Events at Physics |
Events on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013
- Chaos & Complex Systems Seminar
- What happens when policy comes before science?
- Time: 12:05 pm
- Place: 4274 Chamberlin (refreshments will be served)
- Speaker: Sherry Tanumihardjo, UW Department of Nutritional Sciences
- Abstract: Vitamin A is essential for multiple functions in mammals. Without vitamin A, mammals cannot grow, reproduce, or fight off disease. Because of its numerous functions in humans, biomarkers of vitamin A status are quite diverse. Assessment of liver reserves of vitamin A is considered the gold standard because the liver is the major storage organ. However, this measure is not feasible in human studies. Alternative biomarkers of status can be classified as biological, functional, histologic, and biochemical. Before overt clinical damage to the eye, individuals who suffer from vitamin A deficiency are plagued by night blindness and longer vision-restoration times. These types of assessments require large population-based evaluations. Therefore, surrogate biochemical measures of vitamin A status, as defined by liver reserves, have been developed. Serum retinol concentrations are a common method used to evaluate vitamin A deficiency. Often policy is set based on serum retinol concentrations. However, they often do not respond to interventions and do not decline until liver reserves are severely depleted. Therefore, surrogate measures of liver reserves were developed, which include stable isotope and relative dose response tests.
- Host: Clint Sprott
- Atomic Physics Seminar
- Quantum Spin Ice with Rydberg dressed atoms
- Time: 2:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Alexander Glaetzle, University of Innsbruck
- Abstract: We will present a discussion of quantum spin ice, which represents a paradigmatic example on how the physics of frustrated magnets is related to gauge theories. The goal is to assemble a system of cold Rydberg atoms and to design interactions that realize a toy model of quantum spin ice on a two-dimensional checkerboard lattice. In particular, we exploit the strong angular dependence of Van-der-Waals interactions between high angular momentum Rydberg states. Together with the possibility of designing step-like potentials using ground state atoms weakly dressed by Rydberg states, we can implement Abelian gauge theories in a series of geometries, which could be demonstrated within state of the art experiments.
- Host: Mark Saffman
- Atomic Physics Seminar
- A hybrid Rydberg atom-superconductor quantum interface
- Time: 2:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Jonathan Pritchard, UW Madison
- Abstract: We propose a quantum interface for creating hybrid entanglement between neutral atom and superconducting qubits. The interface is mediated by coupling superconducting qubits to microwaves, and microwaves to Rydberg excited single atoms. Fidelity calculations based on realistic parameters for an atom located close to a CPW microwave resonator, and a progress report on experimental implementation will be presented.
- Host: Mark Saffman