Speaker
Description
I will discuss progress in mapping the atomic and diffuse molecular components of the ISM in the Milky Way, with particular focus on observing and correcting for the so-called "dark ISM". It is now known that a significant fraction of the Milky Way ISM resides in this "dark" phase, usually defined as a mixture of cold, optically thick HI and diffuse molecular hydrogen with densities that are insufficient to form and shield CO. Surveys such as GASKAP will give an unprecedented view of the Milky Way's gas, not only via improved HI emission maps, but also through HI and OH absorption, which can be used to recover and characterise material that would otherwise remain unseen. I will also provide a general update on the status of the GASKAP project.
