A one-day workshop at the ASI headquarters dedicated to scientific developments and Earth Observation applications based on future data from the ESA FORUM mission - 17 November 2026

FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring) mission, selected by ESA as Earth Explorer 9, represents one of the most innovative international initiatives for precisely measuring the thermal energy emitted by Earth into space within the 100 to 1600 cm⁻¹ spectral range—including the Far-Infrared (FIR) region (100–667 cm⁻¹)—with a spectral resolution of 0.5 cm⁻¹ and high accuracy (0.1 K in brightness temperature). The FIR region, never before observed from space with these specifications, accounts for approximately 50% of the thermal energy emitted by our planet and plays a fundamental role in understanding Earth's climate system. FORUM’s observations will enable the high-sensitivity characterization of water vapor content in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) and the observation of spectral signatures from clouds—particularly ice clouds—which are key elements for understanding climate processes and improving knowledge of polar regions, areas that are especially sensitive to climate change.

The mission is currently under development, with a polar orbit launch scheduled for 2028.

This workshop is part of an established national research and institutional collaboration effort; ASI has long been committed to developing scientific activities related to the Far-Infrared spectrum. The event aims to foster the involvement of the scientific community and potential users of FORUM data, promoting future applications well in advance.

In this context, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) is pleased to organize a workshop dedicated to the ESA FORUM mission on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at its headquarters in Rome. The event is aimed at the scientific and application communities, institutional bodies, and all stakeholders interested in the science and applications of Earth Observation utilizing measurements from the FORUM mission.

The workshop will provide a key opportunity for dialogue among researchers, institutions, and end-users to explore the mission's capabilities, share the latest scientific developments, and discuss prospects for data utilization across various research and application fields.

The technical/scientific sessions will focus on:

• Earth's energy balance: Quantifying the energy emitted by Earth and improving understanding of the greenhouse effect;
• Water vapor and clouds: Studying the role of water vapor in the upper troposphere and of ice clouds in Earth's radiative balance;
• Climate models & NWP: Using FORUM observations to improve the representation of radiative processes and enhance the reliability of climate models and numerical weather prediction;
• Polar surfaces: Analysing the emissivity of polar regions to understand how ice and snow contribute to global warming.

Call for Abstracts

The scientific and user communities are invited to submit abstracts in response to the Call for Abstracts, adhering to the following deadlines:

• October 17, 2026 – Deadline for registration with abstract submission;
• October 23, 2026 – Notification to authors of selected abstracts;
• November 6, 2026 – Deadline for registration for participants not presenting abstracts.

Registration

The workshop will be held in a hybrid format and conducted in Italian. The texts for abstracts, posters, and presentations must be prepared in English. Participation in the workshop is free of charge, subject to registration at the following link.

For further information, please contact eo@asi.it