Expanding Horizons White Papers

Expanding Horizons: White Papers submitted in 2026

The Expanding Horizons call for White Paper opened in 2026. The proposals related to Optical/Infrared Interferometry are listed below by themes.
 

1. General Science Cases, Facilities

Focus: broad science reach, interferometric techniques, facility capabilities 

• Eisenhauer et al.
  "Science Prospects for Kilometers-Baseline Interferometry"
• Kraus et al.
  "Science case for High-Angular Resolution Astronomy in the 2040s"
• Lacour et al.
  "VLTI 2.0: Imaging the Universe at the Milliarcsecond Scale"
• Kaiser et al.
  "ESO White Paper on Intensity Interferometry:Cosmology, Fundamental Physics, Quantum Optics" 

2. Planetary Systems (Exoplanets & Planet Formation)

Focus: formation, evolution, characterization, and detection of planets and planetary systems.

• Bourdarot et al.
  "Beyond the Pale Blue dot: Resolving: Exoplanet Surfaces in the 2040s" 
• Kammerer et al.
  "Exoplanet atmospheres and demographics in the 2040s"
• Winterhalder et al.
  "Hunting exomoons with a kilometric baseline interferometer"
• Bourdarot et al.
  "Planet Formation from 100 AU to protoplanet surfaces" 

3. Stellar Astrophysics

Focus: stellar evolution, stellar physics, star formation, circumstellar environments.

• Corporaal et al.
  "Bridging stellar evolution and planet formation: from birth, to survivors of the fittest, to the second generation of planets" 
• Soulain et al.
  "Unlocking the dynamics of Young Stellar Objects:Time-Domain Interferometry with six 4-m class telescopes"
• Batista et al.
  "Stellar physics at sub-nanoradian angular resolution" 

4. Black-Holes, Galactic Astronomy

Focus: the Milky Way, Galactic Center, stellar populations, compact objects within our Galaxy.

• Gillessen et al.
  "The Galactic Center with Kilometer-Baseline Interferometry" 

5. Extragalactic Astronomy & Galaxy Evolution

Focus: galaxies, galactic nuclei, supermassive black holes, galaxy assembly and evolution.

• Flesch et al.
  "Super Massive Black Hole binaries with Kilometer-Baseline Interferometry" 
• Lamprecht et al.
  "Resolving Galaxy Nuclei and Compact Stellar Systems as Engines of Galaxy Evolution"

6. Fundamental Physics & Cosmology

Focus: tests of gravity, black-hole physics, cosmology, quantum optics.

• Gillessen et al.
  "The Galactic Center with Kilometer-Baseline Interferometry" 
• Kaiser et al.
  "ESO White Paper on Intensity Interferometry:Cosmology, Fundamental Physics, Quantum Optics" 

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In case you have submitted a White Paper related to Optical/Infrared Interferomety or if you are interested in joining this initiative, please contact the EII Bureau:

bureau@european-interferometry.eu

bourdarot@mpe.mpg.de 

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Save the Date: EAS Annual Meeting (June 29 – July 3, 2026)

The EAS Annual Meeting will host a special "Optical Interferometry in the next decade: Science, Technology, and Collaboration at the VLTI and beyond", supported by EII. This Special Session aims to explore the scientific motivations for a next-generation optical/infrared interferometric facility, in the context of ESO's upcoming Expanding Horizons initiative.