The Penn State/Toruń Centre for Astronomy Search for Planets Around Evolved Stars is a high-accuracy radial velocity (RV) survey aiming at planet detection around giant stars. It is based on observations obtained with the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. As proper interpretation of high accuracy RV data for red giants requires complete spectral analysis of targets we perform spectral modeling of all stars included in the survey. Typically, rotation velocities and metallicities are determined in addition to stellar luminosities and temperatures, which allows us to estimate stellar ages and masses. Here we present preliminary results of metallicity studies in our sample. We search for a metallicity dependence similar to that for dwarfs by comparing our results for a sample of 22 giants earlier than K5 showing significant RV variations with a control sample of 58 relatively RV-stable stars.

MIRI, the mid-IR instrument of JWST (James Webb Space Telescope),will include a coronagraphic device for which the ultimate goal isthe detection and caracterization of extrasolar planets aroundnearby stars. In this paper, we describe the optical concept ofMIRI and the instrumental choices that were made in phase A and Bregarding the coronagraphic system. Finally, we will presentnumerical simulations that we carried out to evaluate thecapability for detecting extrasolar giant gazeous planets.

N-body simulations find a universal structure for the halos whichresult from the nonlinear growth of Gaussian-random-noise densityfluctuations in the CDM universe. This talk summarized our attempts toderive and explain this universal structure by analyticalapproximation and simplified models. As an example, we show here thata 1D spherical infall model involving a fluid approximation derivedfrom the Boltzmann equation can explain not only the halo density profilebut its phase-space density profile, as well.

We present a new, fully-funded ground-based instrument designed to measurethe B-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). The conceptis based on three independent sub-systems operating at 90, 150 and 220 GHz,each comprising a telescope and a focal plane of horn-coupled background-limited bolometers. This highly-sensitive experiment, planned to be based at Dome C station in Antarctica, is optimised to produce very low systematiceffects. It will allow the detection of the CMB polarization over angular multipoles 20<l<1000accurately enough to measure the B-mode signature from gravitationalwaves to a lensing-confusion-limited tensor-to-scalar ratio r ~ 0.005.

Two-dimensional models of rapidly rotating stars are already unavoidable for the interpretation of interferometric or asteroseismic data of this kind of stars. When combined with time evolution, they will allow the including of a more accurate physics for the computation of element transport and the determination of surface abundances. In addition, modeling the evolution of rotation will improve gyrochronology. Presently, two-dimensional ESTER models predict the structure and the large-scale flows (differential rotation and meridional circulation) of stars with mass larger than 1.7 M⊙ at any rotation rate. Main sequence evolution can be mimicked by varying the hydrogen content of the convective core. Models have been successfully tested on half a dozen of nearby fast rotating stars observed with optical or infra-red interferometers. They are now the right tool to investigate the oscillation spectrum of early-type fast rotators.

ASTEP South is an Antarctic Search for Transiting ExoPlanets in the South pole field, from the Concordia station, Dome C, Antarctica. The instrument consists of a thermalized 10 cm refractor observing a fixed 3.88° × 3.88° field of view to perform photometry of several thousand stars at visible wavelengths (700–900 nm). The first winter campaign in 2008 led to the retrieval of nearly 1600 hours of data. We derive the fraction of photometric nights by measuring the number of detectable stars in the field. The method is sensitive to the presence of small cirrus clouds which are invisible to the naked eye. The fraction of night-time for which at least 50% of the stars are detected is 74% from June to September 2008. Most of the lost time (18.5% out of 26%) is due to periods of bad weather conditions lasting for a few days (“white outs”). Extended periods of clear weather exist. For example, between July 10 and August 10, 2008, the total fraction of time (day+night) for which photometric observations were possible was 60%. This confirms the very high quality of Dome C for nearly continuous photometric observations during the Antarctic winter.

I review various ideas on MOND cosmology and structureformationbeginning with non-relativistic models in analogy with Newtonian cosmology. I discuss relativistic MOND cosmology in the context ofBekenstein's theory and propose an alternative biscalar effective theoryof MOND in which the acceleration parameter, a0 is identifiedwith the cosmic time derivative of a matter coupling scalar fieldand cosmic CDM appears as scalar field oscillations of theauxiliary “coupling strength” field.

The fate of metals after they are released in starburst episodes is still unclear. What phases of the interstellar medium are involved, and in which timescales? Evidence has grown over the past few years that the neutral phase of blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies may be metal-deficient as compared to the ionized gas of their H ii regions. These results have strong implications for our understanding of the chemical evolution of galaxies. We review here the main results and the main caveats in the metal abundance determination from far-UV absorption-lines. We also discuss possible scenarios concerning the journey of metals into the interstellar medium.

Imaging spectropolarimetry is a powerful tool in solar physics. Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) spectrographs can produce simultaneous 2D images in a number of wavelengths covering several line profiles with the following advantages:

- Contrary to long slit spectroscopy, the spatial resolution can reach the diffraction limit.

- Contrary to narrow band filters, full line profiles are recorded at the same time without any image motion and differential seeing effect.

MSDP spectrographs use an entrance window instead of the usual long slit. A new generation MSDP using slicers made of mirrors instead of prisms is proposed for the future 4 m class European Solar Telescope. We describe the beam slicer prototype S4I (Spectral Sampling with Slicer for Solar Instrumentation) that will be tested soon at the 14 m spectrograph of the Meudon Solar Tower.

The complexity of composite spectra of close binary star system makes study of the spectra of their component stars extremely difficult. For this reason there exists very little information on the photospheric chemical composition of stars in close binaries, despite its importance for informing our understanding of the evolutionary processes of stars. In a long-term observational project we aim to fill this gap with systematic abundance studies for the variety of binary systems. The core of our analysis is the spectral disentangling technique, which allows isolation of the individual component star spectra from the time-series of observed spectra. We present new results for high-mass stars in close binaries. So far, we have measured detailed abundances for 22 stars in a dozen detached binary systems. The parameter space for the stars in our sample comprises masses in the range 8–22 M⊙, surface gravities of 3.1–4.2 (c.g.s.) and projected rotational velocities of 30–240 km s−1. Whilst recent evolutionary models for rotating single stars predict changes in photospheric abundances even during the main sequence lifetime, no star in our sample shows signs of these predicted changes. It is clear that other effects prevail in the chemical evolution of components in binary stars even at the beginning of their evolution.

GAIA will likely be a real milestone for asteroid science. Itsunprecedented astrometric accuracy can be exploited to compute orbitsbetter than those obtained by using the whole set of availableastrometric observations carried out from ground during the last 100 years. GAIA will make it possible to measure asteroid masses throughthe measurement of the tiny displacements caused by asteroid mutualencounters. This will be a major breakthrough for physical studies ofminor planets. Moreover, sizes will be also directly measured for abig sample of more than 1000 objects. From masses and sizes, estimatesof the average densities will be also obtained. The spectrophotometriccapability of GAIA will be used for purposes of taxonomicclassification, with important implications for surface mineralogicalcharacterization. Finally, GAIA will be an ideal platform to detectnear-Earth asteroids having orbits interior to that of the Earth.

Direct observations of gravitational waves will open in the nearfuture new windows on the Universe. Among the expected sources,instabilities of rotating compact astrophysical objects are waited tobe detected with some impatience as this will sign the birth of“gravitational waves asteroseismology”, a crucial way to improve ourknowledge of matter equation of state in conditions that cannot bereproduced in a lab. However, the theoretical work needed to reallyget informations from to-be-detected signals is still quite large, numericalsimulations having become a necessary key ingredient. This articletries to provide a short overview of the main physical topics involvedin this field (general relativity, gravitational waves, instabilitiesof rotating fluids, etc.), concluding with a brief descriptionof the work that was done in Paris-Meudon Observatory by SilvanoBonazzola and collaborators.

Gaia will provide accurate parallaxes, spectrophotometry and spectroscopy for hundreds of thousands of emission-line stars across the whole HR diagram. In preparation for the Gaia mission, we are developing algorithms to recognize and classify emission-line stars. A large collection of ground-based spectroscopic observations has been collected and will be used for testing and training the algorithms.

Gaia will also provide information on several millions of early-type stars. Determining accurate parameters for these stars from Gaia data only will be difficult due to the AV – Teff degeneracy.

The general formalism for Lyot and Roddier & Roddier coronagraphy is detailed. The influence of the masksize, chromatism and central obscuration are discussed. The necessity of entrance pupil apodization forcoronagraphy is introduced from the fundamental limitation that appears in the classical technique. Prolatespheroidal functions are presented as the natural apodizations for coronagraphy.

We give examples of where the Heun function exists as solutions ofwave equations encountered in general relativity. While the Diracequation written in the background of Nutku helicoid metric yieldsMathieu functions as its solutions in four spacetime dimensions,the trivial generalization to five dimensions results in thedouble confluent Heun function. We reduce this solution to theMathieu function with some transformations. We must applyAtiyah-Patodi-Singer spectral boundary conditions to this systemsince the metric has a singularity at the origin.

A new multi-wavelength solar telescope, Optical and Near-infrared Solar Eruption Tracer (ONSET), is constructed by Nanjing University, being run in cooperation with Yunnan Astronomical Observatory. ONSET is able to observe the Sun in three wavelength windows: He I 10830 Å, Hα and white-light at 3600 Å or 4250 Å. Full-disk or partial solar images with a field of 10 arcmin at three wavelengths can be obtained nearly simultaneously. It is designed to trace solar eruptions with high spatial and temporal resolutions. This telescope has been installed at a new solar observing site near the Fuxian Lake, Yunnan Province. The site is located at E102N24, with an altitude of 1722 m. The seeing is stable and very nice. We give a brief description of the scientific objectives and the basic structure of ONSET. Some preliminary results are also shown.

High contrast imaging opportunties abound in astronomy, and some carry such intrinsic interest that they justify considerable effort to master the technical challenges. The field has a rich history dating back to the beginnings of electromagnetic theory, and ten years ago one might have been forgiven for thinking that the topic was passé. But just within the last decade the study has fluorished with major advances on multiple fronts - scientific as well as technical. The analytical and conceptual generalization of classical coronagraphy to include complex masks and apodizations has opened a fertile field of study. Nulling in interferometry and direct imaging has developed in several promising directions, with empirical and theoretical understanding sometimes passing via different routes to arrive at firm conclusions. Critical supporting technology is developing apace, often for reasons having little to do with high contrast imaging. Thus very large telescopes, space telescopes, adaptive optics, and ultra-precision optics are all steadily advancing, and thus building a priceless technological foundation for future high contrast imaging experiments and facilities. This chapter offers a brief, simple overview, intended primarily to give a context for the many detailed technical papers in this volume.

Gaia mission is underway conducting its 5 year lasting survey of the sky. At the moment the commissioning period has been completed and half a year worth of routine phase data has been collected. The status of the mission is outlined with short explanation of some commissioning phase findings and their impact on the mission. With a few examples of early mission data the potential of Gaia is demonstrated and we can conclude that the mission is capable meeting its high expectations.

This paper reviews recent continuum surveys done at (sub)millimeter wavelengths towards z>3.7 quasars and observations of the CO line emission in high z sources.

We present the latest results of our on-going closed-loop “end-to-end” numerical adaptive optics (AO) simulations concerning both a standard-AO and a three-star ground-layer AO system for a near-infrared 2-m class telescope at Dome C, Antarctica. We demonstrate that Dome C is an ideal site for wide-field AO-aided astronomy, define in details the AO system(s) optimized for the median turbulence profile considered, and finally show that a ~0.3 Strehl ratio and 200-mas-wide stable point-spread function is reached in band J on at least a 15'-diameter field.