Interesting Astrophysics: Mar 23 to Mar 27

It has been a relatively quite week in terms of astrophysical papers and preprints I consider interesting, although I must admit to some distraction caused by the major ongoing software upgrade (and possible hardware) problems that I am experiencing with my primary workstation.

I've also included our M82 supernova feedback efficiency paper in the list. I was going to write a short separate post describing it, but I'm too busy with trying to fix my workstation to consider that at the moment.

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Galaxies and Starbursts

Collisional debris as laboratories to study star formation
M. Boquien, P.-A. Duc, Y. Wu, V. Charmandaris, U. Lisenfeld, J. Braine, E. Brinks, J. Iglesias-Páramo, C. K. Xu, arXiv:0903.3403 [pdf, other]
Comments: 18 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in The astronomical journal

The effect of ram pressure on the star formation, mass distribution and morphology of galaxies
W. Kapferer, C. Sluka, S. Schindler, C. Ferrari, B. Ziegler, arXiv:0903.3818 [ps, pdf, other]

Comments: 19 pages, 25 figures, A&A accepted, high resolution version can be
found at this http URL

A Population of Metal-Poor Galaxies with ~L* Luminosities at Intermediate Redshifts
John J. Salzer, Anna L. Williams, Caryl Gronwall, arXiv:0903.3948 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 6 pages, 3 figures; to appear in 10 April 2009 ApJL

Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Submillimeter Galaxies: Extended Star Formation in Massive High Redshift Galaxies
Karín Menéndez-Delmestre, Andrew W. Blain, Ian Smail, Dave M. Alexander, Scott C. Chapman, Lee Armus, Dave Frayer, Rob J. Ivison, Harry Teplitz, arXiv:0903.4017 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 21 pages, 11 figures, accepted to The Astrophysical Journal

Strong z~0.5 O VI Absorption Toward PKS 0405-123: Implications for Ionization and Metallicity of the Cosmic Web
J.Christopher Howk, Joseph S. Ribaudo, Nicolas Lehner, J. Xavier Prochaska, Hsiao-Wen Chen, arXiv:0903.3963 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 21 pages. Abstract abridged slightly

A Simple Model for the Relationship Between Star Formation and Surface Density
C. L. Dobbs, J. E. Pringle, arXiv:0903.4098 [pdf, other]
Comments: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted by MNRAS

The evolution of the mass-metallicity relation in SDSS galaxies uncovered by astropaleontology
N. Vale Asari, G. Stasinska, R. Cid Fernandes, J. M. Gomes, M. Schlickmann, A. Mateus, W. Schoenell, arXiv:0903.4167 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Their result (M-Z for galaxies with log M > 10) is not necessarily inconsistent with the conclusion of Tremonti et al (2004) that outflows shape the galaxy M-y_eff relatio below a characteristic mass of log M ~ 10, above which galaxies act as closed boxes.

Supernova feedback efficiency and mass loading in the starburst and galactic superwind exemplar M82
David K. Strickland, Timothy M. Heckman, arXiv:0903.4175 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 29 pages, 12 figures

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Black Holes and AGN

Evidence for X-ray synchrotron emission from simultaneous mid-IR to X-ray observations of a strong Sgr A* flare
K. Dodds-Eden, et al, arXiv:0903.3416 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 49 pages, 9 figures

Eddington ratio and accretion efficiency in AGN evolution
S.I. Raimundo, A. C. Fabian, arXiv:0903.3432 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 5 pages

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Stars, Supernovae and Planets

The Disappearance of the Progenitors of Supernovae 1993J and 2003gd
Justyn R. Maund, Stephen J. Smartt, arXiv:0903.3772 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Science, in press, published online 19/03/09, 28 pages (MS+SOM) (high-res figures available at this http URL)

Both progenitors were Red Supergiants.

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Other

Astronomical Software Wants To Be Free: A Manifesto
Benjamin J. Weiner, et al, arXiv:0903.3971 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: State of the Profession white paper submitted to the Astro2010 Decadal Survey. The authors welcome comments and discussion

Argues that astronomical software development should be taken seriously as an academic endeavor (i.e in terms of career development), and should also be funded adequately. But it ignores the issue of certain projects (SDSS's spectroscopic pipeline, FUSE, etc) relying on user's having access to non-free non-cheap commercial software packages like IDL. All in all its an interesting issue that is worth the Decadal Survey's time taking into account, but its still small fry compared to the trifecta of problems associated with career development demographics, funding and overly-large missions.