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We study transits of several ``hot Jupiter'' systems - including WASP-12 b, WASP-43 b, WASP-103 b, HAT-P-23 b, KELT-16 b, WD 1856+534 b, and WTS-2 b - with the goal of detecting tidal orbital decay and extending the baselines of transit times. We find no evidence of orbital decay in any of the observed systems except for that of the extensively studied WASP-12 b. Although the orbit of WASP-12 b is unequivocally decaying, we find no evidence for acceleration of said orbital decay, with measured $\ddot{P} = (-7 \pm 8) \times 10^{-14} \rm ~s^{-1}$, against the expected acceleration decay of $\ddot{P} \approx -10^{-23} \rm ~s^{-1}$. In the case of WD 1856+534 b, there is a tentative detection of orbital growth with $\dot{P} = (5.0 \pm 1.5) \times 10^{-10}$. While statistically significant, we err on the side of caution and wait for longer follow-up observations to consider the measured $\dot{P}$ real. For most systems, we provide a 95\%-confidence lower limit on the tidal quality factor, $Q_\star'$. The possibility of detecting orbital decay in hot Jupiters via long-term radial velocity (RV) measurements is also explored. We find that $\sim 1 \rm ~m~s^{-1}$ precision in RVs will be required to detect orbital decay of WASP-12 b with only 3 yr of observations. Currently available RV measurements and precision are unable to detect orbital decay in any of the systems studied here., Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures; Accepted in MNRAS on 2024 August 30. Received 2024 August 29; in original form 2024 February 13

The design and optimization of laser-Compton x-ray systems based on compact distributed charge accelerator structures can enable micron-scale imaging of disease and the concomitant production of beams of Very High Energy Electrons (VHEEs) capable of producing FLASH-relevant dose rates. The physics of laser-Compton x-ray scattering ensures that the scattered x-rays follow exactly the trajectory of the incident electrons, thus providing a route to image-guided, VHEE FLASH radiotherapy. The keys to a compact architecture capable of producing both laser-Compton x-rays and VHEEs are the use of X-band RF accelerator structures which have been demonstrated to operate with over 100 MeV/m acceleration gradients. The operation of these structures in a distributed charge mode in which each radiofrequency (RF) cycle of the drive RF pulse is filled with a low-charge, high-brightness electron bunch is enabled by the illumination of a high-brightness photogun with a train of UV laser pulses synchronized to the frequency of the underlying accelerator system. The UV pulse trains are created by a patented pulse synthesis approach which utilizes the RF clock of the accelerator to phase and amplitude modulate a narrow band continuous wave (CW) seed laser. In this way it is possible to produce up to 10 {\mu}A of average beam current from the accelerator. Such high current from a compact accelerator enables production of sufficient x-rays via laser-Compton scattering for clinical imaging and does so from a machine of "clinical" footprint. At the same time, the production of 1000 or greater individual micro-bunches per RF pulse enables > 10 nC of charge to be produced in a macrobunch of < 100 ns. The design, construction, and test of the 100-MeV class prototype system in Irvine, CA is also presented., Comment: 28 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables

We apply the Inclusion-Exclusion Principle to a unique pair of prime number subsequences to determine whether these subsequences form a small set or a large set and thus whether the infinite sum of the inverse of their terms converges or diverges. In this paper, we analyze the complementary prime number subsequences P(prime) and P(double-prime) as well as revisit the twin prime subsequence P2., Comment: 17 pages; https://doi.org/10.29020/nybg.ejpam.v17i1.4979

The quantum three-wave interaction, the lowest order nonlinear interaction in plasma physics, describes energy-momentum transfer between three resonant waves in the quantum regime. We describe how it may also act as a finite-degree-of-freedom approximation to the classical three-wave interaction in certain circumstances. By promoting the field variables to operators, we quantize the classical system, show that the quantum system has more free parameters than the classical system, and explain how these parameters may be selected to optimize either initial or long-term correspondence. We then numerically compare the long-time quantum/classical correspondence far from the fixed point dynamics. We discuss the Poincare recurrence of the system and the mitigation of quantum scrambling., Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures

We develop an algebraic formulation for the discrete quantum harmonic oscillator (DQHO) with a finite, equally-spaced energy spectrum and energy eigenfunctions defined on a discrete domain, which is known as the su(2) or Kravchuk oscillator. Unlike previous approaches, ours does not depend on the discretization of the Schr\"odinger equation and recurrence relations of special functions. This algebraic formulation is endowed with a natural su(2) algebra, each finite dimensional irreducible representation of which defines a distinct DQHO labeled by its resolution. In addition to energy ladder operators, the formulation allows for resolution ladder operators connecting all DQHOs with different resolutions. The resolution ladder operators thus enable the dynamic scaling of the resolution of finite degree-of-freedom quantum simulations. Using the algebraic DQHO formalism, we are able to rigorously derive the energy eigenstate wave functions of the QHO in a purely algebraic manner without using differential equations or differential operators, which is impossible in the continuous or infinite discrete setting. The coherent state of the DQHO is constructed, and its expected position is proven to oscillate as a classical harmonic oscillator. The DQHO coherent state recovers that of the quantum harmonic oscillator at large resolution. The algebraic formulation also predicts the existence of an inverse DQHO that has no known continuous counterpart., Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures

The physics of many closed, conservative systems can be described by both classical and quantum theories. The dynamics according to classical theory is symplectic and admits linear instabilities which would initially seem at odds with a unitary quantum description. Using the example of three-wave interactions, we describe how a time-independent, finite-dimensional quantum system, which is Hermitian with all real eigenvalues, can give rise to a linear instability corresponding to that in the classical system. We show that the instability is realized in the quantum theory as a cascade of the wave function in the space of occupation number states, and an unstable quantum system has a richer spectrum and a much longer recurrence time than a stable quantum system. The conditions for quantum instability are described.

Ionizing radiation is known to have a destructive impact on biology by causing damage to the DNA, cells, and production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) among other things. While direct exposure to high radiation dose is indeed not favorable for biological activity, ionizing radiation can, and in some cases is known to produce a number of biologically useful products. One such mechanism is the production of biologically useful products via charged particle-induced radiolysis. Energetic charged particles interact with surfaces of planetary objects such as Mars, Europa and Enceladus without much shielding from their rarefied atmospheres. Depending on the energy of said particles, they can penetrate several meters deep below the surface and initiate a number of chemical reactions along the way. Some of the byproducts are impossible to produce with lower-energy radiation (such as sunlight), opening up new avenues for life to utilize them. For each of these cases, we calculate the energy deposition rate as a function of depth, and estimate the energy availability for potential metabolic activity. We discuss various mechanisms through which life could support itself utilizing the byproducts of these ionizing radiation-induced reactions, such as chemoautotrophs using solvated electrons, extracellular electron transfer, and indirect electrophy to facilitate processes like carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation and sulfate reduction, and possibly for ATP production., Comment: 22 pages

We present BVRI and unfiltered Clear light curves of 70 stripped-envelope supernovae (SESNe), observed between 2003 and 2020, from the Lick Observatory Supernova Search (LOSS) follow-up program. Our SESN sample consists of 19 spectroscopically normal SNe~Ib, two peculiar SNe Ib, six SN Ibn, 14 normal SNe Ic, one peculiar SN Ic, ten SNe Ic-BL, 15 SNe IIb, one ambiguous SN IIb/Ib/c, and two superluminous SNe. Our follow-up photometry has (on a per-SN basis) a mean coverage of 81 photometric points (median of 58 points) and a mean cadence of 3.6d (median of 1.2d). From our full sample, a subset of 38 SNe have pre-maximum coverage in at least one passband, allowing for the peak brightness of each SN in this subset to be quantitatively determined. We describe our data collection and processing techniques, with emphasis toward our automated photometry pipeline, from which we derive publicly available data products to enable and encourage further study by the community. Using these data products, we derive host-galaxy extinction values through the empirical colour evolution relationship and, for the first time, produce accurate rise-time measurements for a large sample of SESNe in both optical and infrared passbands. By modeling multiband light curves, we find that SNe Ic tend to have lower ejecta masses and lower ejecta velocities than SNe~Ib and IIb, but higher $^{56}$Ni masses., Comment: Accepted by MNRAS

We reveal a relationship between the prime counting function and an operation performed on a unique subsequence of the primes., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, 1 table. Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences May 2023

In this paper, we analyze properties of prime number sequences produced by the alternating sum of higher-order subsequences of the primes. We also introduce a new sieve which will generate these prime number sequences via the systematic selection and elimination of prime number indexes on the real number line., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure