The optical band is an interesting spectral region to explore the solar system objects. In this range,
indeed, it is possible to investigate properties of several molecules that are of interest for comets and
distant objects, like Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs).
WST, in its present configuration, allows one to cover emissions from a list of radicals, including CN,
N2
+, CO+, C2, NH2, and OI,...
Most of our current understanding of planet formation mechanisms is based on the correlations of stellar parameters with planet frequency and planet properties. In the advent of new missions dedicated to planet detection in vast numbers, the precise and uniform characterization of the host population is crucial. The WST is the ideal instrument to observe planet hosts from Gaia (tens of...
Star and planet formation are complex phenomena, whose outcomes depend on physical processes occurring across a wide range of scales. This complexity is reflected in the diverse phenomena that characterize the early pre-main sequence phase of stars and their disks, including gas accretion onto the central star, rapid and collimated jets, steady and slow outflows, and intense, rapidly variable...
Young stellar populations hold the key to understanding the early phases of star formation, the impact of stellar feedback, and the processes that shape galactic structure over time. By mapping the kinematics and chemical compositions of stars across different environments, we can trace their origins, dynamical evolution, and eventual dispersal into the field. The WST will provide an...
Galactic studies are currently undergoing a renaissance, thanks to the wealth of data from the Gaia satellite and ground-based surveys. Stellar positions, motions and chemical abundances have been mapped with unprecedented detail. Vertical disturbances, streaming motions, wave-like features and arches in the velocity space have been revealed on a large scale, triggering new interest and...
Classical Cepheids (DCEPs) are crucial for calibrating the extragalactic distance ladder, ultimately enabling the determination of the Hubble constant through the period-luminosity (PL) and period-Wesenheit (PW) relations that they exhibit. The purpose of the C-MetaLL survey is to understand how the PL and PW relations depend on metallicity. The DCEPs are also very important tracers of the...
