Limits on the cosmic-ray ionization rate toward massive young stars

Recent models of the envelopes of seven massive protostars are used to analyze observations of H3+ infrared absorption and H13CO+ submillimeter emission lines toward these stars, and to constrain the cosmic-ray ionization rate zeta. The H13CO+ gives best-fit values of zeta=(2.6+/- 1.8) x 10^-17 s^-1, in good agreement with diffuse cloud models and with recent Voyager/Pioneer data but factors of up to 7 lower than found from the H3+ data. No relation of zeta with luminosity or total column density is found, so that local (X-ray) ionization and shielding against cosmic rays appear unimportant for these sources. The difference between the H3+ and H13CO+ results and the correlation of N(H3+) with heliocentric distance suggest that intervening clouds contribute significantly to the H3+ absorptions in the more distant regions. The most likely absorbers are low-density (<~10^4 cm^-3) clouds with most carbon in neutral form or in CO.Comment: To be published in A&A 358 (Letters); 4 pages including 3 figure

Universality class of nonequilibrium phase transitions with infinitely many-absorbing-states

We consider systems whose steady-states exhibit a nonequilibrium phase transition from an active state to one -among an infinite number- absorbing state, as some control parameter is varied across a threshold value. The pair contact process, stochastic fixed-energy sandpiles, activated random walks and many other cellular automata or reaction-diffusion processes are covered by our analysis. We argue that the upper critical dimension below which anomalous fluctuation driven scaling appears is d_c=6, in contrast to a widespread belief (see Dickman cond-mat 0110043 for an overview). We provide the exponents governing the critical behavior close to or at the transition point to first order in a 6-d expansion.Comment: 4 pages, to appear in the Physical Review Letter

Infinitely-many absorbing-state nonequilibrium phase transitions

We present a general field-theoretic strategy to analyze three connected families of continuous phase transitions which occur in nonequilibrium steady-states. We focus on transitions taking place between an active state and one absorbing state, when there exist an infinite number of such absorbing states. In such transitions the order parameter is coupled to an auxiliary field. Three situations arise according to whether the auxiliary field is diffusive and conserved, static and conserved, or finally static and not conserved.Comment: 7 pages, 2 .eps figures. To appear in the Brazilian Journal of Physics (2003

Hot Molecular Cores and High-Mass Star Formation

This review covers hot cores in the context of high-mass star formation. After giving an overview of chemical processes and diversity during high-mass star formation, it reviews the `warm envelope' phase which probably precedes the formation of hot cores. Some recent determinations of the cosmic-ray ionization rate are discussed, as well as recent evidence for hot cores around low-mass stars. Routes for future hot core research are outlined.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure; to appear in the Proceeding of IAU Symposium 221, Star Formation at High Angular Resolution, Editors M. Burton, R. Jayawardhana & T. Bourke, Astronomical Society of the Pacifi

On certain multiple Bailey, Rogers and Dougall type summation formulas

A multidimensional generalization of Bailey's very-well-poised bilateral basic hypergeometric ${}_6\psi_6$ summation formula and its Dougall type ${}_5H_5$ hypergeometric degeneration for $q\to 1$ is studied. The multiple Bailey sum amounts to an extension corresponding to the case of a nonreduced root system of certain summation identities associated to the reduced root systems that were recently conjectured by Aomoto and Ito and proved by Macdonald. By truncation, we obtain multidimensional analogues of the very-well-poised unilateral (basic) hypergeometric Rogers ${}_6\phi_5$ and Dougall ${}_5F_4$ sums (both nonterminating and terminating). The terminating sums may be used to arrive at product formulas for the norms of recently introduced ($q$-)Racah polynomials in several variables.Comment: 20 pages, LaTe