Dear Colleagues,

We (David Cohen and Margaret Hanson) are organizing the focus session
on Wednesday afternoon, the first day of the Disks around Hot Stars
Workshop in Tennessee.  We've lined up three excellent speakers to discuss
"Diagnostic Methods."  A brief outline is included below.  We encourage
those with an interest in making a small (single transparency)
contribution to contact us this week (dcohen1@swarthmore.edu,
hanson@physics.uc.edu).  There will be time for questions and discussions
after each speaker, as well as when we wrap up the session.

Richard Townshend (U Delaware) will present spectroscopic methods
used in the study of rapidly rotating Be stars.  Rich will review basic
absorption line formation and diagnostics, and he will show how observers
must account for the physical effects of rapid rotation in synthesizing
line profiles and analyzing spectroscopic data.

Karen Bjorkman (U Toledo) will review polarimetric diagnostics useful
in the study of stellar disks. She will review three key methods:
photo-polarimetry and broad band continuum diagnostics, spectropolarimetry
and detailed wavelength dependent behavior, and imaging polarimetry.
Karen will emphasize diagnostics that will become more important and
widely available in the near future, as well the issues involved in
removing interstellar polarization.

Marc Gagne (West Chester U) will provide us with an in depth review of
the diagnostic methods used in the study of the magnetic O star Theta-1
Ori C.  Marc will present the fascinating history of how the magnetic
field was predicted and then ultimately uncovered, and how it explains
spectroscopic and photometric variations seen in many parts of the
spectrum in this prototypical magnetic hot star.

We encourage audience participation in the diagnostics focus session. If
you let us know before the meeting, we will make sure you have the
opportunity to comment on one (or more) of the presentations, including
the showing of one transparency (or computer-based slide or simulation).
We look forward to seeing everyone there!

David Cohen
Margaret Hanson