Interesting Astrophysics: Dec 21 to Dec 31, 2009

The final edition of Interesting Astrophysics for 2009 is as diverse as ever. Of particular note, a classic superwind in the "8 o'clock arc" at z~2.7 (Dessauges-Zavadsky et al), a sample of galaxy groups analogous to our own Local Group (Marino et al), stellar wind mass loss rates in hot stars (Lucy et al), and astrobiology (Cirkovic et al).

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Galaxies and Starbursts

Galaxy Evolution in Local Group Analogs. I. A GALEX study of nearby groups
A. Marino, L. Bianchi, R. Rampazzo, L.M. Buson, D. Bettoni, arXiv:0912.4266 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 20 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Rest-frame ultraviolet spectrum of the gravitationally lensed galaxy `the 8 o'clock arc': stellar and interstellar medium properties
M. Dessauges-Zavadsky, S. D'Odorico, D. Schaerer, A. Modigliani, C. Tapken, J. Vernet, arXiv:0912.4384 [ps, pdf, other]

Comments: 17 pages, 10 figures, A&A, accepted

From their abstract: "We present the first detailed analysis of the rest-frame UV spectrum of the gravitationally lensed Lyman break galaxy (LBG), the `8 o'clock arc'. The spectrum of the 8 o'clock arc is rich in stellar and interstellar medium (ISM) features, and presents several similarities to the well-known MS1512-cB58 LBG. ... The ISM lines extend over ~1000 km/s and have their peak optical depth blueshifted relative to the stars, implying gas outflows of about -120 km/s. The Ly-alpha line is dominated by a damped absorption profile on top of which is superposed a weak emission, redshifted relative to the ISM lines by about +690 km/s and resulting from multiply backscattered Ly-alpha photons emitted in the HII region surrounded by the cold, expanding ISM shell."

Luminosity-Metallicity Relations for Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies in the Optical and Near-Infrared
Yinghe Zhao, Yu Gao, Qiusheng Gu, arXiv:0912.4932 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 32 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

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Black Holes and AGN

Infrared Diagnostics for the Extended 12 micron Sample of Seyferts
Stefi A. Baum, Jack F. Gallimore, Christopher P. O'Dea, Catherine L. Buchanan, Jacob Noel-Storr, David J. Axon, Andy Robinson, Moshe Elitzur, Meghan Dorn, Shawn Staudaher, Martin Elvis, arXiv:0912.3545 [ps, pdf, other]

Note to self: this paper deals with the correlations within the sample, but does not name the individual members of the sample.

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Numerical Astrophysics and Hydrodynamics

Self-Convergence of Radiatively Cooling Clumps
Kristopher Yirak, Adam Frank, Andrew J. Cunningham, arXiv:0912.4777 [pdf, other]
Comments: 24 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to the Astrophysical Journal

They find that a fixed number of cells per radius does not lead to convergence in simulations of radiatively cooling clumps. They present alternative prescriptions for assessing numerical convergence.

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X-ray astronomy

A wide field X-ray telescope for astronomical survey purposes: from theory to practice
P. Conconi, S. Campana, G. Tagliaferri, G. Pareschi, O. Citterio, V. Cotroneo, L. Proserpio, M. Civitani, arXiv:0912.5331 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Submitted to MNRAS (3 table, 13 figures), comments welcome

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Stars, Supernovae and Planets

Mass fluxes for hot stars
L.B. Lucy, arXiv:0912.4209 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Submitted to A&A; 6 pages, 5 figures; second revision

Comprehensive Photometric Histories of All Known Galactic Recurrent Novae
Bradley E. Schaefer, arXiv:0912.4426 [pdf, other]

Comments: ApJSupp in press, 273 pages, 34 tables, 71 figures

Note the size of the paper! That is definitely a labor of love.

3D simulations of supernova remnants evolution including non-linear particle acceleration
Gilles Ferrand, Anne Decourchelle, Jean Ballet, Romain Teyssier, Federico Fraschetti, arXiv:0912.4886 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: accepted for publication in A&A (final version)

PopStar Evolutionary Synthesis Models II: Optical emission-line spectra from Giant Hii regions
M.L. Martín-Manjón, M.L. García-Vargas, M. Mollá, A.I. Díaz, arXiv:0912.4730 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 20 pages, 26 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Main Journal

Including All the Lines
Robert L. Kurucz, arXiv:0912.5371 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 9 pages, no figures. Presented at "Dimitrifest" conference in Boulder, Colorado, March 30 - April 3, 2009
Journal-ref: Recent Directions in Astrophysical Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiation Hydrodynamics. Edited by I. Hubeny, J.M. Stone, K. MacGregor, and K. Werner. AIP Conference Proceedings 1171, pp. 43-51, 2009

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Astrobiology

Galactic Punctuated Equilibrium: How to Undermine Carter's Anthropic Argument in Astrobiology
Milan M. Cirkovic, Branislav Vukotic, Ivana Dragicevic, arXiv:0912.4980 [pdf]
Comments: 3 figures, 26 pages
Journal-ref: Published in Astrobiology, 2009, Volume 9, Issue 5, pp. 491-501