Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX)

Now more than 12 years in operation, the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX)  12 m submillimeter telescope has significantly contributed to a wide variety of submillimeter astronomy science areas, ranging from the discoveries of new molecules to large and deep imaging of the submillimeter sky.

Since 2012 the Ringberg APEX workshops bring together APEX users working on a wide range of exciting results covering the Solar System to distance galaxies in the early universe. APEX2018 aims at presenting new science results and to looking into new science opportunities for the next years.

Earlier this year, the partners signed another extension of APEX operations to 2022. This extension comes with upgrades of the antenna itself as well as the commissioning of new instruments, including new large cameras for wide-field continuum imaging and new heterodyne instruments highly complementary to ALMA.

While ALMA operation is in full swing, APEX is strengthening its role not only as pathfinder for studying large source samples and spatial scales to prepare detailed high angular resolution ALMA follow ups, but also as fast response instruments to complement new results from ALMA. Furthermore, APEX ensures southern hemisphere access for submillimeter projects complementing archival Herschel research as well as new SOFIA science.

The conference venue Ringberg Castle provides a unique setting for in depth discussions on current and future science with APEX. In particular, sessions on new scientific results, on synergies with other observatories and on the exploitation of the upcoming new APEX capabilities are envisioned.