.Lectures Events
Spring 2023
Classical dynamics of the multi-terminal Josephson junctions.
Speaker: Gleb Finkelstein ( Duke University)
In multi-terminal Josephson junctions (MTJJ), several superconducting contacts are made to a common non-superconducting region. As a result, the state of a MTJJ is dependent on superconducting phase differences between several pairs of contacts. This 2\pi periodic dependence on several variables is reminiscent of the Bloch bands in a crystal, [...]
Causality Constraints on Gravitational Effective Theories
Speaker: Julio Parra-Martinez (California Institute of Technology)
In this talk I will describe constraints from causality and unitarity on 2→2 graviton scattering in weakly-coupled gravitational effective field theories. Together, causality and unitarity imply dispersion relations that connect low-energy observables to high-energy data. Using such dispersion relations, we can derive two-sided bounds on gravitational Wilson coefficients in terms of the [...]
Studies of Dust-obscured Star-forming Galaxies in the Era of ALMA, VLT and JWST
Speaker: Jack Birkin (Texas A&M University)
The population of dust-obscured star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at redshifts of z~1-5 are among the most extreme galaxies ever observed, with typical star-formation rates of 100-1000 Mo/yr. DSFGs are also estimated to contribute a significant fraction of the star-formation rate density (SFRD) at cosmic noon, making them a highly important population and [...]
Spatially Resolved UV and mid-IR Star Formation in Galaxies from the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes
Speaker: Lu Shen (Texas A&M University)
Tracking spatially resolved star formation in galaxies will provide insight into galaxy‘s structural and size evolution. However, dust obscuration posts an immense challenge in uncovering spatially resolved star-formation activities, due to insufficient data to measure the profile of dust-obscured star formation. The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the James Webb Space [...]
AMO/IQSE seminar: Quantum optics with ultra-narrow nuclear resonances and x-ray photons
Speaker: Olga Kocharovskaya (IQSE, Texas A&M University)
Long-lived nuclear isomer transitions hold a promise for revolutionizing the quantum metrology: realization of nuclear clocks, chronometric geodesy and gravimetry, compact long-lived nuclear memory, high-resolution coherent forward nuclear spectroscopy, search for time variation of the fundamental constants and dark matter. The major advantage of nuclear transitions as compared to atomic [...]
Non-standard Neutrino Interactions in Light Mediator Models
Speaker: Ankur Verma (Texas A&M University)
The non-standard interactions (NSI) in the neutrino sector are a well- motivated phenomenological approach to understand the new physics in the neutrino sector. Non standard neutrino-electron interaction mediated by light scalar/vector mediator arises naturally in many low-scale models. We also propose one such new model with a light scalar mediator. [...]Light Dark Matter Search in Stopped Pion Experiments
Speaker: Wei-Chih Huang (Texas A&M University)
We study inelastic dark matter-nucleus scattering in stopped pion experiments by nuclear shell model. We find that the inelastic scattering is dominated by Gamow-Teller (GT) transition. We use nuclear shell model code, BIGSTICK, to calculate GT transitions and the deexcitation photons for the nuclei such as Na-23, Ar-40, and I-127. [...]
A Journey to the Center of the Field Space
Speaker: Max Wiesner (Harvard University)
In this talk I will explore the interior of the field spaces of four-dimensional effective theories of gravity. In the first part of the talk I will discuss the notion of a moduli-dependent species scale in N=2 theories serving as an effective UV cutoff in gravitational theories. I will show [...]Resolving to Resolve (or Re-solve?) Issues in Galaxy Formation with Resolved Data
Speaker: Adam Muzzin (York University )
Over the last decade we have made staggering progress measuring the mass growth and star formation rates of the galaxy population out to z ~ 10. Although we now know when galaxies form their stars and grow their black holes, the how, where, and why they do so is much [...]
AMO/IQSE seminar: Brain-inspired quantum machine learning
Speaker: Susanne Yelin (Harvard University)
Quantum neuromorphic computing (QNC) is a subfield of quantum machine learning (QML) that capitalizes on inherent system dynamics. As a result, QNC can run on contem- porary, noisy quantum hardware and is poised to realize challenging algorithms in the near term. We show that a present-day programmable quantum simulator has [...]
TBA
Speaker: Heinz-Eberhard Mahnke (Freie Universitat and Helmholtz Center Berlin)Host: John Hardy
Nonequilibrium transport and thermalization in strongly disordered 2D electron systems
Speaker: Dragana Popovic (Florida State University)Host: Ar. Abanov
Understanding the dynamics of isolated disordered systems and its dependence on the range of interactions has been attracting a lot of research attention in recent years, but many questions remain open, especially in two spatial dimensions. At the same time, experiments have been limited mostly to those on synthetic quantum [...]Kaluza-Klein Spectrometry From Exceptional Field Theory
Speaker: Henning Samtleben (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)
I review new tools for the computation of Kaluza-Klein mass spectra associated with compactifications around various background geometries. Applications include the identification of non-supersymmetric AdS4 vacua which are perturbatively stable at all Kaluza-Klein levels.Using Lyα to Trace the Cosmic Reionization
Speaker: Weida Hu (University of California, Santa Barbara)
The cosmic reionization is a milestone in the history of universe. The major questions of cosmic reionization are the evolution of neutral hydrogen fraction in the intergalactic medium, and the sources triggering the reionization event. The Lyα photons produced by young star-forming galaxies can be resonantly scattered by the neutral intergalactic [...]
AMO/IQSE seminar: Metasurface polarization optics
Speaker: Noah A. Rubin (Harvard University)
Metasurfaces are an emergent class of subwavelength diffractive optics. The individual elements comprising a metasurface may be designed with polarization sensitivity [1, 2] – in this way, metasurfaces can enable optical elements whose far-fields exhibit custom polarization-dependence. Using relatively simple design heuristics based on the Jones calculus, a variety of [...]
Search for Dark Sector Particles in Accelerator-driven Fixed Target Experiments
Speaker: Wooyoung Jang (University of Texas, Arlington)Host: Doojin Kim
Dark matter constitutes more than 80% of matter in the universe, but it’s true nature remains unknown except its gravitational effects. Despite extensive experimental studies over several decades aimed at detecting weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter candidates, no positive signals have been found.This lack of success has led [...]
February 10, 2023
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (CDT)
Sharpening the Distance Conjecture in Diverse Dimensions
Speaker: Tom Rudelius (University of California, Berkeley)
The Distance Conjecture holds that any infinite-distance limit in the scalar field moduli space of a consistent theory of quantum gravity must be accompanied by a tower of light particles whose masses scale exponentially with proper field distance. While the evidence for this conjecture is formidable, there is at present no consensus on which values of of [...]
Analog quantum simulations with trapped-ion spin chains.
Speaker: Guido Pagano (Rice University)Host: Ar. Abanov
Laser cooled trapped ions offer unprecedented control over both internal and external degrees of freedom at the single-particle level. They are considered among the foremost candidates for realizing quantum simulation and computation platforms that can outperform classical computers in specific tasks. In this talk I will show how linear arrays [...]How Single Particle States in 3+1d are Descendants in a (non-unitary) 2d CFT
Speaker: Noah Miller (Harvard University)
Following a recent collaboration with Cotler & Strominger, we present a basis of spin-0 single particle states in 3+1d Minkoski spacetime which transform as descendants in a 2d CFT with (negative) integer weight. At fixed weight, the states fill out a square matrix of states similar to the BFSS matrix [...]Analyzing the Nebular Emission and Physical Properties of Local Star-forming Galaxies: Aperture Effects and Ionized Gas Modeling
Speaker: Karla Arellano-Córdova (University of Texas, Austin)
Due to their proximity, local star-forming galaxies (SFGs) are ideal for studying the physical properties, stellar population, and nebular gas in much more detail. However, the aperture size used in the optical can significantly affect the determination of the metallicities and physical properties of such galaxies. To study the impact [...]
AMO/IQSE seminar: Opportunities in Laser-plasma Interaction Experiments with High Power Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Speaker: Zhenhuan Yi (Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University)
Generating high peak power laser pulses has been a hot pursuit for decades, as highlighted by the 2018 Nobel prize in physics and recent news from the National Ignition Facility. Tera-Watt and Peta-Watt pulses have been achieved with Chirped Pulse Amplification techniques. Amplification by stimulated Raman scattering may be a [...]The Higgs Boson and New Physics at the Large Hadron Collider and Beyond
Speaker: Ian Lewis (University of Kansas)Host: Doojin Kim
The discovery of the Higgs was a milestone in particle physics and measurements of its properties are long range priorities of the community. While precise measurements of Higgs properties point agree with the prediction of the Standard Model of Particle Physics, there is still much to learn. In this talk, [...]
Quantum Sensing of Quantum Materials
Speaker: Chunhui Du (UCSD)Host: Joaquin Rodriguez Nieva
Exploring new class of quantum materials with advanced magnetic and electronic properties has been a central focus of modern condensed matter physics over the past decades. The success of these efforts relies simultaneously on advances in theory, material synthesis, and development of new, sensitive metrology tools capable of diagnosing the [...]An Exceptional Approach to Kaluza-Klein Spectroscopy
Speaker: Oscar Varela (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
The spectrum of single-trace operators of holographic CFTs at strong coupling and large N can be mapped to the spectrum of Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitations over the dual AdS supergravity solutions. Unfortunately, computing these KK spectra is usually a prohibitively difficult task even for the simplest AdS solutions. In this talk, [...]From the Lab to the Heavens – New Optical Constants of Cosmic Silicates and How to Use Them
Speaker: Angela Speck (University of Texas, San Antonio)
We all know that dust is an important constituent in many astrophysical environments; however, to truly understand its impact on its surrounding we need to know its precise nature. In order to determine the precise nature of cosmic dust we use combination of multi-wavelength spectroscopy, imaging, laboratory data and modeling. [...]