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Events on Friday, October 15th, 2010

Theory/Phenomenology Seminar
Automation of the Matrix Element Reweighting Method
Time: 2:30 pm
Place: 5280 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Pierre Artoisenet, Ohio State University
Abstract: Matrix element reweighting is a powerful experimental technique widely employed to maximize the amount of information that can be extracted from a collider data set. Given a set of theoretical hypotheses and a sample of experimental events, the method assigns a weight to each hypothesis on an event-by-event basis and in this way provides a discriminator between different theoretical assumptions. The computation of the weights is intricate, because it involves a difficult convolution of the theoretical information on the hard scattering with the experimentally available information on the final state. In this talk, I will present a general algorithm aimed at evaluating the weights appearing in the matrix element method for any process of interest in the standard model and beyond. The implementation builds on MadGraph, and is completely automated. I will also discuss a few sample applications that show the capabilities of the code and illustrate the possibilities for new studies that such an approach opens up. (The talk is based on work presented in arxiv:1007.3300.)
Host: Neil Christensen
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Physics Department Colloquium
Our Changing View of the TeV Sky
Time: 4:00 pm
Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall (coffee at 3:30 pm)
Speaker: Jordan Goodman, University of Maryland
Abstract: The advent of ground-based atmospheric and water Cherenkov gamma-ray detectors, as well as, the Compton and Fermi satellites has revolutionized our view of the TeV sky. Twenty years ago there was only one known TeV gamma-ray source, the Crab. Today there are well over 100 detected sources - steady and variable, point-like and diffuse. We have also made great strides studying Gamma Ray Bursts, the most energetic processes in the Universe. Most recently, we have even discovered that charged TeV cosmic rays have unexpected anisotropies in their arrival directions suggesting the existence of local cosmic ray sources. The next generation detectors, CTA, HAWC and, IceCube will undoubtedly give us a better understanding of these exciting phenomena and almost certainly reveal more surprises. In this talk, I will review some of these results and show results from the Milagro gamma ray observatory. In addition I describe our next generation HAWC observatory currently under construction at high-altitude in Mexico.
Host: Westerhoff
Poster: https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/posters/2010/1706.pdf
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