Board of Trustees Trustee Professor, the first and only University of Alabama System faculty member to achieve this position. In part, this was in recognition of Dr Zank being elected in 2016 as a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the only person in AL to be a member of this august body.

Meeting Location

italy map torinoSantiago de Compostela, a historic city in northwestern Spain, is best known as the final destination of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route dating back to the 9th century. Its iconic cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is said to house the remains of St. James, one of Jesus’s apostles, drawing pilgrims from around the world. The city’s long history as a hub of learning and culture is reflected in the University of Santiago de Compostela, established in 1495, which has grown into a leading center for advanced scientific research, including high-energy particle physics. This blend of spiritual history and cutting-edge science highlights Santiago’s unique role as a bridge between past and future, uniting humanity’s search for meaning with the pursuit of understanding the universe.

Photos from the Event 

Check back after the conference for more information.

Presentations from the Event 

Check back after the conference for more information.