Harold Yorke
SOFIA Science Center (retired)
Summary Talk
The Promise of Far Infrared Astronomy In the far-infrared regime, where roughly one half of the energy emitted since the Big Bang is concentrated, photometry, spectroscopy, and observations of polarization provide unique key clues regarding the nature of a broad range of astronomical sources. Far infrared astronomy thus has a huge potential for new discoveries. Future far infrared observatories could provide unique insight into previously unanswered and currently unanswerable questions pertaining to the processes governing galaxy, star, and planet formation and evolution. As a conference summary talk, I will attempt to provide context to these potential discoveries in light of current research discussed at this meeting.
