These lectures feature speakers from around the country and globe. Each seminar lasts about an hour and takes a closer look at more specialized fields in various realms of physics and astronomy.
Many seminars will be held in a hybrid format and a recurring Zoom link is provided to access the virtual format.
The talks will be on Wednesdays at 4PM in the Rogers Room (Jones PSC 409).
Upcoming Seminars (Spring 2023):
Date |
Speaker |
Title of Seminar Talk |
| Wednesday, April 26, 2023 4:00 pm Jones PSC #409 |
Dr. Baha Balantekin Department of Physics University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, MI |
Applying the tools of Quantum Information to Collective Neutrino Oscillations |
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Recent Seminars:
Dr. Baha Balantekin
Department of Physics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, MI
Research Profile
Abstract:
During the cooling of a proto-neutron star following a supernova collapse almost the entire gravitational binding energy of the pre-supernova star is emitted in the form of neutrinos. Although neutrinos interact with each other weakly, because of the very large number of neutrinos, neutrino-neutrino interactions come to dominate the neutrino transport. Streaming of these neutrinos is called "collective" neutrino oscillations. In this talk application of the quantum information science tools, such as the entanglement entropy, to the neutrino transport in dense astrophysical systems will be presented.
Department of Physics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, MI
Research Profile
Abstract:
During the cooling of a proto-neutron star following a supernova collapse almost the entire gravitational binding energy of the pre-supernova star is emitted in the form of neutrinos. Although neutrinos interact with each other weakly, because of the very large number of neutrinos, neutrino-neutrino interactions come to dominate the neutrino transport. Streaming of these neutrinos is called "collective" neutrino oscillations. In this talk application of the quantum information science tools, such as the entanglement entropy, to the neutrino transport in dense astrophysical systems will be presented.
Dr. André De Gouvea
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Research Profile
Abstract:
One of the central questions of neutrino physics involves the nature of neutrinos: are they Majorana fermions or Dirac fermions? The most promising avenue for distinguishing Majorana from Dirac neutrinos is the search for neutrino-less double-beta decay; a positive signal would reveal that neutrinos are, in fact, Majorana fermions. After properly defining the questions and reviewing why this is an important one, in this talk, instead, I will concentrate on other ways to investigate the nature of neutrinos and other hypothetical neutral fermions.
YouTube Recording
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Research Profile
Abstract:
One of the central questions of neutrino physics involves the nature of neutrinos: are they Majorana fermions or Dirac fermions? The most promising avenue for distinguishing Majorana from Dirac neutrinos is the search for neutrino-less double-beta decay; a positive signal would reveal that neutrinos are, in fact, Majorana fermions. After properly defining the questions and reviewing why this is an important one, in this talk, instead, I will concentrate on other ways to investigate the nature of neutrinos and other hypothetical neutral fermions.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Jure Zupan
Department of Physics
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Research Profile
Abstract:
If light new physics states are produced in some of the laboratory experiments this will give us a window to dynamics at very high scales, possibly all the way up to 10^12 GeV, depending on the process. I will illustrate this on several well motivated examples of new physics models leading to light states. Special attention will be paid to the rare flavor experiments, which can probe complementary parameter space relative to the beam dump experiments and astrophysical systems.
YouTube Recording
Department of Physics
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Research Profile
Abstract:
If light new physics states are produced in some of the laboratory experiments this will give us a window to dynamics at very high scales, possibly all the way up to 10^12 GeV, depending on the process. I will illustrate this on several well motivated examples of new physics models leading to light states. Special attention will be paid to the rare flavor experiments, which can probe complementary parameter space relative to the beam dump experiments and astrophysical systems.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Gael Finauri
Technical University Munich
Munich, Germany
Research Profile
Abstract:
Light-cone distribution amplitudes (LCDAs) frequently arise in factorization theorems involving light and heavy mesons.
The QCD LCDA for heavy mesons includes short-distance physics at energy scales of the heavy quark mass.
In this talk I will explain how to achieve the separation of this perturbative scale from the purely hadronic effects by expressing the QCD LCDA as a convolution of a perturbative ``jet" function with the universal, quark-mass independent HQET LCDA.
This factorization allows to efficiently resum large logarithms between Lambda QCD and m_Q as well as between m_Q and the scale of the hard process in the production of boosted heavy mesons at colliders.
As an application I will present updated theoretical predictions for the brancing ratio of W -> B \gamma.
YouTube Recording
Technical University Munich
Munich, Germany
Research Profile
Abstract:
Light-cone distribution amplitudes (LCDAs) frequently arise in factorization theorems involving light and heavy mesons.
The QCD LCDA for heavy mesons includes short-distance physics at energy scales of the heavy quark mass.
In this talk I will explain how to achieve the separation of this perturbative scale from the purely hadronic effects by expressing the QCD LCDA as a convolution of a perturbative ``jet" function with the universal, quark-mass independent HQET LCDA.
This factorization allows to efficiently resum large logarithms between Lambda QCD and m_Q as well as between m_Q and the scale of the hard process in the production of boosted heavy mesons at colliders.
As an application I will present updated theoretical predictions for the brancing ratio of W -> B \gamma.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Georgios Karananas
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Munich, Germany
Research Profile
Abstract:
I will discuss how (broken) conformal symmetry can be used as a guiding principle to construct viable minimalistic extensions of the Standard Model. I will highlight the central role gravity (and its incarnations) plays in these considerations, with an emphasis on the Einstein-Cartan formulation. I will show that an inflationary epoch driven by the Higgs field is automatically incorporated. Moreover, the inflationary predictions may in principle be related to the electroweak physics, thus creating an intricate link between the primordial and late Universe. Finally, I will comment on the self-consistency of these constructions.
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Munich, Germany
Research Profile
Abstract:
I will discuss how (broken) conformal symmetry can be used as a guiding principle to construct viable minimalistic extensions of the Standard Model. I will highlight the central role gravity (and its incarnations) plays in these considerations, with an emphasis on the Einstein-Cartan formulation. I will show that an inflationary epoch driven by the Higgs field is automatically incorporated. Moreover, the inflationary predictions may in principle be related to the electroweak physics, thus creating an intricate link between the primordial and late Universe. Finally, I will comment on the self-consistency of these constructions.
Dr. Bulat Farkhtdinov
Institute for Nuclear Research
Moscow, Russia
Abstract:
We compute the probability of producing n>>1 particles from few colliding particles in the (3+1)-dimensional λϕ^4 theory with no spontaneous symmetry breaking. To this end, we numerically implement the semiclassical method of singular solutions, which works at n≫1 in the weakly coupled regime λ≪1. For the first time, we obtain reliable results in the region of exceptionally large final state multiplicities λn>>1 where the probability decreases exponentially with n. The exponent depends on multiplicity linearly and its tilt depends on the mean kinetic energy ε of produced particles. In the opposite case λn<<1 our data match well-known tree-level results, and they interpolate between the two limits at λn~1. Overall, this proves exponential suppression of the multiparticle production probability at n≫1 and arbitrary ε in the unbroken theory. In the talk, I will cover both the numerical implementation of the method and obtained results.
Institute for Nuclear Research
Moscow, Russia
Abstract:
We compute the probability of producing n>>1 particles from few colliding particles in the (3+1)-dimensional λϕ^4 theory with no spontaneous symmetry breaking. To this end, we numerically implement the semiclassical method of singular solutions, which works at n≫1 in the weakly coupled regime λ≪1. For the first time, we obtain reliable results in the region of exceptionally large final state multiplicities λn>>1 where the probability decreases exponentially with n. The exponent depends on multiplicity linearly and its tilt depends on the mean kinetic energy ε of produced particles. In the opposite case λn<<1 our data match well-known tree-level results, and they interpolate between the two limits at λn~1. Overall, this proves exponential suppression of the multiparticle production probability at n≫1 and arbitrary ε in the unbroken theory. In the talk, I will cover both the numerical implementation of the method and obtained results.
Dr. Ethan Cline, Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Physics and Astronomy - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Department of Physics and Astronomy - Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY)
Research Profile
Abstract:
The search for a dark photon holds considerable interest in the physics community. Such a force carrier would begin to illuminate the dark sector. Many experiments have searched for such a particle, but, so far, it has proven elusive. In recent years, the concept of a low mass dark photon has gained popularity in the physics community. Of particular recent interest is the ^8Be and ^4He anomaly, which could be explained by a 17 MeV mass dark photon. The proposed Darklight experiment would search for this potential low mass force carrier at ARIEL in the 10-20 MeV e^+e ^ - invariant mass range. This talk will focus on the experimental design and physics case of the Darklight experiment.
YouTube Recording
Department of Physics and Astronomy - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Department of Physics and Astronomy - Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY)
Research Profile
Abstract:
The search for a dark photon holds considerable interest in the physics community. Such a force carrier would begin to illuminate the dark sector. Many experiments have searched for such a particle, but, so far, it has proven elusive. In recent years, the concept of a low mass dark photon has gained popularity in the physics community. Of particular recent interest is the ^8Be and ^4He anomaly, which could be explained by a 17 MeV mass dark photon. The proposed Darklight experiment would search for this potential low mass force carrier at ARIEL in the 10-20 MeV e^+e ^ - invariant mass range. This talk will focus on the experimental design and physics case of the Darklight experiment.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Ignatios Antoniadis
Visiting Professor at Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Énergies - Sorbonne Université (Paris, France)
Research Profile
Abstract:
Visiting Professor at Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Énergies - Sorbonne Université (Paris, France)
Research Profile
Abstract:
I will first review the properties of the cosmological constant in supergravity. I
will then describe the difficulties for obtaining de Sitter vacua in string theory
and present a new mechanism of moduli stabilisation based on perturbative quantum
corrections that behave logarithmically at large volumes. This framework leads to
vacua with positive tuneable energy at weak coupling, as well as to new models of
small field inflation compatible with observations.
YouTube Recording
YouTube Recording
Dr. Gil Paz, Associate Professor
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
Research Profile
Abstract:
In particular, I will present the determination of the Wilson coefficients of the
four- fermion contact interactions at ${\cal O}(Z^2\alpha^2)$ and power $1/m_p^2$.
Surprisingly, we found that the coefficient of the spin-independent interaction vanishes,
implying that MUSE will be sensitive mostly to the proton charge radius and not spin-independent
two-photon exchange effects.
YouTube Recording
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
Research Profile
Abstract:
For over 12 years now, we have been facing the proton radius puzzle, the difference
between the proton charge radius extractions using electrons and muons. After reviewing
some of the theoretical work on electron-proton scattering and muonic hydrogen spectroscopy,
I will present new effective field theory tools that aim to directly connect muonic
hydrogen spectroscopy and muon-proton scattering. This effective field theory is relevant
for MUSE, the new muon-proton scattering experiment.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Shmuel Nussinov, Professor Emeritus
School of Physics and Astronomy
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv, Israel
Research Profile
Abstract:
Some interesting features of detection via collisions with nuclei of WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) and some other DM (Dark Matter) types will be discussed. Separately, I'll discuss analogs of nuclei of a variety of masses in the dark sector and, in particular, some versions where the dark sector is a "mirror image" of our sector. DM grains and clouds of various sizes, masses, and compositions as well as their possible impacts will be briefly discussed.
YouTube Recording
School of Physics and Astronomy
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv, Israel
Research Profile
Abstract:
Some interesting features of detection via collisions with nuclei of WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) and some other DM (Dark Matter) types will be discussed. Separately, I'll discuss analogs of nuclei of a variety of masses in the dark sector and, in particular, some versions where the dark sector is a "mirror image" of our sector. DM grains and clouds of various sizes, masses, and compositions as well as their possible impacts will be briefly discussed.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Bob Bernstein, Scientist II
Fermi National Accelerator Facility
Batavia, IL
Research Profile
Abstract:
The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab will search for coherent, neutrinoless conversion of muons into electrons in the field of a nucleus with a sensitivity improvement of a factor of 10,000 over previous experiments. Such a charged lepton flavor-violating reaction probes new physics at a scale inaccessible with direct searches at either present or planned high energy colliders. The experiment both complements and extends the current search for muon decay to electron+gamma at MEG and searches for new physics at the LHC. We will present the physics motivation for Mu2e, the novel design of the muon beamline and the detector, and the current status of the experiment.
YouTube Recording
Fermi National Accelerator Facility
Batavia, IL
Research Profile
Abstract:
The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab will search for coherent, neutrinoless conversion of muons into electrons in the field of a nucleus with a sensitivity improvement of a factor of 10,000 over previous experiments. Such a charged lepton flavor-violating reaction probes new physics at a scale inaccessible with direct searches at either present or planned high energy colliders. The experiment both complements and extends the current search for muon decay to electron+gamma at MEG and searches for new physics at the LHC. We will present the physics motivation for Mu2e, the novel design of the muon beamline and the detector, and the current status of the experiment.
YouTube Recording
Dr. Aruni Nadeeshani, Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Mississippi State University
Starkville, MS
Abstract:
The E12-10-002 (F2) experiment ran in Hall C at Jefferson Lab to extract the F2 structure functions from inclusive H(e ,e ′ ) and D(e ,e ′ ) reactions at high x Bjorken region. These extractions allow constraining the PDF (especially at large Bjorken x), facilitate the study of Quark Hadron Duality, and contribute to the calculation of non-singlet moments as a test of LQCD. F2 experiment measurements cover a large kinematic range in x from 0.2 to 1.0, and in Q2 from 4 to 16 GeV2.
While the proton F2 structure function has been studied extensively through inelastic electron-proton scattering, much less is known about neutron structure due to the unavailability of high density, free neutron targets. The BONuS12 experiment was proposed to measure the neutron F2 on a nearly free neutron within a weakly bound Deuteron target via the spectator tagging method. Tagging the slow backward moving spectator protons minimizes both off-shell and final-state interaction effects with the measured proton momentum used to correct for the initial-state momentum of the struck neutron. The recoil detector used to detect spectator protons with momenta 70 < Ps < 150 MeV/c and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS12) to detect the scattered electrons.
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Mississippi State University
Starkville, MS
Abstract:
The E12-10-002 (F2) experiment ran in Hall C at Jefferson Lab to extract the F2 structure functions from inclusive H(e ,e ′ ) and D(e ,e ′ ) reactions at high x Bjorken region. These extractions allow constraining the PDF (especially at large Bjorken x), facilitate the study of Quark Hadron Duality, and contribute to the calculation of non-singlet moments as a test of LQCD. F2 experiment measurements cover a large kinematic range in x from 0.2 to 1.0, and in Q2 from 4 to 16 GeV2.
While the proton F2 structure function has been studied extensively through inelastic electron-proton scattering, much less is known about neutron structure due to the unavailability of high density, free neutron targets. The BONuS12 experiment was proposed to measure the neutron F2 on a nearly free neutron within a weakly bound Deuteron target via the spectator tagging method. Tagging the slow backward moving spectator protons minimizes both off-shell and final-state interaction effects with the measured proton momentum used to correct for the initial-state momentum of the struck neutron. The recoil detector used to detect spectator protons with momenta 70 < Ps < 150 MeV/c and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS12) to detect the scattered electrons.
Mr. Matthew Nicol, Doctoral Researcher
University of York
York, England, United Kingdom
Abstract:
Exotics, particles not allowed in the quark model, provide a fantastic opportunity to study possible hadron structures, the limitations of QCD, and get a broader picture of the strong interaction. My research approaches this topic from several different perspectives by observing possible states produced from excitations within hadrons and also by replacing valence quarks. My first project explores the topic of dibaryons, specifically, genuine hexaquarks for which experimental evidence was produced in recent years. I focus on searching for a very strange hexaquark (dsss), producing the first ever constraints on this particle with an upper limit on the cross section. Finding exotics such as this can prove very difficult, for example, only seven hyperons have been discovered in the last 20 years, this is why I am also producing the first ever scaling behaviour of strangeness. By comparing strange production of S=-1,-2,-3 on different targets, we will be able to identify possible energy regimes for enhanced strange exotic production. Lastly, looking at exotic hybrid mesons, where excited gluon fields contribute to the overall properties of a meson and can lead to quantum numbers not allowed in the quark model. I have determined the moments for resonances that produce a K + K - pair, these will be used to extract their quantum numbers and see what mesons have been observed and if any of them are exotic.
University of York
York, England, United Kingdom
Abstract:
Exotics, particles not allowed in the quark model, provide a fantastic opportunity to study possible hadron structures, the limitations of QCD, and get a broader picture of the strong interaction. My research approaches this topic from several different perspectives by observing possible states produced from excitations within hadrons and also by replacing valence quarks. My first project explores the topic of dibaryons, specifically, genuine hexaquarks for which experimental evidence was produced in recent years. I focus on searching for a very strange hexaquark (dsss), producing the first ever constraints on this particle with an upper limit on the cross section. Finding exotics such as this can prove very difficult, for example, only seven hyperons have been discovered in the last 20 years, this is why I am also producing the first ever scaling behaviour of strangeness. By comparing strange production of S=-1,-2,-3 on different targets, we will be able to identify possible energy regimes for enhanced strange exotic production. Lastly, looking at exotic hybrid mesons, where excited gluon fields contribute to the overall properties of a meson and can lead to quantum numbers not allowed in the quark model. I have determined the moments for resonances that produce a K + K - pair, these will be used to extract their quantum numbers and see what mesons have been observed and if any of them are exotic.