Gravitational waves and red shifts: A space experiment for testing relativistic gravity using multiple time-correlated radio signals

We describe an experimental technique for detecting extremely low-frequency pulses of gravitational radiation ( _GW 1–10 mHz) originating from collapsing supermassive objects (M 10⁶–10⁷ m ) occurring anywhere in the universe. Our technique is the natural outgrowth of a previous gravitational space mission. The novelty of our approach is in placing a highly stable hydrogen maser onboard a deep-space probe that controls a transmitter sending signals to earth. The spacecraft also includes a doppler transponder operating in the conventional two-way mode. Doppler tracking using simultaneously acquired one- and two-way information both on the spacecraft and at the earth station provides four time-records of frequency fluctuations. A single gravitational disturbance manifests itself as a uniquely determined pulse sequence in the two or more data sets whose amplitudes and arrival times depend on a single parameter. The repetition of the signal and the noises in the data can be used in a filtering scheme to improve the amplitude sensitivity by a factor of about 6 in amplitude (36 in energy). We believe the most likely of these gravitational pulse events occurring frequently enough to be detected (more than once per year) will come from the formation of black holes in the cores of ordinary spiral galaxies. We propose a technologically feasible and realistic space mission, using the above technique, to measure two aspects of gravitation with the same experimental equipment. The spaceflight begins in a highly eccentric earth orbit to measure the gravitational red shift and the second-order doppler effects to an accuracy of 5 parts in 10⁶; at this level significant new tests of nonmetric theories of gravity are possible. Later, the spacecraft is sent into a heliocentric orbit to distances beyond 6 AU to search for gravitational radiation.     

Biologically Relevant Molecular Transducer with Increased Computing Power and Iterative Abilities

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Origin of the binary pulsar J0737-3039B

Evolutionary scenarios suggest that the progenitor of the new binary pulsar J0737-3039B was a He star with M>(2.1-2.3)M. . We show that this case implies that the binary must have a large (>120 km/s) center of mass velocity. However, the location, approximately 50 pc from the Galactic plane, suggests that the system has, at high likelihood, a significantly smaller center of mass velocity and a progenitor more massive than 2.1M. is ruled out (at 97% C.L.). A progenitor mass around 1.45M. , involving a new previously unseen gravitational collapse, is kinematically favored. The low mass progenitor is consistent with the recent scintillation based velocity measurement of 66+/-15 km/s and rules out the high mass solution at 99% C.L. Conversely, if the unlikely higher mass solution is the true one we should increase the estimated rate of neutron star mergers by a factor of at least 2.     

High-fidelity DNA sensing by protein binding fluctuations

One of the major functions of RecA protein in the cell is to bind single-stranded DNA exposed upon damage, thereby triggering the SOS repair response. We present fluorescence anisotropy measurements at the binding onset, showing enhanced DNA length discrimination induced by adenosine triphosphate consumption. Our model explains the observed DNA length sensing as an outcome of out-of-equilibrium binding fluctuations, reminiscent of microtubule dynamic instability. The cascade architecture of the binding fluctuations is a generalization of the kinetic proofreading mechanism. Enhancement of precision by an irreversible multistage pathway is a possible design principle in the noisy biological environment.     

Rate-distortion scenario for the emergence and evolution of noisy molecular codes

We discuss, in terms of rate-distortion theory, the fitness of molecular codes as the problem of designing an optimal information channel. The fitness is governed by an interplay between the cost and quality of the channel, which induces smoothness in the code. By incorporating this code fitness into population dynamics models, we suggest that the emergence and evolution of molecular codes may be explained by simple channel design considerations.