LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026: Chalmers University of Technology has joined the Mauve science programme, with Professor Wouter Vlemmings leading the university’s participation.
Professor Vlemmings‘ research currently focuses on the extended atmospheres, magnetic fields, and binary or substellar companions around evolved stars. These stars represent the final evolutionary stages of stars like our Sun. Through intense mass loss, they return newly synthesised elements to the interstellar medium and are responsible for producing much of the dust and heavy elements that drive galaxy evolution and the formation of new stars and planets. In particular, the physical processes that underlie the strong mass loss remain poorly understood. Through the Mauve science programme, the Chalmers team will investigate the origin of ultraviolet emission in evolved stars and its connection to mass loss, magnetic fields, and stellar companions.
“As stars grow old, they become large and cool. Surprisingly, many also exhibit strong ultraviolet emission, the origin of which remains unclear. This emission is thought to be linked to shocks, binary interactions, and/or magnetic activity. Mauve will uniquely allow us to monitor the UV emission of many of the nearest evolved stars over several years. Combined with observations at other wavelengths, these data will help us understand the processes that drive stellar winds and mass loss in evolved stars,” said Professor Vlemming.
Mauve is a UV-Visible satellite dedicated to studying stars in our galaxy, providing a greater understanding of their magnetic activity, powerful flares, and the impact on the habitability of neighbouring exoplanets. Featuring a 13 cm telescope and an ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, Mauve will conduct long-term observations of hundreds of stars. Through a multi-year collaborative science programme, the mission will provide thousands of observing hours each year, creating a unique opportunity for large-scale time-domain studies of stellar behaviour.