Sociology of Physics: comment and indices

marcus

Popular string book market completely changed.
For most of the past 4 years the string top five, the list of five most popular string books, has been dominated by Greene and Kaku, always the same four books. At noon today 14 September it was Hawking and Yau. Grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-Grand, elegant ranked 2, 81, 812, 1584, 1844 for an average of 864.6

=====================

String publication for the first seven months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 14 September: 3335, 3345, 3331, 2815

marcus

The string topfive midmonth average salesrank is in for September.

Code:

Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(when possible, recorded at noon on the 14th 15th, and 16th of each month)
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060

This is a huge jump in popularity associated with the Hawking book that just came out. I don't think "Grand Design" actually teaches much about string, but I count it as stringy because it promotes "M-theory" as the law of the imagined "Multiverse". All the different solutions of M-theory correspond to different versions of physics and (assumed to exist) different universes.
It seems to me this is very stringy thinking and the book should be counted.

All 3 of its editions ( regular hardcover, audio*, and e-book) came out simultaneously, the beginning of this month, and all three are making the stringy topfive.

Today when I checked the top five (grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked
3, 32, 1145, 1318, 2769 for an average of 1053.4

The same number computed on three consecutive days at mid-month:

14 Sept 864.6
15 Sept 1260.8
16 Sept 1053.4

gave a mid-September average of 1059.6, which I have recorded above.

*earlier notices said the audio version was abridged---now I see it described as unabridged.
=====================

Just out of curiosity (although not needed for the mid-month record) I checked again on 17th. At noon the string topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked 3, 29, 1125, 1965, 2757 for an average of 1175.8.

marcus

String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 27 September:
3686, 3726, 3706, 3087

===========================

In the popular book market, at noon on 27 September the top five string books (e-grand, grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked 10, 10, 1006, 2249, 3201, for an average of 1295.2

===========================

The annual Loop gravity publication index that I'm tracking uses the Spires database with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 98 (as of 27 September)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

marcus

String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 27 September:
3686, 3726, 3707, 3462

===========================

In the popular book market, at noon on 29 September the top five string books (e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 14, 14, 1321, 3122, 4278, for an average of 1749.8

===========================

The annual Loop gravity publication index that I'm tracking uses the Spires database with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 102 (as of 29 September)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

marcus

Time to do a midmonth review of the popular book market to see how pop-string books are doing. Counting Hawking *Grand Design* as a string book because of its favorable mention of M-theory, though it may not teach anything very definite about the subject.

I recorded the average salesrank of the string top five---the five most popular stringy books as of noon on the day in question.

13 October 1332.4
14 October 1278.4
15 October 1544.4
16 October 1438.8
17 October ....

As an example, at noon on 15 October the top five (e-grand, grand, Yau, hyperspace, parallel) ranked 33,33, 965, 2565, 4126, for an average of 1544.4.

EDIT: At noon 16 Oct, the top five average was 1438.8.

marcus

The average salesrank of the string top five---the five most popular stringy books as of noon on the day in question. For example, at noon on 15 October the top five (e-grand, grand, Yau, hyperspace, parallel) ranked 33,33, 965, 2565, 4126, for an average of 1544.4.

13 October 1332.4
14 October 1278.4
15 October 1544.4
16 October 1438.8
17 October 1125.8

The resulting 5-day average for mid-October is 1344.0, extends the following record:

Code:

Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344

===================
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 17 October:
3686, 3726, 3713, 3475

===========================

A yearly Loop gravity publication index[/B] that uses Spires database with keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 111 (as of 17 October)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=[/QUOTE]

marcus

Code:

Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344

I made a spot check on 22 October and it was: topfive (e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, fabric) ranked 53, 53, 1608, 2986, 4506 for an average of 1841.2--up some from mid September and mid October. So it may be that Hawking Shock caused a temporary run that will subside.

===================
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 22 October:
3686, 3728, 3737, 3492

===========================

A yearly Loop gravity publication index[/B] that uses Spires database with keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 113 (as of 22 October)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (about 1/5 of year still to go):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

marcus

A spot check on the indices.

Popular string topfive average salesrank was 2109.6---e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, e-fabric ranked 61, 61, 1560, 4091, 4775.

String publication index for January-August was 3488, a slight correction.

Loop publication for 2010 (as of 27 October) was 117.
=======================

I'll get the links ready for string publication through the first 9 months of successive years.

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 27 October:
4053, 4087, 4158, 3814

marcus

It's been a week, so I'll do another spot check on the indices.

Popular string topfive average salesrank was 1642.2---grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, fabric ranked 61, 61, 1858, 2775, 3956
=============

String publication index for the first 9 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 3 November:
4053, 4087, 4158, 3812
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 121 (as of 3 November)

marcus

Over a week, time for another spot check.

As of noon 13 November popular string topfive average salesrank was 2551.4---grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, parallel ranked 52, 214, 1390, 5312, 5789
=============

String publication index for the first 9 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 13 November:
4053, 4088, 4151, 3837
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 126 (as of 13 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

marcus

For the November midmonth salesrank average

13 Nov 2551.4
14 Nov 2304.6
15 Nov 2345.0
16 Nov ...
17 Nov ...

To illustrate, at noon on 15 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 64, 260, 1828, 4324, 5249, for an average of 2345.0

The past history of the midmonth averages has gone like this:

Code:

Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     ...

What we are seeing starting in September 2010 is the effect of the Hawking blockbuster, combined to a lesser extent with the popularity of Yau's new book.

marcus

The November midmonth string salesrank average (over 5 days) was 2220.0

13 Nov 2551.4
14 Nov 2304.6
15 Nov 2345.0
16 Nov 2052.8
17 Nov 1846.2

To illustrate, at noon on 15 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 64, 260, 1828, 4324, 5249, for an average of 2345.0
and at noon on 17 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, e-elegant, elegant) ranked 69, 182, 2689, 3091, 3200, for an average of 1846.2

Whenever I've happened to record them in the past, the midmonth averages have gone like this:

Code:

Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220

Starting in September 2010 we see the effect of the Hawking blockbuster, which is primarily a *multiverse* book rather than an especially stringy one---but can be counted as string-pop because of touting M-theory as an overarching law governing the multitudinous versions of physics. This will soon be followed by the arrival of Brian Greene's new book "The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos..." in January 2011.

marcus

String publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 22 November: 4529, 4506, 4512, 4187
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 129 (as of 22 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

marcus

Not much change since mid-month in the indices. On the popular book front, the stringy top five on 27 November (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, fabric) ranked 76, 326, 3314, 3625, 4663, for an average of 2400.8. Recall that the mid-month average for November was 2220. I'll update the Loop publication index for the year--which seems likely to turn out more or less the same as 2008-2009

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 135 (as of 27 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

The string publication figure for the first 10 months of 2010, defined earlier, is still at 4187 (may still increase some with late entries.)

marcus

Curious blip in the popular physics book market.
Today at noon Bojo's Loop cosmology book ranked 3255 among all amazon books:
http://www.amazon.com/Once-Before-Ti...e=UTF8&s=books

On the specifically physics bestseller list it was #12, behind Hawking but ahead of Greene (elegant, #14) and Yau (#15) and Kaku (parallel, #17). Seems some people read Brian Clegg's review in the WSJ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...html#printMode

Later today the book ranked 2250 (at 2PM) and then subsided to 2410.
It was #2 on the cosmology bestsellers list. (After Hawking's latest.)

Now (7PM pacific time) it's #1855 among all the books amazon sells. Respectable showing!

marcus

Update on the string publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 2 December: 4512, 4504, 4512, 4229
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 140 (as of 2 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

================

A spot check of the popular book market at noon pacific, 2 December. Bojowald's Loop cosmology book ranked #4469.
The string topfive average rank was #3119.4,
those of the five most popular (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, hidden reality) being 91, 1965, 3919, 4749, 4873.

marcus

Update on the string publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 2 December: 4514, 4573, 4513, 4233
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 141 (as of 8 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/...=www&SEQUENCE=

================

A spot check of the popular book market at noon pacific, 8 December.
The average string topfive rank was #2627.4,
those of the five most popular (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, hyperspace) being 104, 870, 2778, 3002, 6383

================
String publication figures for first 11 months of successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/np...=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+October+November figures as of 8 December: 4942, 4930, 4921, 4484 (preliminary)
===============

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