First circular:
First announcement: The many tones of accretion – Cefalù, 7–11 September 2026
Dear colleagues,Please find below the announcement of a conference we will held in Sicily in September (7-11) to commemorate Tomaso Belloni, who left us in 2023.Feel free to forward this message to whomever may be interested.Bests,Sara Motta* * * * *Announcement: The many tones of accretion – to the memory of Tomaso BelloniWe are pleased to announce the international conference:“The many tones of accretion – to the memory of Tomaso Belloni”,to be held in: Cefalù (Sicily, Italy), 7–11 September 2026.This meeting is dedicated to the memory of Tomaso Belloni, whose pioneering work on X-ray timing, spectral states, and variability in compact accreting systems has fundamentally shaped the field. The conference will bring together the high-energy astrophysics community to discuss recent advances in accretion physics, variability, and jet formation in X-ray binaries and related compact objects, while also looking ahead to future directions.Scientific topics include• Accretion onto compact objects: foundations and open problems• Black hole X-ray binaries: phenomenology and unification• Neutron star X-ray binaries: similarities and contrasts• Black holes vs neutron stars: what timing reveals• Spectral states, state transitions, and hysteresis in X-ray binaries• X-ray variability as a probe of accretion physics• Quasi-periodic oscillations: observations and interpretations• Low- and high-frequency QPOs, accretion geometry, and strong-gravity effects• Spectral–timing techniques, time lags, and energy-dependent variability• X-ray spectral modelling, reflection, iron lines, and relativistic effects• Jets in X-ray binaries, disk–corona coupling, and multiwavelength views• Radio/X-ray correlations and scaling from X-ray binaries to AGN• Observational challenges, new X-ray missions, and methodological advances• Legacy and future directions in X-ray timing studiesScientific Organising CommitteeDipankar Battacharya; Luigi Stella; Rob Fender; Erik Kuulkers; Jeroen Homan; Piergiorgio Casella; Melania Del Santo; Domitilla De Martino; Diego Altamirano; Michiel van der Klis; Ed van den Heuvel; Elena Pian; Gianluca Israel; Andrea Comastri; Andrea Sanna; Anna Wolter; Sandro Mereghetti; Silvano Molendi; Gianpiero Tagliaferri; Nick Kylafis; Teo Muñoz-Darías; Luciano Burderi; Tiziana Di Salvo; Sara Motta (co-chair); Mariano Mendez (co-chair).Further information, including registration and abstract submission, will be available soon at:We hope many of you will join us in Cefalù for a focused scientific meeting and to honour Tomaso Belloni’s lasting impact on our field.Best regards,Sara Motta and Mariano Méndez
Second circular:
Registration open: The many tones of accretion – Cefalù, 7–11 September 2026
Dear colleagues,
Registration for the conference “The many tones of accretion – to the memory of Tomaso Belloni” is now open.
This international meeting will bring together experts working on accretion onto compact objects, with a particular focus on variability, spectral-timing, and the connection between inflows and outflows. The conference aims to reflect the breadth of topics to which Tomaso Belloni made fundamental contributions, spanning black-hole and neutron-star systems, accretion states, quasi-periodic oscillations, and jets.
The meeting will take place in Cefalù, Italy, from 7 to 11 September 2026.
You can find all details and complete your registration through the conference website:
https://indico.ict.inaf.it/event/3459/
The website includes practical information on registration, fees, abstract submission, accommodation, and the scientific programme.
The deadline for registration is July 1st 2026. Please note that the number of participants is limited, and places will be allocated in the order of registration. Hence, we encourage you to register at your earliest convenience.
We look forward to welcoming you in Cefalù.
Best regards,
Mariano Méndez & Sara Motta
(on behalf of the SOC)