Event details

Date
June 22, 2026  – June 26, 2026
Location
Haus Sexten - Via Dolomiti 45, 39030, Sexten

Scientific Rationale

The atmospheric stability of planets in close proximity to their host stars has been a subject of investigation since the first detection of an exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star. The long-term retention or loss of a planetary atmosphere is crucial for assessing exoplanetary habitability, as it directly affects surface pressure, temperature stability, and the potential for sustaining liquid water. Intense extreme ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the host star can cause physical and chemical changes in a planet’s upper atmospheric layers, dissociating molecules and producing a mix of neutral and ionized atoms at higher altitudes. The total energy absorbed by the atmosphere of a close-in planet throughout its existence may overcome a significant portion of its gravitational binding energy, resulting in hot, weakly bound thermospheres that are prone to substantial evaporation, as observed in several nearby exoplanets. We propose a conference dedicated to the topic of atmospheric mass loss, a key process influencing the formation, evolution, and fate of planetary atmospheres. The workshop will explore theoretical frameworks related to atmospheric escape and investigate optimal observational strategies to enhance our understanding of these processes. Recent advances in space-based spectroscopy with the JWST and high-resolution ground-based optical and near-infrared spectroscopy have provided new insights into these topics. Next-generation telescopes in the 30-meter class, such as ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and space-borne facilities such as ESA’s Ariel mission, are expected to drive breakthrough progress in the characterization of exoplanetary systems, including high-resolution spectroscopy of terrestrial planets in habitable zones. We aim to address several pressing topics, such as how best to leverage data from current and nextgeneration facilities to inform atmospheric escape modeling, the role of stellar activity (e.g., flares, winds, and coronal mass ejections) in driving mass loss, the role of photoevaporation in planetary habitability, possible signatures of atmospheric loss in planets orbiting white dwarfs, and the potential of characterizing escaping atmospheres through the detection of heavy element escape. We will also explore how the chemical makeup of atmospheres influences hydrodynamic escape and seek to refine our understanding of the physics shaping exospheres, including the roles of planetary magnetism and stellar outflows.

Organizers

Organizers:

• Elena Gallo (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA: egallo@umich.edu)
• Francesco Haardt (CLAP, University of Insubria, ITA: francesco.haardt@uninsubria.it)
• Aline Vidotto (Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, NL: vidotto@strw.leidenuniv.nl)

Contact:

evaporatingworlds2026@gmail.com

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Payment details

Registration Fee
300 Eur
Workshop code for bus and payment
EVW26