July 2026

21/07/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Eridanus (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — The X-ray view of nova outbursts
Gloria Sala (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)

Abstract

Classical and recurrent novae are among the most luminous transients in the Galaxy, powered by a thermonuclear runaway on an accreting white dwarf. Their eruptions probe extreme regimes of nuclear burning, mass ejection, radiative feedback, and shock physics, and they play a relevant role in the Galactic chemical evolution. X-ray emission from novae arises from three different components: the hot white dwarf atmosphere, visible as a super-soft source at the Eddington luminosity for some time after the outburst; the shock-heated plasma within different velocity components of the ejecta; and finally, when the outburst is over, the accretion-powered cataclysmic variable that has hosted the nova event. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy uniquely constrains white dwarf temperatures and surface composition, while also diagnosing shock velocities, ionization states, and plasma temperatures in the expanding ejecta. Observations to date reveal complex, rapidly evolving spectra that challenge static atmosphere and simple shell models. Recent high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy shows radiative recombination continua (RRC) and signatures of charge exchange (CE)  in the expanding ejecta. At the same time, short-period oscillations detected in the super-soft emission of the post-nova remain a mystery, with their possible scenarios foreseen so far, related to g-mode pulsations or magnetic white dwarfs, both challenging our present understanding of the H-burning process in novae. On the harder X-ray band, shocks in the ejecta probed by X-ray spectroscopy are also responsible for the particle acceleration that powers the VHE detected in many novae. Finally, the effect of the nova outburst itself on the accretion disk and the inter-outburst evolution of the system has been only recently explored thanks to the eROSITA All Sky Survey, confirming the predicted evolution by multi-outburst simulations for the first time.
14/07/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — From atoms and molecules to galaxy formation
Umberto Maio (INAF Trieste)

Abstract

Observations of the high-redshift Universe are reshaping our understanding of how the first stars and galaxies formed. In this talk, I will show how the formation of primordial structures can be modelled by linking microphysical processes to cosmological scales and how these predictions compare with the latest observations from ALMA and JWST.
I will present results from ColdSIM, a suite of hydrodynamical simulations that follows the evolution of cold cosmic gas with non-equilibrium atomic and molecular chemistry, radiative cooling, star formation, stellar feedback, and metal enrichment from SNII, AGB stars, and SNIa. These simulations provide self-consistent predictions for galaxy stellar masses, UV luminosities, and the brightest submillimeter cooling lines, including [C II] 158 μm and [O I] 63 and 145 μm.

By combining simulations with recent observations, I will explore the physical properties of galaxies at z > 5, including their HI and H₂ content, star formation rates from Pop III and Pop II-I stars, gas depletion timescales, star formation efficiencies, and mass-metallicity relations. This comparison provides new insights into the physical processes that drove the formation and early evolution of the first cosmic structures.

07/07/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Dynamically-Driven Evolution of Molecular Clouds in Nearby Galaxies
Jin Koda (Stonybrook)

Abstract

The structure and evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) strongly dictate galactic gas dynamics, star formation (SF), and galaxy evolution. While recent studies emphasize the rapid formation and destruction of molecular structures by stellar feedback, this conflicts with the observed deficiency of HI gas expected from such destruction. Here, I revisit the alternative paradigm: that molecular structures survive long-term and evolve primarily via galactic dynamics. Using ALMA observations of M83 and 12 nearby galaxies from the FACTS survey, I show that molecular cloud properties evolve alongside large-scale galactic structures. This is supported by correlations between environment, CO 2–1/1–0 line ratios, and cloud boundedness. Crucially, stellar feedback enhances CO ratios only near HII regions and fails to increase velocity dispersions, implying limited feedback-driven turbulence. Instead of undergoing rapid destruction, molecular clouds persist, coagulating and fragmenting via galactic dynamical processes. This framework shifts SF theory from the collapse of diffuse gas toward identifying triggers within long-lived clouds, potentially redefining galactic dynamics as a system governed by the motion of more discrete molecular structures rather than pure hydrodynamics.

June 2026

30/06/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Dust and PAHs: a window on galaxy evolution
Max Parente (University of Florida)

Abstract

Cosmic dust and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) account for less than 1% of the interstellar medium by mass, yet they shape the observability of galaxies. Modeling them self-consistently in cosmological simulations of galaxy evolution is one of the main challenges in the ALMA and JWST era.

After introducing the main strategies to model the evolution of galaxies and their dust content, I will present the first cosmological galaxy formation simulation to jointly follow the evolution of the physical grain size distribution and the luminous properties of PAHs across a large volume and cosmic time. I will show how the PAH–metallicity relation emerges naturally from grain shattering in the ISM, and how PAH emission can be used to trace physical properties of galaxies such as star formation rate and molecular gas content. These results provide a physical framework to interpret recent JWST observations at cosmic noon and will help guide future missions such as PRIMA.

23/06/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Feedback in low metallicity starbursts: Lessons for Early Universe Galaxy Evolution
Associate Professor Deanne Fisher (Swinburne University of Technology)

Abstract

There are many reasons that feedback may operate differently in metal-poor, extreme emission line galaxies. These differences now have great urgency, as we want to understand feedback in the metal-poor environments of the early Universe galaxies. I will discuss results we are finding with observing galactic winds in nearby, metal-poor starburst galaxies. These results include surprising discoveries regarding metal-enrichment of outflows and the presence of extreme highly ionised gas, which currently do not have clear explanations. I will then discuss the measurement of mass-loading in metal poor galaxies. I will show that substantial fractions of gas are leaving the galaxies in low velocity bubbles. These bubbles are not observable with JWST, due to the limits in spectral resolution, and thus have strong implications for interpreting high-z galaxies. These results have clear and direct application to new ESO instruments BlueMUSE and MAVIS.

16/06/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Through polarized and multi-wavelength light: probing the accretion geometry in neutron star low mass X-ray binaries
Unnati Kashyap (Texas Technical University)

Abstract

Accretion plays a crucial role in our understanding of how the most extreme objects in the universe, black holes (BHs) and neutron stars (NSs), interact with and energize their surroundings through energetic jets. Neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (NS LMXBs), systems in which a NS accretes matter from a companion star, serve as a natural laboratory for studying these processes. Even after decades of studies employing conventional spectral and timing analyses, the accretion geometry in NS LMXBs remains a subject of ongoing debate. The recent advent of sensitive polarimetry provides a powerful diagnostic tool, and by leveraging cutting-edge telescopes in the multi-wavelength regime, this study implements a novel approach to mapping the geometry of these systems. I will present our current results, which indicate that while some NS LMXBs exhibit alignment between the X-ray polarization angle (PA) and the radio PA, others display significant misalignment. I will further discuss our current efforts to understand the origin of these alignment patterns and their relationship to the jet and accretion-disk geometry, as well as to the spin and orbital axes of the binary systems, thereby offering new constraints on the formation history of NS LMXBs.

09/06/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Disrupted Stars and/or Unstable Disks?: Two Challenging AGN Transients
Marzena Sniegowska (Czech Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

I will present a comparative study of two unusual nuclear transients 
discovered in active galactic nuclei, each challenging the standard 
interpretation of tidal disruption events (TDEs).
The first source, PS16dtm,  is a TDE candidate in a Narrow Line Seyfert 
1 galaxy, exhibiting a double-peaked optical/UV light curve, a low 
blackbody temperature, and suppressed X-ray emission. Spectral and 
timing analysis, combined with viscous accretion flow modeling, suggest 
either the disruption of a ~0.3 solar mass main-sequence star or a 
gradual partial disruption of a low-mass giant on a nearly circular, 
possibly counter-rotating orbit embedded in the pre-existing disk. The 
lack of strong X-rays may be explained by obscuration of the inner 
regions by a gaseous envelope viewed at relatively high inclination.
The second source, AT 2019aalc,  observed in a broad-line AGN, shows two 
major UV/optical flares (2019 and 2023) accompanied during the second 
event by prominent broad Bowen fluorescence and broad high-ionization 
coronal lines. Optical spectroscopic monitoring reveals that these 
emission features evolve broadly in tandem with rebrightening episodes 
in the light curve. While many properties link this object to the 
emerging class of Bowen fluorescence flares, short soft X-ray flares 
observed during the fading phase remain unexplained. For this object, we 
discuss radiation-pressure instabilities in pre-existing AGN disks as a 
possible alternative to canonical TDE scenarios.
Both sources offer the unique opportunity to gain insight into the most 
extreme UV emission, and thus the innermost parts of the accretion flow, 
and  confront model predictions for (recurring) instabilities, partial 
tidal stripping of stars, as well as the line emitting region(s).

 

02/06/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — The jets of X-ray binaries can produce (some of) the most energetic Galactic cosmic rays.
Laura Olivera-Nieto (Amsterdam University)

Abstract

The origin of cosmic-rays remains one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics. Cosmic rays can carry away large fractions of the total energy of their sources, contributing to the energy density of the interstellar medium as much as starlight does. Despite their importance, there are big gaps in our understanding of where and how cosmic rays are accelerated, especially as their energy increases.  Extreme particle acceleration requires rather exotic astrophysical environments, such as the powerful outflows associated with accretion onto black holes ("jets"). In fact, the jets produced by supermassive black holes in the center of distant galaxies are often invoked to explain the most energetic cosmic rays detected. But what about our own Galaxy?  In my talk I will introduce an emerging class of particle accelerators: jets produced by stellar-mass black holes ("X-ray binaries" ) in our own Galactic backyard. Although their relevance was long theorized, it is only recently that the detection of the gamma-ray emission produced by the accelerated particles has began to reveal their potential as particle accelerators. I will describe the current observational evidence that some X-ray binary jets can accelerate particles to energies up to and above 1 PeV and briefly discuss what to expect from the class as a whole and from observations with future and current facilities

May 2026

26/05/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium and Council Room Fornax (ESO, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Decoding galaxy properties with machine learning and simulation based inference
Michele Ginolfi (University Florence)

Abstract

The era of large surveys demands innovative approaches for the rapid and accurate analysis of vast spectral datasets. A promising direction to address this challenge lies in the synergy between physics-based simulations and machine learning. Astronomy, like many other scientific disciplines, relies heavily on simulations to encode our physical understanding of complex processes, generate hypotheses, design experiments, and explore causal relationships. Increasingly, this knowledge is embedded in forward models that produce realistic synthetic spectra, images, and data-cubes. A central and long-standing challenge, however, is the solution of the "inverse problem": inferring the underlying physical parameters from observational data. In this talk, I will present a powerful framework to tackle this problem based on simulation-based inference (SBI) accelerated by neural networks. I will show  preliminary results based on simulated spectra for upcoming instruments, along with ongoing SBI applications aimed at probing the interstellar medium in galaxies. Finally, I will discuss key open challenges, including model interpretability and domain adaptation, with particular emphasis on bridging the gap between synthetic training data and real observations.

19/05/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — JWST Observations of the 17 𝝁m H2 Line Probing Turbulent Dissipation in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium
Paul Goldsmith (JPL)

Abstract

Paul Goldsmith, Shengzhe Wang, Xin Wang, Raphael Skalidis, Gary Fuller, Di Li, Chao-Wei Tsai, Lile Wang, and Donghui Quan

 

One of the many aspects of interstellar medium (ISM) physics that has remained elusive is turbulence.  A significant fraction of the ISM energy resides in the chaotic (turbulent), superthermal motions of the gas, which play a key role in supporting molecular clouds against gravitational collapse and thus have a major influence on the rate of star formation.The origin and dissipation of this energy on small scales remains poorly understood.  Models of turbulent dissipation regions (TDRs) in the diffuse ISM include intermittent bursts of energy loss that can heat gas to temperatures exceeding 1000 K.  These TDRs  consist largely of warm Hmolecules, which can be observed through rovibrational transitions at infrared and far-infrared wavelengths.  The emission integrated over larger scales from such regions was observed in regions around the boundary of the Taurus molecular cloud using Spitzer by Goldsmith et al. (2010).  We have used JWST/MIRI to observe two regions in the boundary of Taurus in the 17.04 𝝁m S(1) transition of ortho H2, and very clearly detected small-scale structure on scales  1” – 2.5” (140 – 350 AU), limited in part by signal to noise ratio considerations (Goldsmith et al. 2025 ApJL).  The column density in the J = 3 level is typically 1.6e17 cm-2.  This is reasonably well-determined, but the total H2 column density uncertainty is large because the 28 mm S(0) line, the lowest transition of para H2, could not be observed with JWST/MIRI.  

We will discuss the implications of these observations in the context of different models of excited H2 emission based on dissipative vortices and shocks.  We will present constraints on the physical conditions based on limited observations of the S(2) 12.28 𝝁m line with JWST, and the connection with observations of widespread presence of CH+ molecular ions in the diffuse interstellar medium which require a high temperature ( ³ 1000K for formation).  The next steps will be to image this emission over larger areas to obtain better statistics on the characteristics of the emitting regions.  This will be carried out in a recently-selected JWST Cycle 5 proposal that will observe four additional sources. 

12/05/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Eridanus (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Modeling the CO SLEDs of High-Redshift Quasars: Constraining AGN Feedback and Molecular Gas Masses
Francesco Salvestrini (INAF Trieste)

Abstract

Luminous high-redshift quasars provide a unique laboratory to investigate the coevolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies during the early stages of galaxy assembly. In these systems, AGN feedback is expected to significantly affect the physical and chemical state of the interstellar medium (ISM), potentially regulating the cold molecular gas reservoir that fuels both star formation and SMBH accretion. Interpreting the observed molecular gas properties, therefore requires physically motivated models capable of linking the cold gas excitation to the underlying gas heating mechanisms.

In this talk, I will present a novel analysis of the CO spectral line energy distributions (CO SLEDs) of luminous high-redshift quasars based on a recent model that combines the internal density structure of giant molecular clouds with stellar heating in photon-dominated regions (PDRs) and AGN-driven heating in X-ray dominated regions (XDRs). Applying this methodology to quasars observed in multiple CO transitions allows us to quantify the contribution of AGN radiative feedback to the high-J CO excitation, while simultaneously deriving robust constraints on the CO-to-H2 conversion factor. For the best-sampled CO SLEDs, the inferred molecular gas masses can be constrained with uncertainties below 15%. These results demonstrate the importance of physically motivated CO SLED modeling to accurately constrain the molecular gas content and feedback processes in massive galaxies in the early Universe.

05/05/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Stellar feedback and supernovae in lensed dusty star-forming galaxies
Patrick Kamieneski (Chalmers)

Abstract

Measurements of the extragalactic background light in the 1990s revealed that nearly half of all starlight in the Universe is absorbed by dust and re-radiated into the far-infrared. In the decades since, we have come to understand the importance of this dust-obscured mode of star formation, which has dominated the volume-averaged star formation rate density over the unobscured mode for the past 12 billion years. The submillimeter-bright population of dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) contributes substantially, with prodigious assembly of stellar mass at rates of 100-1000+ Msun per year. With telescopes like ALMA and JWST, we can resolve their internal structure for the first time. A large fraction of these extreme objects are well-described as isolated rotating disks that replenish gas continuously from the surrounding circumgalactic medium, suggesting that many are simply the highest-mass end of the star-forming main sequence of galaxies. Their ability to sustain intense, efficient star formation is reshaping our conception of how stellar feedback regulates galaxy growth in the early Universe. I will discuss in particular how gravitational lensing is a key tool for zooming in on critical ~100 pc scale regions. Finally, in the latter part of my talk, I will introduce SN-ECHOES, an upcoming JWST Cycle 5 program designed to search for lensed supernovae in DSFGs and their nearby companions with multi-epoch NIRCam imaging. This program has the potential to discover new candidate supernovae for inferring the Hubble constant, H0, through a technique known as time-delay cosmography, but it will also provide a valuable opportunity to better understand the Mpc-scale environments of extreme DSFGs.

April 2026

28/04/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Peering down the barrel with DESI DR2: 10,000+ inflows at z < 0.6
Simon Weng (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille)

Abstract

The depletion time of cold gas reservoirs in galaxies suggests that ongoing accretion is required to sustain star formation. However, direct detections of gas inflows have remained notoriously challenging. In this talk, I will present the detection of more than 50,000 Na I D down-the-barrel absorbers in galaxies at z < 0.6 from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Data Release 2. I will discuss evidence for multiple pathways of accretion found in more than 10,000 galaxies, including radial inflows, gas recycling via fountains and mergers. I will then examine the stellar and morphological properties of galaxies hosting inflows and outflows. Finally, I will discuss the derivation of mass inflow and outflow rates from these measurements to understand whether ongoing accretion can sustain the star formation rate of galaxies at low redshift.

21/04/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — The PLATO Mission: Science data and Open Time proposals
Miguel Mas-Hesse (CSIC-INTA Madrid)

Abstract

PLATO is the ESA's M3 mission optimized for the identification and characterization of Earth-like planets orbiting within the habitable zone of Sun-like stars, i.e., true Earth analogues. The mission development has already been completed and after finishing the late tests at ESTEC it should be shipped after the Summer to Kourou, for a launch planned for January 2027. 
In this talk I will summarize the performance of PLATO, the kind of data it will provide and the characteristics of the different data releases. A call for open time proposals during the first 2 years of operations was released last April 7th, and will remain open until May 21st. I will present how to prepare proposals for open time, the capabilities and limitations, and will provide some guidelines about the Proposal Handling tools at ESA.  

14/04/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Classical Cepheid Pulsation Models from Gaia to JWST: Implications for the Distance Scale and Stellar Population Studies
Giulia De Somma (INAF-Naples)

Abstract

Classical Cepheids are fundamental calibrators of the cosmic distance scale and powerful tracers of stellar populations. In this talk, I present a new grid of nonlinear, convective pulsation models computed with the Stellingwerf hydrodynamical code.

The models are computed by simultaneously varying the mass–luminosity relation and the efficiency of superadiabatic convection, enabling a systematic exploration of key physical uncertainties. In the Gaia passbands, they provide the first homogeneous theoretical atlas of light curves, together with new metallicity-dependent Period–Luminosity–Color and Period–Wesenheitrelations. When applied to Galactic Cepheids with measured metallicities, these relations allow the derivation of theoretical parallaxes that can be directly compared with Gaia astrometry, offering an independent assessment of the Gaia parallax zero-point in view of Gaia DR4.

The same framework is extended to the near-infrared by transforming bolometric light curves into the JWST and Roman photometric systems. I will briefly present the first theoretical Period–Luminosity–Color and Period–Wesenheit relations in these bands, currently in preparation, along with initial predictions for the distance scale and a comparison with recent results based on JWST Cepheid samples from the literature.

By combining pulsation models with updated BaSTI evolutionary tracks, new metallicity-dependent Period–Age and Period–Age–Color relations are also derived in both Gaia and JWST passbands, enabling precise age estimates for Galactic Cepheids and providing new constraints on the recent star-formation history of nearby galaxies.

These results define a unified theoretical framework bridging Gaia, JWST, and Roman observations, providing essential tools for next-generation high-precision measurements of the Hubble constant and for the study of stellar populations in the Local Universe. Implications for ongoing efforts within the SPECTRUM project will also be briefly discussed.

March 2026

31/03/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Globular Cluster systems of 24 low surface brightness galaxies in the Hydra I cluster
Marco Mirabile (ESO, Garching)

Abstract

Hydra I cluster hosts a large population of Ultra Diffuse Galaxies, which

are defined by their low central surface brightness(μg,0 ≥ 24 mag/arcsec2)

and large effective radii (Re ≥ 1.5kpc). The combination of photometry from

OmegaCAM@VST and VIRCAM@VISTA with integral-field spectroscopy from

MUSE@VLT allowed a detailed study of Globular Cluster (GCs) in the Hydra

I UDGs. In this presentation I will outline the photometric, morphometric and spec-

troscopic criteria for selection of GCs, the analysis of their physical properties

and use to trace the dark matter content and structure of UDGs. We found

that Hydra I UDGs can be divided into two groups: one that is GC-poor, and

the other containing brigth and potentially numerous GCs. Exploiting the es-

tablished relation between GC number and host halo mass we derived the dark

matter content of the UDGs. An independent probe of the dark matter was ob-

tained from the deep H-band observations. The GC counts and stellar masses

indicate that these low-surface brightness galaxies are dark matter dominated

 

with dynamical to stellar mass ratios of ∼10-1000.

24/03/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Stellar Energetic Particles, a significant source of ionisation for inner protoplanetary disks
Antoine Schneeberger (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS))

Abstract

Ionization within protoplanetary disks is a fundamental driver of complex chemistry, especially in the formation of the complex organic molecules.  The ionization rate in the upper layer of disks has only recently been inferred indirectly via chemical modelling of spatially resolved (≳50au) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) line observations of the exotic molecules N2H+ and HCO+ for a small number of disks. Furthermore, spatially unresolved JWST/MIRI spectroscopic observations of TW Hya’s inner disk ≲1au) were able to detect HCO+ and CH3+ lines in its inner regions. Their abundances are very sensitive to the ionization rates from the different sources.  They show that current ionization prescription by disk structure models under-evaluates the ionization in DM Tau inner regions (r < 100 au).  We found that stellar energetic particles could be a significant source of ionization, both at the altitude where the lines were observed and within the midplane up to 30 AU from the star. 

17/03/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Tracing the Roots of the Early Evolution of the Milky Way through Pulsations
Emanuela Luongo (INAF-Naples)

Abstract

We explore the formation history of the Milky Way using RR Lyrae variable stars (RRLs) as fossil tracers of ancient stellar populations. The investigation focuses specifically on the Oosterhoff dichotomy, a phenomenon characterized by the separation of RRLs into two distinct groups in the Bailey diagram. The primary objective of this research is to confirm whether this dichotomy is an intrinsic feature of the Galaxy or if it was "imported" through merging events with dwarf galaxies, such as Gaia-Enceladus and Sagittarius. To test this hypothesis, chemo-dynamic classifications from existing literature were applied, analyzing their distribution in the integrals of motion space to distinguish between in situ and accreted populations. A new Period-Wesenheit-Metallicity (PWZ) relation was derived to ensure the accuracy of the distances required for the dynamical analysis. The adopted methodology relies on a robust statistical approach based on: the use of photometric parallaxes combined with Gaia astrometric data, a Bayesian MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) algorithm for parameter inference. Preliminary results indicate that the PWZ relation coefficients are consistent with current literature. Future work will involve a detailed characterization of the pulsational properties (including Fourier parameters) for each identified dynamical component, aiming to reconstruct the early evolutionary stages of our Galaxy with greater precision.

10/03/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Uncovering the absorbed atomic Universe with the [OI] 63µm line
Carlos De Breuck (ESO, Garching)

Abstract

We used ALMA for what it was built for: opening up new science by observing in the high frequency Band 10 (and 9). Specifically, we targeted the [OI] 63µm fine structure line in a sample of 12 gravitationally lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at 4.2<z<5.8. This line was expected to be as bright as the [CII] and [OIII]88µm lines, but we found it to be almost 100x fainter. Such extreme line ratios can only be explained by very strong self-absorption by foreground material within the galaxies, as also predicted in new hydrodynamical simulations. We only detect several narrow, spatially localized  [OI] 63µm emission “escape channels” preferentially detected in regions with weak or absent dust continuum emission. Intriguingly, in a few cases, the [OI] 63µm is detected in absorption against a bright continuum, reaching levels below the local CMB temperature. This suggests the presence of low-excitation, low-density gas along the line of sight. We argue that the very high [OI] 63µm optical depth is the dominant effect causing this strong absorption, limiting the diagnostic power of this line to trace regions of massive start formation in high-redshift DSFGs.

 

03/03/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Jet-driven molecular outflows: gas properties and cloud stability
Kalliopi Dasyra (University of Athens)

Abstract

Outflows driven by the propagation of radio jets in galaxies used to be so rare that they were thought of as oddities. Thanks to ALMA, instruments on the VLT, and JWST, jet-driven outflows are now routinely detected in the local and distant Universe. They are even used to indicate the passage of jets they have outlived, which can no longer be detected at radio wavelengths. The molecular gas in such outflows is heated, excited, and often dispersed, becoming optically thin. Yet, very dense cores are also found within the flow. I will summarize findings on the properties of the gas in jet-induced molecular outflows, and I will address how we can link them to ongoing star formation changes. For this purpose, I will present a stability analysis for entrained clouds, performed with the aid of data from all the above-mentioned facilities and excitation/radiative transfer codes that provide the multi-phase gas pressure.

February 2026

24/02/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Galactic Outflows and Star-Formation Quenching in the Early Universe
Rebecca Davies (Swinburne University of Technology)
17/02/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Fast AGN Characterization with SHEAP
Felipe Avila (University of Valparaiso)

Abstract

With the rapidly increasing number of AGN expected to be discovered in the coming years by large surveys such as LSST, Euclid, and 4MOST, the development of scalable, flexible, and reproducible spectral-analysis tools has become essential. The next generation of datasets will contain hundreds of thousands to millions of AGN, requiring modeling frameworks capable of handling large volumes of data while preserving physical interpretability and robust uncertainty estimation.
 
We present SHEAP (Spectral Handling and Estimation of AGN Parameters), a GPU-accelerated fitting code written in Python and powered by JAX. The framework uses gradient-based optimization to handle the complexity of AGN spectra (e.g., host-galaxy contamination, Fe emission, emission-line blends, and continuum components), where blended features, continuum–line degeneracies, and heterogeneous signal-to-noise levels require robust and flexible modeling.
 
We validate our methodology by comparing our measurements with values reported in the literature. This comparison shows that GPU-accelerated, gradient-based inference can provide both computational efficiency and scientifically reliable results, making SHEAP well suited for AGN spectroscopy in the era of next-generation surveys.
10/02/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Astronomical Instrumentation development at Canada' s NRC Herzberg
Alan W. McConnachie (Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics)

Abstract

I will present an overview of the instrumentation development program and strategic R&D interests of the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Center, part of the National Research Council of Canada. Active major facility class instrumentation development includes real time control systems for the ELT's ANDES and MORFEO  instruments, next generation correlators for ALMA and the SKA mid telescopes, opto-mechanical systems for the Gemini Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (GIRMOS) and the second generation of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI2), as well as low noise amplifiers for SKA mid and CCAT. I discuss the related R&D program and technology development roadmaps, including but not limited to adaptive optics, high contrast imaging and detectors. Finally, I discuss the evolving Canadian astronomical landscape and highlight future opportunities.

03/02/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Observing atmospheric dynamics in exoplanets
Julia Seidel (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur)

Abstract

Understanding how atmospheres move is key to understanding the inner workings of planets - how their material is distributed and the subsequent implications on their formation and potential to host life. In our own Solar System, the observable fingerprints of winds in spectra are easily accessible and have provided substantial input into the composition and formation of our gas giants. Until recently, however, directly measuring winds in exoplanet atmospheres remained out of reach.

In this talk, I will present recent results that use ESPRESSO in 4-UT mode to directly probe atmospheric winds on close-in exoplanets. By resolving individual atomic absorption lines during planetary transit, we can detect Doppler shifts caused by day-to-night flows and global circulation patterns at different depths in these distant worlds. These measurements provide the first direct three dimensional constraints on wind speeds and directions in exoplanet atmospheres.

I will outline the observational technique, discuss what these wind measurements tell us about atmospheric dynamics and energy transport under extreme irradiation, and highlight how such observations are opening a new window on comparative planetology beyond the Solar System — just in time for the ELT era.

January 2026

27/01/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Disclosing the origin of enigmatic diffuse ionized blobs in a cluster of galaxies near cosmic noon
Christian Maier (University of Vienna)

Abstract

Clusters of galaxies at z>1 are starting their assembly with many 
interactions expected. I will report evidence for hydrodynamical and 
gravitational processes affecting the Warm Ionized Medium found with 
VLT-MUSE in the massive XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 cluster at z~1.5, with gas 
emission showing enigmatic diffuse ionized gas structures ([OII] Blobs) 
without an HST stellar counterpart and no clear evidence for their 
ionization sources. They extend over areas of several hundreds square kpc.
    To examine the nature of the processes causing these large scale 
structures, we proposed to observe with VLT-KMOS IFUs each of the blobs 
to measure Hbeta, [OIII], Halpha, [NII] and [SII] emission lines (ELs). 
I will present first results from KMOS on how these ELs can be used to 
identify the ionizing source (stars, AGN or shocks) from diagnostic 
diagrams, and to derive gas metallicities to distinguish between 
pristine inflows and enriched outflows (inflows/outflows motions seen in 
the MUSE velocity fields).
   I will also discuss the comparison with TNG-Cluster simulations of 
ionized gas which can constrain the origin and ionization sources of the 
blobs, and distinguish between ram-pressure stripping, in-situ cooling 
and excitation by fast particles, accretion via filaments, AGN or shocks.
20/01/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Probing chemical enrichment in star-forming emission-line galaxies from direct elemental abundances
Souradeep Bhattacharya (University of Hertfordshire)

Abstract

Distinct sets of elements are produced from different nucleosynthesis processes in galaxies that occur in core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), Type-Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), asymptotic-giant-branch stars (AGBs), and various other enrichment sources. I will discuss both supernova and AGB enrichment in galaxies, as probed from integrated deep emission-line spectra of star-forming galaxies (SFGs) with direct elemental abundances. Galactic chemical enrichment from SNe has historically been constrained by alpha-enrichment ([α/Fe]) and metallicity ([Fe/H]) measurements from deep absorption-line spectra of individual stars in the Milky Way (MW) and some local group dwarf galaxies (and a handful of massive ellipticals with deep integrated absorption-line spectra out to z~2). The vast majority of galaxies in the universe are SFGs, with their fraction increasing with increasing redshift. We have recently shown that for SFGs (having deep integrated spectra with temperature sensitive auroral lines, enabling direct abundance determination), the oxygen-to-argon abundance ratio, log(O/Ar), vs Ar abundance, 12+log(Ar/H), is analogous to [α/Fe] vs [Fe/H] for stars. At low-z (z<0.3) with SDSS observations of ~800 SFGs, we show that galaxy chemical enrichment history is driven primarily by the interplay of CCSNe and SNe Ia, with their impact varying with galaxy mass. With a smaller sample of 11 SFGs at high-z (z~1.3-7.7) with JWST/NIRSPEC and Keck/MOSFIRE, we show that MW-like CCSNe and SNe Ia dominated enrichment processes occur at least out to z~4, beyond which rapid but intermittent star-formation may be at play. On the other hand, AGB nucleosynthesis is probed in SFGs from relative abundances of N & O. NIRSPEC@JWST observations revealed a handful of SFGs at high-z with high N/O abundance ratio at low O/H, dubbed extreme N-emitters. Some attribute this to extreme enrichment mechanisms active only in the early universe. However, we found high N/O at low O/H for a sample of 19 low-z (z<0.5) SFGs (a five-fold increase compared to earlier) using DESI DR1 spectra. The enhanced N/O values can be explained using galactic chemical evolution (GCE) models having long-lived N-enhancement from AGBs, coupled with strong outflows.

13/01/26 (Tuesday)
12:00, Auditorium Telescopium (ESO HQE, Garching) | ESO Garching
Lunch Talk
Talk — Discovery of 421 New Blazar Associations in Unidentified 4FGL Gamma-ray Sources through an Educational Engagement Program: The 1FLAT Catalog
Michele Doro (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova)

Abstract

Faint blazars are often difficult to identify, as their recognition typically requires cross-matching positional counterparts across radio, optical, and X-ray catalogs. To support high-energy studies for the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), we adopted an alternative approach. Starting from the Fermi-LAT 4FGL-DR4 catalog (5,062 γ-ray sources at galactic latitude |b| > 10°), we searched for blazar counterparts using Firmamento*, a web-based platform developed within the Open Universe initiative of UNOOSA. Firmamento integrates multi-frequency data and high-level analysis tools for spectral energy distribution (SED) studies.
By combining automated algorithms with visual inspection and validation by experts, high-school, and undergraduate students — given the large size of the sample — we discovered 421 new blazar associations, reducing the fraction of unassociated Fermi-LAT sources from 25% to 17%. The resulting catalog, 1FLAT, has been published in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
This talk presents both the scientific results and the educational framework behind this collaborative effort.

 

https://firmamento.nyuad.nyu.edu/data_access