The convection-driven MHD dynamo in a rotating spherical shell is simulated numerically. Convection cells are regarded as a connecting link between the global and local electromagnetic processes. Local (in many cases, bipolar) magnetic structures are regularly produced by convection cells. Dynamo regimes in “thick” and “thin” shells are discussed. In the first case, the “general” magnetic field maintained by the dynamo has a sign-alternating dipolar component, which varies cyclically, although not periodically. The local structures, as they disintegrate, change into background fields, which drift toward the poles. From time to time, reversals of the magnetic fields in the polar regions occur, as “new” background fields expel the “old” fields. In the second case, the system settles down to a nearly stationary regime without polarity reversals.

Many spiral galaxies show bright knots along their arms on high resolution K-band images. Spectroscopy of such knots suggests that they are very young stellar clusters which formation was triggered by a large-scale front associated to a density wave. We have studied a sample of around 80 disk galaxies (with i < 65°) for which deep K-band maps with a resolution of <1″ are available and present preliminary statistics of such bright knots.

We give a brief summary of the ongoing Abastumani Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring Program started in the May 1997. More than 110000 frames are obtained during more than 1300 nights of observations for about 50 target objects, among them gamma-ray, X-ray and optical blazars. All observations were done in the BVRI bands using ST-6 CCD based photometer attached to the Newtonian focus of 70-cm meniscus telescope.

A new method to extract information from color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) is presented. We employ a Richardson-Lucy (RL) algorithm to the analysis of the observational uncertainties. The resulting reconstruction is a cleaned data set with which to perform analyses of the star formation history. For this task, synthetic stellar populations are built and compared with the data CMD. As an application, the star formation rate in the solar vicinity is recovered.

We study the inclination dependent luminosity function (LF) of spiral galaxies of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Up to 60000 sample galaxies are selected from the 2nd data release of SDSS by fracdeVr < 0.5. Magnitudes and other related photometric parameters are taken from NYU-VAGC(Blanton et al.2005). The apparent axis ratio (b/a)is used as an observational inclination indicator to define sub-samples. LFs of all 5 SDSS bands (u, g, r, i, z) are drawn for different sub-samples. Significant correlation is found between characteristic magnitudes (M*) of sub-samples and their inclinations, which can be fairly explained by dust extinction. A linear fit of the relation between M* and log(b/a) measures the M*(0) (for expected face-on spirals, with 0.2 ~ 0.3 mag brighter than that of LF of whole sample) and the intensity of dust extinction γ, for each band (Figure 1(a)). Additionally, since γ ∝ τ (optical depth), the wavelength dependent γ describes the extinction curve. Figure 1(b) shows a good linear fit that implies the extinction curve obeys the power law very well, with τλ = τV(λ/5500Å)−0.97±0.07. The power index n ~ 1 is shallower than that of the MW, LMC and SMC (n=1.1~1.5), but significantly steeper than the value of Charlot et al. (2000) (n=0.7), which under the assumption of a patchy distribution of dust in spiral galaxies. So our result implies that dust distributed in spirals, on average, are not as patchy as Charlot et al. assumed.

Bright knots along the arms of grand-design spiral galaxies are frequently seen on near-infrared K-band images. To investigate their nature, low resolution K-band spectra of a string of knots in the southern arm of the grand design, spiral galaxy NGC 2997 were obtained with ISAAC/VLT. Most of the knots show strong Brγ emission while some have H2 and HeI emission. A few knots show indications of CO absorption. Their spectra and absolute K magnitudes exceeding -12 mag suggest them to be very compact, young stellar clusters with masses up to 5 × 104 M. The knots' azimuthal distance from the K-band spiral correlates well with their Brγ strength, indicating that they are located inside the co-rotation of the density wave, which triggered them through a large-scale, star-forming front. These relative azimuthal distances suggest an age spread of more than 1.6 Myr, which is incompatible with standard models for an instantaneous star burst. This indicates a more complex star-formation history, such as several bursts or continuous formation.

Using the VLBA, we have observed water maser emission in the pre-planetary nebula candidate, IRAS 19134+2131 (I1913), in which the water maser spectrum has two groups of emission features separated in radial velocity by $\sim$100${\rm km s}$^{-1}$. The morphology and 3-D kinematics indicate the existence of a fast collimated flow with a dynamical age of only $\sim$40 years. Such a “water fountain” source is a signature of the recent operation a stellar jet that may be responsible for the final shape of the planetary nebula into which I1913 is expected to evolve. We have also estimated the distance to I1913 on the basis of an annual parallax and the kinematics of IRAS 19134+2131 in our Galaxy. I1913 may be a component in the “thick disk” or the Galactic “warp”, whose kinematics are different from those of the Galactic “thin” disk.

The supernova which appeared in AD 1006 is unique in history for its brilliance, duration of visibility, and the interest it aroused. Almost thirty separate records of the star are preserved from various parts of the world. This paper briefly summarizes historical records of SN 1006 and discusses the prospects of uncovering further historical records of supernovae.

Very few in situ measurements so far show the details of the interactions between CME and magnetosphere. Here we report a fortuitous observation that the Cluster spacecraft were located at the dusk-side magnetopause, meandering back and forth four times between the ICME and the magnetosphere, and observed part process of the interaction between the CME and the magnetosphere. The primarily analysis showed that: (1) a fast ion beam other than the ambient plasma was observed almost perpendicular to the magnetic field; (2) The left-hand-polarized kinetic Alfvén waves excitation by the ion beam; and (3) the resonances between the kinetic Alfvén waves and part of the beam particles lead to the pitch angle diffusion of resonant particles and formating of a monospheric distribution with nearly constant kinetic energy. The wave-particle resonance may pay an important role in the energy transfer and particle exchange across the magnetopause between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere during the CME impulsion.

Three-dimensional global modelling of turbulent convection coupled to rotation and magnetism within the Sun are revealing processes relevant to many stars. We study spherical shells of compressible convection spanning many density scale heights using the MHD version of the anelastic spherical harmonic (ASH) code on massively parallel supercomputers. The simulations reveal that strong magnetic fields can be realized in the bulk of the solar convection zone while still attaining differential rotation profiles that make good contact with helioseismic findings. We find that the Maxwell and Reynolds stresses present in such a turbulent layer play an important role in redistributing angular momentum, with the latter maintaining the differential rotation, aided by baroclinic forcing at the base of the convection zone which is consistent with a tachocline there. The dynamo processes generate strong non-axisymmetric and intermittent fields and weak mean (axisymmetric) fields, but do not possess a regular cyclic magnetism. The explicit inclusion of penetrative convection into the tachocline below is modifying such behavior, serving to build strong toroidal magnetic fields there that may yield more prominent mean fields that have the potential of erupting upward.

We investigate the possibility of a mass transfer enhancement during outburst in dwarf novae. We present here the first two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of the surface flows in the secondary, driven by the strong inhomogenous heating of the atmosphere during an outburst. We also discuss the possibility that the direct heating of the L1 point by the disc rim contributes to the mass transfer enhancement.

The high-excitation planetary nebula NGC 7009 and its central star were observed with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) through a 30$\,{\times}\,$30 arcsec (LWRS) aperture, and with the HIRS narrow slit (1.25$\,{\times}\,$20 arcsec) to isolate the inner and outer parts of the nebula from the central star. The high-resolution (15 km/s) nebular spectra (910-1187 Å) show strong emission from C III] and permitted transitions of He II N II, N III, S III, S IV, S VI and O VI, with stronger emission closer to the central star. In this paper we present results obtained on the spatial variation of these tracers of highly ionized gas. The hot central star of NGC 7009 is discussed in a separate paper by Sonneborn et al.

The evolutionary phases in going from a Type Ia supernova explosion to a 1000-yr-old remnant are reviewed. The explosion sets up the density and composition structure of the ejecta and can have radiative effects on the surroundings. The early shock interactions may be observable at radio and X-ray wavelengths if the circumstellar density is sufficiently high. The later interaction with the interstellar medium is affected by the collisionless shock physics and hydrodynamic instabilities.

Integrated spectra of 17 blue Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) clusters were obtained in the (3600-6800 Å) range using the CASLEO (Argentina) 2.15 m telescope. The typical resolution and dispersion were 12 Å and 3.5 Å/pixel, respectively. Cluster ages were derived by means of two methods: the template matching, in which the observed spectra are compared and matched to template spectra with well-known determined properties, and the equivalent width (EW) method, in which diagnostic diagrams involving the sum of EWs of selected spectral lines were employed together with their calibrations with age and metallicity given by Santos & Piatti (2004), hereafter SP. The spectra were normalized to Fλ = 1 at ∼ 5870 Å. The EWs of H Balmer, KCaII, G band and MgI were measured within the spectral windows defined by Bica & Alloin (1986). We then obtained the sum of EWs of the 3 metallic lines (Sm) and of the 3 Balmer lines Hβ, Hγ and Hδ (Sh). As a first approach to get cluster ages, we used the diagnostic diagrams defined by SP. The clusters were then age-ranked according to the SP's calibrations. We used Sm to get a first age estimate using: log t(Gyr) = a0 + a1Sm + a2Sm2, where a0 = −2.18 ± 0.38, a1 = 0.188 ± 0.080 and a2 = −0.0030 ± 0.0032. We then used Sh to get a second age estimate guided by the previous Sm estimate, since from Sh two solutions are possible: log t(Gyr) = { − b ± [b2 − 4a(c − Sh)]1/2}/2a, where a = −6.35 ± 0.18, b = −8.56 ± 0.35 and c = 23.32 ± 0.20. The average of these two estimates is listed in column 7 of Table 1.

In the last years we have gained new insights on how ram pressure acts in detail on Virgo spiral galaxies. This has been possible due to the combination of new deep HI observations, deep polarized radio continuum observations, and detailed dynamical modelling (sticky particles and MHD). As a major result a first complete ram pressure stripping time sequence could be established for the Virgo cluster.

Molecular clouds are usually thought to be dominated by turbulence where the structures are inherently self-similar and lack characteristic scale. However self-similarity must break down at scales associated with star formation which imposes a characteristic scale. The turbulence may be driven by energy injection at some larger scale which also imposes characteristic scale. In order to understand the evolution of molecular clouds it is important to identify the departures from self-similarity associated with the scales of self-gravity and the driving of turbulence.

We describe a method based on structure functions for determining whether a region of gas, such as a molecular cloud, is fractal or contains structure with characteristic scale sizes (Gustafsson, Lemaire & Field 2006). Using artificial data containing structure it is shown that derivatives of higher order structure functions provide a powerful way to detect the presence of characteristic scales should any be present and to estimate the size of such structures. The method is easy to implement and compared with other techniques such as Fourier transform or histogram techniques (Blitz & Williams), the method appears both more sensitive to characteristic scales and easier to interpret.

The method is applied to observations of hot H2 in the Kleinman-Low nebula, north of the Trapezium stars in the Orion Molecular Cloud, including both brightness and velocity data (Gustafsson, Kristensen, Clénet, et al. 2003). It is found that the density structure, represented by H2 emission brightness in the K-band (2-2.5μm), exhibits mean characteristic sizes of 110, 550, 1700 and 2700 AU. The velocity data show the presence of structure at 140, 1500 and 3500 AU. These scales are respectively disk scales (140 AU) and outflow scales (>1000 AU), the latter being associated with (re-)injection of energy.

We present a study of the properties of circumstellar dust in symbiotic Miras during sufficiently long time intervals of minimal obscuration. The published JHKL magnitudes of o Ceti, RX Pup, KM Vel, V366 Car, V835 Cen, RR Tel and R Aqr have been collected. In order to investigate their long-term variations, we removed the Mira pulsations to correct their light curves. Assuming spherical temperature distribution of the dust in the close neighbourhood of the Mira, the DUSTY code was used to solve the radiative transfer in order to determine the dust temperature and its properties in each particular case.

The preliminary results of this systematic study of dust envelopes in symbiotic stars with Miras as cool components provide information on nature of dust in these objects.

Vigorous discussion ensued about conditions under which both small-scale and global-scale dynamo action would be realized within real stars where the flow fields are expected to be highly turbulent and the magnetic Prandtl numbers small. Our nearest star reminds us that intricate boundary-layer phenomena may have to also be considered, such as the presence of a tachocline of rotational shear at the base of the solar convection zone revealed by helioseismology, which suggests that an interface dynamo may be at work to produce the observed 22-year cycles of large-scale magnetic activity.

I first review: a) the current state of knowledge of ion acceleration in solar flares; b) the physics of positron production and annihilation; and c) recent RHESSI data on solar flare annihilation radiation. I then show how the modeling of the positron production and annihilation in the chromosphere, coupled with the newly available high-resolution data on the 511 keV annihilation line, can have important physical implications w. r. t. the models: a) information on the temperature and density of the chromosphere; b) constraints on some of the physical characteristics of the flare and to some extent on the acceleration process.

Although I do mention past instruments (SMM and Yohkoh), this review focuses on the RHESSI satellite, considering the quantum leap it has constituted in the quality of the data it is providing and consequently the constraints it can place on models (of ion acceleration, annihilation environment, etc.).

We present optical R band photometry of nine X-ray selected BL Lac objects: 1ES 0229+200, 1ES 0323+022, 1ES 502+675, 1ES 0647+250, 1ES 0806+524, 1ES0927+500, 1ES 1028+511, 1ES 1959+650, 1ES2344+514.

Variability on long time scales within one magnitude in R band was found for all of the observed objects, except 1ES 0229+200 and 1ES0927+500. Largest variation was detected for 1ES 0502+675 and equals to 1.07 mag. Only few objects show statistically significant variation on intra-day scale.