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Hot subluminous stars are objects situated between the upper end of the white dwarf cooling sequence and main sequence in the H-R Diagram. Most are hot subdwarf O/B stars that are either currently fusing helium to carbon in their cores on the extended horizontal branch, or recently stopped core fusion and are evolving towards the white dwarf cooling track. Several other types of objects also have evolutionary tracks passing through or near this part of the H-R Diagram, including post-AGB sdO stars, pre-extremely low mass white dwarfs, blue large-amplitude pulsators, and more. All hot subluminous stars are evolved objects thought to share one common trait: binary interactions are necessary for their formation. Given their formation histories, studies of hot subdwarfs and related objects can provide powerful insights into Roche lobe overflow processes, common envelope evolution, and other interesting astrophysical phenomena. The broader impacts of these studies touch on gravitational wave physics, the survivability of exoplanets, Type Ia supernovae, and more. Current and future large telescopes and surveys have and will continue to expand our knowledge of these intriguing stars—especially in the era of quickly advancing machine learning algorithms and complex statistical methods.

sdOB12 will build on the foundational knowledge from previous meetings by discussing the following key topics:

Origins and Evolutionary Pathways: Examining both standard and alternative mechanisms behind the formation of hot subdwarfs.
Population Studies: Investigating the distribution and characteristics of hot subdwarfs in the field, clusters, and galaxies to understand their formation and evolutionary processes on a broader scale.
Role in Binary and Multiple Star Systems: Understanding the dynamics and evolution within hot subdwarf systems and the nature of their companions.
Atmospheric Properties: Investigating the unique chemical and physical properties of hot subdwarf atmospheres.
Pulsation and Asteroseismology: Using stellar pulsations to probe internal structures and test theoretical models.
Advancements in Stellar Physics: Exploring common envelopes, convection, diffusion, atomic interactions, and tidal effects within hot subdwarfs.
Connections to Other Stellar Objects: Linking the behavior of hot subdwarfs to that of progenitor, successor, and related systems, such as red giant binaries, white dwarf binaries, pre-ELM white dwarfs, and BLAPs.

Additionally, sdOB12 will emphasize the integration of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies in the field:

Impact of Upcoming Surveys: Discussing the potential transformations in our understanding of hot subdwarfs brought by current/forthcoming large-scale surveys like Gaia, SDSS, LSST, BlackGEM, Argus, LAMOST, Roman, and more.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence: Exploring how machine learning can enhance data analysis and interpretation, potentially uncovering new insights into stellar behavior and evolution.

Organizing Commitees

Scientific Organizing Commitee (SOC):

Veronika Schaffenroth (Chair), Brad Barlow, Andrzej Baran, Xuefei Chen, Stephan Geier, JJ Hermes, Simon Jeffery, Thomas Kupfer, Marilyn Latour, Holly Preece, Valérie Van Grootel, Maja Vučkovič