Interpreting signals from astrophysical transient experiments
  Time domain astronomy has come of age with astronomers now able to monitor
the sky at high cadence both across the electromagnetic spectrum and using
neutrinos and gravitational waves. The advent of new observing facilities
permits new science, but the ever increasing throughput of facilities demands
efficient communication of coincident detections and better subsequent
coordination among the scientific community so as to turn detections into
scientific discoveries. To discuss the revolution occurring in our ability to
monitor the Universe and the challenges it brings, on 2012 April 25-26 a group
of scientists from observational and theoretical teams studying transients met
with representatives of the major international transient observing facilities
at the Kavli Royal Society International Centre, UK. This immediately followed
the Royal Society Discussion meeting "New windows on transients across the
Universe" held in London. Here we present a summary of the Kavli meeting at
which the participants discussed the science goals common to the transient
astronomy community and analysed how to better meet the challenges ahead as
ever more powerful observational facilities come on stream.
