We describe a key project of the Ukrainian Virtual Observatory (UkrVO), namely, a collaboration to digitize the large collections of photographic plates that had been exposed during more than 100 years at Ukrainian observatories, and to combine the digitized images with CCD archives to form the UkrVO Joint Digital Archive. The application of flatbed scanners for digitizing plates is discussed.

We investigate the red supergiant problem: the apparent dearth of Type IIP supernova progenitors with masses between 16 and 30 M⊙. Although red supergiants with masses in this range have been observed, none have been identified as progenitors in pre–explosion images. We show that, by failing to take into account the additional extinction resulting from the dust produced in the red supergiant winds, the luminosity of the most massive red supergiants at the end of their lives is underestimated. We re–estimate the initial masses of all Type IIP progenitors for which observations exist and analyse the resulting population. We find that the most likely maximum mass for a Type IIP progenitor is 21+2−1 M⊙. This is in closer agreement with the limit predicted from single star evolution models.

The extragalactic background light (EBL) is of fundamental importance both for understanding the entire process of galaxy evolution and for γ-ray astronomy. However, the overall spectrum of the EBL between 0.1 and 1000 μm has never been determined directly, neither from observed luminosity functions (LFs), over a wide redshift range, nor from any multiwavelength observation of galaxy spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The evolving overall spectrum of the EBL is derived here utilizing a novel method based on observations only. It is emphasized that the local EBL seems already well constrained from the UV up to the mid-IR. Different independent methodologies such as direct measurement, galaxy counts, γ-ray attenuation and realistic EBL modelings point towards the same EBL intensity level. Therefore, a relevant contribution from Pop III stars to the local EBL seems unlikely.

VT (Visible Telescope) is an instrument onboard SVOM (Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor) satellite working in the visible band, which will play an important role in follow-up of two categories of GRBs: very distant events at higher redshift and faint/soft nearby events in SVOM mission. To fulfill these primary science requirements, decent sensitivity and wavelength coverage are fundamental for VT design. VT performance and data process strategy were successfully studied on its feasibility in Phase A, which is presented in this poster. Additionally, preliminary VT image simulator is also introduced here.

I. Hubeny Today, the discussion will be open to the general audience. In Sessions C, D, and E, we have talked about models and modelling techniques so I expect the discussion will focus on these topics.

The need for a proper interpolation method for data coming from space missions like CoRoT is emphasized. A new gap-filling method is introduced which is based on auto-regressive moving average interpolation (ARMA) models. The method is tested on light curves from stars observed by the CoRoT satellite, filling the gaps caused by the South Atlantic Anomaly.

The role of central star binarity in the shaping of planetary nebulae (PNe) has been the subject of much debate, with single stars believed to be incapable of producing the most highly collimated morphologies. However, observational support for binary-induced shaping has been sadly lacking. Here, we highlight the results of a continuing programme to spatio-kinematically model the morphologies of all PNe known to contain a close binary central star. Spatio-kinematical modelling is imperative for these objects, as it circumvents the degeneracy between morphology and orientation which can adversely affect determinations of morphology based on imaging alone. Furthermore, spatio-kinematical modelling accurately determines the orientation of the nebular shell, allowing the theoretically predicted perpendicular alignment, between nebular symmetry axis and binary orbital plane, to be tested. To date, every PN subjected to this investigation has displayed the predicted alignment, indicating that binarity has played an important role in the formation and evolution of these nebulae. The further results from this programme will be key, not only in determining whether binary interaction is responsible for shaping the studied PNe, but also in assessing the importance of binarity in the formation and evolution of all PNe in general.

I review work on modelling the infrared and submillimetre SEDs of galaxies. The underlying physical assumptions are discussed and spherically symmetric, axisymmetric, and 3-dimensional radiative transfer codes are reviewed. Models for galaxies with Spitzer IRS data and for galaxies in the Herschel-Hermes survey are discussed. Searches for high redshift infrared and submillimetre galaxies, the star formation history, the evolution of dust extinction, and constraints from source-counts, are briefly discussed.

We present comprehensive grids of model spectra from far-UV to IR, covering the parameter space of [WC] (Keller et al. 2011) and PG1159 stars. Models are calculated with the CMFGEN code, accounting for non-LTE, line blanketing, wind, clumping, and including ions previously neglected. The grids are available at http://dolomiti.pha.jhu.edu/planetarynebulae.html. We used them to analyse UV and far-UV spectra of NGC6905's and NGC5189's central stars.

Hard X-ray polarization is believed to be one of the most promising methods to investigate the physical processes just around the central engines by constraining the magnetic environment. For this purpose we are now developing a compact and highly sensitive hard X-ray polarimeter aboard a university class micro-satellite “TSUBAME”. We are now developing the flight model of the satellite aiming for the launch in late 2012 from Russia.

The techniques of disentangling were originally developed to separate spectra of individual components from time series of spectra of binaries and, simultaneously, to determine either the corresponding radial velocities or directly to solve for orbital parameters.

Generalizations of the disentangling method enable us to include also intrinsic line-profile variability of the component spectra into the underlying model, and thus to solve for additional physical parameters of the stars (either single or components of multiple systems). Depending on the problem in question, it may also be helpful to constrain the space of separated spectra by templates or to bound the solution in the parameter space by photometry, interferometry or other observational data.

During the year 2012 the International Liquid Mirror Telescope (a collaboration between astronomical institutions in Belgium, Canada, India and Poland) wil see first light. The instrument will provide substantial, in-depth sky coverage and make an unprecedented number of nightly observations.

The VAST survey is a wide-field survey that observes with unprecedented instrument sensitivity (0.5 mJy or lower) and repeat cadence (a goal of 5 seconds) that will enable novel scientific discoveries related to known and unknown classes of radio transients and variables. Given the unprecedented observing characteristics of VAST, it is important to estimate source classification performance, and determine best practices prior to the launch of ASKAP's BETA in 2012. The goal of this study is to identify light-curve characterization and classification algorithms that are best suited for archival VAST light-curve classification. We perform our experiments on light-curve simulations of eight source types and achieve best-case performance of approximately 90% accuracy. We note that classification performance is most influenced by light-curve characterization rather than classifier algorithm.

Using extensive mid-IR datasets from AKARI, i.e. 9 band photometry covering the wavelength range from 2 μm to 24 μm and the unbiased spectroscopic survey for sources with Sν (9μm)>0.3 mJy, we investigated the PAHs emission features in distant starburst galaxies. PAH-selected galaxies, selected with an extremely red mid-IR colour due to PAHs, are found to have a peculiar rest-frame 11-to-8 μm flux ratio, which is systematically smaller than nearby starburst/AGN spectral templates. This may indicate a systematic difference in the physical condition of the ISM between nearby and distant starburst galaxies.

We analyze the kinematics of disk planetary nebulae (PNe) to derive the formal Galactic center distance, R0, for three catalogues of PNe distances. Then we correct the catalogues' distance scales renormalizing the PNe distances by the ratios of formal R0 values to a best modern value of R0 =7.9 kpc. The created new catalogue of disk's PNe distances was found to be in a good agreement with distances by Stanghellini et al. (2008). Our catalogue of PNe distances was used to recalibrate the statistical distance scale for all Galactic PNe.

We report a polarization measurement in prompt γ-ray emission of GRB 100826A with the Gamma-Ray Burst Polarimeter (GAP) aboard the small solar power sail demonstrator IKAROS. We detected a firm change of polarization angle (PA) during the prompt emission with 99.9% (3.5 σ) confidence level, and an average polarization degree (Π) of 27 ± 11% with 99.4% (2.9 σ) confidence level. Here the quoted errors are given at 1 σ confidence level for two parameters of interest. Non-axisymmetric (e.g., patchy) structures of the magnetic fields and/or brightness inside the relativistic jet are therefore required within the observable angular scale of ~ Γ−1. Our observation strongly indicates that the polarization measurement is a powerful tool to constrain the GRB production mechanism, and more theoretical works are needed to discuss the data in more details.

The method of spectral disentangling has now created the opportunity for studying the chemical composition in previously inaccessible components of binary and multiple stars. This in turn makes it possible to trace their chemical evolution, a vital aspect in understanding the evolution of stellar systems. We review different ways to reconstruct individual spectra from eclipsing and non-eclipsing systems, and then concentrate on some recent applications to detached binaries with high-mass and intermediate-mass stars, and Algol-type mass-transfer systems.

We summarise recent progress in understanding the star formation activity in early-type galaxies (ETGs), using recent studies that leverage photometry in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. While classically thought to be old, passively-evolving systems, recent UV studies have revealed widespread star formation in ETGs, with ~20% of the stellar mass in today's ETGs forming at late epochs (z < 1). A strong correlation is found between the presence of morphological disturbances and blue UV colours, suggesting that the star formation is merger-driven. However, the major merger rate at late epochs is far too low to satisfy the number of disturbed ETGs, indicating that minor mergers drive the star formation in these galaxies over the latter half of cosmic time. Together with the recent literature which suggests that minor mergers may drive the size evolution of massive ETGs, these results highlight the significant role of minor mergers in driving the evolution of massive galaxies in the low and intermediate-redshift Universe.

We investigate the evolution of very massive stars with Z = 0.2 Z⊙ to constrain the progenitor of the extremely luminous Type Ic SN 2007bi. In order to reproduce the 56Ni amount produced in SN 2007bi, the range of the stellar mass at the zero-age main-sequence is expected to be 515 - 575M⊙ for pair-instability supernova and 110 - 280M⊙ for core-collapse supernova. Uncertainty in the mass loss rate affects the mass range appropriate for the explosion of SN 2007bi. A core-collapse supernova of a WO star evolved from a 110 M⊙ star produces sufficient radioactive 56Ni to reproduce the light curve of SN 2007bi.

Modern data concerning the planetary nebulae (PNe) in the bulge, bar and disk of the Milky Way are used to study the chemical history of bulge. We show that the abundance pattern is similar for PNe in the bulge and Peimbert's type II PNe. We also found that the globular clusters (GCs), especially their metal-rich disk subsystem, form on metallicity maps a bar-like structure which parameters are very close to those for the Galactic bar. These results evidence an old age of the Galactic bulge and bar. We propose a scenario of the successive star formation in the bulge, bar and thin disk.