Challenges to modelling from groundbreaking new data of present/future space and ground facilities

Abstract

The sheer size of high-accuracy, multi-band photometry, spectroscopy, astrometry and seismic data that space missions like Kepler, Gaia, PLATO, TESS, JWST and ground-based facilities under development such as MOONS, WEAVE and the LSST will produce within the next decade, brings big opportunities to improve current modelling; but it also presents unprecedented challenges to overcome the present limitations in stellar evolution and pulsation models. Such an unprecedented harvest of data also requires multi-tasking and synergic approaches to be interpreted and fully exploited. We briefly review major outputs expected from ongoing/planned facilities and large sky surveys, then focus specifically on Gaia and present a few examples of the impact that this mission is having on studies of stellar physics, Galactic structure and the cosmic distance ladder.

7 pages, 3 figures, invited contribution at the conference "Stars and their variability observed from space - Celebrating the 5th anniversary of BRITE-Constellation", Vienna, Austria, August 19 - 23, 2019. Eds: C. Neiner, W. Weiss, D. Baade, E. Griffin, C. Lovekin, A. Moffat