Neutral Hydrogen as a Cosmological Probe Across Cosmic Time

May 15th-19th, 2023

Nazareth, Israel

Registration and Abstract Submission Deadline: April 1st, 2023

    In the last decades, probes of atomic hydrogen through the intensity mapping of the 21 cm line and Lyman-alpha emission and absorption have become essential tools for characterising and understanding the physical conditions of the intergalactic medium (IGM) across cosmic time as well as the formation and evolution of the large scales structure (LSS) of the Universe. 

     At early times   HI 21 cm radiation provides a unique probe of the first billion years of cosmic history (z~6 - 200), and its three eras: the Dark Ages, the Cosmic Dawn, and the Epoch of Reionization. These three epochs constitute the transition of our Universe from its early linear phases to the highly complex structures that we observe around us.  Each of these steps ushers the Universe into a new realm, probing different physical processes that can be used to understand the onset of structure formation in the Universe and its early stages, as well as the very nature of its initial conditions.  

     Towards the end of the reionization process (around z~6.5), the Lyman-alpha transition provides the main tool for studying the IGM, either through direct emission or absorption against the continuum spectra of distant sources (QSOs and galaxies). These systems have proven to be a treasure trove for studying the IGM down to redshift ~ 0.

    At the low redshift range (z= 0 - 2), the 21 cm emission, observed from discreet sources and intensity mapping studies, become an important probe again. This range of redshift is currently the subject of very active research that aims, among other things, at measuring the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations, or the general large structure of the local Universe.

   Research into these topics has been driven by current state-of-the art facilities and will benefit hugely from the new generation of ground based Optical and IR telescopes (e.g., VLT, LSST, Subaru) and radio observatories (e.g., LOFAR, MWA, HERA, SKA, EDGES)  as well as space borne instruments, in particular JWST.

   The aim of this meeting is to bring together cosmologists and IGM and LSS astrophysicists in order to focus the attention of their diverse communities on current and future challenges in this field. With the  meeting we will  promote greater interconnectivity between theorists, observers, simulators and data analysts, in order to meet the exciting challenges that we face today and will continue to face in the coming years.

The Registration is now closed!  

The "early bird" registration fee is 1200 NIS (about 320 EUROs) valid until April 10th, 2023, and the "late bird" fee is 1400 NIS (about 370 Euros) valid until the closing of registration on May 15th, 2023. Please pay with a credit card on this link of the "Payment Page".

The registration fee will cover the use of the venue, the costs of the welcome reception, coffee breaks, daily lunches, excursion, and conference dinner.