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Articles 301 - 330 of 494

Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy

Asymmetry Of Magnetosheath Flows And Magnetopause Shape During Low Alfvén Mach Number Solar Wind, B. Lavraud, E. Larroque, E. Budnik, V. Génot, J. E. Borovsky, M. W. Dunlop, K. Nykyri, Et Al. Mar 2013

Asymmetry Of Magnetosheath Flows And Magnetopause Shape During Low Alfvén Mach Number Solar Wind, B. Lavraud, E. Larroque, E. Budnik, V. Génot, J. E. Borovsky, M. W. Dunlop, K. Nykyri, Et Al.

Publications

Previous works have emphasized the significant influence of the solar wind Alfvén Mach number (MA) on magnetospheric dynamics. Here we report statistical, observational results that pertain to changes in the magnetosheath flow distribution and magnetopause shape as a function of solar wind MA and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) clock angle orientation. We use all Cluster 1 data in the magnetosheath during the period 2001–2010, using an appropriate spatial superposition procedure, to produce magnetosheath flow distributions as a function of location in themagnetosheath relative to the IMF and other parameters. The results demonstrate that enhanced flows in the magnetosheath are expected …

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Heteroclinic And Homoclinic Connections Between The Sun-Earth Triangular Points And Quasi-Satellite Orbits For Solar Observations, Pedro J. Llanos, Gerald R. Hintz, Martin W. Lo, James K. Miller Jan 2013

Heteroclinic And Homoclinic Connections Between The Sun-Earth Triangular Points And Quasi-Satellite Orbits For Solar Observations, Pedro J. Llanos, Gerald R. Hintz, Martin W. Lo, James K. Miller

Publications

Investigation of new orbit geometries exhibits a very attractive behavior for a spacecraft to monitor space weather coming from the Sun. Several orbit transfer mechanisms are analyzed as potential alternatives to monitor solar activity such as a sub-solar orbit or quasi-satellite orbit and short and long heteroclinic and homoclinic connections between the triangular points L4 and L5 and the collinear point L3 of the CRTBP (circular restricted three-body problem) in the Sun-Earth system. These trajectories could serve as channels through where material can be transported from L5 to L3 by performing small maneuvers at the departure of the Trojan orbit. …

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Book Review: Weird Worlds: Bizarre Bodies Of The Solar System And Beyond, T. D. Oswalt Jan 2013

Book Review: Weird Worlds: Bizarre Bodies Of The Solar System And Beyond, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of Weird Worlds : Bizarre Bodies of the Solar System and Beyond by David A. J. Seargent. Springer, 2013 309p, 1461470633 $34.95, 9781461470632 $34.95.

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Observed Seasonal Variations In Exospheric Effective Temperatures, E. J. Mierkiewicz, F. L. Roesler, S. M. Nossal Jun 2012

Observed Seasonal Variations In Exospheric Effective Temperatures, E. J. Mierkiewicz, F. L. Roesler, S. M. Nossal

Publications

High spectral resolution line profile observations indicate a reproducible semi-annual variation in the geocoronal hydrogen Balmer α effective temperature. These observations were made between 08 January 2000 and 21 November 2001 from Pine Bluff Observatory (WI) with a second generation double etalon Fabry-Perot annular summing spectrometer operating at a resolving power of 80,000. This data set spans sixty-four nights of observations (1404 spectra in total) over 20 dark-moon periods. A two cluster Gaussian model fitting procedure is used to determine Doppler line widths, accounting for fine structure contributions to the line, including those due to cascade; cascade contributions at Balmer …

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Sodium Atoms In The Lunar Exotail: Observed Velocity And Spatial Distributions, Michael R. Line, E. J. Mierkiewicz, R. J. Oliversen, J. K. Wilson, L. M. Haffner, F. L. Roesler Jun 2012

Sodium Atoms In The Lunar Exotail: Observed Velocity And Spatial Distributions, Michael R. Line, E. J. Mierkiewicz, R. J. Oliversen, J. K. Wilson, L. M. Haffner, F. L. Roesler

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

The lunar sodium tail extends long distances due to radiation pressure on sodium atoms in the lunar exosphere. Our earlier observations measured the average radial velocity of sodium atoms moving down the lunar tail beyond Earth (i.e., near the anti-lunar point) to be ∼12.5. km/s. Here we use the Wisconsin H-alpha Mapper to obtain the first kinematically resolved maps of the intensity and velocity distribution of this emission over a 15° × 15 ° region on the sky near the anti-lunar point. We present both spatially and spectrally resolved observations obtained over four nights bracketing new Moon in October 2007. …

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Book Review: Astronomy At The Frontiers Of Science, T. D. Oswalt May 2012

Book Review: Astronomy At The Frontiers Of Science, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of Astronomy at the Frontiers of Science, edited by Jean-Pierre Lasota, Springer, 2011. 357p, 9789400716575 $179.00.

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Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study, John Brophy, Fred Culick, Louis Friedman, Pedro Llanos, Et Al. Apr 2012

Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study, John Brophy, Fred Culick, Louis Friedman, Pedro Llanos, Et Al.

Publications

This report describes the results of a study sponsored by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) to investigate the feasibility of identifying, robotically capturing, and returning an entire Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) to the vicinity of the Earth by the middle of the next decade. The KISS study was performed by people from Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Johnson Space Center, Langley Research Center, the California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard University, the Naval Postgraduate School, University of California at Los Angeles, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Southern …

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Observed And Modeled Solar Cycle Variation In Geocoronal Hydrogen Using Nrlmsise-00 Thermosphere Conditions And The Bishop Analytic Exosphere Model, S. M. Nossal, E. J. Mierkiewicz, F. L. Roesler Mar 2012

Observed And Modeled Solar Cycle Variation In Geocoronal Hydrogen Using Nrlmsise-00 Thermosphere Conditions And The Bishop Analytic Exosphere Model, S. M. Nossal, E. J. Mierkiewicz, F. L. Roesler

Publications

High precision observations during Solar Cycle 23 using the Wisconsin H‐alpha Mapper (WHAM) Fabry‐Perot quantify a factor of 1.5 ± 0.15 higher Balmer α column emission intensity during near‐solar‐maximum than during solar minimum conditions. An unresolved question is how does the observed solar cycle variation in the hydrogen column emission compare with that calculated from the hydrogen distribution in atmospheric models? We have compared WHAM solar minimum and near‐solar‐maximum column intensity observations with calculations using the thermospheric hydrogen density profile and background thermospheric conditions from the Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter (NRLMSISE‐00) empirical model extended to exospheric altitudes using the analytic …

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Observational Constraints On The Degenerate Mass-Radius Relation, J. B. Holberg, Terry D. Oswalt, M. A. Barstow Feb 2012

Observational Constraints On The Degenerate Mass-Radius Relation, J. B. Holberg, Terry D. Oswalt, M. A. Barstow

Publications

The white dwarf mass–radius relationship is fundamental to modern astrophysics. It is central to routine estimation of DA white dwarf masses derived from spectroscopic temperatures and gravities. It is also the basis for observational determinations of the white dwarf initial–final-mass relation. Nevertheless, definitive and detailed observational confirmations of the mass–radius relation (MRR) remain elusive owing to a lack of sufficiently accurate white dwarf masses and radii. Current best estimates of masses and radii allow only broad conclusions about the expected inverse relation between masses and radii in degenerate stars. In this paper, we examine a restricted set of 12 DA …

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3-D Mesoscale Mhd Simulations Of Magnetospheric Cusp-Like Configurations: Cusp Diamagnetic Cavities And Boundary Structure, E. Adamson, A. Otto, K. Nykyri Feb 2012

3-D Mesoscale Mhd Simulations Of Magnetospheric Cusp-Like Configurations: Cusp Diamagnetic Cavities And Boundary Structure, E. Adamson, A. Otto, K. Nykyri

Publications

We present results from mesoscale simulations of the magnetospheric cusp region for both strongly northward and strongly southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Simulation results indicate an extended region of depressed magnetic field and strongly enhanced plasma B which exhibits a strong dependence on IMF orientation. These structures correspond to the Cusp Diamagnetic Cavities (CDC’s). The typical features of these CDC’s are generally well reproduced by the simulation. The inner boundaries between the CDC and the magnetosphere are gradual transitions which form a clear funnel shape, regardless of IMF orientation. The outer CDC/magnetosheath boundary exhibits a clear indentation in both the …

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The Initial–Final Mass Relation Among White Dwarfs In Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, T. D. Oswalt, L. A. Willson, Q. Wang, G. Zhao Feb 2012

The Initial–Final Mass Relation Among White Dwarfs In Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, T. D. Oswalt, L. A. Willson, Q. Wang, G. Zhao

Publications

We present the initial–final mass relation derived from 10 white dwarfs in wide binaries that consist of a main-sequence star and a white dwarf. The temperature and gravity of each white dwarf were measured by fitting theoretical model atmospheres to the observed spectrum using a χ2 fitting algorithm. The cooling time and mass were obtained using theoretical cooling tracks. The total age of each binary was estimated from the chromospheric activity of its main-sequence component to an uncertainty of about 0.17 dex in log t. The difference between the total age and white dwarf cooling time is taken …

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The Allen Telescope Array Search For Electrostatic Discharges On Mars, Marin M. Anderson, Andrew P.V. Siemion, William C. Barott, Geoffery C. Bower, Gregory T. Delory, Imke De Pater, Dan Werthimer Jan 2012

The Allen Telescope Array Search For Electrostatic Discharges On Mars, Marin M. Anderson, Andrew P.V. Siemion, William C. Barott, Geoffery C. Bower, Gregory T. Delory, Imke De Pater, Dan Werthimer

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - Daytona Beach

The Allen Telescope Array was used to monitor Mars between 2010 March 9 and June 2, over a total of approximately 30 hr, for radio emission indicative of electrostatic discharge. The search was motivated by the report from Ruf et al. of the detection of non-thermal microwave radiation from Mars characterized by peaks in the power spectrum of the kurtosis, or kurtstrum, at 10 Hz, coinciding with a large dust storm event on 2006 June 8. For these observations, we developed a wideband signal processor at the Center for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research. This 1024 channel spectrometer calculates …

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Book Review: New Eyes On The Universe: Twelve Cosmic Mysteries And The Tools We Need To Solve Them, T. D. Oswalt Jan 2012

Book Review: New Eyes On The Universe: Twelve Cosmic Mysteries And The Tools We Need To Solve Them, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of New Eyes on the Universe : Twelve Cosmic Mysteries and the Tools We Need to Solve Them by Stephen Webb. Springer/Praxis, 2012 371p, 9781461421931 $44.95, 9781461421948

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Book Review: The International Atlas Of Mars Exploration: The First Five Decades: V.1: 1953 To 2003, T. D. Oswalt Jan 2012

Book Review: The International Atlas Of Mars Exploration: The First Five Decades: V.1: 1953 To 2003, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of The International Atlas of Mars Exploration: the First Five Decades : V.1: 1953 to 2003 by Philip J. Stooke. Cambridge, 2012 359p, 0521765536 $140.00, 9780521765534 $140.00.

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Fragile Binary Candidates In The Sdss Dr8 Spectroscopic Archive, J. K. Zhao, Terry D. Oswalt, G. Zhao Dec 2011

Fragile Binary Candidates In The Sdss Dr8 Spectroscopic Archive, J. K. Zhao, Terry D. Oswalt, G. Zhao

Publications

We present a catalog of 80 very wide fragile binary candidates (projected separations >10,000 AU) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Eight spectral archive. The pairs were selected based on proper motion, radial velocity, metallicity, and photometric parallax criteria. The angular separations of these pairs range from 3'' to 250''. The peak in the metallicity distribution of these pairs is about −0.5 dex of solar metallicity. Space motions and reduced proper motion diagrams indicate that all these pairs are members of the disk. The chromospheric activity index SHK of each component in 38 binary candidates having spectra …

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Orbital Separation Amplification In Fragile Binaries With Evolved Components, K. B. Johnston, Terry D. Oswalt Nov 2011

Orbital Separation Amplification In Fragile Binaries With Evolved Components, K. B. Johnston, Terry D. Oswalt

Publications

The secular stellar mass-loss causes an amplification of the orbital separation in fragile, common proper motion, binary systems with separations of the order of 1000 A.U. In these systems, companions evolve as two independent coeval stars as they experience negligible mutual tidal interactions or mass transfer. We present models for how post-main sequence mass-loss statistically distorts the frequency distribution of separations in fragile binaries. These models demonstrate the expected increase in orbital seapration resulting from stellar mass-loss, as well as a perturbation of associated orbital parameters. Comparisons between our models and observations resulting from the Luyten survey of wide visual …

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Application Of Asymptotic Expansions For Maximum Likelihood Estimators' Errors To Gravitational Waves From Inspiraling Binary Systems: The Network Case, Salvatore Vitale, Michele Zanolin Nov 2011

Application Of Asymptotic Expansions For Maximum Likelihood Estimators' Errors To Gravitational Waves From Inspiraling Binary Systems: The Network Case, Salvatore Vitale, Michele Zanolin

Publications

This paper describes the most accurate analytical frequentist assessment to date of the uncertainties in the estimation of physical parameters from gravitational waves generated by nonspinning binary systems and Earth-based networks of laser interferometers. The paper quantifies how the accuracy in estimating the intrinsic parameters mostly depends on the network signal to noise ratio (SNR), but the resolution in the direction of arrival also strongly depends on the network geometry. We compare results for 6 different existing and possible global networks and two different choices of the parameter space. We show how the fraction of the sky where the one …

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Book Review: The Cambridge Atlas Of Herschel Objects, T. D. Oswalt Nov 2011

Book Review: The Cambridge Atlas Of Herschel Objects, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of The Cambridge Atlas of Herschel Objects by James Mullaney and Wil Tirion Cambridge, 2011 183p, 0521138175 $35.00, 9780521138178 $35.00.

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Cluster Observations Of Bow Shock Energetic Ion Transport Through The Magnetosheath Into The Cusp, K. J. Trattner, S. M. Petrinec, S. A. Fuselier, K. Nykyri, E. Kronberg Sep 2011

Cluster Observations Of Bow Shock Energetic Ion Transport Through The Magnetosheath Into The Cusp, K. J. Trattner, S. M. Petrinec, S. A. Fuselier, K. Nykyri, E. Kronberg

Publications

The observation of energetic particles by polar orbiting satellites in the magnetospheric cusp resulted in a controversy about their source region. It has been suggested that these cusp energetic particles (CEP) with significant fluxes from magnetosheath energies up to several hundred keV/e are accelerated locally in the cusp by the turbulence found in cusp diamagnetic cavities (CDC). As an alternative to the local acceleration region, the quasi‐parallel shock is successful as a source region for CEP events. Energetic ions accelerated at the bow shock can be transported downstream and enter the cusp along newly reconnected field lines. Composition and energy …

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The 25 Parsec Local White Dwarf Population, Jerry B. Holberg, Terry D. Oswalt, Edward M. Sion, George P. Mccook Sep 2011

The 25 Parsec Local White Dwarf Population, Jerry B. Holberg, Terry D. Oswalt, Edward M. Sion, George P. Mccook

Publications

We have extended our detailed survey of the local white dwarf population from 20 pc to 25 pc, effectively doubling the sample volume, which now includes 232 stars. In the process new stars within 20 pc have been added, a more uniform set of distance estimates as well as improved spectral and binary classifications are available. The present 25 pc sample is estimated to be about 68% complete (the corresponding 20 pc sample is now 86% complete). The space density of white dwarfs is unchanged at 4.8 ± 0.5 x 10-3 pc-3. This new study includes a white dwarf mass …

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On The Origin Of Fluctuations In The Cusp Diamagnetic Cavity, K. Nykyri, A. Otto, E. Adamson, A. Tjulin Jun 2011

On The Origin Of Fluctuations In The Cusp Diamagnetic Cavity, K. Nykyri, A. Otto, E. Adamson, A. Tjulin

Publications

We have analyzed Cluster magnetic field and plasma data during high‐altitude cusp crossing on 14 February 2003. Cluster encountered a diamagnetic cavity (DMC) during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, and as IMF rotated southward, the spacecraft reencountered the cavity more at the sunward side. The DMC is characterized by a high level of magnetic field fluctuations and high‐energy electrons and protons. Ultralow‐frequency turbulence has been suggested as a mechanism to accelerate particles in DMC. We demonstrate in this paper for the first time that many of the low‐frequency fluctuations in the cavity are back and forth motion of the …

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3-D Mesoscale Mhd Simulations Of A Cusp-Like Magnetic Configuration: Method And First Results, E. Adamson, A. Otto, K. Nykyri May 2011

3-D Mesoscale Mhd Simulations Of A Cusp-Like Magnetic Configuration: Method And First Results, E. Adamson, A. Otto, K. Nykyri

Publications

We present a local mesoscale model of the magnetospheric cusp region with high resolution (up to 300 km). We discuss the construction and implementation of the initial configuration and give a detailed description of the numerical simulation. An overview of simulation results for the case of strongly northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is then presented and compared with data from Cluster 2 spacecraft from 14 February 2003. Results show a cusp diamagnetic cavity (CDC) with depth normal to the magnetospheric boundary on the order of 1–2Re and a much larger extent of ~5–9Re tangential to the boundary, bounded by a …

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Cluster Observations Of A Cusp Diamagnetic Cavity: Structure, Size, And Dynamics, K. Nykyri, A. Otto, E. Adamson, E. Dougal, J. Mumme Mar 2011

Cluster Observations Of A Cusp Diamagnetic Cavity: Structure, Size, And Dynamics, K. Nykyri, A. Otto, E. Adamson, E. Dougal, J. Mumme

Publications

We have analyzed Cluster magnetic field and plasma data during high‐altitude cusp crossing and compared them with high‐resolution MHD simulations. Cluster encountered a diamagnetic cavity (DMC) during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, and as the IMF rotated southward, the spacecraft reencountered the cavity more at the sunward side of the cusp because the reconnection site had changed location. We found evidence of magnetic reconnection both during northward and southward IMF conditions. The Cluster separation was ∼5000 km, enabling for the first time measurements both inside the DMC and surrounding boundaries that allowed us to construct the structure of the …

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The White Dwarf Age Of Nfc 2477, Elizabeth J. Jeffery, Ted Von Hippel, Et Al. Mar 2011

The White Dwarf Age Of Nfc 2477, Elizabeth J. Jeffery, Ted Von Hippel, Et Al.

Publications

We present deep photometric observations of the open cluster NGC 2477 using HST/WFPC2. By identifying seven cluster white dwarf candidates, we present an analysis of the white dwarf age of this cluster, using both the traditional method of fitting isochrones to the white dwarf cooling sequence, and by employing a new Bayesian statistical technique that has been developed by our group. This new method performs an objective, simultaneous model fit of the cluster and stellar parameters (namely, age, metallicity, distance, reddening, as well as individual stellar masses, mass ratios, and cluster membership) to the photometry. Based on this analysis, …

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The Chromospheric Activity, Age, Metallicity, And Space Motions Of 36 Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, T. D. Oswalt, M. Rudkin, G. Zhao, Y. Q. Chen Feb 2011

The Chromospheric Activity, Age, Metallicity, And Space Motions Of 36 Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, T. D. Oswalt, M. Rudkin, G. Zhao, Y. Q. Chen

Publications

We present the chromospheric activity (CA) levels, metallicities, and full space motions for 41 F, G, K, and M dwarf stars in 36 wide binary systems. Thirty-one of the binaries contain a white dwarf (WD) component. In such binaries, the total age can be estimated by adding the cooling age of the WD to an estimate of the progenitor’s main-sequence lifetime. To better understand how CA correlates to stellar age, 14 cluster member stars were also observed. Our observations demonstrate for the first time that, in general, CA decays with age from 50 Myr to at least 8 Gyr for …

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The Chromospheric Activity, Age, Metallicty And Space Motions Of 36 Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, Terry D. Oswalt, M. Rudkin, G. Zhao, Y. Q. Chen Feb 2011

The Chromospheric Activity, Age, Metallicty And Space Motions Of 36 Wide Binaries, J. K. Zhao, Terry D. Oswalt, M. Rudkin, G. Zhao, Y. Q. Chen

Publications

We present the chromospheric activity (CA) levels, metallicities and full space motions for 41 F, G, K and M dwarf stars in 36 wide binary systems. Thirty-one of the binaries, contain a white dwarf component. In such binaries the total age can be estimated by adding the cooling age of the white dwarf to an estimate of the progenitor’s main sequence lifetime. To better understand how CA correlates to stellar age, 14 cluster member stars were also observed. Our observations demonstrate for the first time that in general CA decays with age from 50 Myr to at least 8 Gyr …

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A New Pulsar Instrumentation At The Allen Telescope Array And The Nancay Radio Telescope, G. Desvignes, William C. Barott, I. Cognard, P. Lespagnol, G. Theureau Jan 2011

A New Pulsar Instrumentation At The Allen Telescope Array And The Nancay Radio Telescope, G. Desvignes, William C. Barott, I. Cognard, P. Lespagnol, G. Theureau

Publications

In the prospect of the gravitational wave background detection with high precision pulsar timing, we recently installed a new coherent dedispersion backend at the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) and the Nançay Radio Telescope (NRT).

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Book Review: Exploring Mars: Chronicles From A Decade Of Discovery, T. D. Oswalt Jan 2011

Book Review: Exploring Mars: Chronicles From A Decade Of Discovery, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of Exploring Mars : Chronicles from a Decade of Discovery by Scott Hubbard. Arizona, 2011 194p, 9780816521111 $45.00, 9780816528967 $17.95.

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Gravity Couplings In The Standard-Model Extension, Quentin G. Bailey Dec 2010

Gravity Couplings In The Standard-Model Extension, Quentin G. Bailey

Publications

The Standard-Model Extension (SME) is an action-based expansion describing general Lorentz violation for known matter and fields, including gravity. In this talk, I will discuss the Lorentz-violating gravity couplings in the SME. Toy models that match the SME expansion, including vector and two-tensor models, are reviewed. Finally I discuss the status of experiments and observations probing gravity coefficients for Lorentz violation.

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Book Review: Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide To Astronomy In The National Parks, T. D. Oswalt Nov 2010

Book Review: Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide To Astronomy In The National Parks, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of Stars Above, Earth Below : a Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks by Tyler Nordgren. Springer/Praxis, 2010 444p, 9781441916488 $29.95.

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