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At Paranal Observatory, the least predictable parameter affecting the short-term scheduling of astronomical observations is the optical turbulence, especially the seeing, coherence time and ground layer fraction. These are critical variables driving the performance of the instruments of the Very Large Telescope (VLT), especially those fed with adaptive optics systems. Currently, the night astronomer does not have a predictive tool to support him/her in decision-making at night. As most service-mode observations at the VLT last less than two hours, it is critical to be able to predict what will happen in this time frame, to avoid time losses due to sudden changes in the turbulence conditions, and also to enable more aggressive scheduling. We therefore investigate here the possibility to forecast the turbulence conditions over the next two hours. We call this "turbulence nowcasting", analogously with weather nowcasting, a term already used in meteorology coming from the contraction of "now" and "forecasting". We present here the results of a study based on historical data of the Paranal Astronomical Site Monitoring combined with ancillary data, in a machine learning framework. We show the strengths and shortcomings of such an approach, and present some perspectives in the context of the Extremely Large Telescope., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, proceeding of the AO4ELT6 conference

Context. High contrast imaging has thoroughly combed through the limited search space accessible with first-generation ground-based adaptive optics instruments and the Hubble Space Telescope. Only a few objects were discovered, and many non-detections reported and statistically interpreted. The field is now in need of a technological breakthrough. Aim. Our aim is to open a new search space with first-generation systems such as NACO at the Very Large Telescope, by providing ground-breaking inner working angle (IWA) capabilities in the L' band. The L' band is a sweet spot for high contrast coronagraphy since the planet-to-star brightness ratio is favorable, while the Strehl ratio is naturally higher. Methods. An annular groove phase mask (AGPM) vector vortex coronagraph optimized for the L' band, made from diamond subwavelength gratings was manufactured and qualified in the lab. The AGPM enables high contrast imaging at very small IWA, potentially being the key to unexplored discovery space. Results. Here we present the installation and successful on-sky tests of an L'-band AGPM coronagraph on NACO. Using angular differential imaging, which is well suited to the rotational symmetry of the AGPM, we demonstrated a \Delta L' > 7.5 mag contrast from an IWA ~ 0".09 onwards, during average seeing conditions, and for total integration times of a few hundred seconds., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

Aims. The aim of this work is to further investigate the nature of PAH excitation and emission especially in the context of tracing star formation in a variety of extragalactic environments. Here we turn our attention to the energetic environment of the closest AGN in our sample, Centaurus A. Methods. Using ISAAC on the ESO VLT UT1 (Antu) we have made high spatial resolution 3.3 {\mu}m imaging observations of the central kiloparsec of CenA. These observations have been compared with star formation tracers in the near- and mid-infrared, as well as with mid-infrared tracers of nuclear activity. Results. The nucleus is not devoid of PAH emission, implying that the PAH particles are not destroyed in the nucleus as might be expected for such a harsh environment. However, we see the feature to continuum ratio decrease towards the AGN. As well, the 3.3 {\mu}m PAH feature emission generally traces the sites of star formation in Cen A, but in detail there are spatial offsets, consistent with an earlier study of the starburst galaxies NGC 253 and NGC 1808. However, the feature-to-continuum ratio does not drop at the positions of star formation as was previously seen in that earlier study. The cause for this difference remains uncertain. Finally, our data reveal possible evidence for a nearly face-on, circular or spiral, dust structure surrounding the nucleus., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

The Galactic open cluster Westerlund 1 (Wd 1) represents the ideal local template for extragalactic young massive star clusters, because it is currently the only nearby young cluster which reaches a mass of around 10^5 Msun. The proximity makes spatially resolved studies of its stellar population feasible, and additionally permits direct comparison of its properties with measurements of velocity dispersion and dynamical mass for spatially unresolved extragalactic clusters. Recently, we published the dynamical mass estimate based on spectra of four red supergiants. We have now identified six additional stars which allow a determination of radial velocity from the wavelength covered in our VLT/ISAAC near-infrared spectra (CO bandhead region near 2.29micron), improving statistics significantly. Using a combination of stepping and scanning the slit across the cluster centre, we covered an area which included the following suitable spectral types: four red supergiants, five yellow hypergiants, and one B-type emission line star. Our measured velocity dispersion is 9.2 km/s. Together with the cluster size of 0.86 pc, derived from archival near-infrared SOFI-NTT images, this yields a dynamical mass of 1.5x10^5 Msun. Comparing this to the mass derived via photometry, there is no indication that the cluster is currently undergoing dissolution., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figs., to appear in the proceedings of the meeting "Young massive star clusters - Initial conditions and environments", Granada, Spain, 2007

Using ISAAC/VLT, we have obtained individual spectra of all NIR-bright stars in the central 2'x2' of the cluster Westerlund 1 (Wd 1) with a resolution of R~9000 at a central wavelength of 2.30 micron. This allowed us to determine radial velocities of ten post-main-sequence stars, and from these values a velocity dispersion. Assuming virial equilibrium, the dispersion of sigma=8.4 km/s leads to a total dynamical cluster mass of 1.25x10^5 solar masses, comparable to the photometric mass of the cluster. There is no extra-virial motion which would have to be interpreted as a signature of cluster expansion or dissolution., Comment: To appear in the proceedings of IAU 246: "Dynamical Evolution of Dense Stellar Systems" (E. Vesperini, M. Giersz, A. Sills, eds.)

We present the results of H- and K-band VLT/SINFONI integral field spectroscopy of the ULIRG IRAS 19254-7245 (The Super-antennae), an interacting double galaxy system containing an embedded AGN. Deep K-band spectroscopy reveals PaAlpha arising in a warped disc with position angle of 330 degree and an inclination i=40-55 degree. The kinemetric parameters derived for H2 are similar to PaAlpha. Two high-ionization emission lines, [SiVI] and [AlIX], are detected and we identify as [NiII] the line observed at 1.94 micron. Diluting non-stellar continuum, which was previously detected, has decayed, and the H-band continuum emission is consistent with pure stellar emission. Based on H2 emission line ratios it is likely that at the central 1-kpc region H2 is excited by UV fluorescence in dense clouds while shock excitation is dominant further out. This scenario is supported by very low PaAlpha to H2 line ratio detected outside the nuclear region and non-thermal ortho/para ratios (~2.0 - 2.5) close to the nucleus., Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present the results of a recently conducted mm-experiment at the IRAM 30m telescope. We searched in two QSO hosts for the HCN(J=1-0) line emission tracing the dense regions of gas. Our goal is to probe the HCN-CO line ratio in QSO hosts for the first time and to compare the results with recent findings of quiescent galaxies. These findings indicate a strong correlation between the star formation efficiency and the HCN-CO line ratio over several orders of magnitudes in infrared luminosities., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to "QSO Hosts: Evolution and Environment", P.D. Barthel, D.B. Sanders, eds., August 2005, Leiden University (The Netherlands), New Astr. Rev

We report R~3000 VLT ISAAC K-band spectroscopy of the nuclei (i.e. central 100-300pc) of 9 galaxies hosting an active galactic nucleus. For 5 of these we also present spectra of the circumnuclear region out to 1kpc. We have measured a number of H_2 lines in the v=1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 vibrational transitions, as well as the Br_gamma and HeI recombination lines, and the NaI stellar absorption. Although only 3 of the galaxies are classified as Seyfert 1s in the literature, broad Br_gamma (FWHM 1000kms) is seen in 7 of the objects. The v=1-0 emission appears thermalised at T~1000K. However, the v=2-1 and 3-2 emission show evidence of being radiatively excited by far-UV photons. The PDR models that fit the data best are, as for the ultraluminous infrared galaxies in Davies et al. (2003), those for which the H_2 emission arises in dense clouds illuminated by intense FUV radiation. The NaI stellar absorption is clearly seen in 6 of the nuclear spectra, indicating the presence of a significant population of late type stars. It is possible that these stars are a result of the same episode of star formation that gave rise to the stars heating the PDRs. It seems unlikely that the AGN is the dominant source of excitation for the near infrared H_2 emission: in two nuclei H_2 was not detected at all, and in general we find no evidence of suppression of the 2-1S(3) line, which may occur in X-ray irradiated gas. Our data do not reveal any significant difference between the nuclear and circumnuclear line ratios, suggesting that the physical conditions of the dominant excitation mechanism are similar both near the AGN and in the larger scale environment around it, and that star formation is an important process even in the central 100pc acround AGN., Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ (32 pages, 12 figures)

We report on new high-resolution near-infrared images of the gravitationally lensed radio source PKS1830-211, a quasar at z=2.507. These adaptive optics observations, taken with the Very Large Telescope (VLT), are further improved through image deconvolution. They confirm the presence of a second object along the line of sight to the quasar, in addition to the previously known spiral galaxy. This additional object is clearly extended in our images. However, its faint luminosity does not allow to infer any photometric redshift. If this galaxy is located in the foreground of PKS1830-211, it complicates the modeling of this system and decreases the interest in using PKS1830-211 as a means to determine H0 via the time delay between the two lensed images of the quasar., Comment: Accepted in A&A Letters

(ABRIDGED) We have undertaken a programme of 3 micron narrowband imaging of a sample of nearby template galaxies covering a wide range of metallicity, star formation activity, and nuclear activity. In the present paper we present first results: high spatial resolution images of PAH emission and the adjacent continuum emission from the central regions of the nearby starburst galaxies NGC253 and NGC1808. Globally, the PAH emission is seen to peak on the central starburst regions of both sources. On smaller scales, however, we see no general spatial correlation or anti-correlation between the PAH emission and the location of sites of recent star formation, suggesting that the degree to which PAH emission traces starburst activity is more complicated than previously hypothesized based on results from data with lower spatial resolution. We do find spatial correlations, though, when we consider the PAH-to-continuum ratio, which is low at the positions of known super star clusters in NGC1808 as well as at the position of the IR peak in NGC253. We take this to imply a decrease in the efficiency of PAH emission induced by the star formation, caused by mechanical energy input into the ISM or photoionisation or photodissociation of the PAH molecules. All three hypotheses are discussed. In addition, for the first time we present observations of PAH emission in the superwind of a starbursting system (NGC253), providing strong support that winds are heavily mass-loaded and entrain substantial amounts of ambient ISM. We have also found a plausible connection between observed NaD absorption, H2, and PAHs above the plane of NGC253. This observation has important implications for enriching galaxy halos and possibly the intergalactic medium with small dust grains., Comment: A&A Accepted, for a version with higher quality figures see http://www.eso.org/~ltacconi/PAPERS

We report on Galactic Center L'-band observations made during NAOS/CONICA Science Verification. Colors of the inner 2" stars reveal an infrared excess of S2, the closest star to the black hole, that could sign the first thermal infrared detection of Sgr A*. A multi-wavelength maximum likelihood analysis has allowed us to eliminate all but two of the candidates for gravitational lensing proposed by Alexander (2001). Our observations of the thin and intersecting structures of the Northern Arm could trace several shocks heating the neighbooring dust rather than a stream of matter in orbit around the central mass as previously thought., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysics: 16 April 2003, accpeted: 14 November 2003, updated references

We report medium resolution VLT ISAAC K-band spectroscopy of the nuclei of seven ultraluminous infrared galaxies. After accounting for stellar absorption features, we have detected several molecular hydrogen (H_2) v=1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 vibrational emission lines, as well as the HI Br\gamma and HeI 2^1P-2^1S recombination lines. The relative H_2 line intensities show little variation between the objects, suggesting that the H_2 excitation mechanisms in the nuclei are similar in all the objects. The 1-0 emissions appear thermalised at temperatures T\sim1000K. However, the 2-1 and 3-2 emissions show evidence of being radiatively excited by far-ultraviolet (FUV) photons, suggesting that the H_2 excitation in the ULIRGs may arise in dense photon dominated regions (PDRs). We show that the line ratios in the nuclei are consistent with PDRs with cloud densities between 10^4 to 10^5cm^{-3}, exposed to far ultraviolet (FUV) radiation fields at least 10^3 times more intense than the ambient FUV intensity in the local interstellar medium. We have constructed starburst models for the ULIRGs based on their H_2 properties, as well as on the intensities of the recombination lines. Our models provide a consistent picture of young 1-5Myr star clusters surrounded by relatively dense PDRs which are irradiated by intense FUV fluxes. Comparison to the inner few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way indicates that the star formation efficiency in ULIRGs is 10--100 times higher than in the Galactic Center., Comment: accepted by ApJ (32 pages including figures)

We analyze deep near-IR adaptive optics imaging as well as new proper motion data of the nuclear star cluster of the Milky Way. The surface density distribution of faint stars peaks within 0.2" of the black hole candidate SgrA*. The radial density distribution of this stellar 'cusp' follows a power law of exponent 1.3-1.4. The K-band luminosity function of the overall nuclear stellar cluster (within 9" of SgrA*) resembles that of the large scale, Galactic bulge, but shows an excess of stars at K<14. We find that most of the massive early type stars at distances 1-10" from SgrA* are located in two rotating and geometrically thin disks. These disks are inclined at large angles and counter-rotate with respect to each other. Their stellar content is essentially the same, indicating that they formed at the same time. The star closest to SgrA* in 2002, S2, exhibits a 3.8 micron excess. We propose that the mid-IR emission either comes from the accretion flow around the black hole itself, or from dust in the accretion flow that is heated by the ultra-violet emission of S2., Comment: 59 pages, 18 figures

We report on the first results obtained using adaptive optics measurements of the Galactic Centre done with NAOS/CONICA., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures

The small separation of the individual stellar components in the TTau system has prevented spectroscopy of the individual components in the near-infrared (NIR) in the past. We present NIR data (H- and K-band) on this object taken using the ALFA adaptive optics (AO) system in combination with the 3D integral field spectrograph. Except for the Brackett series seen in emission, the NIR spectra of \tts{} appear featureless, suggesting that warm dust dominates the radiation. No ro-vibrational lines of molecular hydrogen were found in close vicinity to the stars. The Brackett line emission from \ttn{} and S could not be resolved with the 3.5-m-telescope, implying that it arises within 6 AU from the stars. The line ratios between Br$\gamma$ (2.166 \mum{}) and Br10 (1.736 \mum{}) toward \ttn{} and \tts{} are similar, suggesting similar selective extinctions towards the respective emitting regions. Our results are consistent with a model that describes \tts{} as a pre-main sequence star surrounded by a small edge-on disk, leaving the polar regions relatively unobscured. We present numerical simulations which support this model., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, ApJ (March 2002, accepted)

We present near-IR integral field spectroscopy of a sample of 31 Seyfert and LINER galaxies which were selected both to span a wide range of nuclear magnitudes and to possess roughly equal numbers of Seyfert type 1 and 2 nuclei. Moderate resolution (R~1000; R~2000 for 3 cases) integral field K-band spectra were obtained for all 31 galaxies in our sample and for 18 galaxies (R~1000; R~2000 for 4 cases) H-band integral field spectra were also obtained. In each case, we present nuclear, larger aperture, and difference spectra with corresponding information about emission line wavelengths, fluxes, and widths. Line-free H- and K-band continuum images as well as [FeII] 1.644 micron, Brackett-gamma, and H_2 1-0 S(1) emission lines are also presented. In addition, we provide extensive information about each galaxy obtained from the literature that will be useful subsequently for characterizing the sample and for comparison with our near-IR data., Comment: 56 pages + 21 pages of figures, accepted for publication in ApJS. Full paper, including original quality figures, available at http://www.mpe.mpg.de/www_ir/preprint/0100011.html

Progress in understanding the embedded stars in LkHa225 has been hampered by their variability, making it hard to compare data taken at different times, and by the limited resolution of the available data, which cannot probe the small scales between the two stars. In an attempt to overcome these difficulties, we present new near-infrared data on this object taken using the ALFA adaptive optics system with the MPE 3D integral field spectrometer and the near-infrared camera Omega-Cass. The stars themselves have K-band spectra which are dominated by warm dust emission, analagous to class I-II for low mass YSOs, suggesting that the stars are in a phase where they are still accreting matter. On the other hand, the ridge of continuum emission between them is rather bluer, suggestive of extincted and/or scattered stellar light rather than direct dust emission. The compactness of the CO emission seen toward each star argues for accretion disks (which can also account for much of the K-band veiling) rather than a neutral wind. In contrast to other YSOs with CO emission, LkHa225 has no detectable Br_gamma emission. Additionally there is no H_2 detected on the northern star, although we do confirm that the strongest H_2 emission is on the southern star, where we find it is excited primarily by thermal mechanisms. A second knot of H_2 is observed to its northeast, with a velocity shift of -75kms and a higher fraction of non-thermal emission. This is discussed with reference to the H2O maser, the molecular outflow, and [S II] emission observed between the stars., Comment: to appear in ApJ, April 2001. 18 pages, including 6 figures

We report on the discovery of a binary pulsar, PSR J1740-3052, during the Parkes multibeam survey. Timing observations of the 570-ms pulsar at Jodrell Bank and Parkes show that it is young, with a characteristic age of 350 kyr, and is in a 231-day, highly eccentric orbit with a companion whose mass exceeds 11 M_sun. An accurate position for the pulsar was obtained using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Near-infrared 2.2-um observations make with the telescopes at the Siding Spring observatory reveal a late-type star coincident with the pulsar position. However, we do not believe that this star is the pulsar's companion, because a typical star of this spectral type and required mass would extend beyond the pulsar's orbit. Furthermore, the measured advance of periastron of the pulsar suggests a more compact companion, for example, a main-sequence star with radius only a few times that of the sun. Such a companion is also more consistent with the small dispersion measure variations seen near periastron. Although we cannot conclusively rule out a black-hole companion, we believe the companion is probably an early B star, making the system similar to the binary PSR J0045-7319., Comment: 29 pages, 7 figures. Version accepted by MNRAS. Minor changes to text, to one set of calculations and to one figure. Abstract shortened

One of the most important techniques for astrophysics with adaptive optics is the ability to do spectroscopy at diffraction limited scales. The extreme difficulty of positioning a faint target accurately on a very narrow slit can be avoided by using an integral field unit, which provides the added benefit of full spatial coverage. During 1998, working with ALFA and the 3D integral field spectrometer, we demonstrated the validity of this technique by extracting and distinguishing spectra from binary stars separated by only 0.26". The combination of ALFA & 3D is also ideally suited to imaging distant galaxies or the nuclei of nearby ones, as its field of view can be changed between 1.2"x1.2" and 4"x4", depending on the pixel scale chosen. In this contribution we present new results both on galactic targets, namely young stellar objects, as well as extra-galactic objects including a Seyfert and a starburst nucleus., Comment: SPIE meeting 4007 on Adaptive Optical Systems Technology, March 2000

We report near-infrared integral field spectroscopy of the luminous merging galaxy NGC 6240. Stellar velocities show that the two K-band peaks separated by 1.6arcsec are the central parts of inclined, rotating disk galaxies with equal mass bulges. The dynamical masses of the nuclei are much larger than the stellar mass derived from the K-band light, implying that the progenitor galaxies were galaxies with massive bulges. The K-band light is dominated by red supergiants formed in the two nuclei in starbursts, triggered ~2x10^7 years ago, possibly by the most recent perigalactic approach. Strong feedback effects of a superwind and supernovae are responsible for a short duration burst (~5x10^6 years) which is already decaying. The two galaxies form a prograde-retrograde rotating system and from the stellar velocity field it seems that one of the two interacting galaxies is subject to a prograde encounter. Between the stellar nuclei is a prominent peak of molecular gas (H_2, CO). The stellar velocity dispersion peaks there indicating that the gas has formed a local, self-gravitating concentration decoupled from the stellar gravitational potential. NGC 6240 has previously been reported to fit the paradigm of an elliptical galaxy formed through the merger of two galaxies. This was based on the near-infrared light distribution which follows a r^1/4-law. Our data cast strong doubt on this conclusion: the system is by far not relaxed, rotation plays an important role, as does self-gravitating gas, and the near-infrared light is dominated by young stars., Comment: 34 pages, 11 figures, using AASTEX 5.0rc3.1, paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal, revised version

We report the discovery of gas inflow motions towards the active nucleus of the Circinus galaxy caused by the non-axisymmetric potential of a nuclear gas bar. Evidence for dust associated with the bar comes from the HST/NICMOS H-K color map, whereas the streaming motions along the gas bar are seen in the velocity field of the H2 S(1)(1-0) emission line. The gas bar is about 100 pc long with a visual extinction in excess of 10 mag. Indication for the gaseous nature of this bar comes from the lack of a stellar counterpart even in the K band where the extinction is greatly reduced. We also use the NICMOS emission line images (Pa-alpha, [SiVI], and [FeII]) to study the innermost region of the ionization cones and the nuclear star forming activity. We discuss the possible relationship of these components with the gaseous bar., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures (3 color plates), accepted for publication in ApJ

We present an ISO SWS and ISOPHOT-S, mid-infrared spectroscopic survey of 15 ultra-luminous IRAS galaxies. We combine the survey results with a detailed case study, based on near-IR and mm imaging spectroscopy, of one of the sample galaxies (UGC 5101). We compare the near- and mid-IR characteristics of these ultra-luminous galaxies to ISO and literature data of thirty starburst and active galactic nuclei (AGN), template galaxies. We find that 1) 70-80% of the ultra-luminous IRAS galaxies in our sample are predominantly powered by recently formed massive stars. 20-30% are powered by a central AGN. These conclusions are based on a new infrared 'diagnostic diagram' involving the ratio of high to low excitation mid-IR emission lines on the one hand, and on the strength of the 7.7um PAH feature on the other hand. 2) at least half of the sources probably have simultaneously an active nucleus and starburst activity in a 1-2 kpc diameter circum-nuclear disk/ring. 3) the mid-infrared emitting regions are highly obscured. After correction for these extinctions, we estimate that the star forming regions in ULIRGs have ages between 10^7 and 10^8 years, similar to but somewhat larger than those found in lower luminosity starburst galaxies. 4) in the sample we have studied there is no obvious trend for the AGN component to dominate in the most compact, and thus most advanced mergers. Instead, at any given time during the merger evolution, the time dependent compression of the circum-nuclear interstellar gas, the accretion rate onto the central black hole and the associated radiation efficiency may determine whether star formation or AGN activity dominates the luminosity of the system., Comment: 63 pages postscript (ex. MS Word), 11 postscript and 2 gif figures, submitted to ApJ. See also http://www.mpe-garching.mpg.de/ISO/preprint/MPE-IR-97003.html