We review emission processes within the supernova (SN) ejecta. Examples of the application of the theory to observational data are presented. The emission processes and thermal condition within the SN ejecta change as a function of time, and multi-epoch observations are important to obtain comprehensive views. Through the analyses, we can constrain the progenitor radius, compositions as a function of depth, ejecta properties, explosion asymmetry and so on. Multi-frequency follow-up is also important, including radio synchrotron emissions and the inverse Compton effect, γ-ray emissions from radioactive decay of newly synthesized materials. The optical data are essential to make the best use of the multi-frequency data.

Within a few parsecs around the central black hole A*, chemistry in the dense molecular cloud material of the circumnuclear disk (CND) can be affected by many energetic phenomena such as high UV-flux from the massive central star cluster, X-rays from A*, shock waves, and an enhanced cosmic-ray flux. Recently, spectroscopic surveys with the IRAM 30 meter and the APEX 12 meter telescopes of substantial parts of the 80–500 GHz frequency range were made toward selected positions in and near the CND. These data sets contain lines from the molecules HCN, HCO+, HNC, CS, SO, SiO, CN, H2CO, HC3N, N2H+, H3O+ and others. We conduct Large Velocity Gradient analyses to obtain column densities and total hydrogen densities, n, for each species in molecular clouds located in the southwest lobe of the CND. The data for the above mentioned molecules indicate 105 cm−3 ≲ n < 106 cm−3, which shows that the CND is tidally unstable. The derived chemical composition is compared with a chemical model calculated using the UCL_CHEM code that includes gas and grain reactions, and the effects of shock waves. Models are run for varying shock velocities, cosmic-ray ionization rates, and number densities. The resulting chemical composition is fitted best to an extremely high value of cosmic-ray ionization rate ζ ∼ 10−14 s−1, 3 orders of magnitude higher than the value in regular Galactic molecular clouds, if the pre-shock density is n=105 cm−3.

In order to understand the Barium abundance distribution in the Galactic disk based on Cepheids, one must first be aware of important effects of the corotation resonance, situated a little beyond the solar orbit. The thin disk of the Galaxy is divided in two regions that are separated by a barrier situated at that radius. Since the gas cannot get across that barrier, the chemical evolution is independent on the two sides of it. The barrier is caused by the opposite directions of flows of gas, on the two sides, in addition to a Cassini-like ring void of HI (caused itself by the flows). A step in the metallicity gradient developed at corotation, due to the difference in the average star formation rate on the two sides, and to this lack of communication between them. In connection with this, a proof that the spiral arms of our Galaxy are long-lived (a few billion years) is the existence of this step. When one studies the abundance gradients by means of stars which span a range of ages, like the Cepheids, one has to take into account that stars, contrary to the gas, have the possibility of crossing the corotation barrier. A few stars born on the high metallicity side are seen on the low metallicity one, and vice-versa. In the present work we re-discuss the data on Barium abundance in Cepheids as a function of Galactic radius, taking into account the scenario described above. The [Ba/H] ratio, plotted as a function of Galactic radius, apparently presents a distribution with two branches in the external region (beyond corotation). One can re-interpret the data and attribute the upper branch to the stars that were born on the high metallicity side. The lower branch, analyzed separately, indicates that the stars born beyond corotation have a rising Barium metallicity as a function of Galactic radius.

Kaz 163 is a close double galaxy. Its southern component S is compact, with a very blue nucleus, in which heated active processes take place. From time to time gas formations are ejected from it, which behave themselves like emission components around the main emission lines Hα and Hβ, around both from their long-wave and short-wave sides. This paper presents the spectral data of new observations, which were carried out with the 2.6m telescope at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory in September 2011. During the former observation in October 1981, lines [NII] λλ 6584,6548 were not visible in the spectrum of the component S. In 2001 they were already visible on the spectrum, and on the spectrum obtained in 2011 they already surpassed the intensity of Hα. The magnitude of the component S is also changing: its nucleus is very blue and its U-B = −0m.63. In the soft X-ray spectral range (0.1–2 keV) the flux of the radiation changed by 45% during 55,000 sec, and in the hard one (2–10keV) it changed up to 3.4 times. Photoindices Γ for the soft and hard ranges in the spectrum of galaxy S, unlike other objects, do not so much differ from each other. The mean value for the first interval is approximately 2.5 and is equal −2.0 for the second one. On the histogram of redshifts Kaz 163 corresponds to the first big peak of the distribution. It is concluded that the component S of the galaxy Kaz 163 is a NLS1 galaxy, with the development of their evolution, is in the preliminary stage. Component N is a normal elliptical galaxy with no activity.

BRITE-Constellation (where BRITE stands for BRIght Target Explorer) is an international nanosatellite mission to monitor photometrically, in two colours, brightness and temperature variations of stars brighter than V ≈ 4, with precision and time coverage not possible from the ground. The current mission design consists of three pairs of 7 kg nanosats (hence “Constellation”) from Austria, Canada and Poland carrying optical telescopes (3 cm aperture) and CCDs. One instrument in each pair is equipped with a blue filter; the other, a red filter. The first two nanosats (funded by Austria) are UniBRITE, designed and built by UTIAS-SFL (University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies-Space Flight Laboratory) and its twin, BRITE-Austria, built by the Technical University Graz (TUG) with support of UTIAS-SFL. They were launched on 25 February 2013 by the Indian Space Agency, under contract to the Canadian Space Agency.

Each BRITE instrument has a wide field of view (≈ 24 degrees), so up to 15 bright stars can be observed simultaneously in 32 × 32 sub-rasters. Photometry (with reduced precision but thorough time sampling) of additional fainter targets will be possible through on-board data processing. A critical technical element of the BRITE mission is the three-axis attitude control system to stabilize a nanosat with very low inertia. The pointing stability is better than 1.5 arcminutes rms, a significant advance by UTIAS-SFL over any previous nanosatellite.

BRITE-Constellation will primarily measure p- and g-mode pulsations to probe the interiors and ages of stars through asteroseismology. The BRITE sample of many of the brightest stars in the night sky is dominated by the most intrinsically luminous stars: massive stars seen at all evolutionary stages, and evolved medium-mass stars at the very end of their nuclear burning phases (cool giants and AGB stars). The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for stars brighter than mag V=4 from which the BRITE-Constellation sample will be selected is shown in Fig. 1. This sample falls into two principal classes of stars:

(1) Hot luminous H-burning stars (O to F stars). Analyses of OB star variability have the potential to help solve two outstanding problems: the sizes of convective (mixed) cores in massive stars and the influence of rapid rotation on their structure and evolution.

(2) Cool luminous stars (AGB stars, cool giants and cool supergiants). Measurements of the time scales involved in surface granulation and differential rotation will constrain turbulent convection models.

Mass loss from these stars (especially the massive supernova progenitors) is a major contributor to the evolution of the interstellar medium, so in a sense, this sample dominates cosmic “ecology” in terms of future generations of star formation. The massive stars are believed to share many characteristics of the lower mass range of the first generation of stars ever formed (although the original examples are of course long gone).

BRITE observations will also be used to detect some Jupiter- and even Neptune-sized planets around bright host stars via transits, as expected on the basis of statistics from the Kepler exoplanet mission. Detecting planets around such very bright stars will greatly facilitate their subsequent characterization. BRITE will also use surface spots to investigate stellar rotation.

The following Table summarizes launch and orbit parameters of BRITE-Constellation components.

The full version of this paper describing in more detail BRITE-Constellation will be published separately in a journal. The symposium presentation is available at http://iaus301.astro.uni.wroc.pl/program.php

In this paper we consider the special case of the planar circular restricted three-body problem by the example of the problem of the Earth, the Moon and a point mass, where the gravitational potentials of the Earth and the Moon are given as the Kislik potential. The Kislik potential takes into account the flattening of a celestial body on the poles. We find the relative equilibria solutions for a point mass and analyze their stability. We describe the difference between the obtained points and the classical solution of the three-body problem.

Including resistive effects in relativistic magnetized plasmas is a challenging task, that a number of authors have recently tackled employing different methods. From the numerical point of view, the difficulty in including non-ideal terms arises from the fact that, in the limit of very high plasma conductivity (i.e., close to the ideal MHD limit), the system of governing equations becomes stiff, and the standard explicit integrating methods produce instabilities that destroy the numerical solution. To deal with such a difficulty, we have extended the relativistic MHD code MR-GENESIS, to include a number of Implicit Explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) numerical methods. To validate the implementation of the IMEX-RK schemes, two standard tests are presented in one and two spatial dimensions, covering different conductivity regimes.

Rotation is a key parameter in the evolution of massive stars, affecting their evolution, chemical yields, ionizing photon budget, and final fate. We determined the projected rotational velocity, υe sin i, of ~330 O-type objects, i.e. ~210 spectroscopic single stars and ~110 primaries in binary systems, in the Tarantula nebula or 30 Doradus (30 Dor) region. The observations were taken using VLT/FLAMES and constitute the largest homogeneous dataset of multi-epoch spectroscopy of O-type stars currently available. The most distinctive feature of the υe sin i distributions of the presumed-single stars and primaries in 30 Dor is a low-velocity peak at around 100 km s−1. Stellar winds are not expected to have spun-down the bulk of the stars significantly since their arrival on the main sequence and therefore the peak in the single star sample is likely to represent the outcome of the formation process. Whereas the spin distribution of presumed-single stars shows a well developed tail of stars rotating more rapidly than 300 km s−1, the sample of primaries does not feature such a high-velocity tail. The tail of the presumed-single star distribution is attributed for the most part – and could potentially be completely due – to spun-up binary products that appear as single stars or that have merged. This would be consistent with the lack of such post-interaction products in the binary sample, that is expected to be dominated by pre-interaction systems. The peak in this distribution is broader and is shifted toward somewhat higher spin rates compared to the distribution of presumed-single stars. Systems displaying large radial velocity variations, typical for short period systems, appear mostly responsible for these differences.

The advent of large spectroscopic surveys of the Galaxy offers the possibility to compare Galactic models to actual measurements for the first time. I have developed a tool for the comprehensive comparison of any large data set to the predictions made by models of the Galaxy using sophisticated statistical methods, and to visualise the results for any given direction. This enables us to point out systematic differences between the model and the measurements, as well as to identify new (sub-)structures in the Galaxy. These results can then be used to improve the models, which in turn will allow us to find even more substructures like stellar streams, moving groups, or clusters. In this paper I show the potential of this tool by applying it to the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE, Steinmetz 2003) and the Besançon model of the Galaxy Robin et al. 2003.

Origins of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) discovered by recent SN surveys are still not known well. One idea to explain the huge luminosity is the collision of dense CSM and SN ejecta. If SN ejecta is surrounded by dense CSM, the kinetic energy of SN ejecta is efficiently converted to radiation energy, making them very bright. To see how well this idea works quantitatively, we performed numerical simulations of collisions of SN ejecta and dense CSM by using one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code STELLA and obtained light curves (LCs) resulting from the collision. First, we show the results of our LC modeling of SLSN 2006gy. We find that physical parameters of dense CSM estimated by using the idea of shock breakout in dense CSM (e.g., Chevalier & Irwin 2011, Moriya & Tominaga 2012) can explain the LC properties of SN 2006gy well. The dense CSM's radius is about 1016 cm and its mass about 15 M⊙. It should be ejected within a few decades before the explosion of the progenitor. We also discuss how LCs change with different CSM and SN ejecta properties and origins of the diversity of H-rich SLSNe. This can potentially be a probe to see diversities in mass-loss properties of the progenitors. Finally, we also discuss a possible signature of SN ejecta-CSM interaction which can be found in H-poor SLSN.

The cool gas in the central parsec of the Galaxy is organized in the surrounding circumnuclear disk, made of neutral gas, and the internal minispiral, composed of dust and ionized gas. In order to study the transition between them we have investigated the presence of H2 neutral gas in this area, through NIR spectro-imaging data observed with SPIFFI. To preserve the spatial resolution we implemented a new method consisting of a regularized 3D fit. We concentrated on the supposedly fully ionized central cavity and the very inner edge of the CND. H2 is detected everywhere: at the boundary of the CND and in the central cavity, where it seems to split in two components, one in the background of the minispiral and one inside the Northern arm.

Anomalously broad diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) at 5780.5, 5797.1, 6196.0, and 6613.6 Å are found in absorption along the line of sight to Herschel 36, an O star system next to the bright Hourglass nebula of the Hii region Messier 8. Excited lines of CH and CH+ are seen as well. We show that the region is very compact and itemize other anomalies of the gas. An infrared-bright star within 400 AU is noted. The combination of these effects produces anomalous DIBs, interpreted by Oka et al. (2013, see also this volume) as being caused predominantly by infrared pumping of rotational levels of relatively small molecules.

The sample of Markarian galaxies consists of 1515 UV-excess galaxies containing many active galaxies, both AGN and Starburst (SB). Several catalogs of Markarian galaxies have been published; however activity types are based on old spectroscopic data. The SDSS spectroscopy and some other recent spectral observations allow classify or re-classify many of Markarian galaxies, altogether we have retrieved and studied 779 SDSS and 300 other spectra. Out of 779 SDSS spectra, we have classified 533 HII, 31 Composites, 12 LINERs, 4 S2.0, 5 S1.9, 8 S1.8, 5 NLS1.5, 11 S1.5, 8 NLS1.2, 21 S1.2, 4 NLS1, 4 S1.0, 2 QSO, 11 AGN (without an exact class), 52 Em (HII or AGN), 65 Abs, and 3 Stars. On the other hand, the galaxies are being classified depending on the fact in which wavelength range they have been observed and studied. E.g. some Sy2 type galaxies turn to be Sy1 when classified in IR. Many hidden AGN (in X-ray and IR) appear to be normal galaxies in optical range. So for better understanding, IR spectra are necessary as well.

HD 82943 hosts a mysterious multi-planet system in the 2:1 mean-motion resonance that puzzles astronomers for more than a decade. We describe our new analysis of all radial velocity data currently available for this star, including both the most recent Keck data and the older but more numerous CORALIE measurements.

Here we pay a major attention to the task of optimal scheduling of the future observation of this system. Applying several optimality criteria, we demonstrate that in the forthcoming observational season of HD 82943 (the winter 2014/2015) rather promising time ranges can be found. Observations of the near future may give rather remarkable improvement of the orbital fit, but only if we choose their time carefully.

The structure and dynamics of young stellar object (YSO) accretion shocks depend strongly on the local magnetic field strength and configuration, as well as on the radiative transfer effects responsible for the energy losses. We present the first 3D YSO shock simulations of the interior of the stream, assuming a uniform background magnetic field, a clumpy infalling gas, and an acoustic energy flux flowing at the base of the chromosphere. We study the dynamical evolution and the post-shock structure as a function of the plasma-beta (thermal pressure over magnetic pressure). We find that a strong magnetic field (~hundreds of Gauss) leads to the formation of fibrils in the shocked gas due to the plasma confinement within flux tubes. The corresponding emission is smooth and fully distinguishable from the case of a weak magnetic field (~tenths of Gauss) where the hot slab demonstrates chaotic motion and oscillates periodically.

The three most iron-poor stars known until now are also known to have peculiar enhancements of intermediate mass elements. Under the assumption that these iron-deficient stars reveal the nucleosynthesis result of Pop III stars, we show that a weak supernova model successfully reproduces the observed abundance patterns. Moreover, we show that the initial parameters of the progenitor, such as the initial masses and the rotational property, can be constrained by the model, since the stellar yields result from the nucleosynthesis in the outer region of the star, which is significantly affected by the initial parameters. The initial parameter of Pop III stars is of prime importance for the theoretical study of the early universe. Future observation will increase the number of such carbon enhanced iron-deficient stars, and the same analysis on the stars may give valuable information for the Pop III stars that existed in our universe.

The prototype telescope and instruments for the Stellar Observations Network Group (SONG) are nearing completion at the Observatorio del Teide on Tenerife. In this contribution we describe the current status (autumn 2013) of the telescope and its instrumentation. Preliminary performance characteristics are presented for the high-resolution spectrograph based on daytime observations of the Sun and a 4 hour test series obtained for the sub-giant β Aquilae.

Determining planetary habitability is a complex matter, as the interplay between a planet's physical and atmospheric properties with stellar insolation has to be studied in a self consistent manner. Standardized atmospheric models for Earth-like planets exist and are commonly accepted as a reference for estimates of Habitable Zones. In order to define Habitable Zone boundaries, circular orbital configurations around main sequence stars are generally assumed. In gravitationally interacting multibody systems, such as double stars, however, planetary orbits are forcibly becoming non circular with time. Especially in binary star systems even relatively small changes in a planet's orbit can have a large impact on habitability. Hence, we argue that a minimum model for calculating Habitable Zones in binary star systems has to include dynamical interactions.

Over the past decade, significant investigations have been made through the use of high-resolution spectropolarimetry to probe the surface magnetic field characteristics of young higher-mass (M ≳ 1.5 M⊙) stars from pre-main sequence to zero-age main sequence evolutionary phases. The results of these observational campaigns suggest that these young higher-mass stars host similar magnetic properties to their main sequence descendants - strong, stable, globally-ordered fields that are detected in approximately 10 percent of all stars. This strongly contrasts with lower-mass stars, where it is generally accepted that a solar-like dynamo is in operation that generates more complex, globally-weak fields that are ubiquitous. The consensus is magnetic fields in higher-mass stars are fossil remnants of a magnetic field present in the molecular cloud, or generated very early during stellar formation. This review discusses the spectropolarimetric observations of higher-mass stars and how these observations have guided our current understanding of the magnetic characteristics of young higher-mass stars.

We use early optical photometric and spectroscopic data of six Type-IIP SNe to derive distances to their host galaxies using the expanding photosphere method (EPM). Our sample consists of luminous to sub-luminous SNe 1999gi, 2004et, 2005cs, 2008in, 2009md and 2012aw; having absolute V-magnitudes from -17 to -15 and host galaxy distances from 5 to 22 Mpc. The SN 2008in is peculiar in nature showing dual behavior of a luminous as well as sub-luminous event. The EPM distances for four of the events in our sample are derived for the first time. We take utmost care in minimizing the errors arising from photospheric velocity determination and the broadband filter responses, hence leaving out uncertainty in dilution factor models as the only major source of error. Our preliminary results indicate that EPM-derived distances using Dessart model is found to be consistent with the distances quoted in the literature. We find that EPM method is applicable only to the early (<50 d) photometric data of supernovae and dense spectroscopic data is necessary to estimate accurate distances.