I review the insights emerging from recent large kinematic surveys of galaxies at low redshift, with particular reference to the SAMI, CALIFA and MaNGA surveys. These new observations provide a more comprehensive picture of the angular momentum properties of galaxies over wide ranges in mass, morphology and environment in the present-day universe. I focus on the distribution of angular momentum within galaxies of various types and the relationship between mass, morphology and specific angular momentum. I discuss the implications of the new results for models of galaxy assembly.

Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) can create sufficiently large cores in dark matter haloes of dwarf galaxies if the self-interaction cross-section is sufficiently large on scales of dwarf galaxies. Such a large cross-section can be realized without changing the densities and shapes of cluster-size haloes by introducing a velocity dependent cross-section. Lowering the central densities of dwarf-size haloes, however, may change the strength of stellar feedback required to reproduce observed properties of dwarf galaxies such as the luminosity function of the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies. We perform simulations of galaxy formation by employing such a velocity dependent self-interaction cross-section to investigate the coupled effect of SIDM and feedback.

We studied Planetary Nebulae (PNe) metallicity gradients using Ar abundances. We compared them with H ii regions in the galaxies of the local universe M 31, M 33, NGC 300 and in the Milky Way. Galactocentric radio (RG) and chemical abundances were collected from the literature, carefully selecting an homogeneous sample for each galaxy. In these galaxies, metallicity gradients computed with PNe abundances are flatter than those of H ii regions.

We report on the successful search for CO (2-1) and (3-2) emission associated with OH/IR stars in the Galactic Bulge. We observed a sample of eight extremely red AGB stars with the APEX telescope and detected seven. The sources were selected at sufficient high Galactic latitude to avoid interference by interstellar CO, which hampered previous studies of inner galaxy stars. We also collected photometric data and Spitzer IRS spectroscopy to construct the SEDs, which were analysed through radiative transfer modelling. We derived variability periods of our stars from the VVV and WISE surveys. Through dynamical modelling we then retrieve the total mass loss rates (MLR) and the gas-to-dust ratios. The luminosities range between approximately 4,000 and 5,500 L⊙ and periods are below 700 days. The total MLR ranges between 10−5 and 10−4 M⊙ yr−1. The results are presented in Blommaert et al. 2018 and summarized below.

Herbig Ae/Be-type stars are analogs of T Tauri stars at higher masses. Since the confirmation of magnetospheric accretion using Balmer and sodium line profiles in the Herbig Ae star UX Ori, a number of magnetic studies have been attempted, indicating that about 20 Herbig Ae/Be stars likely have globally organized magnetic fields. The low detection rate of magnetic fields in Herbig Ae stars can be explained by the weakness of these fields and rather large measurement uncertainties. The obtained density distribution of the root mean square longitudinal magnetic field values revealed that only a few stars have magnetic fields stronger than 200 G, and half of the sample possesses magnetic fields of about 100 G or less. We report on the results of our analysis of a sample of presumably single Herbig Ae/Be stars based on recent observations obtained with HARPSpol attached to ESO’s 3.6m telescope. Knowledge of the magnetic field structure combined with the determination of the chemical composition are indispensable to constrain theories on star formation and magnetospheric accretion in intermediate-mass stars. As of today, magnetic phase curves have been obtained only for two Herbig Ae/Be stars, HD 101412 and V380 Ori.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is providing important advances in studies of star formation. In particular, polarimetry can reveal the disk magnetic configuration, a crucial ingredient in many processes, as, for example, the transport of angular momentum. We analized ALMA Band 7 (870 μm) polarimetric data at 0.”2 resolution for the young rotating disk/jet systems DG Tau and CW Tau, to find magnetic signatures. From the Stokes I, U, Q maps, we derive the linear polarization intensity, $P = \sqrt {{Q^2} + {U^2}} $, the linear polarization fraction, and the polarization angle. The alignment of the latter with the disk minor axis (Fig. 1) shows that self-scattering of dust thermal emission rather than magnetic alignment dominates the polarization in both targets (Bacciotti et al. 2018). However, several dust properties can be diagnosed comparing the polarization data with the models of self-scattering (e.g. Kataoke et al. 2017, Yang et al. 2017). The maximum grain size turns out to be in the range 50 - 70 μm for DG Tau and 100 - 150 μm for CW Tau. The asymmetry of the polarized intensity in DG Tau, observed for the first time around a T Tauri star, indicates that the disk is flared. Moreover, the observed belt-like feature may betray the presence of a disk substructure. In contrast, the polarization maps of CW Tau indicate that here the grains have settled to the disk midplane. Polarimetry is thus very important in studies of the dust evolution.

Certain types of large amplitude AGB variable are proving to be powerful distance indicators that will rival Cepheids in the James Webb Space Telescope era of high precision infrared photometry. These are predominantly found in old populations and have low mass progenitors. At the other end of the AGB mass-scale, large amplitude variables, particularly those undergoing hot bottom burning, are the most luminous representatives of their population. These stars are < 1 Gyr old, are often losing mass copiously and are vital to our understanding of the integrated light of distant galaxies as well as to chemical enrichment. However, the evolution of such very luminous AGB variables is rapid and remains poorly understood. Here I discuss recent infrared observations of both low- and intermediate-mass Mira variables in the Local Group and beyond.

We investigate dynamics of slender magnetic flux tubes (MFT) in the accretion disks of young stars. Simulations show that MFT rise from the disk and can accelerate to 20-30 km/s causing periodic outflows. Magnetic field of the disk counteracts the buoyancy, and the MFT oscillate near the disk’s surface with periods of 10-100 days. We demonstrate that rising and oscillating MFT can cause the IR-variability of the accretion disks of young stars.

In this work we map one of the most populated regions in the main belt - the asteroid family Themis. Computed with a good choice of parameters, the map enables us to get a refined picture of the dynamics in the family, to reexamine the role of resonances therein, to understand better the distribution of asteroids inside the region and to identify dynamical pathways along which particles can drift away.

RR Lyrae stars are powerful tools to study their host populations. Information such as distance, metallicity, reddening, and age can be obtained from their pulsation properties. Dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies are the most common type of galaxy in the Local Group. They are found around massive hosts such as the Milky Way (MW) and M31 and are suggested to be the present-day counterparts to systems from which spheroids and stellar halos of larger galaxies were assembled. By comparing RR Lyraes in these dSphs with their host galaxies, we hope to understand more about the formation of these galaxies. In order to achieve this goal, we have analyzed six fields in M31 using archival imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope. Published data for M31, M33, and several M31 dSphs are also included. The results are then compared with those in the MW to better constrain the early history of these systems.

We propose induction heating of planetary interiors as an energy source in the planetary mantles. Induction heating arises when a changing magnetic field induces currents in a conducting planetary mantle which then dissipate to heat the planet, mostly within an upper layer called the skin depth. This physical process can play a role in planetary interiors around strongly magnetized stars such as low mass M dwarfs with kG magnetic fields, which are common among these stars.

. Hercules X-1 (Her X-1) was observed extensively by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) over its 17 year lifetime. Here, the archival RXTE/PCA observations of Her X-1 are analyzed with emphasis on the 35-day cycle dependence. Spectral fits are carried out and the 35-day phase dependences are characterized. The regular behaviours of the changes are interpreted in terms of the precessing accretion disk. We find that the most important variation is caused by the changing illumination of the inner edge of the disk, but other variations with different causes are also seen.

We have analyzed FUSE, COS, GHRS, and Keck/HIRES spectra of the UV-bright star Barnard 29 in M13. Fits to the star’s optical spectrum yield Teff = 20,000 ± 100 K and log g = 3.00 ± 0.01. Using modern stellar-atmosphere models, we are able to reproduce the complex shape of the Balmer H.. feature. We derive photospheric abundances of He, C, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Ge. Barnard 29 exhibits an abundance pattern typical of the first-generation stars in M13, enhanced in oxygen and depleted in aluminum. We see no evidence of significant chemical evolution since the star left the RGB; in particular, it did not undergo third dredge-up. Previous workers found that the star’s FUV spectra yield an iron abundance about 0.5 dex lower than its optical spectrum, but the iron abundances derived from all of our spectra are consistent with one another and with the cluster value. We attribute this difference to our use of model atmospheres without microturbulence. By comparing our best-fit model with the star’s optical magnitudes, we derive a mass M*/M=0.40 − 0.49 and luminosity log L*/L⊙=3.20 − 3.29, depending on the cluster distance. Comparison with stellar-evolution models suggests that Barnard 29 evolved from a ZAHB star of mass M*/M⊙∼0.50, placing it near the boundary between the extreme and blue horizontal branches.

Stone inscriptions from all over India provide records of eclipses, solstices and planetary conjunctions. Extending the study to South Asia, to include Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand, threw light on many new aspects such as evolution of calendars independently from the influence of Indian system of time measurement as early as the 3rd Century BCE. Many interesting records of planetary conjunctions are available. One record from Cambodia hints at a possible sighting of the 1054 supernova, while another from Thailand suggests a pre-planetary nebula event.

Theoretical and observational studies of dust condensed in outflows of AGB stars have substantially advanced the understanding of dust mixture from individual stars. This detailed information incorporated in models of the lifecycle of interstellar grains provides a flexible tool to study the contribution of AGB stars to the galactic dust budget. The role of these stars in dust production depends on the morphological type and age of galaxy. While AGB stars are sub-dominant dust sources in evolved systems as the Milky Way, the observed relation between the dust-to-gas ratio and metallicity suggests that the dust input in young dwarf galaxies with 7≲12+log(O/H)≲8 can be dominated by the AGB stars. In application to post-starburst and early-type galaxies, the models for stardust evolution in combination with modern infrared observations give insights in the origin of their high dust content and its implications for their evolutionary scenarios.