Events at Physics |
Events on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
- Special Plasma Seminar
- Measurements of Fast Ion Profiles During High Harmonic Fast Wave Heating on NSTX
- Time: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
- Place: 5280 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Deyong Liu, University of California/Irvine
- Chaos & Complex Systems Seminar
- A brief survey of financial derivatives
- Time: 12:05 pm
- Place: 4274 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Don Hester, UW Department of Economics
- Abstract: Financial derivative contracts have exploded in varietyand complexity since the early 1970s. I will describe and interpret the basic "plain vanilla" derivatives, forward, futures, and option contracts, in the first half of this talk. Then I will explore the reasons for the proliferation of new derivatives, interpret several of them, and comment on how they have impacted the economy.
- Astronomy Colloquium
- The Evolution of AGN in Clusters of Galaxies
- Time: 3:30 pm
- Place: 6515 Sterling Hall
- Speaker: Paul Martini, Ohio State
- Abstract: Galaxies in clusters have undergone profoundly different evolution relative to their counterparts in the field. I will present new results that show the same holds true for the supermassive black holes at the centers of cluster galaxies. While luminous AGN are nearly nonexistent in local clusters, they are comparatively common in clusters about z=0.5.<br>
Furthermore, the rate at which cluster AGN have shut off from high redshift to the present day is substantially faster than the decline in the space density of field AGN. The evolution of the cluster AGN population therefore appears to mirror the evolution of cluster star-forming galaxies, as well as suggest that AGN downsizing has an<br>
environmental dependence.<br>
- Host: Professor Andy Sheinis
- Astronomy Colloquium
- Astronomy/Physics Colloquium
- Science with the International X-ray Observatory
- Time: 3:45 pm
- Place: 4274 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Randall Smith, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
- Abstract: In July 2008, the International X-ray Observatory (IXO) was announced to the astronomical community. IXO is a joint mission with participation from ESA, NASA and JAXA, superseding the US
Constellation-X mission concept. IXO is dedicated to high resolution X-ray spectroscopy, with 100 times the throughput for high resolution spectroscopy of previous X-ray missions. The baseline for IXO features a single large X-ray mirror and an extensible optical bench with a 20-25m focal length and moveable focal plane. The instruments include an X-ray wide field imaging spectrometer, a high spectral resolution non-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, an X-ray grating spectrometer, a hard X-ray imaginer and an X-ray polarimeter. I will discuss the IXO science objectives and how it will help answer the following questions: How do super-massive Black Holes grow and evolve? Does matter orbiting close to a Black Hole event horizon follow the predictions of General Relativity? What is the Equation of State of matter in Neutron Stars? How does Cosmic Feedback work and influence galaxy formation? How does galaxy cluster evolution constrain the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy? Where are the missing baryons in the nearby Universe? When and how were the elements created and dispersed? How do high energy processes affect planetary formation and habitability? How do magnetic fields shape stellar exteriors and the surrounding environment? How are particles accelerated to extreme energies producing shocks, jets, and cosmic rays?