Super star clusters and Supernovae in interacting LIRGs unmasked by NIR adaptive optics

We report on an on-going near-IR adaptive optics survey targeting interacting luminous IR galaxies. High-spatial resolution NIR data are crucial to enable interpretation of kinematic, dynamical and star formation (SF) properties of these very dusty objects. Whole progenitor nuclei in the interactions can be missed if only optical HST imaging is used. Here we specifically present the latest results regarding core-collapse supernovae found within the highly extincted nuclear regions of these galaxies. Direct detection and study of such highly obscured CCSNe is crucial for revising the optically-derived SN rates used for providing an independent measurement of the SF history of the Universe. We also present thus-far the first NIR luminosity functions of super star cluster (SSC) candidates. The LFs can then be used to constrain the formation and evolution of SSCs via constraints based on initial mass functions and cluster disruption models.Comment: 6 pages. To appear in proceedings of 'Galaxies and their Masks' (Namibia, April 2010), published by Springer, New York, eds. D.L. Block, K.C. Freeman, I. Puerar

Simulations of galactic dynamos

We review our current understanding of galactic dynamo theory, paying particular attention to numerical simulations both of the mean-field equations and the original three-dimensional equations relevant to describing the magnetic field evolution for a turbulent flow. We emphasize the theoretical difficulties in explaining non-axisymmetric magnetic fields in galaxies and discuss the observational basis for such results in terms of rotation measure analysis. Next, we discuss nonlinear theory, the role of magnetic helicity conservation and magnetic helicity fluxes. This leads to the possibility that galactic magnetic fields may be bi-helical, with opposite signs of helicity and large and small length scales. We discuss their observational signatures and close by discussing the possibilities of explaining the origin of primordial magnetic fields.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figure, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics "Magnetic fields in diffuse media", Eds. E. de Gouveia Dal Pino and A. Lazaria

On the Development of a Scalable 8-DoF Model for a Generic Parafoil-Payload Delivery System

The paper presents an initial move to develop a scalable high-degree-of-freedom model of the parafoil-payload system. The intention is to develop the tool capable of: i) determining basic system’s geometry parameters by observing the video data of the real descend, ii) readjusting the nominal aerodynamic and control coefficients incorporated into the well-established equations of motions, and iii) performing model identification to tune numerous relative variables to achieve the best fit with the real drop data if available. Since in the certain way such a tool would represent some kind of generalization of the modeling efforts undertaken so far, the present paper starts from a comprehensive review of publications devoted to the modeling of parafoil-payload systems. The paper then briefly addressed the current stage of the development of a scalable model. In anticipation of real drop data to validate the approach paper ends with conclusions. I