Related papers: White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-bas…

It is widely expected that the coming decade will witness the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). The ground-based LIGO and Virgo GW observatories are being upgraded to advanced sensitivity, and are expected to observe a…

The construction of a global network of detectors is the cornerstone to scientific success for 3rd generation gravitational wave astronomy. If carried out with a vision to the future, the third generation implementation, in its…

We advocate for establishing key scientific priorities for the future of Mercury exploration, including the development of specific science goals for a landed mission. We support the Mercury science community in fostering closer…

Wide-angle surveys have been an engine for new discoveries throughout the modern history of astronomy, and have been among the most highly cited and scientifically productive observing facilities in recent years. This trend is likely to…

High energy gamma-ray astronomy is a newly emerging and very successful branch of astronomy and astrophysics. Exciting results have been obtained by the current generation Cherenkov telescope systems such as H.E.S.S., MAGIC, VERITAS and…

Availability of reliable atomic and molecular opacity tables is essential in a wide variety of astronomical modeling: the solar and stellar interiors, stellar and planetary atmospheres, stellar evolution, pulsating stars, and protoplanetary…

This paper presents a snapshot of the field of $\gamma$-ray astrophysics in the early summer of 2009, as it was discussed in about 200 presentations at the International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) held in {\L}\'{o}d\'{z}, Poland. This is…

The white paper discusses Arecibo Observatory's plan for facility improvements and activities over the next decade. The facility improvements include: (a) improving the telescope surface, pointing and focusing to achieve superb performance…

With the advent of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in late 1980's, ground-based observation of TeV gamma-rays came into reality after struggling trials by pioneers for twenty years, and the number of gamma-ray sources detected at…

Whilst astronomy as a science is historically founded on observations at optical wavelengths, studying the Universe in other bands has yielded remarkable discoveries, from pulsars in the radio, signatures of the Big Bang at submm…

The past two decades have seen a tremendous investment in observational facilities that promise to reveal new and unprecedented discoveries about the universe. In comparison, the investment in theoretical work is completely dwarfed, even…

After several years of intensive technological development Virtual Observatory resources have reached a level of maturity sufficient for their routine scientific exploitation. The Virtual Observatory is starting to be used by astronomers in…

Very High Energy (VHE) gamma rays constitute one of the main pillars of high energy astrophysics. Gamma rays are produced under extreme relativistic conditions in the Universe. VHE gamma$ rays can be detected indirectly on the ground.…

Looking ahead to the next decade and imagining the landscape of astronomy in 2020, it is clear that astronomical surveys, large and small, plus extensive follow-up projects, will be a great engine of progress in our profession. Surveys have…

Over the past decade, astronomers have been using an increasingly larger number of web-based applications and archives to conduct their research. However, despite the early success in creating links across projects and data centers, the…

The U.S. astronomy decadal surveys have been models for advice to government on how to apportion resources to optimise the scientific return on national investments in facilities and manpower. The U.S. is now gearing up to conduct its 2020…

Recent results of GeV and TeV observations of gamma-rays from the Universe are briefly reviewed. Topics include observational technique, diffuse gamma-rays, pulsars, unidentified sources, plerions, supernova remnants and AGNs.

Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has experienced a major breakthrough in the last decade thanks to the advent of new generation instruments such as H.E.S.S., MAGIC, Milagro and VERITAS. A large variety of cosmic particle accelerators has…

This is a review of the status of efforts to model the large-scale Galactic magnetic field (GMF). Though important for a variety of astrophysical processes, the GMF remains poorly understood despite some interesting new tracers being used…

Prepared for the 2014 ISAPP summer school, this review is focused on space-borne and balloon-borne cosmic-ray and gamma-ray detectors. It is meant to introduce the fundamental concepts necessary to understand the instrument performance…