Vienna ELT Science + Simulations Workshop
#2
“Spatial resolution”
Vienna University, Sept. 22-24, 2025
A hybrid meeting for bringing together the ELT instrumentation and scientific communities in anticipation of the ELT's first light
Proudly supported by :
Why another ELT science meeting?
- What do we want to see with the ELT?
- What can the ELT see?
- How can we get time to see with the ELT?
- And if we cannot see with the ELT? What then?
The ELT is nominally four years away, or 1.33 PhDs away. Time is ticking for us to start thinking about how to get our hands on ELT data and how to write proposals that the ELT TAC will accept. Each instrument consortium is already working on these topics internally, but are we, as a community, working on this, too?
The Austrian Academy of Science is financing a series of 5 yearly meetings leading up to first light. The main aim is to bring together the future ELT community and to help build the science cases and proposals that will shape the ELT’s initial observing periods.
Meeting format
This three-day hybrid meeting aims to transform the numerous discussions on early ELT science topics into simulated observations that can be used to justify observing time in the earliest stages of ELT.
The meeting will complement traditional scientific presentations in the mornings with an observation simulation hackathon in the afternoons.
Keynote speakers
- ESO: Joel Vernet (ELT Prog Sci)
- ANDES: Alessandro Marconi (PI) + Livia Origlia (Inst Sci)
- MOSAIC: Roser Pello (PI) + Mathieu Puech (co-PI + Proj Sci)
- METIS: Wolfgang Brandner (Cal Sci)
- MICADO: Richard Davies (PI)
- MORFEO: Carmelo Archidiacono (Inst-Sci)
Goals of this Meeting
Raise awareness of the main ELT science cases for the first generation of instruments through a series of scientific presentations (24x 15+5 min presentations).
Foster collaboration on science feasibility studies between consortia.
Kick-start observation simulations to enhance feasibility studies and future proposals using the common observation simulator software (ScopeSim).
Create a collection of “toy models” for expected ELT targets in an open-source repository for use by others in the astronomical community.
Registration
The deadline for regular registration is the 15st of August, 2025.
The meeting will be limited to a maximum of 40 participants.
Location
The Observatory of the University of Vienna, Lecture Hall
Schedule
Individual presentations will follow a 15+5 min format.
Presenters are encouraged to additionally address the following topics during their talk:
- Which ELT instruments and modes are most valuable for the science case(s)?
- Synergies, if any, with other observatories (JWST, VLT, etc).
DOWNLOAD ABSTRACTS BOOKLET (PDF)
| Time | Monday, 22nd | Tuesday, 23rd | Wednesday, 24th |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Alessandro Marconi [ANDES PI] "Introduction to ANDES, pt. 1: Scientific Overview" |
Wolfgang Brandner [METIS Cal Sci] "METIS Overview" | |
| 09:20 | Livia Origlia [ANDES Inst Sci] "Introduction to ANDES, pt. 2: Technical Overview" |
Iain Hammond "Protoplanets with METIS: Strategy and Predictions for First Light" | |
| 09:40 | Erik Zackrisson "High-redshift science with ANDES" |
Cade Bürgy "A preview onto the scientific potential of METIS: Zooming into the terrestrial-planet forming regions of discs" | |
| 10:00 | Registration + Coffee | Chiara Selmi "High-contrast Exoplanet Imaging with ANDES" |
Danny Gasman "Uncovering the structure of circumplanetary disks using CO line profiles observed with METIS" |
| 10:20 | Coffee | Coffee | |
| 10:40 | Kieran Leschinski "Welcome + Logistics" |
||
| 11:00 | Joel Vernet [ESO ELT Prog Sci] "ELT Overview" |
Roser Pello [MOSAIC PI] "MOSAIC for the ELT: current status" |
Frederic Merlin "Solar system investigation using ELT-MICADO" |
| 11:20 | Mario van den Ancker "From Dust to Planets: New Perspectives on Transition Disks with ELT Observations" |
Mathieu Puech [MOSAIC Proj Sci] "MOSAIC: Scientific Contributions" |
Camille Chatenet "Trans-Neptunian Objects with MICADO" |
| 11:40 | Ric Davies [MICADO PI] "MICADO: the start of integration" |
Nicolas Laporte "Protoclusters at High Redshift with MOSAIC" |
Gabriele Cugno "Circumplanetary Disks and Moon Formation" |
| 12:00 | Stefan Gillessen "Gas, stars and black holes around Sgr A* with MICADO" |
Davide Savio "Unveiling the Mysteries of Modal Noise: From Laboratory Experiments to Simulations and Scientific Impact on ANDES/ELT" |
Wolfgang Brandner "Science with the ANDES K-band spectrograph" |
| 12:20 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 14:00 | Carmelo Archidiacono [MORFEO Inst Sci] "MORFEO Overview" |
Round Table Discussion with Consortium Representatives "What keeps me awake at night!" |
ScopeSim Hackathon Part 3 |
| 14:20 | Giorgia Girardi "HIEROs: Characterizing Dust-Obscured Galaxies in the Early Universe" |
Beginners topics: Implementing Science cases | |
| 14:40 | Letizia Scaloni "Probing Galaxy Structures and Stellar Population Properties with MICADO & MORFEO: Insights from ScopeSim simulations" |
Advanced topics: Common traps and pitfalls | |
| 15:00 | Violeta Gámez Rosas "The prospect of AGN science with METIS" |
Coffee | |
| 15:20 | Coffee | Coffee | |
| 15:40 | ScopeSim Hackathon Part 2 |
||
| 16:00 | ScopeSim Intro (Beginner/Advanced) |
Beginners topics: Driving ScopeSim, Creating custom on-sky target descriptions |
ScopeSim Helpdesk (Optional) |
| 16:20 | Beginners topics: ScopeSim Installation, Instrument packages, "Hello (exo)World" |
Advanced topics: Combining observations with multiple instruments. E.g. MICADO + METIS |
|
| 16:40 | Advanced topics: Implementing science cases |
||
| 17:00 | |||
| 17:20 | |||
| 19:00 | Conference Dinner | ||
| 20:00 | Tour of the Observatory |
Goals of future meetings
The five annual meetings aim to highlight the science cases which can best make use of a specific benefit of ELT observations. The following meetings will be organised with an emphasis on the following themes:
2024
First Light
Which science cases will make the biggest splash early on, in both a scientific and a “public outreach” sense. The so-called low-hanging fruit.
2025
Spatial resolution
How will our science cases be able to profit most from the spatial resolution of a 40 m mirror.
2026
Collecting Area
What do we expect to see at the edge of the sensitivity limits of the ELT? How will the ELT be able to improve upon the success of JWST in this regime?
2027
High Contrast
Many of the first generation instruments include various coronagraphic modes. What do we expect to be able to discover at single digit lambda/D distances with the ELT.
2028
Astrometry
Sub-milliarcseond astrometry will be part of everyday operations at the ELT. How can we use this capability to enhance our knowledge of the “moving” universe?
CONTACT
If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please reach out: