We found evidence for the super–orbital modulation in the X-ray emission of LS I + 61°303 from the longest monitoring date by the RXTE. The time evolution of the modulated fraction in the orbital light curves can be well fitted with a sinusoidal function having a super-orbital period of 1667 days. However, we have found a 281.8±44.6 day shift between the super-orbital variability found at radio frequencies and our X-ray data. We also find a super-orbital modulation in the maximum count rate of the orbital light curves, compatible with the former results, including the shift.

In this work, we investigate the power source of the most energetic giant outbursts in MS 0735 + 7421, which released ~ 1062 erg of energy. Due to the very high mean jet power in the cavities (Pjet/LEdd ~ 0.02), we produce several jet formation models based on a relativistic thin disk model, i.e., general BP + BZ mechanisms (model A), Livio's (model B) and Meier's (model C) model, to explain the giant outbursts in AGNs. It is found that the energy provided by both model B and model C are inadequate for an initial black hole spin a0 ~ 0.1, only model A can explain the most violent outbursts in MS 0735 + 7421. But if the initial black hole spin a0 ~ 0.95, model B can also blow up the cavity. The final spin of the black hole is found to be very high in spite of the initial spin.

We derive the mass function of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) over the redshift range 0 > z ≲ 2, using the latest deep luminosity and mass functions of field galaxies. Applying this mass function, combined with the bolometric luminosity function of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), into the the continuity equation of SMBH number density, we explicitly obtain the mass-dependent cosmological evolution of the radiative efficiency for accretion. We suggest that the accretion history of SMBHs and their spins evolve in two distinct regimes: an early phase of prolonged accretion, plausibly driven by major mergers, during which the black hole spins up, then switching to a period of random, episodic accretion, governed by minor mergers and internal secular processes, during which the hole spins down. The transition epoch depends on mass, mirroring other evidence for “cosmic downsizing” in the AGN population.

We study the correlations between low frequency (LF) and kHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) for 20 neutron star X-ray bianaries (NSXBs). We find that both upper and lower kHz QPOs correlate with the LF QPOs. However, the correlations show 5 parallel branches in the kHz QPO frequency vs. LF QPO frequency relation diagram. We notice that the source will jump from one parallel branch to another when different harmonic frequency of the LF QPO is used to plot the correlation between kHz and LF QPOs. We infer that the parallel branches maybe due to the multi-harmonic QPOs in the NSXBs.

Well-sampled optical lightcurves of 146 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are compiled from literature. We identify possible emission components based on our empirical fits and present statistical analysis for these components. We find that the flares are related to prompt emission, suggesting that they could have the same origin in different episodes. The shallow decay segment is not correlated with prompt gamma-rays. It likely signals a long-lasting injected wind from GRB central engines. Early after onset peak is closely related with prompt emission. The ambient medium density profile is likely n ∝ r−1. No correlation between the late re-brightening bump and prompt gamma-rays or the onset bump is found. They may be from another jet component.

According to the theoretical study, a deformation object (e.g., a spinning non-axisymmetric pulsar star) will radiate a gravitational wave (GW) signal during an accelaration motion process by LIGO science project. These types of disturbance sources with a large bump or dimple on the equator would survive and be identifiable as GW sources. In this work, we aim to provide a method for exploring GW radiation from isolated neutron stars (NSs) with deformation state using some observational results, which can be confirmed by the next LIGO project. Combination with the properties in observation results (e.g., PSR J1748-2446, PSR 1828-11 and Cygnus X-1), based on a binary population synthesis (BPS) approach we give a numerical GW radiation under the assumption that NS should have non-axisymmetric and give the results of energy spectrum. We find that the GW luminosity of LGW can be changed from about 1040 erg/s – 1055 erg/s.

Some abnormal AGNs are discovered in the SDSS data recently. The usual UV/optical emission lines are exceptionally weak in their UV/optical spectroscopy, though the shapes and luminosities of their continua are comparable with that of the normal AGNs. We investigated the optical variations and the near-infrared spectra of these weak emission-line AGNs. We propose that these AGNs can be interpreted as the early stage of an active cycle of AGNs.

In this paper, we investigated the possible exponential decays in the long term optical light curve of the BL Lac {OJ 287}. We developed a method that can be used to decomposing a light curve into a linear combination of exponential decays. The decomposing shows that the decay time scales range from ~ 103.6 to ~ 10−4 days. The power spectra has frequency-dependent power-law with slop ~ 0.5, and the peak of power is at the time scale of decay on ~ 160 days.

We present a study of the VLBA polarimetry of GHz-Peaked Spectrum (GPS) quasar OQ172. GPS quasar OQ172 is one of the source with the extremely highest rest-frame rotation measure (RM > 20,000 rad/m2). By analyzed our of VLBA polarimetry observation, we found the Rotation Measure on C & X band would be well fitted by linear relationship of the square of λ2. Combined other evidences of physical environment in the core of OQ172, we suggest that this source might be a young AGN.

The connection between the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and star formation activity is one of the most important issues in understanding the coevolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and galaxies. In our recent study, by using SDSS quasar spectra we found that the emission-line flux rations involving a nitrogen line correlate with the Eddington ratio. This correlation suggests that the mass accretion in quasars is associated with a post-starburst phase, when AGB stars enrich the interstellar medium with the nitrogen. Moreover, we focused on nitrogen-loud quasars, that have prominent emission lines of the nitrogen, to investigate whether this argument is correct. In this symposium, we present our results regarding the relation between the star formation and feeding to SMBHs traced by the nitrogen abundance.

The First Byurakan Survey (FBS) was conducted by Markarian et al. (1989) to reveal UV-excess galaxies. However, many other interesting objects were possible to detect based on its low-dispersion spectra, and the Second part of the FBS (Mickaelian 2008) was carried out later to reveal UV-excess stellar (point-like) objects, such as white dwarfs (WD), hot subdwarfs, cataclysmic variables (CV), HBB stars, as well as QSOs and Seyfert galaxies. In addition, the FBS plates were digitized (DFBS, Digitized First Byurakan Survey; Mickaelian et al. 2007) and the extraction and reduction of spectra allowed selection of objects with higher confidence and to fainter magnitudes.

Spectroscopic observations have been carried out with three telescopes (Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory BAO-2.6m, Russian Special Astrophysical Observatory SAO-6m and Observatoire de Haute Provence OHP-1.93m) (Sinamyan & Mickaelian 2009) for classification of objects. The spectral features of CVs are narrow emission lines (Balmer series, HeI and HeII lines and Bowen band at 4640A) (Fig. 1). In addition, we use the NSVS database (Wozniak et al. 2004) for revealing variability and our method of comparison of POSS1 and POSS2 epoch photometric data (Mickaelian et al. 2011) based on accurate calculations of weighted average POSS1 and POSS2 magnitudes. 27 objects are present in the NSVS and light curves are available (Fig 2.). X-ray data may serve as an additional criterion to detect CVs among the FBS blue stellar objects (Voges et al. 1999; 2000).

The subsample of FBS WDs has already been published (Sinamyan & Mickaelian 2011), where some CVs are also present. The subsample of FBS CVs consists of 38 objects, including the following types: dwarf novae (DN; UG and SU subtypes; 7 objects), nova-like variables (NL; SH, AC, VY subtypes; 11 objects), as well as there is a DQ Her type object (FBS 1140+719), a Helium CV (HeCV; FBS 1232+379), and a Low-mass X-ray Binary (LMXB; FBS 1656+354). Other objects do not have accurate classification because of the lack of photometric data. The Periods are in the range of 0.012 to 0.343 days.

To make a complete study of these objects possible, multiwavelength (MW) data were retrieved for these 38 objects, including X-ray (ROSAT BSC and FSC), UV (GALEX), optical (APM, MAPS, USNO-B1.0, GSC 2.3.2, SDSS), and IR (2MASS, WISE, IRAS, AKARI) and MW SEDs were built. For CVs, MW SEDs have some disadvantage as their variability does not allow to have their accurate energy distribution. Diagrams with relations between MW data-points and some other physical parameters were also built.

We performed the observation of the flux densities of Sgr A* at 90 and 102 GHz on 6 April 2005 using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array in order to detect the time lag between these frequencies. We constructed light curves covering a few hour with 1 min bin, and the Intra-Day Variability, which had a rising phase and intensity peak, of Sgr A* is clearly seen at both frequencies. We calculated the z-transformed discrete correlation function between the light curves of Sgr A* at 90 and 102 GHz. The derived time lag of the flares at these frequencies was approximately zero, contrary to our expectations based on the previously reported time lag at lower frequencies. If the radio flares of Sgr A* are explained by the expanding plasma model, the light curve at 90 GHz would be delayed with respect to the one at 102 GHz. However, we could not find such a delay with statistical significance in our data.

Accretion disks in compact binaries are thought to sometimes tilt and precess in the retrograde direction as indicated by modulations in light curves and/or signals. Using 3D Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and a low mass transfer rate, Montgomery (2012) shows the disk in non-magnetic Cataclysmic Variables tilts naturally after enough time has passed. In that work, twice the fundamental negative superhump signal 2ν_ is associated with disk tilt around the line of nodes, gas stream overflow approximately twice per orbital period, and retrograde precession. In this work, we show that after enough additional time has passed in the same simulation, the 4ν_ harmonic appears. The decrease in the 2ν_ amplitude approximately equals the amplitude of the 4ν_ harmonic. We discuss the implications.

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a project aimed to discover transients in the Universe, including Type Ia supernovae, core-collapse supernovae, and other exotic and rare transient events. PTF utilizes the Palomar 48-inch Telescope (P48) for discovering the transients, and follow-up mainly by the Palomar 60-inch Telescope (P60, for photometric light and color curves), as well as other telescopes. The discovery rate of PTF is about 7000 candidate transients per year, but currently only about 10% of the candidates are being followed-up and classified. To overcome this shortcoming, a dedicated spectrograph, called the SED Machine, is being designed and built at the California Institute of Technology for the P60 Telescope, aiming to maximize the classification efficiency of transients discovered by PTF. The SED Machine is a low resolution (R ~ 100) IFU spectrograph. It consists of a rainbow camera for spectrophotometric calibration, and a lenslet array plus 3-prism optics system for integrated field spectra. An overview of the science and design of the SED Machine is presented here.

I model changes in cyclotron line energy with luminosity, considering the effect of polar cap dimensions and changes in beam pattern as well as shock height. Cyclotron lines are calculated by a superposition of a large number of cyclotron lines formed in different heights of an accretion column. Cyclotron line energy has been observed to change with luminosity in a number of accreting X-ray pulsars. In X0115+63 and V0332+53, the fundamental cyclotron line energy has been observed to decrease with increasing luminosity. This phenomenon has been interpreted as a change in shock height with luminosity. However, the rate of the change seems to be very different, in which the line energy in V0332+53 seems to vary slowly with luminosity compared with that in X0115+63. I found that the changes in the cyclotron line energies with luminosity can be explained by changes in beam pattern and the size of a polar cap rather than a shock height.

Given the fact that accretion discs are associated with their parent molecular cloud, we studied its effects as a constraint on the outer boundary of the viscous-resistive polytropic self-gravitating accretion flows subject to the mass and angular momentum loss.

The clumping of massive star winds is an established paradigm, which is confirmed by multiple lines of evidence and is supported by stellar wind theory. We use the results from time-dependent hydrodynamical models of the instability in the line-driven wind of a massive supergiant star to derive the time-dependent accretion rate on to a compact object in the Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton approximation. The strong density and velocity fluctuations in the wind result in strong variability of the synthetic X-ray light curves. Photoionization of inhomogeneous winds is different from the photoinization of smooth winds. The degree of ionization is affected by the wind clumping. The wind clumping must also be taken into account when comparing the observed and model spectra of the photoionized stellar wind.

We present results of our world-wide observing campaign which was dedicated to one of the most active dwarf novae, IX Draconis. We investigated photometric behaviour of the system to derive its basic parameters. This study is important in the context of our understanding of the accretion process of IX Draconis, as well as other active cataclysmic variables, especially those from the still poorly studied type of ER UMa stars.

186 binary pulsars are shown in the magnetic field versus spin period (B-P) diagram, and their relations to the millisecond pulsars can be clearly seen. We declaim a minimum accretion rate for the millisecond pulsar formation both from the observation and theory. If the accretion rate is lower than the minimum accretion rate, the pulsar in binary system will not become a millisecond pulsar after the evolution.

Many interacting binaries start their mass exchange when a donor overfilling its Roche lobe has evolved to a giant branch. The response of the donor's radius to the mass loss as compared to the response of its Roche lobe determines the fate of the binary system – whether it will proceed with a stable mass transfer, or experience dramatic common envelope event. Recent studies of responses of realistic giant's stellar models to a fast mass loss showed that this response is not purely adiabatic as previously thought but depends on the behavior of giant's superadiabatic surface layer. In this contribution, we explore in further details how an interplay between superadiabatic layer's thermal timescale and the dynamic timescale of the donor affects the donor's mass loss. We also find that the initiation of the mass loss causes mass loss induced pulsations.