PHY 599 |
Graduate
Seminar |
Spring 2006 |
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Nuclear Shape-Phase Transitions:
The low-energy structure of heavy nuclei can be understood in terms
of the geometrical model. The transition from vibrational to rigidly
deformed nuclear shapes represents a challenge to nuclear structure theory.
Recent advances in our understanding of the nuclear shape-phase transitions
should be discussed.
Pietralla
Collective Isovector Valence-Shell Excitations of Nuclei:
Due to the attractive nuclear force collective low-energy excitations
of the nucleus are formed by a coherent motion of the valence nucleons.
However, evidence for the existence of out-of-phase oscillations of valence
protons and valence neutrons have recently been found. Discuss the new
observations and the experimental methods.
Pietralla
Nuclear Structure Physics with a Free Electron LASER:
The usage of LASERs has revolutionized in the past the experimental
methods in atomic physics. Nuclear spectroscopy did not benefit that much
from LASER technology because of incompatible energy scales for LASERs and
nuclear excitations. The recent production of mono-chromatic, polarized
gamma-rays from Compton backscattering of LASER light has opened up new
opportunities.
Pietralla
The Phase-Diagram of Nuclear Matter:
The QCD phase diagram exhibits a large number of different phases including
normal nuclear matter, dense
hadron matter, quark gluon plasma, color super conductors. Discuss the phase
diagram and its characteristic features and their theoretical basis. Explain
which parts can be addressed by which experimental techniques.
Drees
Jet Quenching:
Particle jets arise from quarks or gluons
scattered with large momentum transfer. In heavy ion collisions
the scattered quarks and gluons traverse matter and should lose a
large amount of energy if the density is high. Jet quenching was recently
observed in PHENIX. Discuss the result, focusing on either
theoretical or experimental aspects.
Drees, Jacak
J/Psi suppression, a signature for deconfinement of quarks:
In collisions of heavy ions fewer J/psi mesons are produced than expected
from summing independent nucleon-nucleon collisions. This was predicted
as a signature of quark-gluon plasma formation. Briefly describe the concept
of quark gluon plasma. Discuss the mechanism of suppression of the J/psi and
recent data.
Drees, Jacak
Statistical Mechanics of Nuclear Collisions:
The number and spectra of particles produced in heavy ion collisions
is well described by statistical emission from an equilibrated gas of
hadrons. Data indicate that hadrons decouple at a temperature near
170 MeV, near the QCD phase transition between quarks and hadrons.
Describe the measurements, statistical analysis and interpretation.
Shuryak, Prakash, Jacak, Hemmick
Particle Interferometry:
The space-time extent of the collision region formed in nuclear
reactions can be studied by measuring the interference between
two identical outgoing particles. Measurements at RHIC show a
surprise: the sizes are no larger than at lower energy,
even though RHIC produces more particles and more explosive collisions.
Explain the technique and discuss the recent results.
Jacak, Hemmick, Brown, Shuryak
Elliptic Flow of Matter The high particle multiplicity in heavy
ion collisions produces high pressure and non-isotropic particle emission
patterns. The anisotropy at RHIC is large and indicates rapid equilibration
followed by hydrodynamic expansion. Discuss the phenomenon and to what
extent it indicates quark gluon plasma formation.
Shuryak, Hemmick
Where are the quarks inside nuclei? Discuss scattering of
leptons from nuclei and dilepton production via the Drell-Yan process
to probe quark and antiquark distributions. What do we learn from such
data about the quark structure functions, and what is the effect of
the nuclear medium?
Jacak, Marx
Where is the spin of the proton?
Results from deep inelastic scattering experiments using polarized
electrons and polarized protons indicate that the quark spin
contribution to the spin of the proton is essentially zero.
Review these experiments and discuss upcoming attempts at
Brookhaven to measure the polarization of gluons inside
the proton.
Jacak, Shuryak
Measurements of the Electron Neutrino Mass: Discuss the
various experiments to measure electron neutrino masses from beta-decay
endpoint measurements and double-beta decay. Give the latest results
and discuss the relation of these results to the recent observations
of neutrino oscillations.
Shrock, Jung
Parity Non-conservation in Atoms:
The strength of parity violating transitions in atoms allow determination
of standard-model parameters at low q-squared. Discuss the
experiments and the model sensitivities.
Sprouse
Nuclear Sizes and Moments from Hyperfine Laser Spectroscopy:
Precise data on nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic moments can
be obtained from hyperfine spectroscopy using lasers. Discuss how
these experiments are done. Give examples of deduced nuclear properties
such as the nuclear compressibility. Also discuss the use of laser
spectroscopy to trap radioactive ions to study parity non-conservation
in atomic transitions.
Sprouse
Super-Heavy Nuclei:
Well-founded nuclear model calculations have predicted a stable
(lifetimes between 1 and 100 years) island of very heavy nuclei
near Z--1 14 and A--300. A few such nuclei have recently been
detected. Discuss the theoretical basis for the super-heavy island
and the possible approaches to it by use of heavy ion reactions.
Discuss the (somewhat controversial) results from recent experiments.
Sprouse, Jacak
Nuclear Liquid-Gas Phase Transition:
Under the influence of heat and pressure nuclear matter is expected
to undergo a liquid-gas phase transition. This is the boiling point
of nuclear matter. Report on recent experiment showing fragmentation
of nuclei into large clusters (droplets) at intermediate energies
(several 100 MeV/u) which are interpreted in terms of such a phase
transition. Discuss the theoretical connection of these experiments
with a phase transition from a nuclear liquid to a nuclear gas phase.
Jacak
Detection of Neutrinos from the Sun: Discuss the
major ongoing experiments (Super-Kamiokande, SNO, Davis, Gallex/GNO, Sage)
that measure the flux of solar neutrinos. Give their latest results
and the implications of these results on standard solar models
and the Standard Electroweak model. Summarize the concrete plans
for new experiments.
Jung, McGrew, Yanagisawa, Gonzalez-Garcia
Detection of Neutrinos from Supernovae:
Neutrinos from the supernova SN1987a are the only astrophysical
neutrinos observed other than solar neutrinos. Discuss the
supernova neutrino production mechanism, observation of neutrinos from SN1987a,
experimental observation methods and future prospects.
Jung, Yanagisawa, Lattimer
Atmospheric Neutrinos and Neutrino Oscillations:
Discuss the origin of atmospheric neutrinos and the expected fluxes
of electron-type and muon-type neutrinos. Discuss the experimental
measurements that differ from the predicted values and possible
explanations for the discrepancy. And finally discuss the recent
Super-Kamiokande results that show evidence for neutrino
oscillations, and supporting evidences from other experiments.
Jung, McGrew, Yanagisawa,Gonzalez-Garcia
Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray Events:
There are two ground based experiments: AGASA and HiRES that claim to
observe cosmic ray events beyond so called "GZK cut-off". These events are the
highest known particle interaction events (~1020 eV). Explain the GZK cut-off.
Give the latest results from these experiments
and explore possible scenarios/explanations for these extraordinary events.
Summarize the plans for new experiments.
Forman, Jung, McGrew, Yanagisawa, Gonzalez-Garcia
Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiments
and Lepton Mixing matrix:
Observations of neutrino oscillations by the underground experiments
in the atmospheric and solar neutrinos have revolutionized the
particle physics. There are efforts to further confirm this findings using
accelerator produced neutrino beams and to measure the lepton mixing matrix
elements, which doesn't exist in the Standard Model.
Give the latest results from the K2K experiment and
summarize the plans for new experiments (MINOS, CNGS and JHFnu).
Jung, McGrew, Yanagisawa, Shrock, Gonzalez-Garcia
Discovery of the Top Quark:
Discuss the discovery and the measurements of top quark production
cross section and the top quark mass by the DØ and CDF
experiments. Discuss the signatures and methods used, and the
significance of the precise measurement of the top quark mass
for the prediction of the Higgs boson mass.
Grannis, Hobbs
Search for the Higgs Boson:
Discuss the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson
carried out at LEP, at the upgraded TeVatron, and at the Large Hadron
Collider. What are the different strategies as function of the mass
and the prospects for success?
Grannis, Hobbs, Rijssenbeek
Precision Measurement of the Z Boson Parameters:
Measurements at the SLAC SLC collider and the CERN LEP collider of
the Z boson mass, width, and production cross section. Relevance
to tests of the Standard Model.
Hobbs, Grannis, Rijssenbeek, Gonzalez-Garcia
Large Extra dimensions and Grand Unification at the Electroweak
Scale:
Discuss the recent theoretical developments in trying to obtain
Grand Unification of the elementary forces in the neighborhood
of the electroweak scale (1 TeV) by postulating the existence
of "large" (µm to mm) extra dimensions. Review existing and
ongoing experimental research in gravity at the sub-millimeter
scale, and predictions for physics at the Tevatron and the large
hadron collider LHC at CERN.
Van Nieuwenhuizen, Hobbs, Rijssenbeek
Precision Measurement of the W Boson Mass:
Discuss the precision measurement of the W mass at the FNAL
TeVatron collider by the DØ and CDF collaborations and
by the four LEP collaborations. Discuss the measurement
methods and the achieved precision. Explain its
importance as a test of the Standard Model, as well as the ultimate test of
one's understanding of the detector..
Rijssenbeek, Grannis
Search for Proton Decay:
Discuss why many GUT theories require proton decay. Give an
overview of the experimental situation, and present the current
results and limits.
Jung, McGrew, Yanagisawa, Shrock
Search for Supersymmetric Particles:
Discuss the basic concepts of supersymmetry, and search techniques.
Present recent results and future prospects for the discovery of supersymmetry.
Hobbs, Jung, van Nieuwenhuizen, Shrock
CP Violation in K Decay: Review the evidence for CP
violation and outline the phenomenology of the K0-anti-K0 system.
Discuss recent measurements of CP violation and the prospect for
further progress.
Grannis, Shrock
Mixing and CP Violation in the B-Bbar System:
Description of the theoretical basis and experimental techniques,
including recent results and future prospects with the Fermilab
TeVatron Collider detectors and B-factories.
Hobbs, Rijssenbeek, Grannis, Smith
g-2 Experiment: Review the current claim from the BNL g-2
experiment that their measurement disagrees with the Standard Model
prediction, and associated controversy. Why is this important?
Grannis, Rijssenbeek, Shrock
Supermassive Nuclear Black Holes:
Discuss evidence for their existence in both active and quiescent
galaxies.
Evans
High-redshift Galaxies:
The formation and early evolution of galaxies.
Evans, Lanzetta
Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis:
Describe the present understanding of nucleosynthesis and discuss
resulting constraints on particle physics and cosmology.
Lanzetta
Quasar Absorption Lines: What do they tell us about
intervening galaxies and gas.
Lanzetta
Supernovae: Discuss the process of explosive star
death in detail. Or, discuss the observational and theoretical
understanding of how the ejecta interact with the interstellar
medium, and produce what we see as supernova remnants.
Lattimer, Prakash, Brown
Neutron (Quark?) Stars:
Discuss the structure, "birth", and evolution of neutron stars.
Discuss recent measurements of the radius of an isolated
nearby neutron star.
Lattimer, Walter, Brown, Prakash
Ultra-luminous Infrared Galaxies: Ultra-luminous
infrared galaxies have total luminosities that rival those of
quasars. Discuss what they are and how they were detected.
Solomon, Evans
Star Formation and Chemical Enrichment: Discuss the
process of star formation and formation of the natural elements
(nucleo-synthesis) during the epoch of galaxy formation.
Solomon
The Inflation Paradigm:
What is it and what does it predict?
Yahil
Dark Matter in Galaxies: Discuss the discovery of
invisible ("dark") matter in our and other galaxies. Discuss
its proposed distribution and form, and the various proposed
types of dark matter. What are its cosmological implications?
Yahil
Gravitational Lensing: Discuss the phenomenon, origin,
discovery and use of gravitational macro-lensing. Discuss lensing by galaxies
and clusters of galaxies. Alternatively, discuss observations of gravitational
micro-lensing towards the galactic bulge and Magellanic closed. What have
we learned from these about the structure of ordinary and dark matter
in and around our Galaxy?
Yahil
Microwave Background, its Fluctuations and Dark Energy:
Discuss the discovery of the cosmic microwave background.
Focus on recent measurements of the fluctuations of the
microwave background. Include recent balloon experiment results.
What are the cosmological implications of these results?
Yahil
Gamma-ray Bursts:
Discuss the basic properties of gamma-ray
bursts and the post-1997 developments in our understanding of these
cosmic fireworks.
Brown, Prakash, Lattimer
Extrasolar Planets: Discuss the techniques used to find
planets around other stars, the results of searches to date, and
the implications for our understanding of solar-system formation.
Peterson
Gravity Waves:
Discuss the theoretical relevance of gravity waves, the likely
astrophysical sources of gravity waves, and past and future
progress towards detecting them.
Lattimer
Supernovae and the accelerating universe:
Give a critical assessment of recent evidence from supernova
studies that the cosmological constant is non-zero, and discuss
the implications of a non-zero cosmological constant.
Lanzetta, Yahil
Star and Planet Formation:
Describe what we know about the process. In particular, discuss
what chondrules tell us about the conditions in the
early solar system.
Walter
Solar flares: What new light do the recent TRACE images/movies
throw on the interaction between magnetic fields and the plasma
in the solar atmosphere?
Walter
Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays: Cosmic acceleration mechanisms and the
propagation of charged particles from their origin to us.
Forman
Last Updated: August 25th, 2003
expert | Room | telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Axel Drees | Physics C105 | 2-8114 | Axel.Drees@sunysb.edu |
Rod Engelmann | Physics D106 | 2-8087 | engelmann@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |
Aaron Evans | ESS-452 | 2-1302 | aevans@mail.astro.sunysb.edu |
Miriam Forman | Physics A106 | 2-8165 | Miriam.Forman@stonybrook.edu |
Concha Gonzalez-Garcia | Math Tower 6-115A | 2-7971 | concha@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Fred Goldhaber | ITP, MT6-113 | 2-7975 | goldhaber@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Paul Grannis | Physics D142 | 2-8088 | grannis@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |
Tom Hemmick | Physics C107 | 2-8111 | hemmick@skipper.physics.sunysb.edu |
John Hobbs | Physics D108 | 2-8084 | hobbs@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |
Barbara Jacak | Physics C102 | 2-6041 | jacak@skipper.physics.sunysb.edu |
Chang Kee Jung | Physics D141 | 2-8108 | alpinist@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |
Ken Lanzetta | ESS 456 | 2-8222 | Kenneth.Lanzetta@sunysb.edu |
James Lattimer | ESS 455 | 2-8227 | James.Lattimer@sunysb.edu |
Robert McCarthy | Physics D104 | 2-8086 | mccarthy@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |
Clark McGrew | Physics D134 | 2-8299 | mcgrew@nngroup.physics.sunysb.edu |
Deane Peterson | ESS 454 | 2-8223 | Deane.Peterson@sunysb.edu |
Norbert Pietralla | Physics C122 | 2-8119 | npietralla@notes.cc.sunysb.edu |
Michael Rijssenbeek | Physics D134 | 2-8099 | Michael.Rijssenbeek@stonybrook.edu |
Martin Rocek | ITP MT6-116A | 2-7965 | rocek@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Robert Shrock | ITP D146 | 2-7986 | schrock@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Jack Smith | ITP MT6-111 | 2-7973 | jsmith@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Philip Solomon | ESS 449 | 2-8231 | Philip.Solomon@sunysb.edu |
Gene Sprouse | Physics C109 | 2-8118 | sprouse@nuclear.physics.sunysb.edu |
George Sterman | ITP MT6-115A | 2-7967 | sterman@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen | ITP MT6-110 | 2-7972 | vannieuwenhuizen@insti.physics.sunysb.edu |
Amos Yahil | ESS 461 | 2-8224 | Amos.Yahil@sunysb.edu |
Chiaki Yanagisawa | Physics D138 | 2-8105 | chiaki@sbhep.physics.sunysb.edu |