The life on Mars dilemma and the sample return mission

The dilemma of whether there is life on Mars impacts on the method used for sampling. The NASA Mars Sample Return Mission should be used to resolve the problems

Theory of THz Conductivity in the Pseudogap Phase of the Cuprates: A Pre-Formed Pair Perspective

In this paper we deduce transport properties in the presence of a pseudogap associated with precursor superconductivity. Our theoretical analysis is based on the widely adopted self energy expression reflecting this normal state gap, which has appeared in interpretations of photoemission and in other experiments. Thus, it should be generally applicable. Here we address THz conductivity $\sigma (\omega) = \sigma_1(\omega) + i \sigma_2(\omega)$ measurements in the underdoped high temperature superconductors and arrive at reasonable agreement between theory and recent experiment for both $\sigma_1$ and $\sigma_2$ above and below $T_c$.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Radioisotopic Biochemical Probe for Extraterrestrial Life Fifth Annual Progress Report

Radiosotopic biochemical probe for extraterrestrial life - Gulliver progra

Quark structure of hadrons and high energy collisions

There exists a large field for phenomenological models in which the knowledge of the structure of hadrons in terms of QCD constituents obtained from deep inelastic scatterings is related to their behaviour in soft processes. One of the simplest and oldest models is the additive quark model, with the rules of quark statistics following from it. Originally, the relations of quark combinatorics for hadron yields were based on the qualitative description of a multiparticle production process as a process of the production of non-correlated quarks and antiquarks followed by their subsequent fusion into hadrons [20],[21]. As a large amount of new precision measurements appear, and, on the other hand, our understanding of QCD becomes deeper, a new level of understanding of quark-gluon physics in the region of soft interactions forces us to review the relations of quark combinatorics. To do so, an especially good possibility is provided by the experimental data for hadronic Z^0 decays which allow us to check the relations of quark combinatorics for a new type of processes: quark jets in the decays Z^0 -> q\bar{q} -> hadrons [32].Comment: 55 pages, 23 figure