The conference will cover a range of themes that focus on delineating and connecting the different scales and phases of the CGM, with a clear emphasis on their links to cosmological themes. The below themes aim to build a coherent picture of the cosmic ecosystem by systematically linking scales and phases.
- Small to large scales.
- Hot gas to cold gas.
- Galactic to intergalactic scales.
- Diffuse to compact structures.
- Past feedback processes to present-day observations.
Together, these helps provide a multi-faceted exploration of how baryonic physics connects all aspects of the universe and form a unified understanding of it across time and space.
These themes are detailed further below.
1. Connecting the Smallest to the Largest: From Subgrid Feedback Physics to Cosmic Large-Scale Structure
Scope: This theme bridges the smallest scales of feedback, such as AGN and supernovae (SNe), with their impact on the large-scale structure (LSS) of the universe. It explores how microphysics (e.g., jets, winds, and turbulence) propagates through simulations and influences the baryonic distribution and clustering on cosmological scales.
Example Topics:
- Modeling small-scale feedback and its effects on matter power spectrum suppression.
- Scaling laws between AGN/SNe energetics and LSS properties.
- Feedback imprints on the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effects and connections with weak lensing.
- Observational tests: Connecting feedback models to SZ/X-ray cluster data and galaxy surveys.
2. Linking Hot Gas to Cold Gas: Baryon Cycling in the Cosmic Ecosystem
Scope: This theme connects the hot ionized gas (e.g., in galaxy clusters and CGM) to cold neutral/molecular gas (e.g., in star-forming regions). It investigates how feedback processes mediate phase transitions, driving the baryon cycle between these reservoirs.
Example Topics:
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Shock heating of cold gas to hot gas via AGN and galactic winds.
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Cooling flows and condensation in the CGM and galaxy clusters.
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Observational tracers: SZ and X-ray for hot gas, and CO and HI for cold gas.
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Feedback-regulated star formation and its influence on galaxy evolution.
3. From the Circumgalactic Medium to the Intergalactic Medium: Feedback's Reach Beyond Galaxies
Scope: This theme examines how feedback-driven processes in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) extend into the intergalactic medium (IGM). It focuses on the transition from galaxy-scale to cosmic web-scale interactions, highlighting turbulence, outflows, and the redistribution of metals and energy.
Example Topics:
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Metal and energy enrichment of the IGM from CGM-driven feedback.
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Outflows and winds: Connecting galactic feedback to the cosmic web.
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Observables: Lyman-alpha Forest statistics and metal absorption lines.
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Feedback's role in shaping the thermal history of the IGM.
4. Tying the Diffuse to the Compact: Connecting Gas Phases and The Role of Turbulence
Scope: This theme focuses on the interplay between diffuse gas (e.g., ionized or neutral IGM) and compact structures (e.g., molecular clouds and galaxies), include discussions on turbulence and cosmic ray interactions. It highlights how energy transfer and phase transitions bridge vastly different density and temperature regimes.
Example Topics:
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Turbulence-driven mixing and cooling in diffuse and dense gas.
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Cosmic ray heating and its role in regulating star-forming regions.
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Feedback-driven redistribution of energy across scales and phases.
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Theoretical and observational approaches to tracing these processes.
5. Bridging the Present and the Past: Feedback's Role in Linking Cosmic History to Current Observables
Scope:
This theme connects feedback's influence on the cosmic ecosystem across time, from early epochs of structure formation to the present universe. It examines how feedback processes evolve with cosmic time and leave imprints observable today, such as in the Lyman-alpha Forest, SZ effect, and FRBs.
Example Topics:
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Feedback in early structure formation: First galaxies and reionization-era IGM.
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Evolution of feedback mechanisms with cosmic time (e.g., AGN vs. stellar feedback dominance).
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Imprints of feedback history in current observables (e.g., SZ, X-ray, and FRBs).
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Linking simulations across epochs: From early cosmic dawn to mature LSS.
