Astrophysics

Each week, we hold a relatively informal seminar/discussion series with an emphasis on extra-galactic and large-scale structure astrophysics.

During Galread a leader/visitor presents a recent paper to the discussion group. The PDF of the paper is...

Abstract: 

Finding unconventional superconductors in proximity to various strongly correlated electronic phases has been a recurring theme in materials as diverse as heavy fermion compounds, cuprates, pnictides, and twisted bilayer graphene. The...

The discovery of high-energy cosmic neutrinos opened a new window of astroparticle physics. Their origin is a new mystery in the field, which is tightly connected to the long-standing puzzle about the origin of cosmic rays. I will discuss...

Modern spectroscopic studies of resolved stellar populations in Andromeda (M31) will connect the Milky Way (MW) to future observations of disk galaxies in the Local Volume. Thus, our understanding of M31's merger history will be a foundation upon...

Abstract: We show that if a massive body is put in a quantum superposition of spatially separated states, the mere presence of a black hole in the vicinity of the body will eventually destroy the coherence of the superposition. This occurs because...

The obliquity of a planet, the tilt between its spin and orbital axes, reflects the evolutionary history of the planet. In our own Solar System, the 98 degree obliquity of Uranus is hypothesized to be the result of giant impacts during its formation...

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are the brightest radio transients in the universe. Since the unexpected discovery in the 21st century, their extreme nature is one of the biggest mysteries of astrophysics. FRBs are also unique probes of the universe...

The Bahcall Lunch follow the astrophysics colloquium lecture. Registration is required by 3pm the previous Friday so a meal can be provided. Please contact Amanda Cenker with questions.

Much of existing plasma (astro)physics is done hovering in the vicinity of a Maxwellian equilibrium, which is the maximum point of the standard Gibbs entropy and is achieved dynamically by means of two-particle collisions. In this seminar, I would...