Infrared observations of hot massive stars and their environments provide a detailed picture of mass loss histories, dust formation, and dynamical interactions with the local stellar medium that can be unique to the thermal regime. We have acquired new infrared spectroscopy and imaging with the sensitive instruments onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope in guaranteed and open time programs comprised of some of the best known examples of hot stars with circumstellar nebulae, supplementing with unpublished Infrared Space Observatory spectroscopy. Here wepresent highlights of our work on the environment around the extreme P Cygni-type star HDE316285, providing some defining characteristics of the star's evolution and interactions with the ISM at unprecented detail in the infrared.

On January 26, 2006, an area of the sky of 80 deg2 at α = 9h, δ= 20o (J2000.0) was observed with the 100/120cm Schmidt telescope at the Xuyi station of the Purple Mountain Observatory. Astrometric performance of the telescope is analyzed by this group of CCD observations. The results show that: (1) the CCD images suffer from complicated distortions, and a third order plate model is recommended for reductions; (2) there is no obvious magnitude equation for objects brighter than 16.5 mag, and (3) for this group of CCD images, the astrometric precision for objects brighter than 16.5 mag is better than 70 mas per coordinate when reduced against the UCAC2 catalog.

We study the origin and properties of unbound stars in the kinematic samples of dwarf spheroidal galaxies. For this purpose we have run a high resolution N-body simulation of a two-component dwarf galaxy orbiting in a Milky Way potential. We create mock kinematic data sets by observing the dwarf in different directions. When the dwarf is observed along the tidal tails the kinematic samples are strongly contaminated by unbound stars from the tails. However, most of the unbound stars can be removed by the method of interloper rejection proposed by den Hartog & Katgert. We model the velocity dispersion profiles of the cleaned-up kinematic samples using solutions of the Jeans equation. We show that even for such a strongly stripped dwarf the Jeans analysis, when applied to cleaned samples, allows us to reproduce the mass and mass-to-light ratio of the dwarf with accuracy typically better than 25%.

A new method for automated coronal loop tracking, in both spatial and temporal domains, is presented. The reliability of this technique was tested with TRACE 171 Å observations. The application of this technique to a flare-induced kink-mode oscillation, revealed a 3500 km spatial periodicity which occur along the loop edge. We establish a reduction in oscillatory power, for these spatial periodicities, of 45% over a 322 s interval. We relate the reduction in oscillatory power to the physical damping of these loop-top oscillations.

We report about the fact that the stellar population that is born in the gas inflowing towards the central regions can be vertically unstable leading to a B/PS feature remarkably bluer that the surrounding bulge. Using new chemodynamical simulations we show that this young population does not remain as flat as the gaseous nuclear disc and buckles out of the plane to form a new boxy bulge. We show that such a young B/PS bulge can be detected in colour maps.

Jets from newly-formed stars plow into the surrounding ISM, creating nebulous regions known as Herbig-Haro (HH) objects. Signatures of C-type shocks have been found in many HH objects. Models of shock-excited 1720-MHz OH masers associated with SNRs suggest that the masers could be signposts of C-type shocks. We have conducted a 1720MHz survey towards a number of HH objects to see if any shock-excited masers occur in association with these objects. Some results of our search are reported. When present, the 1720-MHz OH line can occur as emission, absorption or as P Cygni profiles. OH mainline emission is found in many of our sources. We have identified several potential 1720-, 1665- and 1667-MHz OH masers.

Although late stage gap formation reduces the surface density in the vicinity of protoplanets, simulations suggest gas may continue to leak through the protoplanets tidal barrier, replenishing the gas supply and allowing protoplanets to acquire masses comparable to or larger than that of Jupiter. Global gas depletion is a possible explanation for gaseous planets with lower masses in weak-line T-Tauri disks and ice giants in our own solar system, but it is unlikely to have stalled the growth of multiple systems around nearby stars that contain relatively low-mass, close-in planets along with more massive and longer period companions. Here, we suggest a potential solution. We show that supersonic infall of surrounding gas onto a protoplanet is only possible interior to both its Bondi and Roche radii. Although the initial Bondi radius is much smaller than its Roche radius, the former overtakes the latter during its growth. Thereafter, a positive pressure gradient is required to induce the gas to enter the Roche lobe of the protoplanet and flow is significantly reduced. We present the results of analysis and numerical simulations to show that the accretion rate increases rapidly with the ratio of the protoplanets Roche to Bondi radii. Based on these results we suggest that in regions with low geometric aspect ratios gas accretion is quenched, resulting in relatively low protoplanetary masses.

Commission 33 held a brief business session on 21 August within the science session organized jointly with its parent Division VII.

We have performed the smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations of collisions between two gas giant planets. Changes in masses of the ice/rock core and the H/He envelope due to the collisions are investigated. The main aim of this study is to constrain the origin and probability of a class of extrasolar hot Jupiters that have much larger cores and/or higher core/envelope mass ratios than those predicted by theories of accretion of gas giant planets. A typical example is HD 149026b. Theoretical models of the interior of HD 149026b (Sato et al. 2005; Fortney et al. 2006; Ikoma et al. 2006) predict that the planet contains a huge core of 50-80 Earth masses relative to the total mass of 110 Earth masses. Our SPH simulations demonstrate that such a gas giant is produced by a collision with an impact velocity of typically more than 2.5 times escape velocity and an impact angle of typically less than 10 degrees, which results in an enormous loss of the envelope gas and complete accretion of both cores.

Mode conversion in the region where the sound and Alfvén speeds are equal is a complex process, which has been studied both analytically and numerically, and has been seen in observations. In order to further the understanding of this process we set up a simple, one-dimensional model, and examine wave propagation through this system using a combination of analytical and numerical techniques. Simulations are carried out in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere with a uniform, vertical magnetic field for both isothermal and non-isothermal cases. For the non-isothermal case a temperature profile is chosen to mimic the steep temperature gradient encountered at the transition region. In all simulations, a slow wave is driven on the upper boundary, thus propagating down from low-β to high-β plasma across the mode-conversion region. In addition, a detailed analytical study is carried out where we predict the amplitude and phase of the transmitted and converted components of the incident wave as it passes through the mode-conversion region. A comparison of these analytical predictions with the numerical results shows good agreement, giving us confidence in both techniques. This knowledge may be used to help determine wave types observed and give insight into which modes may be involved in coronal heating.

The gas component plays a major role in the dynamics of spiral galaxies, because of its dissipative character, and its ability to exchange angular momentum with stars in the disk. Due to its small velocity dispersion, it triggers gravitational instabilities, and the corresponding non-axisymmetric patterns produce gravity torques, which mediate these angular momentum exchanges. When a srong bar pattern develops with the same pattern speed all over the disk, only gas inside corotation can flow towards the center. But strong bars are not long lived in presence of gas, and multiple-speed spiral patterns can develop between bar phases, and help the galaxy to accrete external gas flowing from cosmic filaments. The gas is then intermittently driven to the galaxy center, to form nuclear starbursts and fuel an active nucleus. The various time-scales of these gaseous flows are described.

We consider the star formation properties of dwarf galaxies in the Cen A group observed within our HST/ACS projects number 9771 and 10235. We model color-magnitude diagrams of the galaxies under consideration and measure star formation rate and metallicity dependence on time. We study the environmental dependence of the galaxy evolution and probable origin of the dwarf galaxies in the group.

The main optical instruments of the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) are installed separately. Guiding is realized by adjusting the normal direction of the mirror MA. In order to keep the central star imaged on the rotation center of the fiber plug plate, the link between celestial and fiber plug plate coordinate systems has to be established. Some local parameters contain errors so that the normal direction of the MA calculated beforehand may not be accurate enough. The execution error of the telescope also drives the image of the central star to deviate from the rotation center. Therefore, in the process of observations the correction has to be calculated and applied periodically. Here we present the method of calculating the guiding parameters as well as the correction parameters for the LAMOST.

We investigate evolution of star clusters in steady external tidal field by means of N-body simulations. We followed several sets of cluster models whose strength and Coriolis's contribution of the external tidal field are different. We found that the mass loss timescale due to the escape of stars, t_mloss, and its dependence on the two-body relaxation timescale, trh,i, are determined by the strength of the tidal field. The logarithmic slope [≡ dln(tmloss)/dln(trh,i)] approaches unity for the cluster models in weaker tidal fields. We also found that stronger Coriolis force against others, produced by parent galaxy whose density profile is shallower, makes the mass loss timescale longer. This is due to the fact that a fraction of stars whose orbit are nearly regular increases as the Coriolis force becomes stronger.

Throughout cosmic time, the feedback of massive star winds and supernova explosions has been instrumental in determining the phase structure of the interstellar medium, controlling important aspects of both the formation and evolution of galaxies, producing galactic winds and enriching the intergalactic medium with heavy elements. In this paper, I review progress made in our theoretical understanding of how these feedback processes have operated throughout cosmic time from the epoch of the first stars through to the present day.

We are using a Japanese VLBI network (JVN) for VLBI observations of 6.7-GHz methanol masers associated with massive star-forming regions. Here we present results for Cepheus A (Cep A) from observations taken on September 9, 2006. The distribution of the maser spots indicates either a spherical bubble or a disk having an inclination of several tens degree. We construct a disk model with an inclination of ~70° and a radius of ~700 AU. From a luminosity of 1.7 × 104L⊙ for a source observed in this region, the excitation of the maser is probably radiative.

The Commission business meeting was held on 17 August 2006. Approximately 20 people attended, including the Commission vice-president, Rainer Spurzem. The sole member of the Commission Organizing Committee that was present was Gary Da Costa, who, along with Patricia Whitelock, the outgoing president of Division VII and Commission 33, served as chairs of the meeting.

We are carrying out a program to observe the 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission in high-mass star-forming regions using large FOV (~2'), astrometric, VLBI data. Here we report on the first results of the inner few arc seconds in Cepheus A East. We find a maser filament extending over ~1.7” (1200 AU), straddling the waist of Cep A HW2. The region in which the CH3OH masers are found contains several YSO's and it is not clear whether the CH3OH masers are associated with several different objects or rather the larger scale surrounding environment.

We present results of hydrodynamic simulations of star formation triggered by cloud-cloud collisions. During the early stages of star formation, low-mass objects form by gravitational instabilities in protostellar discs. A number of these low-mass objects are in the sub-stellar mass range, including a few objects of planetary mass. The disc instabilities that lead to the formation of low-mass objects in our simulations are the product of disc-disc interactions and/or interactions between the discs and their surrounding gas.

We analyse the photometric properties of the early-type Fornax cluster dwarf galaxy population (MV > −17 mag), based on a wide field imaging study of the central cluster area in V and I band-passes with IMACS/Magellan at Las Campanas Observatory. We create a fiducial sample of ~ 100 Fornax cluster dwarf ellipticals (dEs) with −16.6 < MV < −8.8 mag in the following three steps: (1) To verify cluster membership, we measured I-band surface brightness fluctuations (SBF) distances to candidate dEs known from previous surveys; (2) We re-assessed morphological classifications for those candidate dEs that are too faint for SBF detection; and (3) We searched for new candidate dEs in the size-luminosity regime close to the resolution limit of previous surveys. The resulting fiducial dE sample follows a well-defined surface brightness – magnitude relation, showing that Fornax dEs are about 40% larger than Local Group dEs. The sample also defines a colour-magnitude relation similar to that of Local Group dEs. The early-type dwarf galaxy luminosity function in Fornax has a very flat faint end slope α ≃ −1.1 ± 0.1. We compare the number of dwarfs per unit mass with those in other environments and find that the Fornax cluster fits well into a general trend of a lack of high-mass dwarfs in more massive environments.