VI Serbian Conference on Spectral Line Shapes in Astrophysics
Sremski Karlovci, Serbia June 11-15 2007

This conference is a part of the activities on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade

Scientific Rationale

The spectral lines, their widths, and shapes, are powerful tools for emitting/absorbing gas diagnostics in different astrophysical objects (from the Solar system to the most distant objects in the Universe - quasars). The emission/absorption lines of astrophysical objects are produced over a wide range of distances from an observer and under a wide range of physical and kinematical conditions. Therefore in astrophysical objects the lines from X-ray (Fe K) to the radio (radio recombination line) have been observed. On the other hand, the experimental and theoretical investigations of laboratory plasma have been applied in spectroscopic astrophysical research, especially atomic data needed for line shape calculations. This conference will bring together astronomers (observers and theoreticians) and physicists to review the present stage of investigation (Serbia and elsewhere), with the aim of improving our knowledge in this field, and to better understand the significance of emission/absorption lines for future astrophysical investigations.

The program will focus on:
- Stellar and interstellar spectral lines
- Spectral line phenomena in extragalactic objects
- Spectral lines in laboratory plasma

Venue

The conference will be held in hotel "Dunav" in Sremski Karlovci. Sremski Karlovci, "a town of history" is located on mild slopes spreading from the Danube towards Fruska Gora, on the road connecting Novi Sad and Belgrade (12 km from Novi Sad). The settlement in the outskirts of Fruska Gora valley, towards the river, has existed here from ancient times. Architectural monuments of Sremski Karlovci are rare examples of style and artistic shaping. The Orthodox Church built (1758-1762) in a baroque style, with the changed renaissance facade (1909) treasures the exquisite works of painters such as Kracun, Cesljar, Orfelin and Paja Jovanovic. The building of the Magistrate (1806-1811) in the empire style represents a fine example of such architecture. The Roman-catholic church, built at the beginning of the 18th century and renewed in 1768, possesses interesting elements in the complex of diverse construction.

History of Sremski Karlovci

The town was first mentioned in historical documents in 1308 with the name Karom. Until 1521, the Karom was a possession of the Hungarian noble family Báthory. Turkish military commander Bali-beg conquered Karom in 1521, and in the next 170 years, the town was part of the Ottoman Empire. The Slavic name for the town - Karlovci, was first recorded in 1533.

Between November 16, 1698, and January 26, 1699, the town of Sremski Karlovci was the site of a congress that ended the hostilities between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League, a coalition of various European powers including Austria, Poland, Venice and Russia; the congress produced the Treaty of Karlowitz. After this peace treaty, the town was part of the Habsburg Monarchy and was included into the Military Frontier. According to the 1702 data, the population of the town was composed of 215 Orthodox and 13 Catholic houses, while according to the 1753 data, the population of the town numbered 3,843 people, of which 3,110 were ethnic Serbs.

The town was also the spiritual, political and cultural center of the Serbs in the Austrian empire. The Metropolitan of the Serb Orthodox Church resided in the town. To this day, the Serb Orthodox Patriarch retains the title of Metropolitan of (Sremski) Karlovci. The town also featured the earliest Serb (and Slavic in general) grammar school (Serbian: gimnazija/гимназија, French: lycée) founded on August 3rd, 1791. Three years after this, an Orthodox seminary was also founded in the town. It was the second oldest Orthodox seminary in the World (After the Spiritual Academy in Kiev), and it operates to this day.

On the Serb National Assembly in Sremski Karlovci in May, 1848, Serbs declared the unification of the regions of Srem, Banat, Bačka, and Baranja (including parts of the Military Frontier) into the province of Serbian Vojvodina. The first capital of Serbian Vojvodina was in Sremski Karlovci, until it was latter moved to Zemun, Veliki Bečkerek, and Temišvar.

When Serbian Vojvodina was in 1849 transformed into the new province named Vojvodina of Serbia and Tamiš Banat, Sremski Karlovci were not included into this province, but were returned under the administration of the Military Frontier (Slavonian Krajina). With the abolishment of the Military Frontier in 1881, the town was included into Croatia-Slavonia, the autonomous kingdom within Austria-Hungary.

In 1918, the town became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In the 1920s, the town became the headquarters of Russian White émigrés of General Wrangel whose monument remains to this day. It was also home to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

Between 1929 and 1941, the town was part of Danube Banovina, a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War 2 (1941-1944), the town was occupied by the Axis Powers and it was attached to the Independent State of Croatia. During that time its name was changed to Hrvatski Karlovci. Since the end of the war, the town has been part of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

Between 1980 and 1989, Sremski Karlovci was one of the seven municipalities of Novi Sad City. Today, the municipality is not part of Novi Sad City, but a separate administrative unit.