1st announcement
MR2005 US-Japan Workshop on Magnetic Reconnection, 
Plasma Merging, and Magnetic Jets 
- "Astrophysical Reconnection and Particle Acceleration"

Awajishima island, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
8-10 March 2005

The recent development of astrophysical observatiohns has revealed
that the universe and astrophysical objects are much more dynamic
than had been thought. They often show flares, bursts, jets, and
high energy particles, and most of them are more or less 
related to magnetic reconnection.  Hence it is timely to have a workshop to
discuss "Astrophysical Reconnection and Particle Acceleration", which
is the sub-title of this meeting. Basic reconnection research and
related subjects are also to be discussed as basis of astrophysical
applications.

SOC: 
    K. Shibata (Kyoto Univ.; chair), T. Terasawa (Univ. Tokyo), 
    M. Hoshino (Univ. Tokyo),  Y. Ono (Univ. Tokyo), 
    M. Yamada (Princeton Plasma Physics Lab),
    T. Forbes (Univ. New Hampshire), S. Prager (Univ, Wisconsin)

LOC : K. Shibata (chair), T. Miyagoshi, S. Tanuma, H. Isobe (Kyoto Univ), 
      T. Yokoyama (Univ. Tokyo)
                  
Location: Minami Awaji Royal Hotel, Awajishima, near Kobe,
    about 2-3 hours from Kansai airport by car
    (about 1-2 hours from Kobe)
    this is a famous place as Naruto-no-Uzushio (vortices on the sea)
    16000 yen per night for single use including breakfast and dinner
    http://www.daiwaresort.co.jp/awaji/fact.html


Schedule:
Oct 15: 1st circular to candidate of invited speakers
Nov 30: 2nd circular
Dec 31: deadline of abstract
Jan 31: deadline of registration
Jan 31: program, final circular
March 8-10 : meeting

Registration form will be given in 2nd circular