Departmental Colloquia
Departmental Colloquia Last update: March 25/97
Click on date of interest, or scroll through theschedule.
September 1996
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Halpern: cosmology
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Overhauser: BCS theory
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Hulet: Bose-Einstein condensation
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Krauss: particle/cosmology
29 30
October 1996
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 Freeman: magnetism
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 McMillan: environmental physics
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Colbow: transportation technology
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Sinervo: Subatomic physics
27 28 29 30 31 Vogel: Biophysics/ soft Condensed Matter
November 1996
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Olmstead: Condensed Matter physics
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Griffiths: quantum/solid state
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Whitehead: physics innovation and technology
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Corkum: atomic and molecular
January 1997
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 George McGuire: physics education
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Dean Face: Microwaves & hiTc films
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 John Sidles: Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy
26 27 28 29 30 31 Don Page: gravity/black holes/GR
February 1997
S M Tu W Th F S
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sylvia Wessel: physics of batteries
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Donald Umstadter: plasma physics
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Reading week
23 24 25 26 27 28 Andre J. Van Schyndel: Acoustics and telephones
March 1997
S M Tu W Th F S
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Steve Tomsovic: Quantum Corrals/quantum chaos
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 San Xiang: Medical Imaging
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Steve Block: Biological Motors
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Chris Waltham: SNO
30 31
April 1997
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 Geoff Marcy: Extrasolar Planets
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
| Fall 96 | Janis McKenna | e-mail: janis@physics.ubc.ca | phone: 604-822-4337 |
| Winter 97 | Lorne Whitehead | e-mail: whitehed@physics.ubc.ca | phone: 604-822-3075 |
| Fall 96 | John Cochran | e-mail: jcochran@sfu.ca | phone: 604-291-3701 |
| Winter 97 | Leslie Ballentine | e-mail: Leslie_Ballentine@sfu.ca | phone: 604-291-4826 |
Date: Thursday, September 5, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Measurements of the cosmic microwave background are improving rapidly and promise to resolve central questions in cosmology. This talk will outline the models being tested and describe current experiments. Emphasis wil be on the experimental efforts in which UBC is playing a role: BAM, a balloon borne telescope, and MAP, a NASA satellite scheduled for launch in 2001.
Dr. Halpern, from our own Physics Department, is spokesperson for the BAM experiment
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: In 1980 Van Harlingen and Garland measured the magnetic field created by a temperature gradient in a superconducting ring, half lead and half indium. The observed flux exceeds the prediction of BCS theory by more than 100,000. What's going on?
Dr. Overhauser is the Stuart Distinguished Professor of Physics at Purdue, and was awarded the 1994 National Medal of Science by US President Clinton.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on September 13)
Date: Thursday, September 19, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) has recently been seen in gases of 87Rb, 7Li, and 23Na. Although these trapped gases are dilute, the weak interactions between atoms play a significant role in determining their properties. For 23Na and 87Rb, the effectively repulsive interactions enlarges the volume of the condensates and modifies their elementary excitation spectra. In contrast, the attractive interactions of 7Li prevent BEC from occurring at all in a spatially homogeneous (i.e. untrapped) gas. It is now realized that BEC is possible in a trapped gas but the number of condensate atoms is limited. For our experiment, the predicted limit is about 1500 condensate atoms. We have imaged Bose-Einstein condensates of 7Li in situ, using a phase-contrast technique. Laser cooling is used to load atoms into a magnetic trap made from permanent magnets. Evaporative cooling takes the atoms to final temperatures in the range of 100 nK. The number of condensate atoms grows abruptly at the transition temperature but the number is limited as predicted by theory. These measurements provide a sensitive test of theory and illustrate the profound effect of microscopic interactions on the macroscopic properties of Bose-Einstein condensates.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on September 20)
Date: Thursday, September 26, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: I will begin by describing why a very small, yet non-zero cosmological constant is, from the point of view of fundamental microphysical theory, perhaps the strangest possibility imaginable. Yet, as I will describe, data from a wide variety of independent cosmological and astrophysical observations combine together to suggest just such a possibility. If this is the case, then the energy density of the universe today is dominated by empty space! I will close by briefly describing possible implications for particle theory if the cosmological constant is non-zero.
Dr. Krauss is Department Chair at Case Western, the Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, and is the author of the recent best-seller The Physics of Star Trek.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on September 27)
Date: Thursday, October 3, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Man-made low dimensional magnetic systems including surfaces, interfaces and multilayers, have attracted a great amount of attention and excitement in the past decade because, as expected, the lowered symmetry and coordination number offer a variety of opportunities for inducing new and exotic phenomena and so hold out the promise of new device applications. Local spin density functional ab initio electronic structure calculations employing the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method have played a key role in the development of this exciting field by not only providing a clearer understanding of the experimental observations but also predicting new systems with desired properties. Results reviewed here demonstrate the range and depth of problems treated by the modern theory of magnetism, including strong magnetic enhancement of both spin and orbital moments, the observed surface (interface) magnetic anisotropy (which can be reproduced correctly in the theoretical calculations although the anisotropy energy is only ~ 10**-4 - 10**-5 eV), and most recently the extension of theory to determine, for the first time, the even smaller magnetostriction energy in bulk and reduced dimensional materials.
Dr. Freeman is editor of Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials .
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on October 4)
Date: Thursday, October 10, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: This talk will explore several of the major atmospheric environmental issues in Canada now and provide some examples of the physics being used or developed to deal effectively with them. The major atmospheric issues recognized by Environment Canada are: acidifying emissions, tropospheric ozone, hazardous air pollutants, stratospheric ozone depletion and global atmospheric change. In order to deal effectively with any of these issues, a knowledge of the atmosphere, its characteristics and motions, is critical. Meteorology was, for many years, primarily an observational science in which such variables as wind speed and direction, temperature, pressure, etc were used to quantify its state in a local area. With the advent of telemetry, computers, radar, satellites, lasers and many other types of advanced instrumentation, huge advances have been made in meteorology. These underlie what we are coming to know about air pollution. Improved observational methods have provided knowledge of the "processes" governing behaviour of pollutants in the environment. Knowledge of these processes, especially the behaviour of pollutants at interfaces, coupled with advancing computer power, has allowed for advances in the modelling of pollutant behaviour. These advances have moved our ability to understand the atmosphere from local to international and even global scales. The recognition that the atmosphere has no borders is becoming recognized in international negotiations and this recognition is expected to increase in the next millenium as the extent to which man has impacted the global atmosphere becomes clearer.
Dr. McMillan is a Past President of the Canadian Association of Physicists
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on October 11)
Date: Thursday, October 17, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: A fuel cell is a direct energy conversion device which converts the chemical energy in a fuel and an oxidant into low voltage dc electricity. Ballard Power Systems, Inc. is a world leader in the development and commercialization of the solid polymer fuel cell (SPFC) for stationary and motive applications. After an introduction to SPFCs, the status of the present day hydrogen/air based technology will be presented. The storage of hydrogen is a key concern, particularly for automotive applications. The reforming of hydrogen-rich fuels like methanol or methane is a possible solution. Another approach which shows promise for fuel cell technology in the future is the direct conversion of methanol, that is, a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC). The operation of a DMFC as well as future research and development issues will be discussed.
Ballard Power Systems, a world leader in polymer fuel technology, is located here in Vancouver
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Date: Thursday, October 24, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: The Standard Model of elementary particle physics assumes that all matter is composed of quarks and leptons interacting through four different forces. However, are quarks and leptons really the most fundamental building blocks of nature? Recent experiments have shown indications that perhaps there are smaller objects. The status of these experiments will be discussed and a few interpretations of these new data will be presented.
Dr. Sinervo is the 1996 recipient of the Royal Society of Canada Rutherford Medal.
Please note that Dr. Sinervo will be giving a seminar also on Oct.24, at 11:30am entitled Top to Bottom in Hennings 318.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at UVic Dept of Physics on
October 23,
and at SFU Dept of Physics on October 25)
Date: Thursday, October 31, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Proteins are sophisticated biopolymers that have evolved in nature to perform many functions that are essential for life. This includes molecular recognition, catalysis, active transport, and transcription. All of these processes require that proteins are assembled into supramolecular complexes where the relative protein orientation can be predicted. It is a major challenge to quantify the underlying principles of protein self-assembly. We have investigated the noncrystalline-to-crystalline phase transition of a surface-bound model protein as an example for a well controlled supramolecular assembly process.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on November 1)
Date: Thursday, November 7, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: During the growth of a crystalline film on a dissimilar substrate, the complex growth kinetics and interface reactions of the first few atomic or molecular layers can control the structure and morphology of the next several hundred layers. Within these first few layers, the atomic and electronic structure continuously evolves as the bare substrate reacts to form a new interface compound, which in turn serves as the substrate for the nucleation and coalescence of subsequent layers. The substrate, reacted interface layer and subsequent layers each have distinct activation barriers for diffusion, and may have different step and island distributions. This results in variation of the time scales for diffusion to a step edge and interlayer transport (crossing atomic steps) relative to that for deposition of a monolayer, both during deposition and in different places on the growing surface. The deposition of calcium fluoride, an ionic insulator, on silicon, a covalent semiconductor, shows a wide variety of growth modes and serves as an excellent model system for the investigation of this evolution of atomic and electronic structure during growth. Through the combination of kinetic modelling with site-specific photoelectron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, this complex growth behavior has been characterized and explained. The models developed are widely applicable to other heteroepitaxial systems.
Dr. Olmstead is this year's recipient of the American Physical Society's Maria Goppert Mayer Prize.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on November 8)
Date: Thursday, November 14, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: I will discuss the one-dimensional quantum theory of scattering from a potential consisting of N identical evenly-spaced Dirac delta functions. A surprisingly simple closed-form expression for the transmission probability is obtained, and the band structure characteristic of periodic potentials emerges even for relatively small values of N. The results generalize to finitely periodic potentials of arbitrary shape: if one knows the transmission and reflection amplitudes for a single bump, one can immediately write down the transmission probability for a string of N identical bumps. Analogous problems in the scattering of classical waves will be discussed.
Dr. Griffiths is the Howard Vollum Professor of Science at Reed, and is also well known amongst our undergraduates as the author of some of the textbooks we all know and love (students in PHYS 251, 301, 311, 304, 400, 401, 411 in recent years have used his E&M, Quantum, or Particle Physics textbooks)
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on November 15)
Date: Thursday, November 21, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
This colloquium will combine two themes:
1) New physical principles in illumination.
Only a tiny portion of the energy we use for lighting actually enters our
eyes, so in this sense illumination is exceedingly inefficient.
Traditionally, the optical path traversed by the light in this process has
been quite simple, involving only a few optical interactions. Recently,
new applications of various physical principles have increased the
sophistication of illumination systems, yielding substantial improvements in
the fraction of lighting energy entering the eye in a useful manner. These
improvements include inductively coupled lamps, new light guides, and
selective filters.
2) Innovation and technology transfer.
Physics innovation usually involves new combinations of physical principles
and new materials or new material processes. Such innovations can often
have practical value, but the chain from innovation to practical use is not
simple. A personal perspective on the challenges and motivation for such
technology transfer will be provided, in the context of the development of
new illumination technologies.
Dr. Whitehead, of our own Physics Department, is the NSERC 3M Industrial Professor at UBC, is the former CEO of his own company, TIR systems, and is an inventor and holder of patents for a number of cool devices, including the lightpipe, and speakertape.
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
Date: Thursday, November 28, 1996
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Atomic and molecular ionization is a rather simple process with important implications. For example, ionizing atoms are a source of short wavelength radiation. I will describe the mechanism of high-harmonic generation and show how attosecond pulse can be generated. Strong field ionization also promises a new approach to observing molecular dynamics. I will describe measuring the square of the time dependent molecular wave function of dissociating iodine molecules.
Dr. Corkum is this year's recipient of the CAP Medal of Achievement
Contact Person: Janis McKenna
Dr. Corkum will be giving a different colloquium at SFU Dept of Physics on Friday November 29. It is listed below in case you wish to catch it at SFU.
SFU Title: "Control of Semiconductor Photocurrents using quantum Interference"
SFU Abstract: Using quantum interference between a photocurrent produced by a laser beam and its second harmonic, we demonstrate that both the magnitude and the direction of the total current can be determined by the relative phase of the beams in an unbiased quantum well device. Thus we construct an interferometer for electrons that has properties similiar to an optical interferometer.
Date: Thursday, January 9, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: This seminar will provide, time permitting, four demonstrations of the strange behavior that can occur in nonlinear physics. The demonstrations were chosen for the following reasons:
The demonstrations will be as follows:
These demonstrations have been selected from the 28 experimental activities contained in the text and lab manual Richard Enns and George McGuire, Nonlinear Physics with Maple for Scientists and Engineers and A Laboratory Manual for Nonlinear Physics with Maple for Scientists and Engineers, Birkhauser, 1996. that Richard Enns (SFU) and McGuire have written and which is now commercially available.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on January 10)
Date: Thursday, January 16, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Many of the most promising applications of HTS materials require films with low surface resistance at high rf power levels. This talk will review recent work at DuPont to develop YBa2Cu3O7 and Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 films and devices for high power rf and microwave applications. The high power performance of unpatterned 2 and 3 inch diameter films has been characterized using 5.56 Ghz and 8.1 GHz HTS-sapphire resonators. For YBCO at 70 K, the surface resistance remains below 65 micro-ohms (@5.56 GHz) with microwave surface current densities up to 5x106 A/cm2. At 70 K, the surface resistance of Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 films remains below 200 micro-ohms (@ 8.1 GHz) with microwave current densities up to 2x106 A/cm2. Coplanar transmission lines patterned from both YBa2Cu3O7 and Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 films show low levels of harmonic generation up to average rf current densities greater than 2x106 A/cm2. Recent work to develop planar high power filters with good performance up to and exceeding 100 wattpower filters with good performance up to and exceeding 100 watts will be discussed.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on January 17)
Date: Thursday, January 23, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
The 21st century will witness the attempted development of several radically new technologies involving the measurement and manipulation of individual two-state quantum systems. Among these technologies are: (1) imaging the 3D structure of individual molecules by magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM), (2) the solution of non-polynomial algorithms by quantum computing, and (3) nanoscale, ultrafast electronic devices based on the manipulation of single electron states. These technologies address urgent unmet needs of human society, and in addition raise fascinating issues in both fundamental and applied physics.
The first part of the talk will consider physics issues which are common to all three technologies. Specific emphasis will be placed on the AC Stark effect, the Stern-Gerlach effect, and the Quantum Zeno effect, as manifest during the measurement and manipulation of two-state quantum systems.
From a more specific, device-oriented perspective, the second part of the talk will be specifically concerned with the design, fabrication, and operation of practical MRFM devices for achieving single-spin detection and imaging. Which approaches work? Which approaches have been shown not to work? Which approaches have not yet been tried, but are promising avenues for further research?
The final portion of the talk will consider the as-yet-unsolved problem of molecular structure determination more generally. What new solutions can the physics community offer?
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Date: Thursday, January 30, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
Hawking's 1974 calculation of thermal emission from a classical black hole led to his 1976 proposal that information may be lost from our universe as a pure quantum state collapses gravitationally into a black hole, which then evaporates completely into a mixed state of thermal radiation. Another possibility is that the information is not lost, but is stored in a remnant of the evaporating black hole. A third idea is that the information comes out in nonthermal correlations within the Hawking radiation, which would be expected to occur at too slow a rate, or be too spread out, to be revealed by any nonperturbative calculation.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on January 31)
Date: Thursday, February 6, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Lithium batteries have become increasingly popular as power sources for the portable electronic markets due to their high energy density and high operating voltage. Also, environmental concerns regarding mercury, cadmium or lead containing batteries have been a driving force for the development of advanced batteries.
The primary and secondary lithium battery development programs at BlueStar Advanced Technology Corporation will be reviewed. Various factors determining cell performance as well as safety considerations for both technologies will be discussed in detail. Also, a comparison of lithium batteries with other technologies will be presented.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Dr. Wessel is presently Vice President, Program Manager of Primary Lithium Technologies at BlueStar Advanced Technology Corporation. She has also worked at Dynamotive Technologies Corp, BlueStar Battery Systems, and Ballard Battery Systems, all in the Vancouver area.
Date: Thursday, February 13, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
Extremely large electromagnetic and electrostatic fields (TeV/cm and GeV/cm, respectively) are produced during the interactions of ultraintense and ultrashort laser pulses with matter. In this new research area, called high-field physics, we explore relativistic nonlinear optics, transient atomic processes in plasmas, and the development of novel compact ultrashort sources of either energetic photons or electrons.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on February 14)
Date: Thursday, February 27, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
A light-hearted but technical analysis of the physics of acoustics will be presented, with emphasis on applications in telephones. A brief description of our hearing mechanism will be followed by an introduction to acoustic circuitry techniques, with real examples. We will look at the basic acoustics of loudspeakers, microphones, beer bottles, bells, and whistles, forming computer models to predict their performance. We will finish with an overview of more sophisticated analysis techniques and their limitations.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Date: Thursday, March 6, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract: Semiclassical theory gives a direct connection between quantum and classical dynamics. Recent developments have overcome barriers posed by chaos and cast new light on the correspondence principle. Previous pessimistic assessments of a logarithmic breakdown time scale for the correspondence have been shown to be incorrect. Semiclassical ideas have also become central to new experiments in atomic, molecular, microwave and mesoscopic physics.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on March 7)
Date: Thursday, March 13, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
Due to its non-invasiveness and high image quality, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an indispensable tool for routine diagnostic medicine. However, its full potential has not been achieved. For example, each MRI pixel represents not just a scalar, but a vector (the transverse magnetization) which has directional (or phase) information. This phase information is usually discarded when only the magnitude is displayed. This talk will demonstrate the significance of phase in MRI, by using examples ranging from basic spatial phase encoding to advanced applications, some of which being our own research efforts. Techniques such as qualitative and quantitative flow/ motion mapping, motional artifacts suppression, efficient dynamic imaging, practical chemical shift imaging will be discussed.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Date: Thursday, March 20, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
Modern laser techniques make it possible to manipulate tiny objects using the force of radiation pressure alone. "Optical tweezers" (gradient-force optical traps) have been developed that can grapple with a range of living materials, from whole cells down to single proteins. In conjunction with ultra-sensitive instrumentation capable of recording position at the subnanometer level, optical tweezers can be used to investigate a variety of biological motors. These include the mechanoenzyme kinesin, which moves along microtubules of the cytoskeleton, as well as RNA polymerase, which displays motor-like properties as it proceeds along DNA, carrying out transcription of the genetic code. Our lab succeeded in directly resolving the molecular steps made by kinesin molecules, as well as in measuring the piconewton-sized forces these motors produce. RNA polymerase turns out to be the strongest molecular motor yet tested, generating more than four times the force of traditional mechanoenzymes, such as muscle myosin. In recent work, the force-velocity relationships for both kinesin and RNA polymerase have been established, and we have new information about the coupling of enzyme biochemistry to enzyme mechanics.
Professor Block holds a joint appointment in the Department of Molecular Biology and the Princeton Materials Institute at Princeton University, where he conducts an interdisciplinary program of research on molecular motors, bridging the fields of Biology and Physics. He serves on the Council and Executive Board of the Biophysical Society and teaches at Princeton.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
(Same colloquium will be at SFU Dept of Physics on March 21)
Date: Thursday, March 27, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is a large heavy water Cerenkov neutrino detector currently being built 2 km underground in an Inco mine in Northern Ontario. It was conceived in 1984, funded in 1990, and will see "first light" later this year. The construction of SNO has been long, arduous and expensive. However, during this time the mysteries surrounding solar and atmospheric neutrinos have, if anything, deepened. The long-awaited first data are thus even more eagerly anticipated than when we embarked upon this project 13 years ago.
Dr. Waltham, in our own Physics & Astronomy Department, has been a SNOman since 1988.
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
Date: Thursday, April 3, 1997
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Hebb Theatre
Coffee and Cookies served in Foyer of Hebb at 3:45pm
Abstract:
Highly precise Doppler measurements, +-15 m/s, of 260 Solar-type stars have revealed 7 stars with Doppler periodicities that are Keplerian and imply planetary masses near that of Jupiter. Approximately 5% of Solar-Type stars exhibit such Doppler variations, and the implied companions orbit within 2.5 AU and span a range of orbital parameters, including large eccentricities. The reported spectral line variations in the star 51 Pegasi can be interpreted in light of more recent results and hydrodynamical models.
Professor Marcy is a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, and was recently awarded the Manne Siegbahn Award from Nobel Physics Committee of the Swedish Academy (Oct. 1996)
Contact Person: Lorne Whitehead
This page is accessible at "http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~janis/colloq.html" on the web.
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