The Working Group on Hot Massive Star

The Working Group on Hot Massive Star

Our Working Group on Hot Massive Stars has officially been approved by the International Astronomical Union as a Working Group under IAU Division IV (Stars) and involving Commissions 29, 35, 36 & 37 (decision of IAU Executive Committee, meeting 69 held in Kyoto, August 1997).

The number of subscribers to the Hot Star Newsletter (excluding libraries and amateurs) is about 500. This gives an estimate of the size of our Working Group.

Tasks of the Working Group
Some of the aims of the Working Group (WG) are:

promote the study of Hot Massive Stars;
serve as a link between researchers in the field and disseminate information;
coordinate observing campaigns;
foster collaborations and exchange between research groups;
ensure coordination in the planning of meetings;
maintain a database on hot massive stars (bibliography, catalogues, etc);
maintain a list of researchers active in the field;
liaison with IAU Comissions and other Working Groups.

Most of these aims are achieved in good part through the Hot Star Newsletter (which has become a recognized and widely used platform for scientific exchanges on hot massive stars) and the related Web pages. However, these aims are the responsability of everyone in the WG. For example:

- strengthen our access to HST time and other international facilities;

- define collaborative projects on new or neglected topics;

- promote exchanges of students from one hot-star group to another;

- inform us about new papers, books, campaigns, catalogues, conferences, jobs, etc. We welcome suggestions. Offers of help too.

Structure
The WG is meant as a service to the Hot Massive Star community. We wish to avoid unnecessary bureaucratic formalism, e.g. there are no rules regarding membership in the WG. At present, the only structure is the Organizing Committee (OC), elected by the WG in 1995, and the chairman, elected by the OC. The composition of the OC received the approval of the IAU.

Role of the Organizing Committee
It is the duty of the OC to keep in contact with the president of IAU Division IV, and with other WG's and commissions. For the rest, the OC does not wish to take over the tasks of individuals or institutes. For example, the OC will not launch observing campaigns, but is willing to support any such initiative and give an `official' seal if seen as desirable. The OC will not organize conferences, but is ready to give a hand.

It would also seem a good idea to centralize information on future conference plans, to help avoid conflicts in the timing of the various proposed meetings. We urge that any plan for meetings of interest to the Hot Massive Star community be communicated to the OC, well before commitments are made.

OC meetings
The OC does not plan to meet on a regular basis, but will use convenient opportunities, such as during conferences. The ordinary business will be done by e-mail. Everyone is free to contact each member of the OC. However would anyone want to send a formal request to the OC, they are welcome to do so through the chairman. The chairman will inform and/or consult the members of the OC about any important matter.

The OC:
Joe Cassinelli,
Peter Conti,
Philippe Eenens (chairman),
Catharine Garmany,
Rolf Kudritzki,
Henny Lamers,
Andre Maeder,
Tony Moffat,
Stan Owocki,
Karel van der Hucht.

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Questions? Comments? Mail me at eenens@astro.ugto.mx
Last updated 2001 August 23