From atoms to Super-Earths: what can we learn from ab initio simulations?

After two decades of observation and nearly 4000 exoplanets discovered, we now have a large and very diverse pool of objects to understand outside of our Solar system. Among these planets a broad set of peculiar rocky planets larger than the Earth have been discovered: Super-Earths. They are also potentially habitable and thus spark the astrophysical community's interest. To model these planets it is necessary to understand the microphysics of materials under (very) high pressures and (moderately) high temperatures. Ab initio simulations are a great tool to characterize these systems and they enable much more accurate models and thus a deeper understanding of planetary structure and evolution.

I will show on different example how ab initio simulations allow us to better characterize the thermodynamics of planets as well as their dynamics. For instance I will show how the properties of silicates can be precisely determined and provide key information on the habitability of Super-Earths.