This paper concentrates on a first demonstrator, a 23 NbSi superconducting thermometer array, developed in the DCMB collaboration. Firstly, the NbSi thin film alloy is described then the 23 TES array topology is presented. After that, DC and noise cryogenic measurement is reported. The cryogenic readout chain is also presented and finally, the multiplexing scheme developed for the readout of the 23 pixels array is described.

Some general features of indirect approaches for determining cross sectionsof astrophysically relevant reactions at low energies are discussed from a theoretical point of view. The methodsof Coulomb dissocation (CD), of the asymptotic normalization coefficient(ANC) and the Trojan-horse method (THM) are considered.

Solar magnetic fields are produced by dynamo action in or just below the solar convection zone. After an account of observations of solar magnetic activity, the fundamentals of dynamo theory are reviewed, and the ideas applied to a discussion of different models of dynamo action in the Sun.

The evolution of stars in the mass range 7–12 M๏ is characterized bythe off-center ignition of carbon in condition of partially degeneracyfollowed by the propagation of a convectively bound flame and the formationof a neon-oxygen core. In this chapter, we review the evolutionaryfeatures of these peculiar stars and pay a special attention to thethermally pulsing super-AGB phase and associated nucleosynthesis. Theevolution toward electron capture supernovae for the most massive membersof this class is briefly mentioned. In light of new computations, we alsodiscuss the question of Mup, the critical mass above which carbon ignitesas well as Mn, the minimum mass for the formation of a neutron star andanalyze the dependence of these transition masses on metallicity.

A large fraction of the energy released during solar flares is carried by accelerated electrons and ions. At present the most direct diagnostics of accelerated electrons are the radio emission produced from the microwave to the sub-millimeter domains by gyrosynchrotron emission and the hard X-ray/gamma-ray continuum from electron bremsstrahlung. These diagnostics have brought valuable information on the electron energetics, but the characteristics of relativistic electrons are still poorly known, although they provide the most stringent constraints for acceleration models. This is, at least partly, because radio diagnostics were usually obtained below 100 GHz and gamma-ray measurements were restricted to energies below 100 MeV. Recent radio observations in the 200–400 GHz range have revealed a new spectral component, the origin of which is not yet understood. Observations at higher frequencies are necessary in order to discriminate between different possibilities. Although solar observations in the far infrared domain have not yet been performed, this spectral region contains key information on both relativistic electrons and the response of the low atmosphere to energy deposition from the flare. The combination of observations obtained in the far infrared continuum (2–10 THz) with measurements of high energy gamma-rays (up to 500–600 MeV) will not suffer from the limitations of the present diagnostics and thus provide new constraints on acceleration and energy transport processes.

We discuss recent progress made in the spectral modelling of OB stars from the main sequence to evolved phases as BA-type supergiants. Non-LTE line-formation computations can now reproduce observed spectra over the entire optical and near-IR wavelength range with high confidence, facilitating stellar atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances to be determined at high accuracy and precision. An overview is given how the fundamental stellar parameters of single stars determined in our new approach compare to high-precision data derived from detached eclipsing massive binary stars. Finally, the observational constraints for a sample of Galactic objects are put in context with state-of-the-art evolution models for rotating massive stars.

We present a summary of the extensive problems posed by the curious abundance correlations seen in stars in Galactic globular clusters.We discuss three scenarios, and conclude that only one seems to beconsistent with the observations. Even this is still rather unsatisfyingfrom many viewpoints. We determine the kind of nucleosynthesis requiredand discuss AGB stars as the possible source. Some calculations seem torule out AGB stars and others seem to favour them. The reasons for the differences are discussed. No satisfying conclusion is reached!

Optical Interferometry has had an impressive 30-year run of innovation, prototyping and implementation. Some half-dozen arrays are now in operation. Publications are increasing exponentially. In a future phase of advanced facility development, interferometry could move in any of several directions: increased sensitivity, higher resolution, better imaging. What role may the Antarctic have in the future?

Surveys provide a wealth of data to the astronomical community that are used well after their completion. In this paper, we propose a project that would take the maximum benefit of Dome C in Antarctica by performing two surveys, in the wavelength range from 1–5 µm, complementary to SNAP space surveys. The first one over 1000 sq. deg. (1 KdF) for 4 years and the second one over 15 sq. deg (SNAP-IR) for the next 4 years at the same time as SNAP 0.35–1.7 µm survey. By using a Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics system, we would be able to recover, at the ice level and over at least half a degree in radius, the ~300 mas angular resolution available above the 30-m high turbulent layer. Such a survey, combining a high angular resolution with high sensitivities in the NIR and MIR, should also play the role of a pre-survey for JWST and ALMA.

Herschel is the fourth cornerstone mission in the European Space Agency (ESA) science programme. It will perform imaging photometry and spectroscopy in the far infrared and submillimetre part of the spectrum, covering approximately the 55–672 µmm range and thus bridging the traditional space infrared range with the groundbased capabilities.
The key science objectives emphasize fundamental issues connected to the formation and evolution of galaxies and stars and stellar systems. However, Herschel will be an observatory facility and its unique capabilities will be available to the entire astronomical community for a wide range of observations. Herschel is equipped with a passively cooled 3.5 m diameter classical Cassegrain telescope. The science payload complement – two cameras/medium resolution spectrometers (PACS and SPIRE) and a very high resolution heterodyne spectrometer (HIFI) – is housed in a superfluid helium cryostat. The ground segment is jointly developed by the ESA, the three instrument consortia, and NASA/IPAC. Herschel is scheduled to be launched into a transfer trajectory towards its operational orbit around the Earth-Sun L2 point by an Ariane 5 ECA (shared with the ESA cosmic background mapping mission Planck) in 2009. Once operational about half a year after launch, Herschel will offer 3 years of routine science operations. Almost 20 000 hours of observing time will nominally be made available for astronomy, 32% is guaranteed time, the remainder is open time which is offered to the worldwide general astronomical community through a standard competitive proposal procedure.

We apply a simple, one-equation, galaxy formation model on top of the halos and subhalos of a high-resolution dark matter cosmological simulation to study how dwarf galaxies acquire their mass and, for better mass resolution, on over 105 halo merger trees, to predict when they form their stars. With the first approach, we show that the large majority of galaxies within group- and cluster-mass halos have acquired the bulk of their stellar mass through gas accretion and not via galaxy mergers. We deduce that most dwarf ellipticals are not built up by galaxy mergers. With the second approach, we constrain the star formation histories of dwarfs by requiring that star formation must occur within halos of a minimum circular velocity set by the evolution of the temperature of the IGM, starting before the epoch of reionization. We qualitatively reproduce the downsizing trend of greater ages at greater masses and predict an upsizing trend of greater ages as one proceeds to masses lower than mcrit. We find that the fraction of galaxies with very young stellar populations (more than half the mass formed within the last 1.5 Gyr) is a function of present-day mass in stars and cold gas, which peaks at 0.5% at mcrit = 106−8 M⊙, corresponding to blue compact dwarfs such as I Zw 18.

Some recent observations of Classical Cepheids, RR Lyrae and Mira variables are used to illustrate their continued importance as standard candles. Gaia will provide a calibration of these stars as distance indicators which should lead to a greatly improved understanding of the formation and evolution of our Galaxy as well as a vital calibration of the extra-galactic distance scale. The importance of infrared observations, as well as a deeper understanding of interstellar reddening and photometric systems, will play a part if the Gaia calibration is to be put to good use.

Numerical simulations have become one of the main tools in the researchon stellar convection zones and they can be expected to become veryimportant for the study of the convection-diffusion interaction as well.In this review, I will first provide some historical background andthen select a few sample problems where numerical simulations of stellarconvection have provided useful results or are expected to do so inthe near future: solar granulation, interacting convection zones, andsemi-convection.

As of today over 40 planetary systems have been discovered in binary star systems. In all cases the configuration appears to be circumstellar, where the planets orbit around one of the stars, the secondary acting as a perturber. The formation of planets in binary star systems is more difficult than around single stars due to the gravitational action of the companion on the dynamics of the protoplanetary disk. In this contribution we first briefly present the relevant observational evidence for planets in binary systems. Then the dynamical influence that a secondary companion has on a circumstellar disk will be analyzed through fully hydrodynamical simulations. We demonstrate that the disk becomes eccentric and shows a coherent precession around the primary star. Finally, fully hydrodynamical simulations of evolving protoplanets embedded in disks in binary star systems are presented. We investigate how the orbital evolution of protoplanetary embryos and their mass growth from cores to massive planets might be affected in this very dynamical environment. We consider, in particular, the planet orbiting the primary in the system γ Cephei.

Due to their high vsini, early-type main-sequence stars have been considered as unsuitable targets for radial-velocity surveys. Knowing about the presence of planets around those stars is however a key issue to understand the impact of the mass of the central star on the way planets form and evolve. We developped in recent years a method that allows to search for planets around those stars and started radial-velocity surveys focused on these targets. We report here some results obtained so far in terms of performances and detection.


The science case for an ELT covers a very wide range of topics fromthe study of exo-planets to fundamental parameters of theUniverse. Here the case is summarised, and areas where an Antarctic sitewould provide advantages or limitations are considered. Simple scalingarguments are used to suggest that a “Moderately Extremely LargeTelescope” (or “MELT”) of order 15–20 m diameter in Antarctica wouldbe capable of carrying out some (but not all) of theobservations currently envisaged for a $\sim $40 m class ELT at atemperate site. It is suggested that any such Antarctic telescopeshould be dedicated to a small number of specific science goals,chosen to complement ELTs at temperate sites.

We have found low-mass star-forming regions with extremely high abundances of carbon-chain molecules. Those are L1527 in Taurus and IRAS 15398-3359 in Lupus. In these sources, carbon-chain molecules would be regenerated in a lukewarm region near the protostar, triggered by the evaporation of the CH4 ice. This is new carbon-chain chemistry (Warm Carbon-Chain Chemistry: WCCC) in contrast to the conventional one applied to cold starless cores. Our interferometric observation shows a steep abundance increase of the carbon-chain molecules inward of a radius of 500 − 1000 AU from the protostar. This size corresponds to the temperature range of 20–30 K, which is close to the evaporation temperature of CH4 (25 K). This result is therefore consistent with the WCCC. The discovery of the WCCC sources demonstrates chemical diversity of low-mass star-forming regions. In particular, a remarkable contrast can be seen between the WCCC and the hot corino chemistry known in IRAS 16293-2422. A possible origin for the diversity would be the time scale of the starless-core phase; a shorter contraction time would result in the WCCC. Relatively low deuterium fractionation ratios in L1527 also support this scenario. If so, chemical compositions will tell us an important clue to understand the source-to-source variation of star-formation processes.

We discuss four questions dealing with massive star evolution. The first one is about the origin of slowly rotating, non-evolved, nitrogen rich stars. We propose that these stars may originate from initially fast rotating stars whose surface has been braked down. The second question is about the evolutionary status of α-Cygni variables. According to their pulsation properties, these stars should be post red supergiant stars. However, some stars at least present surface abundances indicating that they should be pre red supergiant stars. How to reconcile these two contradictory requirements? The third one concerns the various supernova types which are the end point of the evolution of stars with initial masses between 18 and 30M⊙, i.e. the most massive stars which go through a red supergiant phase during their lifetime. Do they produce types IIP, IIL, IIn, IIb or Ib supernovae or do they end without producing any SN event? Finally, we shall discuss reasons why so few progenitors of type Ibc supernovae have yet been detected?

Seismology is the only way to investigate the internal structure ofthe giant planets, with a lot of scientific implications such ashigh pressure physics and huge constraints on the scenario of solarsystem formation. As compared to other existing possibilities(ground based network, spacecraft), seismology of Jupiter will takea maximum benefit from the peculiarities of the Concordia station asan astronomical observatory. Indeed, the continuous temporalcoverage for all the winter season, and the quality of theatmospheric seeing, are crucial parameters for this program. Thejovian seismometer SYMPA, already used for network observations, isperfectly suitable for Dome C conditions. With the alreadyexisting small telescopes deployed in the frame of site testingprogram, seismology of Jupiter will constitute a excellentintermediate project with high scientific return, before theinstallation of large telescopes. In a second step, such aninstrument could be a first light instrument for a 1.5 m classautomatic telescope, which is to be developed as an individual stonefor a large interferometer. With this diameter, the same scientificprogram on Saturn could also be achieved.

Accurate characterization of the errors in the global astrometric solution for Gaia isessential for making optimal use of the catalogue data. We investigate the structure ofthe covariance between the estimated astrometric parameters by studying the properties ofthe astrometric least squares solution. We find that astrometric errors can be separatedin a star and an attitude part, due to the estimation of the star and attitude parametersrespectively. Hence the covariances can be separated in a star, an attitude and a crossterm. This is demonstrated using our scalable simulation tool AGISLab, where thecovariances are estimated statistically using Monte Carlo techniques.