Precision Spectroscopy: Towards Earth 2.0

1-4 August 2017, São Paulo, Brazil

Twenty two years ago the first planet outside the solar system was discovered around a solar type star; since then more than three thousand exoplanets have been found. In the quest to find a solar system analog, we have already detected Jupiter twins around Sun-like stars (e.g., Bedell et al. 2015) and we are getting closer to finding an Earth 2.0. Important advances have been also made in the study of exoplanet atmospheres (e.g., Kreidberg, Bean, Désert et al. 2014), a crucial step in assessing whether the planet is potentially supportive of life as we know it.

Despite the far-reaching progress made, there are still significant challenges that we must overcome to detect and characterize an Earth twin. Besides the technological issues, we must improve our knowledge of the host stars, in particular of the short and long timescale variations of their magnetic activity (e.g. Haywood et al. 2014). Precise stellar chemical abundances and physical parameters are important not only to correctly characterize exoplanets (Bedell et al. 2017) but also to date the planetary system and to have clues on the history of planet formation, migration and catastrophic planet engulfment events (Melendez et al. 2017). In this context, studies of planetary dynamics have recently made important progress on understanding the evolution of the Solar System's architecture and have provided key predictions regarding planetary systems with Jupiter twins and systems with super-Earths (Izidoro et al. 2015, Batygin & Laughlin 2015).

The workshop Precision Spectroscopy 2017 aims to cover the above topics with lectures by invited speakers, oral contributions by participants, and some practical activities. Among the lecturers we will have Raphaëlle Haywood (Harvard), Jacob Bean (Chicago), José-Dias do Nascimento (Harvard/UFRN) and André Izidoro (UNESP), which are world leaders on exoplanet detection, atmosphere characterization, stellar activity/rotation and planetary dynamics.

As in previous "Precision Spectroscopy" workshops (São Paulo 2015, Porto Alegre 2016), we will have a small number of participants, providing an environment that fosters stimulating interactions among attendees. The workshop will be held at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Applications will be received until noon GMT, March 3, 2017 (Friday). The outcome will be released about two weeks later. Successful applicants will be required to pay a small registration fee (60 euros for participants from abroad, and 150 reais for local participants). Albeit full financial aid is not available, we could lower the cost of your registration fee, or even have an exemption, if you require so. Also, we will suggest different options for accommodation and try to organize hotel room sharing.

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