Exoplanets around G-K Giants
G and K giants are a class of radial velocity (RV) variables. One reason for this variability are planetary companions which are indicated in time series of stellar spectra. Since 2004 these spectra in the visual range were obtained with the high resolution coud\'e \'echelle spectrograph mounted on the 2m telescope of the Th\"uringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg (TLS) for a northern sample of 62 very bright K giants. In the South around 300 G and K giants were observed with HARPS mounted on the 3.6m telescope on La Silla. The TLS sample contains at least 11 stars (18 %) which show low-amplitude, long-period RV variations most likely due to planets. This percentage of planet frequency is confirmed by preliminary results of the HARPS study. Moreover the TLS survey seems to indicate that giant planets do not favour metal-rich stars, are more massive, and have longer periods than those found around solar-type host stars.

title: A substellar component orbiting the F-star 30 Arietis B
abstract: Most current radial velocity planet search programs have concentrated on stars of one solar mass. Our knowledge on the frequency of giant planets and brown dwarf companions to more massive stars is thus rather limited. In the case of solar-like stars, the frequency of short-period brown dwarf companions and very massive planets seems to be low.  Here we present evidence for a substellar companion to 30 Ari B, an F-star of 1.16 ± 0.04 $M_\odot$ that is a member of a hierarchical triple system.  The companion was detected by means of precise radial velocity measurements using the 2-m Alfred-Jensch telescope and its echelle spectrograph. An iodine absorption cell provided the wavelength reference for precise stellar radial velocity measurements.  We analyzed our radial velocity measurements and derived an orbit to the companion with period, P = 335.1 ± 2.5 days, eccentricity e = 0.289 ± 0.092, and mass function $f(m)$ = (6.1 ± 1.7)$\times$10 -7 $M_\odot$. Conclusions. We conclude that the radial velocity variations of 30 Ari B are due to a companion with m  sin  i of 9.88 ± 0.94 $M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ that is either a massive planet or a brown dwarf. The object thus belongs to the rare class of massive planets and brown dwarfs orbiting main- sequence stars.

title: Planetary companion candidates around the K giant stars 42 Draconis and HD 139 357
abstract: For the past 3 years we have been monitoring 62 K giant stars using precise stellar radial velocity (RV) measurements with the 2 m Alfred Jensch Telescope of the Thuringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg ( TLS ).  To probe the dependence of planet formation on stellar mass by finding planets around intermediate-mass giant stars.  We present high accuracy RV measurements of the K1.5 III star 42 Dra and the K4 III star HD 139357. The wavelength reference for the RV measurements was provided by an iodine absorption cell placed in the optical path of the spectrograph.  Our measurements reveal that the time series of the radial velocity of 42 Dra shows a periodic variation of 479.1 days with a semiamplitude of K  = 112.5 m s -1 . An orbital solution yields a mass function of $f(m)$ = (5.29 ± 0.62) $\times$ 10 -8  solar masses ($M_{\odot}$) and an eccentricity of e  = 0.38  ±  0.06. From our template spectra, taken without the iodine cell, we determine a metallicity of -0.46  ±  0.04 dex and a stellar mass of 0.98 ± 0.06 $M_{\odot}$ for this star. HD 139 357 shows periodic RV variations of 1125.7 days with a semiamplitude K  = 159.9 m s -1 . An orbital solution yields an eccentricity, e = 0.10 ± 0.02 and mass function, $f(m)$ = (4.79 ± 0.57) $\times$ 10 -7  $M_{\odot}$. An iron abundance of -0.13 ± 0.04 dex is obtained, and a stellar mass of 1.31 ± 0.24 $M_{\odot}$ for the parent star is derived. An analysis of the HIPPARCOS photometry as well as our H α core flux measurements reveal no variability with the radial velocity period. Keplerian motion is the most likely explanation for the observed radial velocity variations for these stars.  The K giant stars 42 Dra and HD 139 357 host extrasolar planets with “minimum masses” of 3.88 ± 0.85 Jupiter masses $M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ and 9.76 ± 2.15 $M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$, respectively.

title: Searching for nuclear stellar discs in simulations of star cluster mergers
abstract: The nuclei of galaxies often host small stellar discs with scalelengths of a few tens of parsecs and luminosities up to 107 L�. To investigate the formation and properties of nuclear stellar discs (NSDs), we look for their presence in a set of N-body simulations studying the dissipationless merging of multiple star clusters in galactic nuclei. A few tens of star clusters with sizes and masses comparable to those of globular clusters observed in the Milky Way are accreted on to a pre-existing nuclear stellar component: either a massive super star cluster or a rapidly rotating, compact disc with a scalelength of a few parsecs, mimicking the variety of observed nuclear structures. Images and kinematic maps of the simulation time-steps are then built and analysed as if they were real and at the distance of the Virgo cluster. We use the Scorza–Bender method to search for the presence of disc structures via photometric decomposition. In one case, the merger remnant has all the observed photometric and kinematic properties of NSDs observed in real galaxies. This shows that current observations are consistent with most of the NSD mass being assembled from the migration and accretion of star clusters into the galactic centre. In the other simulation instead, we detect an elongated structure from the unsharp masked image, that does not develop the photometric or kinematic signature of an NSD. Thus, in the context of searches for a disc structure, the Scorza–Bender method is a robust and necessary tool.

title: Three-integral multicomponent dynamical models and simulations of the nuclear star cluster in NGC 4244
abstract: Adaptive optics observations of the flattened nuclear star cluster in the nearby edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4244 using the Gemini near-infrared integral field spectrograph (NIFS) have revealed clear rotation. Using these kinematics plus 2MASS photometry, we construct a series of axisymmetric two-component particle dynamical models with our improved version of NMAGIC, a flexible χ2-made-to-measure code. The models consist of a nuclear cluster disc embedded within a spheroidal particle population. We find a mass for the nuclear star cluster of M = 1.6+0.5 −0.2 × 107M� within ∼42.4 pc (2 arcsec). We also explore the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole and show that models with a black hole as massive as M• = 5.0 × 105M� are consistent with the available data. Regardless of whether a black hole is present or not, the nuclear cluster is vertically anisotropic (βz < 0), as was found with earlier anisotropic Jeans models. We then use the models as initial conditions for Nbody simulations. These simulations show that the nuclear star cluster is stable against nonaxisymmetric 
perturbations. We also explore the effect of the nuclear cluster accreting star clusters at various inclinations. Accretion of a star cluster with mass 13 per cent that of the nuclear cluster is already enough to destroy the vertical anisotropy, regardless of orbital inclination.

title: Planets of young stars: the TLS radial velocity survey
abstract: We report on the search for planets orbiting 46 nearby young stars performed at the State Observatory of Turingia (TLS) by means of a radial velocity survey. The aim of this program is to test the theories of formation/evolution of planetary systems. For 19(8) stars we can exclude planets with Msini > 1 MJ (5 MJ) and P < 10 days; we find 1 short period binary and 5 stars with long period RV-trend. One good young exo-planet candidate is presented.

title: A MULTISITE CAMPAIGN TO MEASURE SOLAR-LIKE OSCILLATIONS IN PROCYON. I. OBSERVATIONS, DATA REDUCTION, AND SLOW VARIATIONS
abstract: We have carried out a multisite campaign to measure oscillations in the F5 star Procyon A. We obtained high-precision velocity observations over more than three weeks with 11 telescopes, with almost continuous coverage for the central 10 days. This represents the most extensive campaign so far organized on any solar-type oscillator. We describe in detail the methods we used for processing and combining the data. These involved calculating weights for the velocity time series from the measurement uncertainties and adjusting them in order to minimize the noise level of the combined data. The time series of velocities for Procyon shows the clear signature of oscillations, with a plateau of excess power that is centered at 0.9 mHz and is broader than has been seen for other stars. The mean amplitude of the radial modes is -->38.1 ± 1.3 cm s−1 (2.0 times solar), which is consistent with previous detections from the ground and by the WIRE spacecraft, and also with the upper limit set by the MOST spacecraft. The variation of the amplitude during the observing campaign allows us to estimate the mode lifetime to be -->1.5+ 1.9−0.8 days. We also find a slow variation in the radial velocity of Procyon, with good agreement between different telescopes. These variations are remarkably similar to those seen in the Sun, and we interpret them as being due to rotational modulation from active regions on the stellar surface. The variations appear to have a period of about 10 days, which presumably equals the stellar rotation period or, perhaps, half of it. The amount of power in these slow variations indicates that the fractional area of Procyon covered by active regions is slightly higher than for the Sun.

title: Production of heavy hypernuclei in the p+Bi reaction and determination of their lifetime for fission induced by Λ decay
abstract: The production of Λ hypernuclei was studied in proton reactions with Bi nuclei and the lifetime of the produced heavy hypernuclei was measured by the observation of delayed fission using the recoil shadow method. The measurements were performed at 1.9 GeV proton energy whereas the background was determined at 1.0 GeV. From the distribution of the fission fragments in the shadow region the lifetime τ=[161±7( statist. )±14( system. )] ps was obtained and from a comparison of counting rates of prompt and delayed fission fragments the production cross section of hot Λ hypernuclei was determined to be (350±140) μ b.

title: Kaon Pair Production in Proton-Proton Collisions
abstract: The differential and total cross sections for kaon pair production in the pp -> ppK(+)K(-) reaction have been measured at three beam energies of 2.65, 2.70, and 2.83 GeV using the ANKE magnetic spectrometer at the COSY-Julich accelerator. These near-threshold data are separated into pairs arising from the decay of the phi-meson and the remainder. For the non-phi selection, the ratio of the differential cross sections in terms of the K(-)p and K(+)p invariant masses is strongly peaked toward low masses. This effect can be described quantitatively by using a simple ansatz for the K(-)p final state interaction, where it is seen that the data are sensitive to the magnitude of an effective K(-)p scattering length. When allowance is made for a small number of phi events where the K- rescatters from the proton, the phi region is equally well described at all three energies. A very similar phenomenon is discovered in the ratio of the cross sections as functions of the K(-)pp and K(+)pp invariant masses and the identical final state interaction model is also very successful here. The world data on the energy dependence of the non-phi total cross section is also reproduced, except possibly for the results closest to threshold.

title: First measurements of spin correlations in the np -> d pi^0 reaction
abstract: The transverse spin correlations Axx and Ayy in the np-> d pi^0 reaction have been measured for the first time in quasi-free kinematics at the COSY-ANKE facility using a polarised deuteron beam incident on a polarised hydrogen cell target. The results obtained for neutron energies close to 353 MeV and 600 MeV are in good agreement with the partial wave analysis of data on the isospin-related pp-> d pi^+ reaction, though the present results cover also the small-angle region, which was largely absent from these data.

title: A multi-site campaign to measure solar-like oscillations in Procyon. II. Mode frequencies
abstract: We have analyzed data from a multi-site campaign to observe oscillations in the F5 star Procyon. The data consist of high-precision velocities that we obtained over more than three weeks with 11 telescopes. A new method for adjusting the data weights allows us to suppress the sidelobes in the power spectrum. Stacking the power spectrum in a so-called echelle diagram reveals two clear ridges, which we identify with even and odd values of the angular degree (l = 0 and 2, and l = 1 and 3, respectively). We interpret a strong, narrow peak at 446 mu Hz that lies close to the l = 1 ridge as a mode with mixed character. We show that the frequencies of the ridge centroids and their separations are useful diagnostics for asteroseismology. In particular, variations in the large separation appear to indicate a glitch in the sound-speed profile at an acoustic depth of similar to 1000 s. We list frequencies for 55 modes extracted from the data spanning 20 radial orders, a range comparable to the best solar data, which will provide valuable constraints for theoretical models. A preliminary comparison with published models shows that the offset between observed and calculated frequencies for the radial modes is very different for Procyon than for the Sun and other cool stars. We find the mean lifetime of the modes in Procyon to be 1.29(-0.49)(+0.55) days, which is significantly shorter than the 2-4 days seen in the Sun.