Abstract

The stellar physics school we are offering follows in the tradition of the prestigious Evry Schatzman Schools (EES), which have been held annually since 1989 under the auspices of the Stellar Physics Thematic Action (ATPS). It typically brings together between 35 and 50 participants, including both early-career and established researchers. The upcoming session will focus on stellar magnetism.

Since the early 20th century and the discovery of the magnetic origin of sunspots, astrophysicists have been fascinated by magnetic fields. Their influence could significantly alter many properties of stars, such as their size and luminosity... These parameters are used in most astrophysical disciplines. A better understanding of the effects of stellar magnetism could therefore significantly change our view of the Universe. And yet, despite real progress made recently thanks to new observational methods and the emergence of computational resources, we still have a long way to go in fully understanding the origin and effects of magnetic fields. This issue can be addressed using various methodological tools, which will be developed during this workshop. Our approach is also inherently multidisciplinary, as many of the physical processes related to magnetism are common to both planetary and stellar interiors, which are also studied through laboratory experiments.

The goal of this school is to provide doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and other researchers who attend it with the necessary foundation to begin or further their work on technical aspects related to stellar magnetism. Participants will therefore be offered a variety of in-depth courses on the theoretical constraints of magnetized flows in stellar physics and on various observational and digital tools frequently used at the national and international levels to conduct cutting-edge research. Hands-on sessions with experts in these tools will be organized in small groups. Emphasis will also be placed on synergies with planetary science, particularly the generation of magnetic fields in planetary interiors.

The school will be organized into several courses, each taught by experts, supplemented by three 3-hour hands-on sessions and seminars. The school will take place at a center that provides both the school facilities and accommodations, in order to maximize interaction among participants. The school is scheduled to take place at the Roscoff Biological Station (where it was recently held in 2021 and 2024) from October 4 to 9, 2026.

Preliminary program

The courses will be taught in English by experts recognized for their scientific expertise and their ability to convey that expertise. We will insist that course instructors be present for the entire duration of the program in order to maximize interaction with participants. The decision to hold the courses and provide lodging and meals at the same location stems from this goal, as well as from the desire to have instructors participate in the hands-on labs.

Here are the speakers and courses that have already been identified/confirmed:
Florence Marcotte will lead an in-depth theoretical course on the dynamo (6 hours).
Julien Morin will lead an in-depth course on spectroscopic observations of stellar magnetic fields (6 hours).
Jordan Philidet (LIRA) will lead a course on asteroseismic measurements of stellar magnetic fields (3 hours).
Laurène Jouve will teach a course on MHD instabilities (2 hours) in stellar physics and will lead the workshop on the MagIC code (4 hours), assisted by my Ph.D. students Alexandre Nairabèze and Virgin Durepaire from LIRA.