Recent IR surveys of the Galactic plane have revealed a large number of candidate Luminous Blue Variables. In order to verify these classifications we have been undertaking a long term spectroscopic and photometric monitoring campaign supplemented wi
th tailored non-LTE model atmosphere analysis. Here we present a brief overview of selected aspects of this program, highlighting the prospects for identification, classification and quantitative analysis of LBVs in the near-IR spectral window.
We demonstrate for the first time the strong temporal hysteresis effects in the kinetics of the pumped and scattered polariton populations in a planar semiconductor microcavity under a nano-second-long pulsed resonant (by frequency and angle) excitat
ion above the lower polariton branch. The hysteresis effects are explained in the model of multi-mode scattering when the bistability of the nonlinear pumped polariton is accompanied by the explosive growth of the scattered polaritons population. Subsequent self-organization process in the nonlinear polariton system results in a new -- dynamically self-organized -- type of optical parametric oscillator.
