The prospects for planetary atmosphere characterization are excellent with access to large an amount of data for different kind of stars either with ground- or space-based telescopes supported by accurate modeling of the atmospheric compositions and their corresponding spectra. In particular for many discovered exoplanets (hot and gaseous), a large chemical disequilibrium in the atmosphere has been observed, due to the high vertical temperature gradient. Several new studies are now comparing this of vertical-mixing driven disequilibrium with the chemical disequilibrium characterizing the atmosphere of planet Earth, which is mainly due to the presence of life. However, present research on exoplanet's atmospheric disequilibrium is focused on a very small number of compounds (CH4, CO, CO2, H2O), lacking for a generalized and wider methodology. In this workshop we plan to enlarge these studies to a joint effort between the thermodynamics of habitable conditions to the exoplanetary atmospheres.

The workshop at the Observatory of Côte d'Azur (OCA) is the main opportunity in Europe in 2015 to discuss about the connection between planetary habitability and its atmospheric disequilibrium, through the use of some thermodynamic functions. OCA has a long tradition in the field of theoretical planetology. The reasearch are focused on the detection and study of extra-solar planets, protoplanetary disks, and on the formation and evolution of planetary systems. This will ensure an excellent context for local exchanges.

Three principal topics will be tackled during the workshop:

1. Icy moons, icy planets and the conditions for the emergence of life
2. The modeling and observations of exoplanetary atmospheres: chemistry and physics
3. The chemical disequilibrium in planetary atmospheres: from hot Jupiters to habitable planets