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As the panel on Planetary Systems and Star Formation (PSF) is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of these areas of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of solar system bodies (other than the Sun) and extrasolar planets, debris disks, exobiology, the formation of individual stars, protostellar and protoplanetary disks, molecular clouds and the cold ISM, dust, and astrochemistry. Central to the progress in these areas are the corresponding advances in laboratory astro- physics which are required for fully realizing the PSF scientific opportunities in the decade 2010-2020. Laboratory astrophysics comprises both theoretical and experimental studies of the underlying physics and chemistry which produce the observed spectra and describe the astrophysical processes. We discuss four areas of laboratory astrophysics relevant to the PSF panel: atomic, molecular, solid matter, and plasma physics. Section 2 describes some of the new opportunities and compelling themes which will be enabled by advances in laboratory astrophysics. Section 3 provides the scientific context for these opportunities. Section 4 discusses some experimental and theoretical advances in laboratory astrophysics required to realize the PSF scientific opportunities of the next decade. As requested in the Call for White Papers, we present in Section 5 four central questions and one area with unusual discovery potential. We give a short postlude in Section 6.

As the Galaxies across Cosmic Time (GCT) panel is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of these areas of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of the formation, evolution, and global properties of galaxies and galaxy clusters, as well as active galactic nuclei and QSOs, mergers, star formation rate, gas accretion, and supermassive black holes. Central to the progress in these areas are the corresponding advances in laboratory astrophysics that are required for fully realizing the GCT scientific opportunities within the decade 2010-2020. Laboratory astrophysics comprises both theoretical and experimental studies of the underlying physics that produce the observed astrophysical processes. The 5 areas of laboratory astrophysics that we have identified as relevant to the CFP panel are atomic, molecular, solid matter, plasma, nuclear, and particle physics. In this white paper, we describe in Section 2 some of the new scientific opportunities and compelling scientific themes that will be enabled by advances in laboratory astrophysics. In Section 3, we provide the scientific context for these opportunities. Section 4 briefly discusses some of the experimental and theoretical advances in laboratory astrophysics required to realize the GCT scientific opportunities of the next decade. As requested in the Call for White Papers, Section 5 presents four central questions and one area with unusual discovery potential. Lastly, we give a short postlude in Section 6.

As the Stars and Stellar Evolution (SSE) panel is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of these areas of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of the Sun as a star, stellar astrophysics, the structure and evolution of single and multiple stars, compact objects, SNe, gamma-ray bursts, solar neutrinos, and extreme physics on stellar scales. Central to the progress in these areas are the corresponding advances in laboratory astrophysics, required to fully realize the SSE scientific opportunities within the decade 2010-2020. Laboratory astrophysics comprises both theoretical and experimental studies of the underlying physics that produces the observed astrophysical processes. The 6 areas of laboratory astrophysics, which we have identified as relevant to the CFP panel, are atomic, molecular, solid matter, plasma, nuclear physics, and particle physics. In this white paper, we describe in Section 2 the scientific context and some of the new scientific opportunities and compelling scientific themes which will be enabled by advances in laboratory astrophysics. In Section 3, we discuss some of the experimental and theoretical advances in laboratory astrophysics required to realize the SSE scientific opportunities of the next decade. As requested in the Call for White Papers, Section 4 presents four central questions and one area with unusual discovery potential. Lastly, we give a short postlude in Section 5.

The WGLA of the AAS promotes collaboration and exchange of knowledge between astronomy and planetary sciences and the laboratory sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). Laboratory data needs of ongoing and next generation planetary science missions are carefully evaluated and recommended in this white paper submitted by the WGLA to Planetary Decadal Survey.

As the Cosmology and Fundamental Physics (CFP) panel is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of these areas of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of the early universe, the microwave background, the reionization and galaxy formation up to virialization of protogalaxies, large scale structure, the intergalactic medium, the determination of cosmological parameters, dark matter, dark energy, tests of gravity, astronomically determined physical constants, and high energy physics using astronomical messengers. Central to the progress in these areas are the corresponding advances in laboratory astrophysics which are required for fully realizing the CFP scientific opportunities within the decade 2010-2020. Laboratory astrophysics comprises both theoretical and experimental studies of the underlying physics which produce the observed astrophysical processes. The 5 areas of laboratory astrophysics which we have identified as relevant to the CFP panel are atomic, molecular, plasma, nuclear, and particle physics. Here, Section 2 describes some of the new scientific opportunities and compelling scientific themes which will be enabled by advances in laboratory astrophysics. In Section 3, we provide the scientific context for these opportunities. Section 4 briefly discusses some of the experimental and theoretical advances in laboratory astrophysics required to realize the CFP scientific opportunities of the next decade. As requested in the Call for White Papers, Section 5 presents four central questions and one area with unusual discovery potential. Lastly, we give a short postlude in Section 6.

As the Galactic Neighborhood (GAN) panel is fully aware, the next decade will see major advances in our understanding of this area of research. To quote from their charge, these advances will occur in studies of the galactic neighborhood, including the structure and properties of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, and their stellar populations and evolution, as well as interstellar media and star clusters. Central to the progress in these areas are the corresponding advances in laboratory astrophysics that are required for fully realizing the GAN scientific opportunities within the decade 2010-2020. Laboratory astrophysics comprises both theoretical and experimental studies of the underlying physics and chemistry that produces the observed astrophysical processes. The 5 areas of laboratory astrophysics that we have identified as relevant to the GAN panel are atomic, molecular, solid matter, plasma, and nuclear physics. In this white paper, we describe in Section 2 some of the new scientific opportunities and compelling scientific themes that will be enabled by advances in laboratory astrophysics. In Section 3, we provide the scientific context for these opportunities. Section 4 briefly discusses some of the experimental and theoretical advances in laboratory astrophysics required to realize the GAN scientific opportunities of the next decade. As requested in the Call for White Papers, Section 5 presents four central questions and one area with unusual discovery potential. Lastly, we give a short postlude in Section 6.