Mini-conference and related sessions on laboratory plasma astrophysics

This paper provides a summary of some major physics issues and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics. This mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society’s Division of Plasma Physics 2003 Annual Meeting (October 27–31, 2003). Also included are brief summaries of selected talks on the same topic presented at two invited paper sessions (including a tutorial) and two contributed focus oral sessions, which were organized in coordination with the mini-conference by the same organizers. © 2004 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70409/2/PHPAEN-11-5-2976-1.pd