Related papers: Extragalaxtic Stellar Astronomy
We present an updated model for the extragalactic background light (EBL) from stars and dust, over wavelengths approximately 0.1 to 1000 $\mu$m. This model uses accurate theoretical stellar spectra, and tracks the evolution of star…
Interest among astronomers in the detection of extra-solar planets is accelerating with the growing realization that it may soon be technically feasible. The ongoing renaissance in telescope construction and the anticipated launches of new…
This dedicated journal collection will present and discuss a variety of science cases that can be used to extend our knowledge of massive stars and the influence of their rapid rotation on their subsequent evolution. The aim is to build…
Cosmic gamma-ray bursts are one of the great frontiers of astrophysics today. They are a playground of relativists and observers alike. They may teach us about the death of stars and the birth of black holes, the physics in extreme…
Very massive stars (VMS) are defined as stars with an initial mass in excess of 100 Msun. Because of their short lifetime and the shape of the stellar mass function, they are rare objects. Only about twenty of them are known in the Galaxy…
The main achievements, current developments and prospects of molecular studies in external galaxies are reviewed. They are put in the context of the results of several decades of studies of molecules in local interstellar medium, their…
I will try to put the ultraluminous galaxy phenomenon into a broad cosmological context. Viewed from this perspective, the significance of ultraluminous galaxies and the `starburst vs. monster' debate becomes clear. Ultraluminous galaxies…
The measurement of stellar properties such as chemical compositions, masses and ages, through stellar spectra, is a fundamental problem in astrophysics. Progress in the understanding, calculation and measurement of atomic properties and…
Quantitative spectroscopy is a powerful technique from which we can extract information about the physical properties and surface chemical composition of stars. In this chapter, I guide the reader through the main ideas required to get…
We develop the requirements and potential of spectropolarimetry as applied to understanding the physics of massive stars during the immediate, intermediate-term and long-term future.
Asteroseismology has the capability of delivering stellar properties which would otherwise be inaccessible, such as radii, masses and thus ages of stars. When coupling this information with classical determinations of stellar parameters,…
The search for extrasolar Earth-like planets is underway. Over 100 extrasolar giant planets are known to orbit nearby sun-like stars, including several in multiple-planet systems. These planetary systems are stepping stones for the search…
Differential spectroscopy during exoplanet transits permits to reconstruct spectra of small stellar surface portions that successively become hidden behind the planet. The center-to-limb behavior of stellar line shapes, asymmetries and…
An introduction is given to projects investigating galaxy evolution quantitatively by spectroscopic observations of very distant galaxies that have weak apparent brightnesses and small sizes as it is feasible with 10m-class telescopes like…
Recent years have seen tremendous progress in our understanding of the extreme universe, which in turn points to even deeper questions to be further addressed. History has shown that the symbiosis between direct observations and laboratory…
Chemical abundances provide important clues to the evolution of galaxies. Ionized nebulae are one of the main sources of chemical abundance measurements, especially in external galaxies. Studies of H II regions have shown that the overall…
Post-AGB stars evolve on a very fast track and hence not many are known. Their spectral properties make them, in principle, ideal objects to test our theories on the late phases of stellar evolution. This has, however, proven much more…
Many open questions remain about massive stars, for example about their evolution, their wind, and their maximum mass at formation. These issues could be ideally adressed by the Pollux UV spectropolarimeter onboard LUVOIR. Here we present…
As a byproduct of its search for the first star forming galaxies, NGST will obtain high-quality spectra for thousands of galaxies in the redshift range z = 0 - 6 and beyond. Most of the galaxies will possess strong emission-line spectra,…
Neutron stars are rich laboratories of multiple branches of modern physics. These include gravitational physics, nuclear and particle physics, (quantum) electrodynamics, and plasma astrophysics. In this chapter, we present the pioneering…