Friday Night Live coming June 21

Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:31 pm

Contemporary jazz and blues will liven up the next Friday Night Live!

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Padres beat Reno 5-1

Tuesday, June 18, 2013 8:35 am

Tucson Padres Game Summary

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Connect with Your Grandchildren Outdoors

Sunday, June 16, 2013 7:27 pm

Do you have treasured childhood memories of spending time outdoors with your parents or grandparents? Take the time to share this experience with your own grandchildren. Pack a lunch, put on some sunscreen and take them on your own hiking or fishing adventure.

Padres are shut out 2-0

Friday, June 14, 2013 9:46 am

Tucson Padres Game Summary

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Review: This is the End – of puberty?

Friday, June 14, 2013 9:13 am

The latest cinematic satirical look at the apocalypse, This is the End, comes from the narcissistic angle of Hollywood stars playing themselves, or at least caricatures of themselves, as they deal with the end of the world by getting high and exuding childish humor as if it were just another day on the playground. Some of this is funny, but it’s mostly just pretentious and inane.

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Heat tie finals at 2-2

Friday, June 14, 2013 8:54 am

The Miami Heat's LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh combined for 85 points en route to defeating the San Antonio Spurs 109-93 last night.

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New Help For Busy Moms

Thursday, June 13, 2013 4:44 am

(NAPSI)—Even though I spend my days in front of the camera, I am still a busy mom of two, always on the lookout for the same things most moms are—new, smart resources to help my family thrive and simplify our everyday routine.

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Ask the pharmacist: How to avoid medication misfortune during a natural disaster

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 5:00 pm

(BPT) - Whether it’s plywood, bottled water or generators, Americans gather the necessary supplies and seek the appropriate shelter if confronted by the wrath of Mother Nature. Regardless of the disaster – hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires – lives can be turned upside-down in an instant. Some of the most commonly overlooked items, as people stock up for emergencies, are prescription medications. In some cases, not having access to necessary medication can itself be a life-threatening situation.

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What's Up UA? - Marks on Martian Dunes May Reveal Tracks of Dry-Ice Sleds

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 11:41 am

NASA research indicates that hunks of frozen carbon dioxide – or dry ice – may glide down some Martian sand dunes on cushions of gas similar to miniature hovercraft, plowing furrows as they go.

Researchers deduced this process could explain one enigmatic class of gullies seen on Martian sand dunes by examining images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, or MRO, and performing experiments on sand dunes in Utah and California.

"I have always dreamed of going to Mars," said Serina Diniega, a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Calif., and lead author of a report published online by the journal Icarus. "Now I dream of snowboarding down a Martian sand dune on a block of dry ice."

The hillside grooves on Mars, called linear gullies, show relatively constant width – up to a few yards or meters across – with raised banks or levees along the sides. Unlike gullies caused by water flows on Earth and possibly on Mars, they do not have aprons of debris at the downhill end of the gully. Instead, many have pits at the downhill end.

"In debris flows, you have water carrying sediment downhill, and the material eroded from the top is carried to the bottom and deposited as a fan-shaped apron," said Diniega. "In the linear gullies, you're not transporting material. You're carving out a groove, pushing material to the sides."

Images from MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, camera, operated by the University of Arizona, show sand dunes with linear gullies covered by carbon dioxide frost during the Martian winter. The location of the linear gullies is on dunes that spend the Martian winter covered by carbon dioxide frost. The grooves are formed during early spring, researchers determined by comparing before-and-after images from different seasons. Some images have even caught bright objects in the gullies.

Scientists theorize the bright objects are pieces of dry ice that have broken away from points higher on the slope. According to the new hypothesis, the pits could result from the blocks of dry ice completely sublimating away into carbon-dioxide gas after they have stopped traveling.

"Linear gullies don't look like gullies on Earth or other gullies on Mars, and this process wouldn't happen on Earth," said Diniega. "You don't get blocks of dry ice on Earth unless you go buy them."

That is exactly what report co-author Candice Hansen, of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz., did. Hansen has studied other effects of seasonal carbon-dioxide ice on Mars, such as spider-shaped features that result from explosive release of carbon-dioxide gas trapped beneath a sheet of dry ice as the underside of the sheet thaws in spring. She suspected a role for dry ice in forming linear gullies, so she bought some slabs of dry ice at a supermarket and slid them down sand dunes.

That day and in several later experiments, gaseous carbon dioxide from the thawing ice maintained a lubricating layer under the slab and also pushed sand aside into small levees as the slabs glided down even low-angle slopes.

The outdoor tests did not simulate Martian temperature and pressure, but calculations indicate the dry ice would act similarly in early Martian spring where the linear gullies form. Although water ice, too, can sublimate directly to gas under some Martian conditions, it would stay frozen at the temperatures at which these gullies form, the researchers calculate.

"We have seen blocks of ice sitting in the channels in our HiRISE images," said Alfred McEwen, a professor of planetary science at the UA who leads the HiRISE program who co-authored the paper. "Later, we saw them disappear by sublimation, in a matter of months."

Although the HiRISE camera doesn't allow researchers to measure the blocks' composition directly, McEwen said they behaved in the right way for carbon dioxide ice.

"Water ice block should be stable for much longer periods of time, and we know there is ample carbon dioxide in the area where those gullies are seen – in the higher latitudes of Mars' southern hemisphere."

"The origin of these linear gullies has been a mystery," McEwen added. "This study provides some direct clues as to how they are forming. The experiments using the dry ice show that our hypothesis is plausible."

Hansen also noted the process could be unique to the linear gullies described on Martian sand dunes.

"There are a variety of different types of features on Mars that sometimes get lumped together as 'gullies,' but they are formed by different processes," she said. "Just because this dry-ice hypothesis looks like a good explanation for one type doesn't mean it applies to others."

McEwen said the study adds an exciting new piece to growing series of discoveries about ongoing, active processes shaping the surface of the Red Planet.

"We are finding Mars is not Earth-like as it looks," he said. "Dry ice doesn't naturally exist here on Earth. MRO and the HiRISE instrument are healthy, and the longer the mission goes on, the longer we can observe and really understand these processes over the long term."

McEwen said the team is planning to continue to monitor these sites to see more ice blocks in action.

"We can't get any information from other instruments on the orbiter, because the features are too small," he explained. "But we are learning more about the distribution and latitude of those features and when they are active."

The UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colo. JPL manages MRO for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems of Denver built the orbiter.

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'Field Of Dreams' at Fox Theatre

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 9:06 am

35mm Print

USA, 1989, 107min
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST MUSIC, BEST PICTURE, AND BEST WRITING Written and Directed by Phil Alden Robinson Starring Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, and Ray Liotta Based on the novel Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

IF YOU BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE, THE INCREDIBLE CAN COME TRUE.

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella hears a voice in his cornfield tell him, "If you build it, he will come." He interprets this message as an instruction to build a baseball field on his farm, upon which appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series. When the voices continue, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field. ~ Scott Renshaw

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This is the End -- Red Band Trailer

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 8:43 am

The comedy This Is The End follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. As the world unravels outside, dwindling supplies and cabin fever threaten to tear apart the friendships inside. Eventually, they are forced to leave the house, facing their fate and the true meaning of friendship and redemption.Director: Seth Rogen/Evan GoldbergRelease: 6/12/2013Studio: Columbia PicturesStarring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, Emma WatsonWebsite: http://thisistheend.com/Sign up to receive updates, offers, and information from Machinima.http://bit.ly/MachinimaNewsletterFOR MACHINIMA'S BEST HIGH QUALITY SERIES, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimaprimeFOR MORE MACHINIMA, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimaFOR MORE GAMEPLAY, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimarespawnFOR MORE SPORTS GAMEPLAY, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimasportsFOR MORE MMO & RPG GAMEPLAY, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimarealmFOR MORE COMPETITIVE GAMING, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimavsFOR MORE ANIMATIONS & SHORTS, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=happyhourFOR MORE TRAILERS, GO TO:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=machinimatrailerWANT TO JOIN THE MACHINIMA AFFILIATE PROGRAM? FILL OUT AN APPLICATION HERE:http://bit.ly/13ACBHg

Racers Show Their Undies in Support of Colon Cancer Awareness

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 8:03 am

(NewsUSA) - Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty has seen his fair share of races throughout his career. Yet, little could prepare him for the sight he'd see as nearly hundreds of people turned out for the Undy 5000 Track Walk benefitting the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA).

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Introducing the new Arizona Living Collection

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 4:00 am

More convenience. More customization. More connectivity. That’s what buyers will find in the New Arizona Living Collection, a collection of next-generation home designs Maracay Homes unveiled recently. The result of more than $4 million in investment and two-plus years of research and market observation, the 46 entirely new floor plans – organized into eight separate series – address the unique needs, preferences and lifestyles of the post-recession Arizona homebuyer.

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HappENings - Week of June 9

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 4:00 am

THEATER

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PTSD: Not just a military problem

Tuesday, June 11, 2013 5:00 pm

(BPT) - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. While it is often closely associated with combat veterans and other members of the military, the fact is PTSD can affect anyone who experiences a traumatic event.

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Music on the Mountain Summer Concert Series

Bring a lawn chair and listen to the Music on the Mountain Summer Concert Series with this week’s band Bob Meighan and the Dreadnutts featuring Peter McLaughlin Saturday, June 15.

Connect with Your Grandchildren Outdoors

Saturday, June 8, 2013 4:00 am

(StatePoint) Do you have treasured childhood memories of spending time outdoors with your parents or grandparents? Take the time to share this experience with your own grandchildren. Pack a lunch, put on some sunscreen and take them on your own hiking or fishing adventure.

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What's Up UA? - Astronomers Gear Up to Discover Earth-Like Planets

Friday, June 7, 2013 12:05 pm

If one looks only for the shiniest pennies in the fountain, chances are one misses most of the coins because they shimmer less brightly. This, in a nutshell, is the conundrum astronomers face when searching for Earth-like planets outside our solar system.

Astronomers at the University of Arizona are part of an international team of exoplanets hunters developing new technology that would dramatically improve the odds of discovering planets with conditions suitable for life – such as having liquid water on the surface.

The team presented its results at a scientific conference sponsored by the International Astronomical Union in Victoria, British Columbia.

Terrestrial planets orbiting nearby stars often are concealed by vast clouds of dust enveloping the star and its system of planets. Our solar system, too, has a dust cloud, which consists mostly of debris left behind by clashing asteroids and exhaust spewing out of comets when they pass by the sun.

"Current technology allows us to detect only the brightest clouds, those that are a few thousand times brighter than the one in our solar system," said Denis Defrère, a postdoctoral fellow in the UA'sdepartment of astronomy and instrument scientist of the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer, or LBTI.

He explained that while the brighter clouds are easier to see, their intense glare makes detecting putative Earth-like planets difficult, if not impossible. "We want to be able to detect fainter dust clouds, which would dramatically increase our chances of finding more of these planets."

"If you see a dust cloud around a star, that's an indication of rocky debris, and it increases the likelihood of there being something Earth-like around that star," said Phil Hinz, an associate professor of astronomy at the UA's Steward Observatory.

"From previous observations, we know that these planets are fairly common," he added. "We can expect that if a space telescope dedicated to that mission were to look around a certain area of sky, we'd expect to find quite a few."

Hinz and Defrère are working on an instrument that will allow astronomers to detect fainter clouds that are only about 10 times – instead of several thousand times – brighter than the one in our solar system.

"It's like being here in Victoria and trying to image a firefly circling a lighthouse in San Francisco that is shrouded in fog," Defrère said about the technological challenge.

"That level of sensitivity is the minimum we need for future space telescope missions that are to characterize Earth-like planets that can sustain liquid water on the surface," he explained. "Our goal is to eliminate the dust clouds that are too bright from the catalog of candidates because they are not promising targets to detect planets suitable for life."

"With a bright dust cloud, which is 1,000 times brighter than the one in our solar system, its light becomes comparable to that of its star, which makes it easier to detect," explained Hinz.

Fainter clouds, on the other hand, can be about 10,000 times less bright than their star, so it becomes difficult or impossible for observers to make out their faint glow in the star's overpowering glare.

Funded by NASA, the team is in the middle of carrying out tests to demonstrate the feasibility of these observations using both apertures of the Large Binocular Telescope, or LBT, in Arizona. The project aims at determining how difficult it would be to achieve the desired results before committing to a billion-dollar space telescope mission.

According to Hinz, NASA's goal is to be able take a direct picture of Earth-like, rocky planets and record their spectrum of light to analyze their composition and characteristics such as temperature, presence of water and other parameters.

"To do that, one would need a space telescope specifically designed for this type of imaging," he said. "Our goal is to do a feasibility study of whether it would be possible to distinguish the light emission of the planet from the background emission of the dust cloud through direct observation."

The researchers take advantage of a technique known as nulling interferometry and the unique configuration of the LBT, which resembles a giant pair of binoculars.

"We combine the light from two apertures, cancel out the light from the central star, and with that it becomes easier to see the light from the dust cloud," Hinz explained. "To achieve this, we have to cause the two light paths to interfere with each other, which requires lining them up with very high precision. We'll always have some starlight left because of imperfections in the system, but our goal is to cancel it out to a level of 10,000 to get down to where we can at least detect the faint glow of the dust cloud."

The work presented at the conference used the same technique with the two large telescopes of theKeck Observatory in Hawaii in order to detect the dust cloud around the star Fomalhaut located 25 light years from our sun.

"Based on our observations at the European Very Large Telescope Interferometer, we knew that Fomalhaut was surrounded by a bright dust cloud located very close to the star," said Jérémy Lebreton, principal investigator of the study, who is at the Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique in Grenoble, France.

"Using the Keck Interferometer, we found out that Fomalhaut has a less bright, more diffuse cloud orbiting close to the habitable zone that resembles the Main Asteroid Belt in our solar system. This belt is likely in dynamical interaction with yet undetected planets."

The study presented here is one in a series of three publications and was conducted in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam; the University of Liège in Belgium; NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech, Pasadena, Calif.; the University of Paris; and the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz.

Approximately 250 scientists from around the world convened at the scientific conference, Exploring the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems, held June 3-7 in Victoria to discuss the latest observations and theories about exoplanetary systems.

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(June 7) Today's Top Headlines - The top 10 stories for today

Friday, June 7, 2013 8:51 am

1. SECRET DOCUMENTS SHOW GOVERNMENT IS SPYING ON INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS

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SAACA's top ten summer arts and culture events

Thursday, June 6, 2013 10:06 am

SPLASH!

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(June 5) Today's Top Headlines - The top 10 stories of the day

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 9:11 am

1. SALES OF OLDER IPHONES, IPADS BANNED OVER SAMSUNG PATENT DISPUTE

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Sports Perspective: Spurs continue to build on legacy

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 4:00 am

In 1998 NBA Finals, the most monumental athlete in sports history, Michael Jordan, executed a perfect crossover jump shot that sealed his sixth NBA title, and became the perfect send-off for his last ride into the sunset. All that remained were memories, record books rewritten, and an uncertain future over who would carry the torch as the NBA’s new model champion. Jordan’s retirement birthed the rise of a new champion, albeit a different one: The San Antonio Spurs.

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Happenings

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 4:00 am

THEATER

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Prime Time Review: Amazon Studios is closer to reality

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 4:00 am

Amazon Studios, the multimedia studio section of the online retailer Amazon, has chosen five completely original series to become available through Amazon’s online video service, which should be available at some point later this year.

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‘Now You See Me’ is a strong summer hit

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 4:00 am

While Will Smith’s “After Earth” seemed to attract many of the headlines going into the weekend’s movie Box Office openings, it was “Now You See Me” that came in second behind the summer hit “Fast and Furious 6”.

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