Laboratory astrophysics: key to understanding the Universe
  This brief overview stresses the importance of laboratory data and theory in
analyzing astronomical observations and understanding the physical and chemical
processes that drive the astrophysical phenomena in our Universe. This includes
basic atomic and molecular data such as spectroscopy and collisional rate
coefficients, but also an improved understanding of nuclear, plasma and
particle physics, as well as reactions and photoprocesses in the gaseous and
solid state that lead to chemical complexity and building blocks for life.
Systematic laboratory collision experiments have provided detailed insight into
the steps that produce pebbles, bricks and ultimately planetesimals starting
from sub-$\mu$m-sized grains. Sample return missions and meteoritic studies
benefit from increasingly sophisticated laboratory machines to analyze
materials and provide compositional images on nanometer scales. Prioritization
of future data requirements will be needed to cope with the increasing data
streams from a diverse range of future astronomical facilities within a
constrained laboratory astrophysics budget.
