Physics Update

Stephen G. Benka and Phillip F. Schewe
New chemical clues to Earth-like planet formation. Sodium is volatile. It easily burns and boils and diffuses. Meteorites are hardy, and the type known as chondrites are also primitive, dating back to the very early solar system. Chondrites contain a high density of so-called chondrulesroughly milli ... [Phys. Today 61, 16 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

UV survey finds 40% of the baryons missing from the nearby universe

Charles Day
By the time the universe was three minutes old, all the baryonic building blocks of normal matter had formed. As the young universe aged, a minority of those primordial baryonsa few percentjoined clumps of the far more abundant dark matter to condense and form the first galaxies. ... [Phys. Today 61, 12 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

Design of an off-axis three-mirror anastigmatic optical system with wavefront coding technology

Feng Yan, Li-gong Zheng, and Xue-jun Zhang
Wavefront coding (WFC) technology can extend the depth of focus of an optical system, which makes the application of this technology to space cameras extremely attractive. This paper introduces the application of wavefront coding to three-mirror anastigmatic optical systems. A transition model is es ... [Opt. Eng. 47, 063001 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

A General Test of the Copernican Principle

Chris Clarkson, Bruce Bassett, and Teresa Hui-Ching Lu
To date, there has been no general way of determining if the Copernican principlethat we live at a typical position in the Universeis in fact a valid assumption, significantly weakening the foundations of cosmology as a scientific endeavor. Here we present an observational test for the Copernican as ... [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 011301 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

Cosmic string Y-junctions: A comparison between field theoretic and Nambu-Goto dynamics

Neil Bevis and Paul M. Saffin
We explore the formation of cosmic string Y-junctions when strings of two different types collide, which has recently become important since string theory can yield cosmic strings of distinct types. Using a model containing two types of local U(1) string and stable composites, we simulate the collis ... [Phys. Rev. D 78, 023503 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

Cosmological parameters from WMAP 5-year temperature maps

Antony Lewis
I calculate a hybrid cross-power spectrum estimator from the WMAP 5-year CMB temperature maps, discuss the goodness of fit, and then constrain cosmological parameters. The spectrum and results are generally consistent with previous results, though the power spectrum error bars are slightly smaller a ... [Phys. Rev. D 78, 023002 (2008)] published Wed Jul 2, 2008.

Medical Software Has Astronomers Seeing Stars

Pam Frost Gorder
... [Comput. Sci. Eng. 10, 4 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Recent advances to enhance low Earth orbit space simulation

Frank G. Collins
Accurate ground-based simulation of low Earth orbit (LEO) conditions experienced by a satellite has proven to be a challenge. Recent progress that has been made toward the development of means for simulating portions of the LEO environment will be reviewed. A satellite in LEO has a speed relative to ... [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 26, 1042 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Influence of suprathermal background electrons on strong auroral double layers: Laminar and turbulent regimes

D. L. Newman, L. Andersson, M. V. Goldman, R. E. Ergun, and N. Sen
A series of one-dimensional Vlasov simulations [Newman et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 072902 (2008), this issue] show that a sufficiently dense and hot suprathermal electron population can stabilize strong laminar double layers over long periods while regulating their strength and velocity. When suprathe ... [Phys. Plasmas 15, 072903 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Circumscribing late dark matter decays model-independently

Hasan Yuksel and Matthew D. Kistler
A number of theories, spanning a wide range of mass scales, predict dark matter candidates that have lifetimes much longer than the age of the Universe, yet may produce a significant flux of gamma rays in their decays today. We constrain such late-decaying dark matter scenarios model-independently b ... [Phys. Rev. D 78, 023502 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Cosmic string dynamics and evolution in warped spacetime

A. Avgoustidis
We study the dynamics and evolution of Nambu-Goto strings in a warped spacetime, where the warp factor is a function of the internal coordinates giving rise to a throat region. The microscopic equations of motion for strings in this background include potential and friction terms, which attract the ... [Phys. Rev. D 78, 023501 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Two-photon transitions in primordial hydrogen recombination

Christopher M. Hirata
The subject of cosmological hydrogen recombination has received much attention recently because of its importance to predictions for and cosmological constraints from cosmic microwave background observations. While the central role of the two-photon decay 2s-->1s has been recognized for many decades ... [Phys. Rev. D 78, 023001 (2008)] published Tue Jul 1, 2008.

Type II Migration: Varying Planet Mass and Disc Viscosity. (arXiv:0807.0625v1 [astro-ph])

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Imaging X-ray sources at a finite distance in coded mask instruments. (arXiv:0807.0518v1 [astro-ph])

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Measurements of Stellar Properties through Asteroseismology: A Tool for Planet Transit Studies. (arXiv:0807.0508v1 [astro-ph])

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AstraLux - the Calar Alto 2.2-m telescope Lucky Imaging camera. (arXiv:0807.0504v1 [astro-ph])

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MicroLux: high-precision timing of high-speed photometric observations. (arXiv:0807.0501v1 [astro-ph])

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AstraLux: the Calar Alto Lucky Imaging Camera. (arXiv:0807.0497v1 [astro-ph])

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The spectroscopic variability of T$_{\rm eff}$ and $\log g$ in $\beta$ Cep. (arXiv:0807.0495v1 [astro-ph])

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Color, 3D simulated images with shapelets. (arXiv:0807.0475v1 [astro-ph])

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NGC 2770 - a supernova Ib factory?. (arXiv:0807.0473v1 [astro-ph])

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SuperLupus: A Deep, Long Duration Transit Survey. (arXiv:0807.0469v1 [astro-ph])

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Optimal ISW detection and joint likelihood for cosmological parameter estimation. (arXiv:0807.0464v1 [astro-ph])

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Gravitational fragmentation and the formation of brown dwarfs in stellar clusters. (arXiv:0807.0460v1 [astro-ph])

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Determination of the scintillation and ionization yield of liquid Xe from the XENON10 experiment. (arXiv:0807.0459v1 [astro-ph])

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Properties of Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitor Stars. (arXiv:0807.0445v1 [astro-ph])

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Constraining the Nonextensive Mass Function of Halos from BAO, CMB and X-ray data. (arXiv:0807.0444v1 [astro-ph])

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Identifying Transiting Circumbinary Planets. (arXiv:0807.0527v1 [astro-ph])

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The star formation in the L1615/L1616 cometary cloud. (arXiv:0807.0532v2 [astro-ph])

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A Markov Chain Monte Carlo Algorithm for analysis of low signal-to-noise CMB data. (arXiv:0807.0624v1 [astro-ph])

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Nonradial Modes in Classical Cepheids. (arXiv:0807.0623v1 [astro-ph])

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The dark matter transfer function: free streaming, particle statistics and memory of gravitational clustering. (arXiv:0807.0622v1 [astro-ph])

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The Anomalous Acceleration of the Pioneer Spacecrafts. (arXiv:0807.0617v1 [physics.space-ph])

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Blazhko Effect in Double Mode Cepheids. (arXiv:0807.0615v1 [astro-ph])

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NGC300 X-1 and IC10 X-1: a new breed of black hole binary?. (arXiv:0807.0606v1 [astro-ph])

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Collisional and Thermal Emission Models of Debris Disks: Towards Planetesimal Population Properties. (arXiv:0807.0603v1 [astro-ph])

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The Hubble diagram of high redshift objects, QSOs and AGNs. (arXiv:0807.0590v1 [astro-ph])

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XMM-Newton X-ray spectra of the SNR 0509-67.5: data and models. (arXiv:0807.0579v1 [astro-ph])

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Effects of rotation on the evolution of primordial stars. (arXiv:0807.0573v1 [astro-ph])

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An extremely wide and very low-mass pair with common proper motion. Is it representative of a nearby halo stream?. (arXiv:0807.0553v1 [astro-ph])

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Long Gamma-Ray Bursts and the Morphology of their Host Galaxies. (arXiv:0807.0539v1 [astro-ph])

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Measuring Baryon Acoustic Oscillations along the line of sight with photometric redshifs: the PAU survey. (arXiv:0807.0535v1 [astro-ph])

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An extensive photometric study of the Blazhko RR Lyrae star MW Lyr: I. Light curve solution. (arXiv:0807.0534v1 [astro-ph])

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Solar Cycle Related Changes at the Base of the Convection Zone. (arXiv:0807.0442v1 [astro-ph])

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Mass Fall-back and Accretion in the Central Engine of Gamma-Ray Bursts. (arXiv:0807.0441v1 [astro-ph])

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EA01A/B : high-resolution HI imaging of an interacting pair of post-starburst (E+A) galaxies. (arXiv:0807.0440v1 [astro-ph])

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Sensitivity of a Bolometric Interferometer to the CMB power spectrum. (arXiv:0807.0438v1 [astro-ph])

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Natural inflation at the GUT scale. (arXiv:0807.0317v2 [hep-ph] UPDATED)

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Physical Conditions in Quasar Outflows: VLT Observations of QSO 2359-1241. (arXiv:0807.0230v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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On the empirical evidence for the existence of ultra-massive white dwarfs. (arXiv:0806.4742v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Retardation magnification and the appearance of relativistic jets. (arXiv:0806.3798v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Primordial non-gaussianity, statistics of collapsed objects, and the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect. (arXiv:0806.1046v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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On the Formation of Compact Stellar Disks Around Sgr A*. (arXiv:0805.3274v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Transition Redshift: New Kinematic Constraints from Supernovae. (arXiv:0805.1261v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Newtonian nonlinear hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics. (arXiv:0804.1702v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Effects of primordial chemistry on the cosmic microwave background. (arXiv:0803.3987v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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The Ratio of Retrograde to Prograde Orbits: A Test for Kuiper Belt Binary Formation Theories. (arXiv:0803.0329v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Limits on Primordial Non-Gaussianity from Minkowski Functionals of the WMAP Temperature Anisotropies. (arXiv:0802.3677v2 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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The Formation of the First Stars II. Radiative Feedback Processes and Implications for the Initial Mass Function. (arXiv:0711.1377v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Matching WMAP 3-yrs results with the Cosmological Slingshot Primordial Spectrum. (arXiv:0706.0025v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Bound for entropy and viscosity ratio for strange quark matter. (arXiv:0705.4645v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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A Search for Molecular Gas in the Nucleus of M87 and Implications for the Fueling of Supermassive Black Holes. (arXiv:astro-ph/0610488v3 UPDATED)

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Relativistic cosmology and large-scale structure. (arXiv:0705.4397v3 [astro-ph] UPDATED)

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Advances in the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect with planetary motions in the field of the Sun. (arXiv:0807.0435v3 [gr-qc] CROSS LISTED)

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Astronomy at school: present situation and future perspectives. (arXiv:0807.0418v1 [physics.ed-ph] CROSS LISTED)

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Sequential deconfinement of quark flavors in neutron stars. (arXiv:0807.0414v1 [nucl-th] CROSS LISTED)

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A note on unparticle in lower dimensions. (arXiv:0807.0338v1 [hep-th] CROSS LISTED)

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