The analysis of hydrogen and metal absorption lines in the spectra of distant quasars (QSOs) has become a powerful method to study the distribution and physical properties of low-density gas situated in the extended halos and circumgalactic environment of galaxies at low and high redshift. We here review the overall properties of halo absorption-line systems seen in QSO spectra and discuss their connection to the Milky Way’s population of intermediate- and high-velocity clouds.

The SIM-Lite mission has finished its technology programme and continues with anengineering risk reduction activity while waiting for the results of the 2010 decadalreview. One of the last remaining activities is work on the SCDU testbed, which isdesigned to calibrate the spectral bias in interferometric astrometry to 0.1 microarcsec.This talk will provide a summary of engineering activities on building flight-likeprototypes of the key interferometer subassemblies, as well as an overview of the types ofproblems one encounters when attempting to do astrometry below 1 microarcsec, as well astheir solution.

The CRESST-II direct Dark Matter search is located in the Gran Sasso underground laboratories, Italy. CaWO4 crystals are used as scintillating targets for WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle) interactions. They are operated as cryogenic calorimeters in combination with a second cryogenic detector used to measure the scintillation light produced in the target crystal. For each particle interaction, the combination of phonon and light signals provides an event by event discrimination which allows to distinguish known particles (alphas, betas, gammas, neutrons) from the expected signal of WIMPs. A major upgrade of the setup comprises modifications of the shielding, installation of a muon-veto, and new read out electronics, as well as a new detector-support structure to accommodate up to 33 detector modules, i.e. 10 kg of target mass. The experiment was thereafter successfully commissioned in 2007. Data obtained during this commissioning phase from 2 detector modules are presented here. Combining the data collected with these two detector modules with data from one single module obtained during the CRESST-I phase, the experiment could already place a limit of ~6 × 10-7 pb for the spin independent WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section at a WIMP mass of ~60 GeV/c2.

In a recent study we have used a large sample of extragalactic radio sources to investigate the redshift evolution of the Rotation Measure (RM) of polarized quasars up to z ≈ 3.0. We found that the dispersion in the RM distribution of quasars increases at higher redshifts and hypothesized that MgII intervening systems were responsible for the observed trend. To test this hypothesis, we have recently obtained high-resolution UVES/VLT spectra for 76 quasars in our sample and in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 2.0. We found a clear correlation between the presence of strong MgII systems and large RMs. This implies that normal galaxies at z ≈ 1 already had large-scale magnetic fields comparable to those seen today.

The cataclysmic variables are associated with high energy events and probably many ofthem could be potential gamma-ray sources. Up to now Fermi-LAT detected 3 gamma-raytransients, which belong to CVs and related objects: V407 Cyg, N Sco 2012 and N Mon 2012 =V959 Mon. We present the first multicolour observations of the slow classical nova V959Mon.

Optical interferometers are instruments that combine the light coming from separated optical telescopes in order to get information with the spatial resolution of the telescope array. One of the major interferometer is the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). To observe an astronomical target with the VLTI, like with any other interferometers, one needs to carefully prepare the observations because of the numerous parameters to be fixed. In addition, the VLTI is being developed in the framework of the data flow system created for the Very Large telescopes (VLT) at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). I recall the philosophy of the ESO/VLT data flow system and its adaptation to the VLTI data and then I describe the various steps required to prepare a VLTI observation. Finally, I illustrate the various steps of this preparation with an example focused in the observations of the young binary system Z CMa.

We are planning three space astrometry missions as a series of JASMINE missions; Nano-JASMINE, Small-JASMINE and (Medium-sized)JASMINE. JASMINE is an abbreviation of Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission of INfrared Exploration. The JASMINE mission will measure in an infrared band annual parallaxes, positions on the celestial sphere, and proper motions of many stars in the bulge of the Milky Way (the Galaxy) with high accuracies. A target launch date is the first half of the 2020s. Before the launch of JASMINE, we are planning Nano-JASMINE and Small-JASMINE. Nano-JASMINE uses a very small nano-satellite and it is determined to be launched in 2011. Small-JASMINE is a downsized version of the JASMINE satellite, which observes toward restricted small regions of the Galactic bulge. A target launch date is around 2016. A completely new “map” of the Galactic bulge given by Small-JASMINE and JASMINE will bring us many exciting scientific results.

We briefly review the observations of the solar photosphere and pinpoint some open questions related to the magnetohydrodynamics of this layer of the Sun. We then discuss the current modelling efforts, addressing among other problems, that of the origin of supergranulation.

Testing instrument capabilities is a crucial issue for Gaia, where high levelperformances are expected. This activity involves many aspects: simulation of theinstrument through suitable modelling, comparison of the models with the actualinstrument, as well as producing evaluation methods, which are strictly related to the waydata will be processed and calibrated. In this paper I discuss the interconnections amongthese aspects, and provide some example from the current testing activities.

The main theme of this paper is truthful communication of scientific results. Therefore, concepts of truth, error, quality and value are elaborated.

The following bibliometric parameters are explained: the journal impact factor, the journal cited half-life, and the journal immediacy index, as well as paper counts, citation rates, citation index and the Hirsch index. These bibliometric indices and indicators are illustrated with examples derived from bibliometric analyses of the astronomical literature.

Scientific misconduct in the broadest sense is discussed by category: researcher misconduct, author misconduct, referee and grant-reviewer misconduct. But also publisher misconduct, editorial misconduct and mismanagement, and research supervisor misbehavior are dealt with. The overall signatures of scientific misconduct are focused on, as well as the causes and the cures. This is followed by a Section devoted to whistleblowing.

The biases of bibliometric indices, and the use and abuse of bibliometrics are illustrated. Moreover, suggestions for remediating the present defective system of bibliometric measurement and evaluation are worked out. Finally, the hopes and concerns of our students – either expressed during or after the lectures, or through subsequent private contacts – are passed on.

Classical Be stars – i.e. non-supergiants B stars with some emission – are very intriguing objects. They represent nearly 20% of B stars. Emission originates in a circumstellar envelope more or less concentrated around the equator, and whose origin is so far unexplained. Fast rotational velocity of Be stars does not attain break-up velocity and an additional process is needed to account for circumstellar region formation. Non-radial pulsations in Be stars were discovered for more than twenty years and asteroseismology is the only way to study the internal structure of these stars. It may also provide some clues to understand the “Be phenomenon”. The opportunity to observe Be stars during long times, without daily interruption, is specially important, considering non-radial pulsation periods of Be stars.

We present 3D high resolution numerical simulations of turbulent converging interstellar atomic hydrogen flows. First, we report pure hydrodynamical simulations from which we infer statistics of the CNM structures. We find that the CNM structures are characterized by a mass spectrum dN/dM ∝ M-1.7-1.8, a mass-size relation M ∝ L2.3-2.5, and a velocity dispersion σ ∝ L0.4-05. These are reminiscent of what has been inferred for CO molecular clumps. Then we present a 3D calculation, which includes magnetic field and self-gravity with the purpose of studying the formation of molecular clouds.

The Finite Rank Approximation (FRA) based methodis well known in operator approximation theory but it is also useful for suggesting numerical methods for solvingintegral equations. In this document we describe two FRA methods for the numerical resolution of the integral formulation of the 1D RadiativeTransfer Equation (RTE) posed in a static slab; we browse some advantages of them (especially the possibility to control the error) and we give some reduction of computation technics (iterative refinement schemes)which can be used with these methods. Numerical results obtained for a realistic Sun atmosphere model are given. In the last section we give an example of an inverse problem associated to the RTE:we show the iterative recovering of the albedo from the measurement of the outgoing specific intensityat a surface of the considered domain.

Large-scale shocks propagate in the interstellar medium of starburst and active galaxies, driven by the same mechanisms that regulate the evolution of the star formation and AGN episodes. The imprints of shocks in the chemical composition of the molecular gas provide useful means to identify those mechanisms and to asses their effects. We review some recent and on-going studies of the molecular gas chemistry in the nearby star-forming galaxies IC 342, NGC 253 and M 82, based on the well known shock tracer silicon monoxide (SiO). When mapped at high–spatial resolution the SiO emission reveals substantial differences among these galaxies. In particular, the location of shocks and their dominant driver are in correspondence with the evolutionary stage of the starburst episode. Complementary observations of other tracers of shock chemistry, like methanol (CH3OH), help us to improve the characterization of the shock mechanisms. We also present the first high-resolution observations of the SiO emission in the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068.

Planet–star plasma interactions can be described as the interaction of a plasma flow with an obstacle, each being possibly magnetized. Examples of the 4 possible situations are found in our solar system, with intense radio emissions produced in 3 cases out of 4, when either the flow or the obstacle is strongly magnetized. Scaling laws are derived that relate the emitted radio power to the power dissipated in the various corresponding flow–obstacle interactions. They are generalized as a “radio–magnetic” scaling law between the output radio power and the magnetic energy flux convected onto the obstacle. Extrapolating it to the case of exoplanets, we find that hot Jupiters may produce very intense radio emissions due to planetary magnetospheric interaction with a strong stellar wind, reconnection between planetary and stellar magnetic fields, or unipolar interaction between the planet and a magnetic star (or strongly magnetized regions of the stellar surface). Emitted radio power is expected in the hecto–decameter range with intensity 103 to 106 times that of Jupiter (unless some “saturation” mechanism occurs). Corresponding flux densities should be detectable at tens of parsecs range with modern radio arrays. We briefly discuss ongoing observational searches as well as the interests of direct radio detection.

We present a model for the dispersal of protoplanetary disks by winds from either the central star or the inner disk. These winds obliquely strike the flaring disk surface and strip away disk material by entraining it in an outward radial-moving flow at the disk-wind interface. This interface lies several disk scale heights above the mid plane. The disk dispersal time depends on the velocity at which disk material flows into the mixing layer. If this velocity is ~10% of the sound speed, the disk dispersal time at ~1–10 AU is ~5 Myr for a 0.01 M๏ disk around a solar mass star, with a spherical wind launched from the inner disk or central star with a typical mass loss rate of 10-8M๏yr-1 and terminal velocity of vw = 100 kms-1. We conclude that wind stripping is not a dominant disk dispersal mechanism compared with viscous accretion and photoevaporation. Nevertheless, wind stripping may affect the evolution of the intermediate disk regions.

A brief description of the various types of variable stars occuring in the advanced stages of stellar evolution is given.This includes the Planetary Nebulae Nuclei variables (PNNV), the PG 1159 variables, the sdB pulsators and the DB and DA white dwarf pulsators. In this review, the emphasis is put on the importance of diffusion for eitherthe excitation mechanism or the properties of the oscillations.

Thanks to development of some new detectors small compare to wavelength of detected wave, as we foreseen in SWIFTS that these detectors can be placed in the vanishing field along propagation of light in order to detect the Lippmann interferogram, we propose here to present basic of SWIFTS and review some concepts where detectors has already set inside optical components and thinking about extensions of the concept of SWIFTS in new optical instrumentation by including directly detectors inside optical component.

In this contribution, I review recent results from observational investigations of early-type binaries of spectral types O and Wolf-Rayet. These studies aim at an accurate determination of fundamental parameters such as masses and radii of the most massive stars. In addition, multi-wavelength analyses of wind collisions in massive binaries provide constraints on the properties of stellar winds of massive stars and shock physics of cosmic plasmas.

Global hyperbolicity is a classical and well-known concept, whichlies in the core of General Relativity. Here we discuss brieflyfive approaches to this concept. They yield different definitionswhich become natural in diverse contexts: the initial valueproblem, singularity theorems, existence of maximizing causalgeodesics, possibility to split globally the spacetime, causalboundaries. The neat formulation and definitive equivalencebetween these definitions have been completed only recently. Avery brief summary is presented.