High Time Resolution Astrophysics in the Extremely Large Telescope Era :
  White Paper
  High Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) concerns itself with observations on
short scales normally defined as being lower than the conventional read-out
time of a CCD. As such it is concerned with condensed objects such as neutron
stars, black holes and white dwarfs, surfaces with extreme magnetic
reconnection phenomena, as well as with planetary scale objects through
transits and occultations. HTRA is the only way to make a major step forward in
our understanding of several important astrophysical and physical processes;
these include the extreme gravity conditions around neutron stars and stable
orbits around stellar mass black holes. Transits, involving fast timing, can
give vital information on the size of, and satellites around exoplanets. In the
realm of fundamental physics very interesting applications lie in the regime of
ultra-high time resolution, where quantum-physical phenomena, currently studied
in laboratory physics, may be explored. HTRA science covers the full gamut of
observational optical/IR astronomy from asteroids to {\gamma}-rays bursts,
contributing to four out of six of AstroNet's fundamental challenges described
in their Science Vision for European Astronomy. Giving the European-Extremely
Large Telescope (E-ELT) an HTRA capability is therefore importance. We suggest
that there are three possibilities for HTRA and E-ELT. These are, firstly
giving the E-ELT first light engineering camera an HTRA science capability.
Secondly, to include a small HTRA instrument within another instrument.
Finally, to have separate fibre feeds to a dedicated HTRA instrument. In this
case a small number of fibres could be positioned and would provide a flexible
and low cost means to have an HTRA capability. By the time of E-ELT first
light, there should be a number of significant developments in fast detector
arrays, in particular in the infra-red (IR) region.
