Department of Physics
SCHEDULED EVENTS (2001-02)
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES
Town Meeting of the Entire Physics Department
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss various matters of concern to students and faculty, e.g., colloquia, GRE, SPS, WOP, APS, LPW, Bjorklunden, letters of recommendation, the Senior Capstone program, ... All physics majors are expected to attend this meeting.
Winner of the Adolf Lomb Award of the Optical Society of America in 1972, Professor Byer was a Sloan Fellow from 1973 to 1976 and co-recipient of the R. W. Wood Prize in 1998. He is a fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA), the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and he is a past president of the OSA and Lasers and Elctro-optics Society of IEEE. His research interests include diode pumped solid state lasers, nonlinear materials and devices, parametric oscillators, gravity wave interferometry, remote sensing, quantum optics, and optical frequency synthesis. A founding member of the California Council on Science and Technology, which assists the State of California on scientific, technical and engineering issues, Dr. Byer has served on the NSF Engineering Advisory Committee and on numerous panels for NASA, DOD, and DOE. He has consulted for Spectra-Physics, Westinghouse, General Motors, Boeing, and TRW, and he is co-founder of Quanta Ray Inc. and Lightwave Electronics Corporation. He holds more than 35 patents. While at Lawrence, Dr. Byer will deliver two talks (a Science Colloquium and a Physics Colloquium) and will interact in several ways with faculty and students in the department during his two day visit.
Mo 5 Nov 4:15 PM Youngchild 121: Science Colloquium (Refreshments at 4:00 PM)
Gravitational Waves in the Universe: Einstein's Unfinished Symphony
In late 1915, Albert Einstein formulated his theory of general relativity including the equations that govern the generation and propagation of gravitational waves. We have yet to observe such waves, but the search is underway in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia at facilities that use a laser to illuminate an interferometer named after the first American Nobel laureate in science, Albert A. Michelson. This talk will explore the sources and strengths of gravitational waves, and what they will teach us about the universe when they are discovered.
Tu 6 Nov 11:10 AM Youngchild 115: Physics Colloquium
Lasers, LIGO, and LISA: Gravitational Waves - A New Window on the Universe
The first generation Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, LIGO, is nearing completion. The receiver consists of two 4-km long Fabry-Perot, Michelson interferometers located at two sites in the United States. In the future other gravitational wave interferometers will be completed in Europe and Japan and will join the search. What are the sources of gravitational waves and what are their strengths? How do we detect them and what challenges lie ahead before we become gravitational wave astronomers?
Dusty Plasmas in the Laboratory and Space
Professor Robert L. Merlino, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa
Plasma is a "Fourth State of Matter" in which many of the atoms or molecules are ionized. Plasmas have unique properties compared to solids, liquids, and gases. Most plasmas can be thought of at first as extremely hot gases, but their properties are generally quite different. Some (but not all!) Examples: the sun, fluorescent light bulbs and other gas-discharge tubes, very hot flames, much of interplanetary, interstellar, and intergalactic space, the earth's ionosphere, parts of the atmosphere around lightning discharges, and of course fusion plasmas. It is very important to understand the behavior of plasmas since 99% of the Universe is in the plasma state!
Most of the solid matter in the Universe is in the form of very small (micron size) dust particles. These dust particles are often embedded in the plasma and together they form a 'dusty plasma'. The dust grains may become electrically charged by collecting some of the electrons and ions from the plasma. This charge makes the grains susceptible to electric and magnetic forces in addition to the usual gravitational forces. Dusty plasmas occur in a variety of cosmic settings and, quite unexpectedly have also shown up in a number of laboratory devices as well. This talk will provide an introduction to some of the unique properties of dusty plasma as observed in both the laboratory and space.
Students are invited to all of these events.
Mr. Paul Groszewski, Dual Degree Program representative from Washington University, St. Louis, MO, will be on campus to discuss Lawrence's affiliation with Washington University in a program that makes engineering available to Lawrence students. Mr. Groszewski will make a short presentation and then respond to questions about engineering in general and about Washington University in particular. If you are unable to attend this session or if you would like an opportunity to talk privately with Mr. Groszewski, contact Professor of Physics Jeffrey Collett at Ext. 7014 or via email at collettj@lawrence.edu. Mr. Groszewski will be on campus for much of the afternoon on this Wednesday.
Robin L. Sampson, LU, '02, Measuring the Langmuir Probe Characteristic in a Pure Electron Plasma
These Turbulent Times: Self-Organization in Plasmas and Two-Dimensional Fluids
Visiting Assistant Professor Paul W. Fontana, Department of Physics, Lawrence University
Many of the most interesting systems in nature exhibit a large-scale coherent structure that emerges spontaneously from a background of turbulent fluctuations. Examples range from the growth of galaxies to the generation of life to the formation of the South Polar vortex that sustains the ozone hole. In this talk, I will discuss observations of such a self-organization phenomenon in plasmas known as the "magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) dynamo", in which plasmas generate large-scale magnetic fields from small-scale turbulent fluctuations. The process is similar to one believed to be responsible for the generation of the magnetic fields of the Earth and the Sun. I will also discuss self-organization in two-dimensional fluids, a topic of importance in the study of oceanic and atmospheric flows, both on Earth and on other planets. Laboratory experiments using soap films to study turbulense and self-organixation in two-dimensional fluids are underway and will be discussed.
Between a Clock and a Hot Place: Confining electron plasmas in a toroidal magnetic field
Assistant Professor Matthew R. Stoneking, Department of Physics, Lawrence University
Attempting to confine hundreds of billions of mutually repelling electrons in the same region of space poses challenges and offers opportunities to study "many-particle" or "collective" effects. Electron plasmas confined in highly symmetric cylindrical traps exhibit fascinating and beautiful phenomena specific to electron plasmas, but such experiments also contribute to understanding neutral fluid dynamics (e.g., rivers) and the dynamics of self-gravitating systems (e.g., galaxies). Experiments in the Lawrence Nonneutral Torus are extending electron plasma confinement techniques into a different geometry, the torus. Toroidal geometry is the most promising geometry for confining hot plasmas for the purposes of producing electricity by nuclear fusion. And successful toroidal electron plasma confinement relies on effects that are analogous to those employed in toroidal fusion plasmas.
Derek J. Thuecks, LU, '02, Oscillations in a Toroidal Electron Plasma: A Capstone Talk
Photo Shoot: 4:00 PM on the steps at 228 North Park. Faculty members, seniors and juniors leaving for engineering schools should meet on the steps for the taking of this traditional photo.
Quinn Marksteiner, LU, '02
X-Ray Vision: Predicted Scattering from Two-Dimensional Smectic Liquid Crystals
Annual Reception for physics graduates and their graduation guests.