ROSSI 2000: 2nd Announcement

[Alan Smale <alan@osiris.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

                               ROSSI 2000
                    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
                            March 22-24, 2000


ROSSI 2000: 2ND ANNOUNCEMENT 
As the pre-eminent large-area X-ray timing mission to date, NASA's Rossi 
X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has proven a powerful and highly flexible 
tool for studying the variability of the X-ray sky over  a wide range of 
time scales and X-ray energies. In order to bring together a diverse mix 
of researchers working with RXTE data, we are pleased to announce "ROSSI 
2000", a three day meeting to be held Wednesday through Friday, 
March 22-24, 2000, at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, 
Maryland, USA.  The meeting will focus on the wealth of rich new data 
collected from RXTE, which provides us a window into the physics of 
extreme gravity near neutron stars and black holes.  Our aim is to bring 
together observers and theorists studying both Galactic and extragalactic 
sources, to explore the connections between them in a broad astrophysical 
context.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
The science program for Rossi2000 is being developed by the Scientific 
Organizing Committee (SOC). A preliminary agenda and the list of invited 
speakers is availableat the meeting website at 
http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/rossi/ and also appended below. 
The final program will be organized after receipt of all abstracts.

Membership of Rossi2000 Science Organizing Committee (SOC):

Didier Barret (CESR)
Lars Bildsten (UCSB/ITP)
Deepto Chakrabarty (MIT), Co-Chair
Rick Edelson (UCLA/Leicester), Co-Chair
Biff Heindl (UCSD)
Fred Lamb (U. Illinois/Urbana)
Dimitrios Psaltis (CfA)
Ron Remillard (MIT)
Chris Reynolds (U. Colorado)
Tod Strohmayer (GSFC), Co-Chair
Jean Swank (GSFC)
Paula Szkody (U. Washington)
Michiel van der Klis (Amsterdam)

ABSTRACTS
Submission of abstracts will be handled with a web-based form obtainable 
at http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/rossi/. 
Deadline for the receipt of abstracts is February 11, 2000. 


GENERAL INFORMATION
The Rossi 2000 Meeting will be held at the NASA Goddard Space Flight 
Center in Greenbelt, MD on March 22-24, 2000, in Building 8 Auditorium.  
The meeting will be in session from approximately 8:30 am to 6:00 pm 
each day. 

REGISTRATION
There is a registration fee of $90 for the meeting. Participants should 
submit payment when completing the confirmation form. Please complete 
the confirmation form no later than Wednesday, March 1, 2000. 
Registration on-site will begin at 7:00 am outside the auditorium. 

MEALS
Continental breakfast, morning and afternoon breaks will be available
each day outside the auditorium. Lunches and dinners on Wednesday and 
Thursday and lunch on Friday will be served at the Goddard Recreation 
Center. Vegetarian options will be available for dinner. The dinners 
will be followed by conference activities at the same place. Presentations 
Thursday evening will be of general interest. The confirmation form 
includes the possibility of requesting the Thursday dinner for a guest.

Bus transportation will be provided between Building 8 and the Goddard 
Recreation Center. The Goddard Recreation center is approximately 1 mile 
from the auditorium.

PROCEEDINGS
There will be no conference proceedings. A booklet containing the meeting 
abstracts will be  distributed at the meeting.

SECURITY CLEARANCE
Civil servant personnel from NASA Headquarters and other NASA centers may 
enter GSFC via the Main Gate located on Greenbelt Road (Route 193).  You 
need only show your NASA badge to the guard as you drive through.   All 
other meeting participants must obtain a Special Event/Visitors Badge 
at the Main Gate.  Please have valid government issued photo identification 
(i.e. driver's license, passport, VISA). If you have a green card and/or 
a passport, you must have the original document with you at all times.  
Xeroxed or faxed copies of a green card or passport will not be accepted. 
The Special Event/Visitors Badge should be kept on you at all times while 
on center. 

International Visitors must register for security clearance no later than 
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2000.  Please indicate citizenship status on the 
enclosed Confirmation Form.  Upon arrival individuals will be required to 
register at the Main Gate house and obtain a yellow International Visitors 
badge. Entrance into GSFC may be seriously delayed or denied for those 
International Visitors that do not follow proper procedure and register 
by SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2000.  PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR GREEN 
CARD AND/OR PASSPORT WITH YOU. 

We will submit a memo to Goddard Security for all persons that have 
pre-registered for the meeting to expedite this process.

If you which to bring a guest to the Thursday evening dinner, please
include information for the guest as well.

HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS
A block of 30 rooms has been reserved for the nights of  3/21, 3/22, 
and 3/23 at the Holiday Inn Greenbelt, 7200 Hanover Drive, Greenbelt, MD  
20770.  To reserve your room, please call 1-800-280-4188 or 301-982-7000, 
and please refer to the NASA Rossi 2000 meeting to ensure that you receive 
the special room rate.  The room rate arranged for you is $99.00 
single/double plus 10% tax.  Check-in is at 3:00  pm and Check-out is at 
12:00 Noon.  YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR ROOM NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 
20, 2000.  The remaining rooms will be released that day at midnight, 
and the rate will return to the hotel's standard rate at that time.

An additional block of 50 rooms has been reserved for the same nights at 
the Holiday Inn College Park, 10000 Baltimore Blvd., College Park, MD.  
To reserve your room, please call 301-345-6700, and please refer to the 
'NASA Rossi 2000 meeting' to ensure that you receive the special room rate.  
The room rate arranged for you is $109.00 single/double plus 10% tax.  
Check-in is at 3:00 pm and Check-out is at 12:00 Noon.  YOU MUST RESERVE 
YOUR ROOM NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2000.  The remaining rooms 
will be released that day at midnight, and the rate will return to the 
hotel's standard rate at that time.

We have arranged for round-trip bus transportation between the Holiday Inns 
and NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center for those of you that need it.  
Please indicate whether you need this transportation on the Confirmation 
Form below.  

TRAVEL SUPPORT
A very limited amount of funds will be available to defray the cost of 
travel to the meeting for a small number of participants. We expect that 
this would be limited to students and/or those with very limited 
institutional support for travel. Please contact  Tod Strohmayer  
(stroh@clarence.gsfc.nasa.gov) or Jean Swank (swank@pcasun1.gsfc.nasa.gov) 
for further information.


AIR TRAVEL: 
Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport is bout 35 miles away and 
is the most accessible. Reagan National is approximately 20 and Washington 
Dulles is approximately 50. 

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORTS:

FROM NATIONAL AIRPORT:

Airport Shuttle: Airport Shuttle provides service from National Airport to 
the Greenbelt / College Park area.  The one-way cost will be approximately 
$45 to the Holiday Inn-Greenbelt.   For information, call (410) 381-2772.

Blue Top Cab (affiliate of Washington Flyer Taxi): The one-way cost from 
National Airport to the Holiday Inn-Greenbelt is $27-$35.  It is very 
important not to call them until you have retrieved your baggage because 
you must provide the dispatcher with the door number of the baggage claim 
area where you will be standing.  Their phone number is 703-578-1111.

Taxi Cabs: Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland taxicabs are available 
at the exits of each terminal.  Dispatchers are available at the exits to 
assist passengers.

FROM DULLES AIRPORT
Airport Shuttle: Airport Shuttle provides service from Dulles to the 
Greenbelt / College Park area.  The one-way cost will be approximately 
$60 to the Holiday Inn-Greenbelt.  For information, call (410) 381-2772.

Washington Flyer Taxi: The one-way cost from Dulles Airport to the Holiday 
Inn-Greenbelt is $65 (advance reservations are required).  For more 
information or to arrange your trip, call 703-528-4440 or 703-661-8230.

FROM BWI AIRPORT
Supershuttle:  Provides service from 5:30 am to 12:30 am daily, and the 
one-way cost to the Holiday Inn-Greenbelt will be $19 for the first 
person and $5 for each additional person.  Twenty-four hour advance 
reservations are recommended.  Call Supershuttle at 800-BLUE-VAN 
(1-800-258-3826).

Airport Taxi: Taxi service from BWI to any destination is available on 
the  lower level near each exit.  Please note that this service is available 
from BWI only.  The one-way cost will be approximately $30 from BWI to the 
Greenbelt area.  For information, call (410) 859-1100.

Airport Shuttle: Airport Shuttle provides service from BWI to the 
Greenbelt / College Park area.  The one-way cost will be approximately 
$35 to Holiday Inn-Greenbelt.  For information, call (410) 381-2772.

DIRECTIONS TO THE HOLIDAY INN GREENBELT
>From Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport: Follow the exit road 
out of BWI Airport and follow the signs for the Baltimore Washington Parkway, 
Rt. 295 towards Washington. You will be on 295 for approximately 20-30 
minutes.
Take the Rt. 193-Greenbelt Road/ College Road. At the third stop light (at 
the Exxon gas station) make a right onto Hanover Parkway. Proceed to the next 
light and make a right onto Greenway Center Drive, the hotel will be on your 
left-hand side.

>From Washington National Airport: Leaving the airport you will be on the 
George
Washington Memorial Parkway North. Bear to the right onto 395 North. You will 
go over the 14th Street bridge, continue on 395 North, following signs for 
I-295 North (Baltimore Washington Parkway). Stay on 295 North for 
approximately
5 miles and take the exit for Greenbelt Road (this is just after the exits 
for I-95). Make a left at the stop light, and then make a right at the next 
stop light onto Hanover Parkway. Proceed to the next light and make a right 
onto Greenway Center Drive, the hotel will be on your left-hand side.

>From Dulles International Airport: Follow the Dulles Access Road to I-495. 
Take the first access ramp for Baltimore/Silver Spring/Bethesda. Stay on 
I-495 for approximately 45 minutes. Take Exit 23 (Kenilworth Avenue), 
when exiting you will bear to the right. Proceed to the light following 
signs for Greenbelt Road (193). Make a left at the traffic light onto 
Greenbelt Road. After about a mile, make a right onto Hanover Parkway. 
Proceed to the next light and make a right onto Greenway Shopping 
Center Drive, the hotel will be on your left-hand side.

North of Maryland: Take I-95 South past Baltimore toward Washington, DC. 
Proceed to Exit 23 (Kenilworth Avenue). When exiting you will bear to 
the right. Proceed to the light following signs for Greenbelt Road 
(Rt. 193). Make a left at the traffic light onto Greenbelt Road. 
After about a mile, make a right onto Hanover Parkway. Proceed to 
the next light and make a right onto Greenway Center Drive, the 
hotel will be on your left-hand side.

South of Maryland: Take I-95 North towards Baltimore, take Exit 22B 
onto Greenbelt Road. Make a right onto Hanover Parkway. Proceed to 
the next light and make a right onto Greenway Center Drive, the hotel 
will be on your left-hand side.

TO GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER FROM HOLIDAY INN
Make a left onto Hanover Parkway. Make a right at the light onto Greenbelt 
Road. Take a left at the 3rd light into the visitor's entrance of Goddard 
Space Flight Center. Stop at the Security Office on the right hand side 
and get visitors parking pass.

DIRECTIONS TO THE HOLIDAY INN COLLEGE PARK
>From Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport: Follow Route   I-195 
West from the Airport, and take the Exit for I-295 South (Baltimore-Washington 
Parkway).  Follow the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to I-495/95 North toward 
Silver Spring.  Follow I-495/95 to Exit 25A (Rt. 1 toward Laurel).  Turn 
right onto Rt. 1 (Baltimore Blvd.), and the hotel will be immediately on 
your left.

>From Reagan National Airport: Follow signs from the airport marked 
Route 1 South toward Alexandria.  Then take the Exit for Route 95 North 
toward Baltimore.  Stay on Rt. 96 North to Exit 25A (Rt. 1 toward Laurel).  
Turn right onto Route 1 (Baltimore Blvd.), and the hotel is immediately 
on your left.

>From Dulles International Airport: Take the Dulles Airport Access Road to 
I-495 (Capital Beltway) East toward Baltimore.  Follow approximately 35-40 
miles to Exit 25A (Route 1/ Laurel/College Park).  Turn right onto Route 1 
(Baltimore Blvd.), and the hotel is immediately on your left.

DIRECTIONS TO GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
>From Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport: Follow the exit road 
out of BWI Airport and follow the signs for the Baltimore Washington Parkway, 
Rt. 295 towards Washington. You will be on 295 for approximately 20-30 
minutes.
Take the Rt. 193-Greenbelt Road/ College Park/ NASA Goddard exit. At the stop 
sign make a left, make another left at light onto Greenbelt Road. Follow 
Greenbelt Road for approximately 2 miles to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 
which will be on your left.

>From Washington National Airport: Leaving the airport you will be on the 
George
Washington Memorial Parkway North.  Bear to the right onto 395 North. You will 
go over the 14 the Street bridge, continue to follow signs for 395 North, 
following signs for I-295 North (Baltimore Washington Parkway). Stay on 295 
North for approximately 5 miles and take the exit for Greenbelt Road (this is 
just after the exits for I-95). Make a left at the stoplight. This will be 
Greenbelt Road (Rt. 193). Follow Greenbelt Road for approximately 2 miles to 
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be on your left.

>From Dulles International Airport:Follow the Dulles Access Road to I-495. 
Take the first access ramp for Baltimore/Silver Spring/Bethesda. Stay on 
I-495 for approximately 45 minutes. Take Exit 23 (Kenilworth Avenue), when 
exiting you will bear to the right. Proceed to the light following signs 
for Greenbelt Road (193). Make a left at the traffic light onto Greenbelt 
Road. Follow Greenbelt Road for approximately 3 miles to NASA Goddard Space 
Flight Center, which will be on your left.

North of Maryland: Take I-95 South past Baltimore toward Washington, DC. 
Proceed to Exit 23 (Kenilworth Avenue). When exiting you will bear to the 
right. Proceed to the light following signs for Greenbelt Road (Rt. 193). 
Make a left at the traffic light onto Greenbelt Road. Follow Greenbelt 
Road for approximately 3 miles to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 
which will be on your left.

South of Maryland: Take I-95 North towards Baltimore, take Exit 22A onto 
Greenbelt Road (193). Follow Greenbelt Rd. for approximately 2 miles to 
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be on your left.


CONFIRMATION FORM
ROSSI 2000 
March 22-24, 2000

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING (Items 1 through 11) AND SUBMIT NO LATER 
THAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2000, to kregul@westover-gb.com  or 
fax to: 301-345-4659.  We appreciate your prompt response.  This helps 
us with our catering requirements and other arrangements.

1.  NAME: ________________________________________________________

2.  COMPANY: _____________________________________________________

3.  ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________

4.  PHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________________

5.  FAX NUMBER: __________________________________________________

6.  EMAIL: ________________________________________________________

7.  PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING (Registration Fee $90):   ____Yes   ____No
	
8.  PLAN TO ATTEND THE DINNER: ____Yes   ____No

9.  CITIZENSHIP: ___________________________________________________

GREEN CARD:   _____ Yes      _____ No

Please submit the $90 Registration Fee using one of the following payment 
methods.  If you choose to pay by credit card, you may fax to 301-345-4659:

 _____ AMEX        _____ M/C        _____ VISA   

 Credit  Card #_________________________________, Exp. ___________

 Signature: ____________________________________________________

 _____ CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO RSIS (Please mail no later than 
           March 1, 2000)


Please mail check to:

Kathy Regul
Westover Consultants, Inc.
7833 Walker Drive
Suite 560
Greenbelt, MD  20770
Phone: 301-345-3211, X106 or 1-800-634-6326
Fax: 301-345-4659
Email: kregul@westover-gb.com 


10. ROUND-TRIP BUS TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN THE HOLIDAY INN AND
      NASA/GSFC:  _____ Yes     _____ No

11. BUS TRANSPORTATION TO THE  DINNER:  ____Yes    ____No 



SCIENCE PROGRAM


Preliminary Agenda for ROSSI2000

Wednesday March 22, 2000:

8:25 Welcome and Greetings

8:30 - 10:15  Galactic Source Rapid Variability I

10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break - poster viewing

10:45 - 12:30 Galactic Source Rapid Variability II

12:30 - 2:00  Lunch

2:00  - 3:45  AGN Variability

3:45 - 4:15   Coffee break - poster viewing

4:15 - 6:00   X-ray pulsars and magnetic accretors     


Dinner, evening workshop on 'Using RXTE'


Thursday March 23, 2000:

8:30 - 10:15  Millisecond Variability and New Probes of Fundamental Physics
               
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break - poster viewing

10:45 - 12:30 Nuclear Burning on Neutron Stars: New Insights and Theoretical 
              Challanges 

12:30 - 2:00  Lunch

2:00  - 3:45  'Magnetars', SGR's and AXP

3:45 - 4:15   Coffee break - poster viewing

4:15 - 6:00  White Dwarf Systems - IPs, Polars, dwarf novae 


Banquet - movie, video, outreach presentation


Friday, March 24, 2000:

8:30 - 10:15 Spectral Diagnostics of Accretion Flows I: XRBs, connections to 
             AGN spectra 

10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 - 12:30 Spectral Diagnostics of Accretion Flows II: AGN 

12:30 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30 - 3:00  Multiwavelength Studies and the Disk - Jet Connection

3:00 - 4:30  The Future of X-ray Timing


Invited speakers:      (* not yet confirmed)

Michiel van der Klis   Rapid X-ray Variability in XRBs 

Tod Strohmayer         Burst Oscillations and Their Implications

Ron Remillard          Black Hole QPOs

Rick Edelson           Variability of Radio Quiet AGN

Ian McHardy            Blazar Variability

Deepto Chakrabarty     Accreting Pulsars

Biff Heindl            Cyclotron Lines from Magnetic Neutron Stars.

Fred Lamb              Theory of Kilohertz Variability.

Dimitrios Psaltis      Lense Thirring Precession and Kilohertz Variability

Lars Bildsten          Thermonuclear Burning

Andrew Cumming         Angular Momentum Transport on Rotating Neutron Stars.

Chryssa Kouveliotou    Observations of SGR pulsars

Vicky Kaspi            Observations of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars

Robert Duncan*         SGRs, AXPs as Magnetars

Dave Marsden           Altervatives to Superstrong Magnetic fields in SGRs and 
                       AXPs

Coel Hellier*          White dwarf Binary Systems

Peter Wheatley         Dwarf Novae

Mike Nowak             Spectral and Timing Diagnostics of Accretion in XRBs

Kim Weaver             Spectral diagnostics of AGN

Rob Fender             Multiwavelength studies of disk - jet connections

Didier Barret          The European Timing Mission, EXTRA

Phil Kaaret            Future Timng Missions

Cole Miller            New Future Science from kHz Variability 

Joern Wilms           Spectral and Timing States in BH Binaries

Rita Sambruna          Variability of Radio Loud AGN

Paul Nandra            AGN X-ray Spectroscopy

Chris Done             Relativistic Iron Lines from Galactic BH