The Faint Optical Afterglow and Host Galaxy of GRB 020124: Implications for the Nature of Dark Gamma-Ray Bursts
F. A. H. acknowledges support from a Presidential Early 
Career award. S. R. K. and S. G. D. thank the NSF for support. R. S. is grateful for support from a NASA ATP grant. 
R. S. and T. J. G. acknowledge support from the Sherman 
Fairchild Foundation. J. C. W. acknowledges support from 
NASA grant NAG 59302. K. H. is grateful for Ulysses support under JPL contract 958056 and for IPN support under 
NASA grants FDNAG 5-11451 and NAG 5-17100. Support for Proposal HST-GO-09180.01-A was provided by 
NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science 
Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

title: First Searches for Optical Counterparts to Gravitational-wave Candidate Events
abstract: During the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and Virgo joint science runs in 2009-2010, gravitational wave (GW) data from three interferometer detectors were analyzed within minutes to select GW candidate events and infer their apparent sky positions. Target coordinates were transmitted to several telescopes for follow-up observations aimed at the detection of an associated optical transient. Images were obtained for eight such GW candidates. We present the methods used to analyze the image data as well as the transient search results. No optical transient was identified with a convincing association with any of these candidates, and none of the GW triggers showed strong evidence for being astrophysical in nature. We compare the sensitivities of these observations to several model light curves from possible sources of interest, and discuss prospects for future joint GW-optical observations of this type.

title: HATS-1b: The First Transiting Planet Discovered by the HATSouth Survey
abstract: We report the discovery of HATS-1b, a transiting extrasolar planet orbiting the moderately bright V = 12.05 G dwarf star GSC 6652-00186, and the first planet discovered by HATSouth, a global network of autonomous wide-field telescopes. HATS-1b has a period of P 3.4465 days, mass of Mp 1.86 M J, and radius of Rp 1.30 R J. The host star has a mass of 0.99 M ☉ and radius of 1.04 R ☉. The discovery light curve of HATS-1b has near-continuous coverage over several multi-day timespans, demonstrating the power of using a global network of telescopes to discover transiting planets.

title: The Mount Stromlo A bell Cluster Supernova Search
abstract: We have initiated a 3 year project to find supernovae in a well-defined sample of high-density southern Abell clusters with redshifts z ≤ 0.08. These observations will provide a volume-limited sample of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to more than a magnitude below their peak brightness and will enable us to (1) measure the luminosity function of SNe, (2) further explore the correlation of light-curve shape with the absolute luminosity of SNe Ia to better understand SNe Ia as distance indicators, (3) measure SN rates, (4) measure the bulk motion of the Local Group using SNe Ia, and (5) directly compare SN Ia distances with brightest cluster galaxy distances. We use the MACHO wide-field two-color imager on the 1.3 m telescope at Mount Stromlo to routinely monitor ~12 clusters per week. We describe our technique for target selection and scheduling search observations, and for finding and identifying SN candidates. We also describe the results from the first year of our program, including the detection of 19 SNe, several RR Lyrae variables, and hundreds of asteroids.

title: A THEORETICAL COLOR-VELOCITY CORRELATION FOR SUPERNOVAE ASSOCIATED WITH GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
abstract: We carry out the first multi-dimensional radiative transfer calculations to simultaneously compute synthetic spectra and light curves for models of supernovae driven by fast bipolar outflows. These allow us to make self-consistent predictions for the orientation dependence of both color evolution and spectral features. We compare models with different degrees of asphericity and metallicity and find significant observable consequences of both. In aspherical models, we find spectral and light curve features that vary systematically with observer orientation. In particular, we find that the early-phase light curves are brighter and bluer when viewed close to the polar axis but that the peak flux is highest for equatorial (off-axis) inclinations. Spectral line features also depend systematically on observer orientation, including the velocity of the Si II 6355 A line. Consequently, our models predict a correlation between line velocity and color that could assist the identification of supernovae associated with off-axis jet-driven explosions. The amplitude and range of this correlation depends on the degree of asphericity, the metallicity, and the epoch of observation but we find that it is always present and acts in the same direction.

title: The Science Case for PILOT I: Summary and Overview
abstract: PILOT (the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope) is a proposed 2.5-m optical/infrared telescope to be located at Dome C on the Antarctic plateau. Conditions at Dome C are known to be exceptional for astronomy. The seeing (above ∼30 m height), coherence time, and isoplanatic angle are all twice as good as at typical mid-latitude sites, while the water-vapour column, and the atmosphere and telescope thermal emission are all an order of magnitude better. These conditions enable a unique scientific capability for PILOT, which is addressed in this series of papers. The current paper presents an overview of the optical and instrumentation suite for PILOT and its expected performance, a summary of the key science goals and observational approach for the facility, a discussion of the synergies between the science goals for PILOT and other telescopes, and a discussion of the future of Antarctic astronomy.

title: Measurement of the D ± production asymmetry in 7 TeV pp collisions
abstract: Heavy quark production in 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy pp collisions at the LHC is not necessarily flavour symmetric. The production asymmetry, A(P), between D-s(+) and D-s(-) mesons is studied using the phi pi(+/-) decay mode in a data sample of 1.0 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector. The difference between pi(+) and pi(-) detection efficiencies is determined using the ratios of fully reconstructed to partially reconstructed D*(+/-) decays. The overall production asymmetry in the D-s(+/-) rapidity region 2.0 to 4.5 with transverse momentum larger than 2 GeV is measured to be A(P) = (-0.33 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.10)%. This result can constrain models of heavy flavour production.

title: Determination of the X(3872) meson quantum numbers.
abstract: The quantum numbers of the X(3872) meson are determined to be J(PC)=1(++) based on angular correlations in B(+)→X(3872)K(+) decays, where X(3872)→π(+)π(-)J/ψ and J/ψ→μ(+)μ(-). The data correspond to 1.0 fb(-1) of pp collisions collected by the LHCb detector. The only alternative assignment allowed by previous measurements J(PC)=2(-+) is rejected with a confidence level equivalent to more than 8 Gaussian standard deviations using a likelihood-ratio test in the full angular phase space. This result favors exotic explanations of the X(3872) state.

title: Background studies for the EDELWEISS dark matter experiment
abstract: The EDELWEISS-II collaboration has completed a direct search for WIMP dark matter using cryogenic Ge detectors (400 g each) and 384 kg×days of effective exposure. A cross-section of 4.4 × 10 8 pb is excluded at 90% C. L. for a WIMP mass of 85 GeV. The next phase, EDELWEISS-III, aims to probe spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections down to a few ×10 9 pb. We present here the study of gamma and neutron background coming from radioactive decays in the set-up and shielding materials. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations for the completed EDELWEISS-II setup with GEANT4 and normalised the expected background rates to the measured radioactivity levels (or their upper limits) of all materials and components. The expected gamma-ray event rate in EDELWEISSII at 20-200 keV agrees with the observed rate of 82 events/kg/day within the uncertainties in the measured concentrations. The calculated neutron rate from radioactivity of 1.0-3.1 events (90% C. L.) at 20-200 keV in the EDELWEISS-II data together with the expected upper limit on the misidentified gamma-ray events (� 0.9), surface betas (� 0.3), and muon-induced neutrons (� 0.7), do not contradict 5 observed events in nuclear recoil band. We have then extended the simulation framework to the EDELWEISS-III configuration with 800 g crystals, better material purity and additional neutron shielding inside the cryostat. The gamma-ray and neutron backgrounds in 24 kg fiducial mass of EDELWEISS-III have been calculated as 14-44 events/kg/day and 0.7-1.4 events per year, respectively. The results of the background studies performed in the present work have helped to select better purity components and improve shielding in EDELWEISS-III to further reduce the expected

title: SINBAD - A Proposal for a Dedicated Accelerator Research Facility at DESY
abstract: A dedicated accelerator research and development facility SINBAD (Short INnovative Bunches and Accelerators at DESY) is proposed. This multi-purpose research facility is initially aimed at promoting three major goals: (1) Short electron bunches for ultra-fast science. (2) Construction of a plasma accelerator module with useable beam quality (3) Setup of an attosecond radiation source with advanced technology. Research and development on these topics is presently ongoing at various places at DESY, as add-on experiments at operational facilities. The two research goals are intimately connected: short bunches and precise femtosecond timing are requirements for developing a plasma accelerator module with external injection or staging. The scientific case of a dedicated facility for accelerator research at DESY is discussed. Further options are mentioned, like the use of a 1 GeV beam from Linac II for FEL studies. The presently planned conversion of the DORIS accelerator and its central halls into the SINBAD facility is described. The available space will allow setting up several independent experiments with a cost-effective use of the same infrastructure (for example a central high power laser, a central timing and synchronization lab, etc.). National and international contributions and proposals can be envisaged. A preliminary, possible layout and the design work plan are discussed.

title: First observation of the decays $\bar{B}^0_{(s)}\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\bar{B}^0_s\to D_{s1}(2536)^+\pi^-$
abstract: The first observation of the decays $\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\bar{B}^0\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$ are reported using an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment. The branching fractions, normalized with respect to $\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$, respectively, are measured to be {\br(\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)\over\br(\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-)} &= (5.2\pm0.5\pm0.3)\times10^{-2}, {\br(\bar{B}^0\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)\over\br(\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+K^-^\pi^+\pi^-)} &= 0.54\pm0.07\pm0.07, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The $\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$ decay is of particular interest as it can be used to measure the weak phase $\gamma$. First observation of the $\bar{B}^0_s\to D_{s1}(2536)^+\pi^-, D_{s1}^+\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+$ decay is also presented, and its branching fraction relative to $\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ is found to be {\br(\bar{B}^0_s\to D_{s1}(2536)^+\pi^-, D_{s1}^+\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+)\over\br(\bar{B}^0_{s}\to D_s^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-)} &= (4.0\pm1.0\pm0.4)\times10^{-3}.