The extreme conditions found in and around pulsars make them fantastic natural laboratories, providing insights to a rich variety of fundamental physics and astronomy. To discover more pulsars we have begun the High Time Resolution Universe (HTRU) survey: a blind survey of the northern sky with the 100-m Effelsberg radio telescope in Germany and a twin survey of the southern sky with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope in Australia. The HTRU is an international collaboration with expertise shared among the MPIfR in Germany, ATNF/CASS and Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, University of Manchester in the UK and INAF in Italy. The HTRU survey uses multi-beam receivers and backends constructed with recent advancements in technology, providing unprecedentedly high time and frequency resolution, allowing us to probe deeper into the Galaxy than ever before. While a general overview of HTRU has been given by Keith at this conference, here we focus on three further aspects of HTRU discoveries and highlights. These include the ‘Diamond-planet pulsar’ binary J1719-1438 and a second similar system recently discovered. In addition, we provide specifications of the HTRU-North survey and an update of its status. In the last section we give an overview of the search for highly-accelerated binaries in the Galactic plane region. We discuss the computational challenges arising from the processing of the petabyte-sized HTRU survey data. We present an innovative segmented search technique which aims to increase our chances of discovering highly accelerated relativistic binary systems, potentially including pulsar-black-hole binaries.

A recent polarimetric survey of OH masers in a large sample of AGB and post-AGB stars revealed widespread occurrence of polarized features. We made a statistical analysis of the polarization properties of this large data set. We discuss the alignment of polarization position angles between the extreme blue- and red-shifted parts of the 1612 MHz spectrum. The average polarization angle of OH masers from the opposite sides of the envelope agrees within 20° for 80% of the sources in the sample. For two objects monitored over ~6 years the polarization position angle at 1612 MHz is constant within measurement uncertainties: this suggests a stable and a very regular structure of the circumstellar magnetic fields. Alternatively, this could indicate a galactic origin of the field which may be amplified by the stellar wind in the outermost parts of the envelopes.

We utilized the new high-order (250-378 mode) Magellan Adaptive Optics system (MagAO) to obtain very high-resolution science in the visible with MagAO's VisAO CCD camera. In the good-median seeing conditions of Magellan (0.5–0.7″) we find MagAO delivers individual short exposure images as good as 19 mas optical resolution. Due to telescope vibrations, long exposure (60s) r' (0.63μm) images are slightly coarser at FWHM = 23-29 mas (Strehl ~ 28%) with bright (R < 9 mag) guide stars. These are the highest resolution filled-aperture images published to date. Images of the young (~ 1 Myr) Orion Trapezium θ1 Ori A, B, and C cluster members were obtained with VisAO. In particular, the 32 mas binary θ1 Ori C1C2 was easily resolved in non-interferometric images for the first time. Relative positions of the bright trapezium binary stars were measured with ~ 0.6–5 mas accuracy. In the second commissioning run we were able to correct 378 modes and achieved good contrasts (Strehl>20% on young transition disks at Hα). We discuss the contrasts achieved at Hα and the possibility of detecting low mass (~ 1–5 Mjup) planets (past 5AU) with our new SAPPHIRES survey with MagAO at Hα.

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) provides us with our most direct observational window to the early universe. Observations of the temperature and polarization anisotropies in the CMB have played a critical role in defining the now-standard cosmological model. In this contribution we review some of the basics of CMB science, highlighting the role of observations made with ground-based and balloon-borne Antarctic telescopes. Most of the ingredients of the standard cosmological model are poorly understood in terms of fundamental physics. We discuss how current and future CMB observations can address some of these issues, focusing on two directly relevant for Antarctic programmes: searching for gravitational waves from inflation via B-mode polarization, and mapping dark matter through CMB lensing.

We have performed a uniform analysis of the power spectrum densities (PSDs) of 104 nearby (z<0.4) active galactic nuclei (AGN) using 209 XMM-Newton/pn observations, including several AGN classes. These PSDs span ≃ 3 decades in temporal frequencies, ranging from minutes to days. We have fitted each PSD to two models: (1) a single power-law model and (2) a bending power-law model. A fraction of 72% show significant variability. The PSD of the majority of the variable AGN was well described by a simple power-law with a mean index of α = 2.01±0.01. In 15 sources we found that the bending power law model was preferred with a mean slope of α = 3.08±0.04 and a mean bend frequency of 〈νb〉 ≃ 2 × 10−4 Hz. Only KUG 1031+398 (RE J1034+396) shows evidence for quasi-periodic oscillations. The ‘fundamental plane’ relating variability timescale, black hole mass, and luminosity is demonstrated using the new X-ray timing results presented here together with a compilation of the previously detected timescales from the literature.

The evolution of masses and sizes of passive (early-type) galaxies with redshift provides ideal constraints to galaxy formation models. These parameters can in principle be obtained for large galaxy samples from multi-band photometry alone. However the accuracy of photometric masses is limited by the non-universality of the IMF. Galaxy sizes can be biased at high redshift due to the inferior quality of the imaging data. Both problems can be avoided using galaxy dynamics, and in particular by measuring the galaxies stellar velocity dispersion. Here we provide an overview of the efforts in this direction.

The subject of our work is the review and comparison of solar activity during the last two solar minima that occurred between recent activity cycles. We use the soft X-ray global solar corona observations covering the two nine-months long time intervals in 1997/98 and 2009. Data from RF15-I multichannel photometer are used for the penultimate minimum. For the last unusually deep and prolonged solar activity minimum in 2009 the data from SphinX spectrophotometer are used. Comparison of measurements from both minima takes place in the overlapping energy range 2–15 keV. We focus on the active region formation, evolution and flaring productivity during respective minima.

The formation of terrestrial and gas giant planets has likely imprinted signatures on the chemical composition of their parent stars, as shown for example by the higher occurrence of giant planets for higher stellar metallicities. There are two new signatures that have been recently proposed by Meléndez et al. (2009, 2012) and Ramírez et al. (2009, 2010) for the formation of rocky planets, and by Ramírez et al. (2011) for gas giant planets. We review here our on-going work on the planet-star connection using solar twins, for which chemical abundances are being obtained at unprecedented precision (0.01 dex).

The discovery of a pulsar or pulsars orbiting near the Galactic Center (GC) could offer an unprecedented probe of strong-field gravity, the properties of our galaxy's supermassive black hole and insights into the paradoxical star formation history of the region. However, searching for pulsars near the GC is severely hampered by the large electron densities along our line of sight and the scattering-induced pulse broadening of the pulsar emission observed through it. As the broadened pulse length approaches the pulsar period, the periodicity in pulsar emission becomes nearly undetectable. Searches extended to higher frequencies, in an effort to reduce scattering, suffer from reduced intrinsic flux, higher system temperatures and increased atmospheric opacity. We are currently attempting to mitigate the challenges associated with searching for pulsars near the GC by employing new wide bandwidth receivers, upgraded IF distribution systems and novel digital spectrometers in a GC pulsar search campaign at the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, USA.

Our search will cover two frequency bands, from 12-15 GHz (Ku Band) and 18-26 GHz (K Band), during a total of approximately 30 hours of observations, with expected characteristic 10-sigma sensitivities between 5-10 micro-Jy. Our first observations are scheduled for mid-March 2012. Here we will present the status of our observations and initial results.

We use a Babcock-Leighton-type of dynamo with the poloidal source based as closely as possible on the observations to model the solar cycle irregularities during the cycles 12-20. The nonlinearities in the poloidal field generation, i.e., the cycle dependence of the sunspot group tilt angles and the latitudes are included. The convective pumping dominates the transport of the surface poloidal field to the tachocline. Our results show that the modeled polar fields have a good correlation with the observed next cycle strength and the build-up of the toroidal flux at the tachocline is strongly correlated with the observed cycle strength as well. Both correlation coefficients are above 0.8. The success of the model indicates that they are the nonlinearities in the poloidal field generation which cause the solar cycle irregularities.

Once ALMA full polarization capabilities are offered, (sub-)mm polarization studies will enter a new era. It will become possible to perform detailed studies of polarized maser emission towards for example massive star forming regions and late-type stars such as (post-) Asymptotic Giant Branch stars and young Planetary Nebulae. In these environments, SiO, H2O and HCN are molecules that can naturally generate polarized maser emission observable by ALMA. The maser polarization can then be used to derive the strength and morphology of the magnetic field in the masing regions. However, in order to derive, in particular, the magnetic field orientation from maser linear polarization, a number of conditions involving the rate of stimulated emission, molecular state decay and Zeeman splitting need to be satisfied. In this work, we discuss these conditions for the maser transitions in the ALMA frequency range and highlight the optimum transitions to further our understanding of star formation and evolved star magnetic fields.

Since the discovery of its transiting nature, the super-Earth 55 Cnc e has become one of the most enthusiastically studied exoplanets, having been observed spectroscopically and photometrically, in the ultraviolet, optical and infrared regimes. To this rapidly growing data set, we contribute 42 days of new, nearly continuous MOST photometry of the 55 Cnc system. Our analysis of these observations together with the discovery photometry obtained in 2011 allows us to determine the planetary radius (1.990+0.084−0.080) and orbital period (0.7365417+0.0000025−0.0000028) of 55 Cnc e with unprecedented precision. We also followed up on the out-of-transit phase variation first observed in the 2011 photometry, and set an upper limit on the depth of the planet's secondary eclipse, leading to an upper limit on its geometric albedo of 0.6.

We present new on-sky results for the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics imager (SCExAO) verifying and quantifying the contrast gain enabled by key components: the closed-loop coronagraphic low-order wavefront sensor (CLOWFS) and focal plane wavefront control (“speckle nulling”). SCExAO will soon be coupled with a high-order, Pyramid wavefront sensor which will yield > 90% Strehl ratio and enable 106–107 contrast at small angular separations allowing us to image gas giant planets at solar system scales. Upcoming instruments like VAMPIRES, FIRST, and CHARIS will expand SCExAO's science capabilities.

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are powered by energetic phenomena which cannot be attributed to stars. LINERs appears to be the low power end of the AGN sequence with the lowest Eddington ratios but hosting the most massive black holes (typically 109 M⊙). Whereas variability is common for high Eddington ratio emitting sources, in the low Eddington regime data are not so clear. Recent investigations at UV (Maoz et al. 2005) and X-ray frequencies (Younes et al. 2011, González-Martín et al. 2011) point out to the long term variable nature for some particular LINERs.

In this work we add more evidence about the X-ray variability in LINERs and investigate its nature. The data set comprises X-ray archival spectroscopy from observations taken from Chandra and XMM-Newton, selecting LINERs with several observations at different epochs. Up to now we analysed two LINER 1.9 objects, NGC 1052 and NGC 4278, and checked that variability is due to different mechanisms based on the results of spectral fittings.

Galaxy assembly is an unsolved problem, with ΛCDM theoretical models unable to easily account for among other things, the abundances of massive galaxies, and the observed merger history. We show here how the problem of galaxy formation can be addressed in an empirical way without recourse to models. We discuss how galaxy assembly occurs at 1.5 < z < 3 examining the role of major and minor mergers, and gas accretion from the intergalactic medium in forming massive galaxies with log M* > 11 found within the GOODS NICMOS Survey (GNS). We find that major mergers, minor mergers and gas accretion are roughly equally important in the galaxy formation process during this epoch, with 64% of the mass assembled through merging and 36% through accreted gas which is later converted to stars, while 58% of all new star formation during this epoch arises from gas accretion. We also discuss how the total gas accretion rate is measured as Ṁ = 90±40 M⊙ yr−1 at this epoch, a value close to those found in some hydrodynamical simulations.

Observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) have played a leading role in establishing an understanding of the structure and evolution of the Universe on the largest scales. This achievement has been enabled by a series of extremely successful experiments, coupled with the simplicity of the relationship between the cosmological theory and data. Antarctic experiments, including both balloon-borne telescopes and instruments at the South Pole, have played a key role in realizing the scientific potential of the CMB, from the characterization of the temperature anisotropies to the detection and study of the polarized component. Current and planned Antarctic long duration balloon experiments will extend this heritage of discovery to test theories of cosmic genesis through sensitive polarized surveys of the millimeter-wavelength sky. In this paper we will review the pivotal role that Antarctic balloon borne experiments have played in transforming our understanding of the Universe, and describe the scientific goals and technical approach of current and future missions.

We review here the current status and the latest results of the modelling of quiescent prominence fine structures. We begin with the simulations of the prominence magnetic field configurations, through an overview of the modelling of the fine structure formation and dynamics, and with the emphasis on the radiative transfer modelling of the realistic prominence fine structures. We also illuminate the future directions of the field that lie in the combining of the existing approaches into more complex multi-disciplinary models.

We have conducted a mapping survey toward a sample of 17 infrared dust bubbles in three 3 mm waveband CO isotopic lines simultaneously. Such bubbles are candidates to search for triggered massive star formation. We present the data and report preliminary results.

We present a new determination of the distance to the Pleiades using the moving-cluster method, allowing for inclusion of the effects of expansion and rotation of the cluster. While rotation appears neglegible, we find a slight expansion of the cluster with a maximum velocity of 0.15 km s−1 and a distance modulus of (m − M)0 = 5.50 ± 0.13 mag. This is larger but compatible with the new Hipparcos distance modulus of 5.40 ± 0.03 mag. On the other hand, various distance moduli for the Pleiades are found in the literature, many resulting from isochrone fitting. They scatter around a value of 5.63 mag. Our results are also compatible with these measurements, within the error bars.

Young brown dwarfs and directly-imaged exoplanets have enticingly similar photometric and spectroscopic characteristics, indicating that their cool, low gravity atmospheres should be studied in concert. Similarities between the peculiar shaped H band, near and mid-IR photometry as well as location on color magnitude diagrams provide important clues about how to extract physical properties of planets from current brown dwarf observations. In this proceeding we discuss systems newly assigned to 10-150 Myr nearby moving groups, highlight the diversity of this uniform age-calibrated brown dwarf sample, and reflect on their implication for understanding current and future planetary data.