Variability in Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) is one of their primary characteristics. Longterm, multi-filter, high-cadence monitoring of large YSO samples is the key to understand the partly unusual light-curves that many of these objects show. Here we introduce and present the first results of the HOYS-CAPS citizen science project which aims to perform such monitoring for nearby (d < 1 kpc) and young (age < 10 Myr) clusters and star forming regions, visible from the northern hemisphere, with small telescopes. We have identified and characterised 466 variable (413 confirmed young) stars in 8 young, nearby clusters. All sources vary by at least 0.2 mag in V, have been observed at least 15 times in V, R and I in the same night over a period of about 2 yrs and have a Stetson index of larger than 1. This is one of the largest samples of variable YSOs observed over such a time-span and cadence in multiple filters. About two thirds of our sample are classical T-Tauri stars, while the rest are objects with depleted or transition disks. Objects characterised as bursters show by far the highest variability. Dippers and objects whose variability is dominated by occultations from normal interstellar dust or dust with larger grains (or opaque material) have smaller amplitudes. We have established a hierarchical clustering algorithm based on the light-curve properties which allows the identification of the YSOs with the most unusual behaviour, and to group sources with similar properties. We discuss in detail the light-curves of the unusual objects V2492 Cyg, V350 Cep and 2MASS J21383981+5708470.

We present a large systematic study of hydrodynamic simulations of supersonic adiabatic jets in three dimensions to provide a definitive set of results on exploring jet density, Mach number and precession angle as variables. We restrict the set-up to non-relativistic pressureequilibrium flows into a homogeneous environment. We first focus on the distribution and evolution of physical parameters associated with radio galaxies. We find that the jet density has limited influence on the structure for a given jet Mach number. The speed of advance varies by a small factor for jet densities between 0.1 and 0.0001 of the ambient density while the cocoon and cavity evolution change from narrow pressure balanced to wide over-pressure as the ratio falls. We also find that the fraction of energy transferred to the ambient medium increases with decreasing jet-ambient density ratio, reaching ≈ 80%. This energy is predominantly in thermal energy with almost all the remainder in ambient kinetic form. The total energy remaining in the lobe is typically under 5%. We find that radio galaxies with wide transverse cocoons can be generated through slow precession at low Mach numbers. We explore a slow precession model in which the jet direction changes very slowly relative to the jet flow dynamical time. This reveals two separated bow shocks propagating into the ambient medium, one associated with the entire lobe expansion and the other with the immediate impact zone. The lobes generated are generally consistent with observations, displaying straight jets but asymmetric lobes.

We explore the observational implications of a large systematic study of high-resolution three dimensional simulations of radio galaxies driven by supersonic jets. For this fiducial study, we employ non-relativistic hydrodynamic adiabatic flows from nozzles into a constant pressurematched environment. Synchrotron emissivity is approximated via the thermal pressure of injected material. We find that the morphological classification of a simulated radio galaxy depends significantly on several factors with increasing distance (i.e. decreasing observed resolution) and decreasing orientation often causing re-classification from FR II (limb-brightened) to FR I (limb-darkened) type. We introduce the Lobe or Limb Brightening Index (LBI) to measure the radio lobe type more precisely. The jet density also has an influence as expected with lower density leading to broader and bridged lobe morphologies as well as brighter radio jets. Hence, relating observed source type to the intrinsic jet dynamics is not straightforward. Precession of the jet direction may also be responsible for wide relaxed sources with lower LBI and FR class as well as for X-shaped and double-double structures. Helical structures are not generated because the precession is usually too slow. We conclude that distant radio galaxies could appear systematically more limb-darkened due to merger-related re-direction and precession as well as due to the resolution limitation.

Vast cavities in the intergalactic medium are excavated by radio galaxies. The cavities appear as such in X-ray images because the external medium has been swept-up, leaving a hot but low-density bubble surrounding the radio lobes. We explore here the predicted thermal X-ray emission from a large set of high-resolution three-dimensional simulations of radio galaxies driven by supersonic jets. We assume adiabatic non-relativistic hydrodynamics with injected straight and precessing jets of supersonic gas emitted from nozzles. Images of X-ray bremsstrahlung emission tend to generate oval cavities in the soft keV bands and leading arcuate structures in hard X-rays. However, the cavity shape is sensitive to the jet-ambient density contrast, varying from concave-shaped at η = 0.1 to convex for η = 0.0001 where η is the jet/ambient density ratio. We find lateral ribs in the soft X-rays in certain cases and propose this as an explanation for those detected in the vicinity of Cygnus A. In bi-lobed or X-shaped sources and in curved or deflected jets, the strongest X-ray emission is not associated with the hotspot but with the relic lobe or deflection location. This is because the hot high-pressure and dense high-compression regions do not coincide. Directed towards the observer, the cavity becomes a deep round hole surrounded by circular ripples. With short radio-mode outbursts with a duty cycle of 10 per cent, the intracluster medium simmers with low Mach number shocks widely dissipating the jet energy in between active jet episodes.