Science with Large Solar Telescopes

With several large aperture optical/IR telescopes coming on-line, and scheduled for the near future, solar physics is on the verge of a quantum leap in observational capabilities. An efficient use of such facilities will require new and innovative approaches to both observatory operations and data handling.

This two-days long Special Session will discuss the science expected with large solar telescopes, and start addressing the strategies necessary to optimize their scientific return. Cutting edge solar science as derived from state of the art observations and numerical simulations will be presented, and discussions will be held on the role of large facilities in satisfying the demanding requirements of spatial and temporal resolution, stray-light, and spectro-polarimetric accuracy. Building on the experience of recently commissioned telescopes, we will then discuss critical issues for the development of future facilities including operational issues peculiar to large telecopes, and strategies for their best use.