In the last 15 years, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has revolutionized astrophysics by providing unprecedented resolution and sensitivity in observing the cold universe. However , in another 15 years from now, the scientific landscape will have changed dramatically as major new facilities come online, and ALMA itself will approach its fourth decade of operation. This 2-day focus meeting will discuss how transformational new capabilities in the (sub-)millimeter regime might represent a paradigm shift for a broad range of science cases including the life cycle of planetary systems, the formation and evolution of galactic structures, the evolution of cosmic ecosystems, and understanding cosmic explosions, accelerations, and their engines. Speakers will be asked to address key science that could be uniquely addressed with a next-generation (sub-)mm interferometer , synergy with other major astronomical observatories, and the new frontiers that would open up in the 2040s.
Key Topics
- The growth of galaxies and black holes, including implications for baryon cycling in the earliest (z<20) galaxies
- The life cycle of (proto-)planetary systems, including the formation and evolution of rocky planets and their paleo-biospheres
- The evolution of galactic ecosystems, including the development of chemical complexity in the multi-phase interstellar medium ultimately leading to life
- Understanding the physical engines driving cosmic explosions, ejections, jets, and outflows, including from a multi-messenger perspective
- The transformational (sub-)millimeter capabilities needed to address these frontier science cases in the 2040s