The Sub-Saturn Mass Transiting Planet HAT-P-12b
We present new photometric data of the transiting planet HAT-P-12b observed in 2011. Our three transit curves are modeled using the JKTEBOP code and adopting the quadratic limb-darkening law. Including our measurements, 18 transit times spanning about 4.2 yr were used to determine the improved ephemeris with a transit epoch of 2,454,187.85560 ± 0.00011 BJD and an orbital period of 3.21305961 ± 0.00000035 days. The physical properties of the star-planet system are computed using empirical calibrations from eclipsing binary stars and stellar evolutionary models, combined with both our transit parameters and previously known spectroscopic results. We found that the absolute dimensions of the host star are M A = 0.73 ± 0.02 M ☉, R A = 0.70 ± 0.01 R ☉, log g A = 4.61 ± 0.02, ρA = 2.10 ± 0.09 ρ☉, and L A = 0.21 ± 0.01 L ☉. The planetary companion has M b = 0.21 ± 0.01 M Jup, R b = 0.94 ± 0.01 R Jup, log g b = 2.77 ± 0.02, ρb = 0.24 ± 0.01 ρJup, and T eq = 960 ± 14 K. Our results agree well with standard models of irradiated gas giants with a core mass of 11.3 M ⊕.

title: Bootes II: Not a Dwarf Galaxy but Possibly Shed by One
abstract: We present moderately deep V I C photometry of Boötes II, obtained using the SOAR Telescope. While identified initially as an old, metal-poor, dwarf galaxy, Boötes II appears to be a moderately metal-rich globular cluster with [Fe/H] ≈ −0.7. The slope of the red giant branch suggests that [α/Fe] ≈ 0.0, and the turn-off indicates an age of 7 to 9 Gyrs, considerably younger than most globular clusters, but similar to Palomar 12. Like that object, Boötes II lies in the direction of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy tidal stream, and, with a distance of almost 50 kpc, is probably associated with the more distant portion of the stream, as defined by Belokurov et al. (2006a).

title: INFRARED PHOTOMETRY OF NGC 6791
abstract: We present deep JHK photometry of the old and metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791. The photometry reaches below the main-sequence turnoff to K ≈ 16.5 mag. We combine our photometry with that from Stetson et al. to provide color-magnitude diagrams showing K versus J - K, K versus V - K, and V versus V - K. We study the slope of the red giant branch in the infrared but find that it is not a useful metallicity indicator for the cluster, nor any metal-rich cluster that lacks a well-populated red giant branch, because it is not linear, as has often been assumed, in K versus J - K. The mean color of the red horizontal-branch/red clump stars provide an estimate of the cluster reddening, E(B - V) = 0.14 ± 0.04 mag for [Fe/H] = +0.4 ± 0.1. The mean magnitudes of these stars also provide a good distance estimate, (m - M)0 = 13.07 ± 0.04. Finally, we find that the isochrones of Yi et al. provide optimal fits in V versus B - V and V - K and K versus J - K and V - K for such values if [Fe/H] lies between +0.3 and +0.5 (with a slight preference for +0.5) and ages between 9 Gyr ([Fe/H] = +0.3) and 7.5 Gyr ([Fe/H] = +0.5).

title: Enrichment by supernovae in globular clusters with multiple populations
abstract: The most massive globular cluster in the Milky Way, ω Centauri, is thought to be the remaining core of a disrupted dwarf galaxy, as expected within the model of hierarchical merging. It contains several stellar populations having different heavy elemental abundances supplied by supernovae—a process known as metal enrichment. Although M 22 appears to be similar to ω Cen, other peculiar globular clusters do not. Therefore ω Cen and M 22 are viewed as exceptional, and the presence of chemical inhomogeneities in other clusters is seen as ‘pollution’ from the intermediate-mass asymptotic-giant-branch stars expected in normal globular clusters. Here we report Ca abundances for seven globular clusters and compare them to ω Cen. Calcium and other heavy elements can only be supplied through numerous supernovae explosions of massive stars in these stellar systems, but the gravitational potentials of the present-day clusters cannot preserve most of the ejecta from such explosions. We conclude that these globular clusters, like ω Cen, are most probably the relics of more massive primeval dwarf galaxies that merged and disrupted to form the proto-Galaxy.

title: THE RR LYRAE VARIABLES AND HORIZONTAL BRANCH OF NGC 6656 (M22)
abstract: The first calibrated broadband UBVI time-series photometry is presented for the RR Lyrae variable stars in NGC 6656 (M22), with observations spanning a range of 22 years. We have also redetermined the variability types and periods for the RR Lyrae stars identified previously by photographic observations, revising the number of fundamental-mode RR Lyrae variables (RR0) to 10 and the number of first-overtone variables (RR1) to 16. The mean periods of the RR0 and RR1 variables are (P) {sub RR0} = 0.66 ± 0.02 days and (P) {sub RR1} = 0.33 ± 0.01 days, respectively, supporting an Oosterhoff II classification for the cluster. The number ratio of RR1-type to all RR-type variables is N {sub 1}/N{sub RR} = 0.61, also consistent with an Oosterhoff II designation. Both the RR Lyrae stars' minimum light colors and the blue edge of the RR Lyrae instability strip suggest E( B – – V) = 0.36 ± 0.02 mag toward M22. Regarding the HB morphology of M22, we find (B-R)/(B+V+R) = +0.97 ± 0.1 and at least one ''gap'' located in an unusual part of the blue HB, in the middle of the so-called hot HB stars.

title: A Chemical Abundance Study of three RHB and two RGB stars in NGC6637 (M69)
abstract: We present a detailed chemical abundance study of three red horizontal branch and two red giant branch stars in the metal-rich globular cluster NGC 6637 (M69). The value of [Fe/H] derived from LTE calculations is $-$0.77 $\pm$ 0.02 dex. We also discuss the anticorrelation between oxygen and sodium abundances in the program stars and compare the [Si/Ti] ratio of NGC 6637 with those of other globular clusters.

title: Search for strong gravity signatures in same-sign dimuon final states using the ATLAS detector at the LHC
abstract: A search for microscopic black holes has been performed in a same-sign dimuon final state using 1.3 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The data are found to be consistent with the expectation from the Standard Model and the results are used to derive exclusion contours in the context of a low scale gravity model.

title: Multi-site campaign for transit timing variations of WASP-12 b: possible detection of a long-period signal of planetary origin
abstract: The transiting planet WASP-12 b was identified as a potential target for transit-timing studies because a departure from a linear ephemeris has been reported in the literature. Such deviations could be caused by an additional planet in the system. We attempt to confirm the claimed variations in transit timing and interpret their origin.  We organised a multi-site campaign to observe transits by WASP-12 b in three observing seasons, using 0.5–2.6-metre telescopes.  We obtained 61 transit light curves, many of them with sub-millimagnitude precision. The simultaneous analysis of the best-quality datasets allowed us to obtain refined system parameters, which agree with values reported in previous studies. The residuals versus a linear ephemeris reveal a possible periodic signal that may be approximated by a sinusoid with an amplitude of 0.00068 ± 0.00013 d and period of 500 ± 20 orbital periods of WASP-12 b. The joint analysis of timing data and published radial velocity measurements results in a two-planet model that explains observations better than do single-planet scenarios. We hypothesise that WASP-12 b might not be the only planet in the system, and there might be the additional 0.1 MJup body on a 3.6-d eccentric orbit. A dynamical analysis indicates that the proposed two-planet system is stable on long timescales.

title: TWO DISTINCT PHASES OF HARD X-RAY EMISSIONS IN A SOLAR ERUPTIVE FLARE
abstract: We present a detailed analysis of the evolution of an M7.6 flare that occurred near the south-east limb on October 24, 2003 utilizing a multi-wavelength data set. Preflare images at TRACE 195 Å show that the bright and complex system of coronal loops already existed at the flaring site. The X-ray light curves clearly reveal two phases of flare evolution. The emission during the first phase is seen in GOES and RHESSI measurements at energies below 25 keV, while the second phase is evident in all the X-ray energies as high as 300 keV. The first phase is gradual whereas the second phase shows impulsive emission with several individual hard X-ray bursts. The first phase starts with the appearance of an X-ray loop-top (LT) source in RHESSI images below 25 keV. About 5 minute later, the TRACE 195 Å images show an intense emission that is cospatial with RHESSI LT source. This hot and diffuse TRACE emission is attributed to the existence of 15-20 MK plasma, heated directly from the primary energy source. Both X-ray and TRACE LT sources exhibit an altitude decrease for ∼ 11 minute. The high energy X-ray emission between 25-300 keV dominates the second phase, which correlates well with TRACE 1600 Å and Hα flare ribbons. The first phase seems to be mostly dominated by hot thermal emission from flaring loops with temperatures T > 25 MK. The second phase is found to be dominantly non-thermal in Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon 305-348, Korea IGAM/Institute of Physics, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 5, A-8010 Graz, Austria Department of Astronomy and Space Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, Korea Physics Department, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 161 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102 Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, Universitetskij Prospekt 13, Moscow 119992 Radio Astronomy Centre, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Udhagamandalam (Ooty) 643 001, India

title: Polarization of prompt $J/\psi$ in $p p \to J/\psi$+X at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV
abstract: Within the framework of the nonrelativistic QCD factorization approach, we compute the cross section and polarization of prompt J/psi produced from proton-proton collisions at the center-of-momentum energy sqrt{s}=200 GeV. We present the transverse-momentum distribution in the forward-rapidity region 1.2 < |y| < 2.2 and the rapidity distribution over the transverse-momentum range 2 GeV < p_T < 20 GeV. The perturbative contributions are computed at leading order in the strong coupling constant. We predict slight transverse polarization of J/psi in the forward-rapidity region, while that for the mid-rapidity region is slightly longitudinal. The transverse-momentum distribution agrees well with the PHENIX preliminary data and the color-singlet-model prediction at next-to-leading order in alpha_s, but disagrees with the result from the leading-order color-singlet model or the s-channel-cut method.

title: Double quarkonium production at the LHC