E Komo Mai (welcome)!

The Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) announces the 8th Annual International Astrophysics Conference: Shock Waves in Space and Astrophysical Environments beginning May 1 - 7, 2009 at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii (Kona area).

The physics of collisionless shocks continues to be a topical problem in all walks of space physics and astrophysics. The recent observations by Voyager 2 of the heliospheric termination shock, for example, revealed a shock whose structure and dissipative properties are controlled primarily by interstellar pickup ions. This conference will address the physics of collisionless shock waves in all space and astrophysical plasma environments from both an observational and theoretical perspective. Topics discussed will include shock waves in regions ranging from the solar corona, interplanetary space, planetary bow shocks from Venus to Jupiter, the heliospheric termination shock, shocks at supernova remnants, shocks in accretion disks, and relativistic shocks associated with jets, etc. The conference aims to further our basic understanding of shock physics, including shock formation, structure, and stability, dissipative processes, observational techniques, approaches to modeling and simulation, particle acceleration and turbulence at shock waves, shock waves in inhomogeneous media, etc. 

The conference will be held at the beautiful Sheraton Keauhou on the Big Island of Hawaii. This meeting is a continuation of the IGPP annual conferences except that they are now organized by the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).