.Mitchell Institute (MIST) Events
Spring 2023
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 [...]
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 [...]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 [...]
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 [...]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 [...]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, [...]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. [...]Aspects of Asymmetry and It’s Plausible Connections to Gravitational Waves
Speaker: Arnab Dasgupta (University of Pittsburgh)
In my talk I will dwell on some of the subtle aspects concerning the major mechanisms in matter-asymmetry. Primarily I would be focusing on a subtle on spontaneous baryogenesis and then I will move on to the aspects concerning in asymmetry generated via Decay/Scattering. And then I will show a [...]Branes and Bundles Through Conifold Transitions and Heterotic Dualities
Speaker: James Gray (Virginia Tech)
I will discuss a novel proposal for transitioning the background geometry (including NS5-branes and holomorphic, slope-stable vector bundles) of 4-dimensional, N = 1 heterotic string compactifications through conifold transitions connecting Calabi-Yau threefolds. The proposal is geometric in nature and utilizes a description of how the cotangent bundles of the deformation [...](CANCELED)
Speaker: Erin Cox (Northwestern University)
Stars form in the hearts of molecular clouds, collapsing over 10 orders in spatial magnitude. This collapse is dominated by gravity, turbulence, magnetic fields, and stellar feedback. While gravity ultimately wins, these other dynamical effects can either hinder or aid the collapse at various scales. The initial conditions of the [...]A Direct Detection View of the Neutrino NSI Landscape
Speaker: Dorian Amaral (Rice University)Host: Doojin Kim
Neutrino non-standard interactions (NSI) have been extensively explored in the context of dedicated neutrino experiments. However, the next generation of direct detection experiments is on course to observe a significant number of solar neutrino events, and the sensitivities of these experiments within the NSI landscape are yet to be determined. [...]The Inner Workings of Exceptional Kaluza-Klein Spectroscopy
Speaker: Gabriel Larios (Texas A&M University)
Exceptional field theory provides a remarkably efficient way of obtaining information about the infinite towers of massive modes that arise in compactifications of string theory on spheres and hyperboloids. This includes AdS solutions of holographic interest with little or no preserved (super-)symmetry. In this talk we will give a detailed [...]Simulating Our Intergalactic Neighborhood
Speaker: Jenna Samuel (University of Texas, Austin)
The Milky Way and Andromeda are the two most massive galaxies in our intergalactic neighborhood, the Local Group, but they are far outnumbered by the tens of low-mass satellite galaxies surrounding them. These low-mass galaxies are some of the most dark matter-dominated systems known, making them excellent astrophysical objects for [...]Anomalies in the Galactic Diffuse Gamma-Ray Continuum Spanning the MeV and GeV Bands
Speaker: Christopher Karwin (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
The Galactic plane is a bright source of diffuse gamma-ray emission, consisting of both continuum and line components, spanning the MeV and GeV bands. Observations of the GeV emission with Fermi-LAT have led to a number of anomalies, including excess signals above model predictions towards both the inner Galaxy (i.e. [...]Probing Cosmology of Primordial Black Holes with High Frequency Gravitational Wave
Speaker: Tao Xu (University of Oklahoma)Host: Doojin Kim
High frequency gravitational waves are motivated by many primordial cosmology phenomena. In this talk, I will discuss the connection between high frequency gravitational waves and light primordial black holes in the early universe. Primordial black holes can generate the dark matter relic abundance and the baryon asymmetry with their Hawking [...]Fundamental Membranes and the String Dilaton
Speaker: Hermann Nicolai (Max Planck Institute)
The quantization of the bosonic sector of supermembrane theory is considered in double dimensional reduction, in order to extract the dependence of the resulting world-sheet action on the string dilaton (which cannot be obtained from a purely kinematic reduction). The construction relies on a Polyakov-type approach with all six metric [...]A Day in the Life of a Data Scientist
Speaker: Majid Latif (Sysco)
Sysco is the global leader in distributing food and non-food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers around the world. We talk through an Intro to Sysco, “A Day in the life of a Data Scientist”, tools and skills, and data science use cases with [...]The Sterile Neutrino is Dead, Long Live the Sterile Neutrino!
Speaker: Mark Ross-Lonergan (Los Alamos National Laboratory)Host: Doojin Kim
Sterile neutrinos have long intrigued both the theoretical and experimental particle physics communities. They could exist at various well-motivated theoretical scales, from GUT-scale masses involved in see-saw mechanisms to keV dark matter candidates. However, eV-scale sterile neutrinos began with little to no theoretical motivation, but were instead born from several [...]Shedding Light on the Dark Molecular Gas: OH as a Tracer for Dark H2 in the Galaxy and Beyond
Speaker: Michael Busch (University of California, San Diego)
The intersection between the atomic and molecular interstellar medium (ISM) is still relatively mysterious. In the past two decades, indirect gas tracers such as gamma-ray and dust emission have implied the existence of abundant molecular hydrogen (H2) not traced by our canonical molecular tracer, the CO molecule. In this talk [...]The Gamma-ray Galactic Center Excess with Multi-messenger Observations
Speaker: Ilias Cholis (Oakland University)Host: Doojin Kim
The Galactic center excess (GCE) remains one of the most intriguing discoveries from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations. I will revisit characteristics of the GCE tested under an updated set of high-resolution galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission templates. This diffuse emission, which accounts for the bulk of the observed [...]