Physics Today: February Contents

February 1997 Physics Today Contents


Articles:

Corona: The First Reconnaissance Satellites

Based on remarkable scientific and technical achievements, a series of 145 American spy satellites provided strategic information that helped stabilize East-West relations during the cold war -- Albert D. Wheelon

Stretch Genes

By unraveling individual DNA molecules under the microscope, physicists are learning about the elastic properties that are important to DNA's function -- Robert H. Austin, James P. Brody, Edward C. Cox, Thomas Duke and Wayne Volkmuth

Superstring Theory Is Testable, Even Supertestable

Many believe that superstring theory, because of its extraordinarily tiny length scale and gargantuan energy scale, cannot be tested. That belief is a myth -- Gordon Kane


Departments:

Search and Discovery

In a quantum Hall system, is the insulator really a conductor in vortex clothing? Experimenters know something fascinating is going on when the I-V curve for a conducting phase-a property of the dynamics-falls right on the V-I curve for an insulating phase.

Auger Project seeks to study highest energy cosmic rays. We have no idea how protons can get accelerated to energies above 10^20 eV, but they occasionally do. Existing air-shower arrays have seen less than a dozen in 35 years.

Meeting Preview

APS Meets This March in Kansas City

Career Choices

Exploring the realm between science and art

Washington Reports

Plutonium, a "clear and present" legacy of cold war, is placed by DOE on "dual track" to eventual disposal

Clinton's cabinet changes for science agencies raise questions on reorganizing Energy, reforming Defense

Washington ins & outs: Changes at DOE, OSTP, FAA and Congress

Physics Community

CERN council decides to build LHC now---and pay for it later. Contributions from nonmember states will speed up construction of the LHC, but CERN's overall budget remains tight.

Prospects for saving Chalk River accelerator look dim. Barring an 11th hour reprieve---and badly needed funds---from the government, TASCC, Canada's only facility for research on nuclear structure, will be shut down next month.

Codding is new vice president of ACA

More physics PhDs find permanent jobs

Web watch: Jobs on-line

Books

Rain of Iron and Ice: The Very Real Threat of Comet and Asteroid Bombardment, J. S. Lewis;
Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth, D. Steel (reviewed by D. Morrison)

Quantum Field Theory in Condensed Matter Physics, A. M. Tsvelik (reviewed by A. MacDonald)

Molecular Physics and Elements of Quantum Chemistry: Introduction to Experiments and Theory, H. Haken and H. C. Wolf, translated by W. D. Brewer (reviewed by Z. G. Soos)

Electroweak and Strong Interactions: An Introduction to Theoretical Particle Physics, F. Scheck (reviewed by M. E. Peskin)

Dusty and Self-Gravitational Plasmas in Space, P. Bliokh, V. Sinitsin and V. Yaroshenko (reviewed by D. A. Mendis)

Semiconductor Characterization: Present Status and Future Needs, edited by W. M. Bullis, D. G. Seiler and A. C. Diebold (reviewed by L. G. Rubin)

Fluctuations and Order: The New Synthesis, edited by M. Millonas (reviewed by R. F. Fox)

Plus...

Our regular sections: Physics Update, Letters, New Products, We Hear That, and Information Exchange.


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