Probing the low-mass end of star formation with JWST
Session: Stars, Stellar Remnants, Compact Objects and Space Weather
by Koraljka Mužić
Abstract:
The initial mass function (IMF) is a cornerstone of astrophysics, linking the process of star formation to the properties of stellar populations. Yet fundamental questions remain regarding its origin, the role of the environment, and the nature of its lowest-mass constituents - brown dwarfs and free-floating planetary-mass objects. In this talk, I will review recent observational advances in our understanding of the low-mass end of the IMF, highlighting results from deep imaging and spectroscopic surveys of nearby star-forming regions and massive young clusters. I will discuss how the unprecedented capabilities of JWST are transforming the field, enabling both new tests of the IMF across a wide range of star-forming environments and detailed studies of young substellar objects, including their atmospheres, disks, and accretion. Finally, I will outline the key challenges and exciting prospects for understanding the origin and early evolution of substellar populations in the era of JWST and the next generation of astronomical facilities.
Recent developments and future perspectives on Space Weather research within the National Space Ecosystem
Session: Stars, Stellar Remnants, Compact Objects and Space Weather
by Ricardo Gafeira
Abstract:
As modern society becomes increasingly dependent on satellite networks, global navigation systems, and interconnected ground infrastructures, understanding and mitigating the impacts of Space Weather has transitioned from a purely academic concern to a critical global security necessity. This presentation highlights recent breakthroughs and future developments in Space Weather research in Portugal. Utilizing state-of-the-art capabilities in continuous solar and ionospheric monitoring, along with advanced data analysis techniques, I will summarize how national research centers have successfully consolidated expertise in operational space weather forecasting and space situational awareness. Special attention will be given to recent strategic milestones, particularly the significant integration of Portuguese research teams into the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Weather Service Experts Group. Finally, we will outline future perspectives for collaborative space hubs, demonstrating how cutting-edge solar-terrestrial physics is being transformed into operational technological solutions, establishing Portugal as a vital player in the European space ecosystem.
A Portuguese solar telescope in the Atacama Desert
Session: Planets, Exoplanets and Astrobiology
by André Silva
Abstract:
The detection and characterisation of Earth-like planets—those with physical conditions suitable for liquid water and potentially life-sustaining environments—is a major goal of modern astrophysics. Nowadays, the roadblock lies in astrophysical "noise" from host stars, distorting the spectra used to detect and analyse such planets. Existing mitigation techniques have yet to reach the precision required to detect the minute radial-velocity signals induced by Earth analogues, motivating a growing focus on solar observations to better understand stellar variability. The Paranal solar Espresso Telescope (PoET) aims to offer a novel approach to understanding stellar "noise". With its first light achieved in April 2026, PoET is connected to the ESPRESSO spectrograph on the ESO-VLT. This telescope was fully built by a Portuguese team from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, spread between Porto, Lisbon, and Coimbra. It provides both disk-resolved and disk-integrated ("Sun-as-a-star") high-resolution (R > 200,000) observations of the Sun covering the full optional domain (380–780 nm) in a single shot. PoET allows for a detailed mapping of our host star, enabling an unprecedented understanding of how different solar features evolve over the wavelength and temporal domains across the solar disk. Furthermore, by using the Sun as a proxy for other Sun-like stars, these results will inform improved strategies to mitigate stellar noise in exoplanet research. In this talk, I will present the scientific objectives of PoET together with some of the first results from resolved regions of the solar disk, highlighting the instrument's potential to advance both solar and exoplanet science.
Instrumentação para astronomia: desenvolvimentos recentes e perspetivas futuras
Session: Instrumentation
by António Amorim
Abstract:
Será apresentado um resumo dos esforços recentes da instrumentação em astrofísica em Portugal, passando pelos programas de instrumentação nos telescópios VLT, VLTI e ELT do ESO, bem como o programa inserido nos esforços SKAO e satélites de observação da ESA no infravermelho e nos raios-x. Estes esforços passam essencialmente pelo desenvolvimento de sistemas mecânicos, óticos, ótica adaptativa e detectores para raios-X. Propõe-se discutir em detalhe as possibilidades de desenvolvimento futuro do domínio entre nós.
A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...: Recent Advances in Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy
Session: Galaxies and Milky Way
by Fernando Buitrago
Abstract:
Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics have undergone remarkable transformations in the last few years. Large-scale synoptic surveys, including Gaia for studies of the Milky Way and facilities such as DES, Euclid, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, and the precursors of the SKA for the distant Universe, together with the unprecedented capabilities of JWST at the highest redshifts, have fundamentally reshaped our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. At the same time, artificial intelligence and advanced data-analysis techniques have become integral components of virtually every stage of astronomical research. These ultradeep datasets also deliver an unprecedented view of low- and intermediate-redshift galaxies. This novel field, the so-called Low Surface Brightness realm, is forever changing our view of galaxy mass assembly by uncovering stellar structures that were previously inaccessible. I will present recent results in this rapidly evolving field and discuss ongoing and future initiatives (ARRAKIHS, Euclid LSB, etc.), highlighting potential interesting opportunities for the Portuguese community. Finally, drawing on my role as a member of the Executive Board of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA), I will outline several specific initiatives aimed at strengthening scientific collaboration between the Spanish and Portuguese astronomical communities, including activities related to Cultural Astronomy.
Gazing into the abyss: Exploring the depths of AGNs with very-long baseline interferometry
Session: AGN
by Héctor Sánchez
Abstract:
Over the past decade, advances in very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) have enabled us to probe the hearts of active galactic nuclei at unprecedented angular resolution; in some cases, reaching spatial scales comparable to the event horizons of the supermassive black holes they host. In this talk, we will review some of the most important insights gained from the theoretical interpretation of these observations, highlighting their implications for our understanding of the astrophysics of these extreme environments, as well as for testing gravity in the strong-field regime. We will conclude by discussing some of the exciting scientific opportunities that the next generation of instruments is expected to unlock.
MeerKLASS: Cosmology with neutral hydrogen intensity mapping
Session: Large Scale and Cosmology
by Mário Santos
Abstract: